Transit map of Downtown Spokane from STA (click to enlarge)
Early last year, we uncovered some dirt on a potential streetcar study for Spokane. The Spokesman Review is now reporting that new information has come to light about the Lilac City’s most recent efforts to employ streetcars in its downtown transit network. The Spokane Transit Authority (STA) is using $360,000 in federal and state grant funds to commission the study. As part of the plan, the agency is asking local residents to become part of its Sounding Board to help plan for what it calls a High Performance Transit Network, which could either be implemented via electric trolleybuses, streetcars, or other modes.
While light rail has been a hot concept in Spokane for several years, the political effort was ditched in 2006 when STA disbanded a LRT planning committee. However, Susan Meyer, STA’s CEO, has raised the possibility of some kind of tram/light rail hybrid with an exclusive right-of-way for the Spokane Valley corridor [UPDATE: Commenter Bobby Bebar says that Meyer is referring to an electric trolleybus.]:
Along with other alternatives, Meyer wants the agency to study the possibility of electric rapid transit on separated traffic alignment, which can be accomplished for about 15 percent of the cost of light rail. That Spokane Valley corridor study would update work previously done for a light rail project.
In related news, the Idaho Statesman is reporting that Boise’s proposed LID (local improvement district) for its streetcar loop is getting mixed reviews, particularly from tax-exempt non-profit organizations who will end up having to chip in anyway.
Spokane really needs more than streetcars. There infrastructure is so spread out. It needs something that really goes out. Think of Spokane like Portland. A river next to downtown cuts the city in half and geological features blocking development on the other side. Spokane could really develop some good TOD considering they have so much cheap, readily available land.
They should really stick to developing light rail with (yes) park and rides along many of the old rail ROW’s in the city. Or commuter rail on existing rails using the tracks that bisect most of the area (not located on a coast, river, but right down thick residential, commercial, and industrial areas). Though, BNSF Railway might not allow it.
Spokane said no to light rail in 2006. They need to reconstruct it and try light rail again.
http://www.inlandrail.org/sta-modified/uploads/documents/pdf/proposed%20alignment,%20081606.pdf
I grew up in Spokane, and a downtown streetcar loop that served the hospitals, downtown, the university district, and perhaps the new Kendal Yards development would be a huge boon to in-city development. Spokane is a lovely little city and the area around Riverfront Park could be such a great place to live. A streetcar would do wonders to improve desirability of the central area. Live in Kendal Yards, shop downtown, play in Riverfront Park, work at Sacred Heart, give a lecture at Gonzaga… all without a car? Nice.
I grew up dreaming about a light rail line that went from the airport to Coeur d’Alene. I can’t tell you how cool that would be during the summer time :-D Not to mention linking the major employment centers (downtown, liberty lake) with large swaths of residential areas with no choice right now but to use I-90 (Spokane Valley).
Oh Spokane, you could be so beautiful.
Keo,
If you go to the airport you’re spending an additional $300 million. You have to bridge the Spokane River and then climb the bluff. Nobody lives over there and it isn’t that hard to get to the airport.
Actually, going from downtown Spokane to the airport doesn’t require crossing the Spokane River – it requires crossing Hangman Creek. It would be a high bridge, but it would certainly be doable (the railroads have been doing it for about 100 years).
And once you get to the airport side of Hangman Creek you have lots of options. You could go up the grade alongside the freeway, or you could loop around to the northeast of the Finch Arboretum and potentially pick up additional ridership from the Indian Canyon area.
I don’t understand your comment about “nobody lives over there.” If you mean that “nobody lives in Spokane” than you are just plain wrong. Spokane has supported rail transit in the past and it is large enough to do it in the future.
If you mean that “nobody lives on the west side of Hangman Creek”, then you must be ignoring the Indian Canyon neighborhoods and/or completely discounting the TOD potential.
An aside…
The trackage to Coeur d’Alene still exists…for the next few months anyway. The sections east of Riverstone are about to be donated by UP to the city of Coeur d’Alene for the development of their new education corridor. It’s too bad…though rail may never happen there, the ROW was perfectly placed along Northwest Boulevard, and the current tracks terminate at City Park near Memorial Field, 100 yds. from the lake and 1/4 of a mile from downtown.
As for Spokane, the corridor probably most in need of high-capacity transit is probably either I-90 from downtown to Sullivan Rd. or the Division/Ruby corridor from downtown to the Y. Both are currently planning disasters, with Division/Ruby in particular being quite unsightly. I agree with you, downtown Spokane is quite a fine oasis.
Will this replace the replica streetcar look a like buses they use on some shuttle routes?
Anyway, Spokane could use something to get rail transit a foot in the door.
I got curious about the map so I clicked to see more of it.
What a nice map! And no surprise, I found out that STA contracted CHK America to redesign their system map. CHK are the same folks who did the maps and transit information for Transport for London (those famed spider maps and more), LA Metro, Washington DC Metro, Austin, and San Antonio, to name a few.
If there’s any professional design firm that a transit agency should hire for maps, it should be CHK!
Agreed! Their maps are great. STA is a pleasant riding experience. They are reliable, they give clear information, they hire professional and courteous drivers, contract things such as maps very well, and their downtown terminal (The Plaza) is really a gem for a city the size of Spokane.
Is there a single US city that isn’t studying streetcars at this point? Even WTA in Bellingham did a study.
Sherwin – please note that the “15%” figure appears to be based on electric trolley bus, an option that is cited in the STA press release and is typically about $4M/mile v. $40M for rail. This is great news – any permanent, zero-emission electric line in Spokane or anywhere else would be a vast improvement over diesel buses.
You can add Boise to the list as well! Mayor Beiter is working hard to get it done!