Streetcars Then and Now

Streetcars were a primary mode of transportation in America’s urban areas at the turn of the last century. In 1902, they carried 5.8 billion trips and provided quality transit service to compact, walkable cities. However, as cars began to dominate the post-war streetscape, streetcars fell from prominence.

Today, tastes in the United States are changing. Or, more accurately, they are leaning back to what they were before. Long commutes and worsening congestion are making urban and walkable lifestyles more desirable. With a changing national demographic that favors the urban life, cities are once again exploring streetcars as a way to catalyze the development and redevelopment of walkable neighborhoods.

Streetcars Old and New
Photo via Stephen Rees

Streetcars for Neighborhood Revitalization

Streetcars are more than just a form of transportation: They are city builders. But what type of development best compliments the streetcar? Generally, they are well-suited for higher-density, mixed-use buildings. A variety of mixes may include commercial, office, and residential uses. Residential densities should be at least 20 to 30 units per acre. Meanwhile, densities exceeding 100 units per acre can ensure good ridership.

Still, it’s important to remember that these mixes and densities don’t need to be present from day one. In fact, an essential role of streetcars is to help build such neighborhoods. Once established, they benefit from the ridership they produce. Fixed-transit provides a reliable development environment for private investors and an easy-to-understand first transit experience for new urban dwellers.

Streetcar installations have spurred high-quality, mixed-use development along corridors in cities such as Portland, Oregon; Kenosha, Wisconsin; and Tampa, Florida. In Portland, studies showed that the combination of streetcars and good development policies helped spur $2 billion dollars in private-sector investment. Meanwhile, the total public investment in streetcars was $57 million. Moreover, ridership was almost triple the initial projections.

Streetcar Types

Since its earliest conception, the streetcar has changed shape many times. Today, three varieties prevail. Each style has its benefits and drawbacks, but all three can compliment the character of the neighborhoods in which they’re placed.

Restored Historic Streetcar

 

  • Historic character
  • Typically lowest-cost vehicle
  • Difficult to find identical vehicles and parts
  • Low passenger capacity
  • ADA access at stops
  • Slower operating speeds and passenger boarding

Heritage Style Streetcar

 

  • Historic character
  • Lower vehicle cost
  • Simplified fleet maintenance
  • Low passenger capacity
  • ADA access at stops
  • Slower operating speeds and passenger boarding

Modern Streetcar

 

  • Modern image
  • Higher vehicle cost
  • Simplified fleet maintenance
  • Larger passenger capacity
  • ADA access in vehicles
  • Faster operating speeds and passenger boarding

The Benefits of the Modern Roundabout

Clearwater_Florida_Roundabout_Benefits
Image by Ken Sides, City of Clearwater
In 2007, the United States built its 1,000th roundabout. That same year, France built its 30,000th roundabout. Although countries around the world have taken the benefits of modern roundabouts to heart, this intersection solution has taken a little longer to grab hold in American municipalities. Nonetheless, as the benefits of this design become increasingly apparent (and needed), more and more intersections are following this circular model. So, what makes roundabouts so desireable?

Roundabouts Reduce Environmental Impacts

According to a study in Time Magazine, roundabouts cut hydrocarbon emissions at intersections by as much as 42%. By reducing idling, ten circular intersections in Virginia were found to save 200,000 gallons of gas each year. The “Gateway Roundabout” in Clearwater, Florida, replaced three signalized intersections and one stop-controlled intersection with a single two-lane traffic circle. Stop delays–and therefore emissions–were reduced by 68%. Likewise, similar interventions in Kansas were found to ease traffic delays by an average of 65%.

Roundabouts Are Safer by Design

Reduced risk when replacing intersections with roundabouts.Each year, over 30,000 individuals die in car crashes in the United States– and that doesn’t include the even greater number of annual crashes involving injuries to drivers and pedestrians. One solution to these high figures is the replacement of signalized and stop-controlled intersections with roundabouts.

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Insurance Institute of Highway Safety found that replacing conventional intersections with roundabouts reduced overall collisions by 37%, collisions involving injuries by 75%, and collisions involving fatalities by 90%. Moreover, collisions with pedestrians were reduced by 40%.

Roundabouts Move More Cars

According to the FHWA, a single-lane roundabout can handle up to 2,500 vechilces per hour. It would take two travel lanes (and usually left and right turn lanes) in each direction to match that capacity. In other words, roundabouts handle more traffic with less pavement.

 

Overall, the benefits of these modern traffic circles are clear. While most traffic designers have caught on, it’s now up to local municipalities to allow for the conversion of conventional intersections.