The Variable Benefits of Streetcars

A University of Kansas researcher says “Modern streetcar systems constructed since 2001 have achieved different outcomes depending on each city’s goals,” writes Dan Zukowski in Smart Cities Dive.

Some cities, such as Kansas City, use streetcars to fill gaps in transit systems and boost ridership by providing fare-free rides and connections to other local transit options. Others, like Atlanta and Cincinnati, built streetcar lines in underdeveloped areas as part of an effort to stimulate economic development and new construction there. Lori Burchett, deputy director for streetcar services with the city of Cincinnati, says that city’s streetcar led to a wave of new development in an area where 90 percent of properties were vacant in 2016.

Zukowski adds, “For streetcar systems to achieve success, Mendez recommended anchoring systems to existing activity centers and tapping into the existing base of transit ridership by making it easy for riders to connect with other transit options through tailored fare policies or infrastructure.”