[Transit] Fwd: Culture Connector (a.k.a. Center City Connector) Streetcar

[Katie Wilson]

Hi all, just sharing this exchange in case anyone thinks we should open this up for discussion:

> Begin forwarded message:
> 
> From: Jack Whisner <jackewhisner at gmail.com>
> Subject: Re: Culture Connector (a.k.a. Center City Connector) Streetcar
> Date: October 11, 2023 at 3:36:21 PM PDT
> To: Katie Wilson <katie at transitriders.org>
> 
> Katie,
> Thanks for responding.
> The mayor and SDOT director Spotts will attempt to rebrand the CCC Streetcar as the Culture Connector Streetcar.  Funding is short.
> More current councilmembers are skeptical.  Folks are concerned about the 1st Avenue changes that would be required.  The SR-99 deep bore opened in 2020.  It is time to use 1st Avenue for transit service again.
> The G Line is expected to be implemented in fall 2024; that would be a logical time to reconfigure CBD circulation; a better network could be provided if 1st Avenue was free of the zombie streetcar.
> The TRU members might like it better than the unaffordable CCC Streetcar.  If you want, I could describe my suggestions.
> thanks
> jack
> 
> On Wed, Oct 11, 2023 at 2:56 PM Katie Wilson <katie at transitriders.org <mailto:katie at transitriders.org>> wrote:
>> Hi Jack,
>> 
>> With many other contentious topics coming up in the budget discussions, I seriously doubt the council is going to spend time on the streetcar. As the write-up <https://www.theurbanist.org/2023/09/29/harrells-transportation-budget-focuses-on-downtown-but-leaves-out-the-streetcar/> in The Urbanist suggests, it’ll more likely get punted to next year and a new council. Since there’s not a critical decision point coming up soon, it doesn’t make sense to re-open this discussion within TRU right now unless members are clamoring for it, which they’re not.
>> 
>> Hope you’re doing well!
>> 
>> Best,
>> Katie
>> 
>> Katie Wilson
>> General Secretary
>> Transit Riders Union
>> https://transitriders.org <https://transitriders.org/>
>> 206-781-7204
>> 
>> The Transit Riders Union is a democratic organization of working and poor people, including students, seniors, and people with disabilities, taking control over our own lives, and building up the power we need to change society for the good of humanity and of the planet. We will fight to preserve, expand, and improve the public transportation system in Seattle and beyond, so that every human being has access to safe, affordable, and reliable public transit.
>> 
>>> On Oct 9, 2023, at 4:39 PM, Jack Whisner <jackewhisner at gmail.com <mailto:jackewhisner at gmail.com>> wrote:
>>> 
>>> Councilmember Sawant and Secretary Wilson,
>>> 
>>> Please reconsider your previous support of the CCC Streetcar.  It is long past time for the Council to kill the project.  It has been blocking transit progress for a decade.  
>>> The main proponents include the DSA and the Chamber.  They tend to favor costly monuments and not good service for transit riders.  The TRU had a vigorous discussion about the CCC Streetcar.  
>>> In 2019, the Council approved $7.2 million to study several issues related to the Murray-Kubly SDOT CCC Streetcar plan; it was a mess.  The study funds were to come from a tax on TNC.  With Covid, the revenue was not generated; SDOT did not conduct the study; the answers are not known.  The mayor promises a CC Streetcar report.  Riders are not helped by reports.
>>> 
>>> I hope the 2023 Council during the current budget discussions informs the mayor that the CCC or CC Streetcar should be killed.  Perhaps it could be removed from the CIP.  (See link below, page 205).
>>> 
>>> But we know enough for the Council to kill the CCC or CC Streetcar project.  What has changed to make this even more obvious?
>>> - The Murray-Kubly plans and contract for 10 streetcars were tossed out.
>>> - The SDOT G Line is nearing completion and is expected to open in fall 2024; it will provide six-minute headway service between First Hill and 1st Avenue.  It will add significantly to the Link and bus network that already well connect the two weak SDOT streetcar lines.
>>> - The 2020 STBD has a smaller revenue stream than the 2014 one.  In fall 2020, trips on many Seattle routes were cut.
>>> 
>>> There are three opportunity costs to consider: capital, operating funds, and right of way.
>>> - The capital cost may be about $300 million.  Even if an FTA small starts grant is secured, the local funds needed will be substantial.  Those local funds could be spent on better projects (e.g., sidewalks, pavement management, bridge maintenance, etc.).
>>> - The Durkan studies demonstrated that a new service subsidy would be required.  That is more obvious after Covid.  According to recent FTA NTD figures, each streetcar hour cost about $300 and each bus hour cost about $200; so, if Seattle raised funds and bought more service, it could buy fifty percent more hours of bus than of streetcar.  (See link below).  The CCC or CC Streetcar hours would be in downtown Seattle where waits for service are already short.  Seattle would be better off buying bus service outside downtown where waits for service are longer.
>>> - The 1st Avenue right of way would be better used for bus service, load zones for local business, and to protect the health of the Pike Place Market.  Once the CC or CCC Streetcar is killed, SDOT and Metro could shift already funded bus routes to 1st Avenue from 3rd Avenue.  This would provide better CBD transit circulation at little cost.
>>> 
>>> The WSDOT SR-99 AWV project led to bus service being shifted off 1st Avenue in 2011.  The SR-99 deep bore opened in 2020.  It is long past time to restore bus service to 1st Avenue.
>>> 
>>> Thank you for considering this note.
>>> 
>>> Jack Whisner
>>> PCO 36-21658
>>> 206-928-2358
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>> https://www.transit.dot.gov/sites/fta.dot.gov/files/transit_agency_profile_doc/2021/00001.pdf
>>> 
>>> https://www.seattle.gov/documents/Departments/FinanceDepartment/2328proposedcip/SDOTCIP.pdf
>>> 
>> 

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