The Seattle Streetcar--First Hill Line, commonly called the First Hill Streetcar, is a 2.5-mile (4.0 km) modern-streetcar line operating in Seattle. The line connects the Capitol Hill, First Hill, and the International District neighborhoods in central Seattle. It is one of two lines in the developing Seattle Streetcar system. Construction of the line began in April 2012, and was completed in June 2014, but delays in the delivery and testing of the streetcar vehicles delayed the opening of the line to January 2016.
Video First Hill Streetcar
History
First Hill is considered a regional destination due to its concentration of major medical facilities and Seattle University. It was to be served by a deep-bore Link light rail station as part of the North Link project. Due to high construction and engineering risk, Sound Transit removed the station from the North Link preferred route in July 2005. The First Hill Work Program did a study to evaluate alternative transit options to connect First Hill to the regional transit system. Neighborhood residents, institutions, and business owners strongly preferred a streetcar. Sound Transit plans to have 10 stops on the line.
The $134 million line is funded as part of the Sound Transit 2 mass transit expansion ballot measure approved by voters in November 2008. It was approved by the Seattle City Council in December 2008. Sound Transit developed an interlocal agreement with the City of Seattle for the City to design and construct the transit line. Construction began in late April 2012, and the line was originally scheduled to open in 2015. There had been a debate on the exact routing of the First Hill streetcar line. A community group petitioned the city of Seattle to run the streetcar down 12th Avenue, 2 blocks east of Broadway. The First Hill Improvement Association, however, wanted the streetcar to run down Boren Avenue, turn right on Seneca Street and back to Broadway to bring it closer to the core of the neighborhood. The City selected a route on Broadway.
The line opened with a soft launch on January 23, 2016, with 2 weeks of free rides until the grand opening on February 13, during the Lunar New Year celebrations in Chinatown.
Maps First Hill Streetcar
Vehicles
The streetcars were built by Inekon Trams, of the Czech Republic, the same company that built the vehicles for Seattle Streetcar's South Lake Union line. The vehicles are based on Inekon's bi-directional 12-Trio model, but are a variant that is designated as Trio model 121. Unlike Seattle Streetcar's original fleet of streetcars, used on the South Lake Union line, vehicles serving the First Hill Streetcar line operate using the overhead wires for the outbound/northbound/uphill leg and under battery power for the inbound/southbound/downhill leg of the route. Production fell behind schedule due to design safety as well as component supply issues, and this delayed the line's opening until early 2016.
The First Hill Streetcar line requires six streetcars (five in normal operation and an additional operational spare) for the initial segment. Of the initial six cars, three were assembled at Inekon's facilities in the Czech Republic and the remaining three were assembled locally in Seattle by Pacifica Marine.
All streetcars were delivered in 2015 and began testing the required 310 miles (500 km) for each vehicle that year.
Route and stops
The First Hill Streetcar line begins at South Jackson Street and Occidental Avenue in Pioneer Square. The line continues east on South Jackson Street, stopping at 5th Ave in the International District near the International District/Chinatown light rail/bus station, and at both 7th and 13th Avenues. The line then turns north on 14th Avenue South, stopping at South Washington Street before turning west on Yesler Way. After a stop at Yesler Way and Broadway, the line turns north onto Broadway, stopping at Terrace, Marion, and Pike/Pine streets before terminating near the Capitol Hill light rail station at Broadway and Denny Way.
Stations
Each of the station platforms features an inlaid map showing each of the stops and their corresponding elevation above sea level. The actual station being depicted is marked with an embedded LED light. Each station offers a shelter with seating as well as real-time arrival information and off-board payment using ORCA Card. In addition, ticket machines (TVMs) will be installed at each stop.
Stops
Future Expansion
Center City Connector
In 2014, the City of Seattle approved the Locally Preferred Alternative for the Center City Connector via Resolution 31526 which will connect the First Hill Streetcar Occidental Street terminus to the South Lake Union line via dedicated streetcar lanes on 1st Avenue. The Federal Transit Administration has since approved the City of Seattle's request for entry into project development.
Broadway extension
The currently halted Broadway Streetcar project would have extended the First Hill Streetcar a half-mile farther north on Capitol Hill into the commercial core of Broadway with two stops near Harrison Street and Roy Street at a cost of $28 million. The project would have also included an extension of the protected bike lanes to Roy Street and improvements to the surrounding streetscape. In December 2016, the project was placed on an indefinite hold after the city had completed design work to the 90% stage at a cost of $3 million dollars. The planned extension was halted due to a lack of support from businesses for the design (particularly a shortage of loading zones for delivery trucks) and the financial plan, which would involve taxing properties located along the alignment.
See also
- South Lake Union Streetcar
- Seattle Streetcar Network
- Waterfront Streetcar
- List of town tramway systems in the United States
- List of town tramway systems in North America
- Streetcars in North America
References
External links
- Media related to First Hill Streetcar at Wikimedia Commons
- Seattle Streetcar: First Hill Line
- Map of First Hill Streetcar line from Seattle Streetcar website
Source of article : Wikipedia
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