Los Angeles recently took a major step in its plan to return streetcars to downtown's streets. But they're not the only Southern California city pursuing the nation's trendy transit mode. Bill Fulton examines the attraction.

Los Angeles, Anaheim, Santa Ana, and Fullerton. The list of cities pursuing new streetcar lines is long, and growing, and that's just in Southern California. Add places like Washington, D.C., Oklahoma City, Cincinnati, Fort Lauderdale and Kansas City to the list and you've got "the hottest thing in the downtown revitalization business these days."
"At first glance, streetcars would not seem to have much of a place in the 21st Century," says Fulton. "These self-propelled single-car vehicles are much slower even than light-rail trains and they typically run in the street with regular traffic. Yet they’re catching on all over the country as a more efficient downtown circulator than the typical bus or shuttle – and one that will generate new real estate development along the way."
"Like so many other streetcar projects around the country, the L.A. project is being put together entirely outside the traditional public transit structure. (L.A. Metro is supportive but has nothing to do with the project.) And as [Shiraz Tangri, a lawyer for Alston & Bird and the general counsel for LA Streetcar Inc.] and others often point out, when business leaders promote – and pay for – a transit project, it’s going to have different a completely different goal: economic development rather than mobility."
"We talk a lot about transit-oriented development," he said, "But this is development-oriented transit'”
FULL STORY: Will Streetcars Invade California?

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

San Antonio and Austin are Fusing Into one Massive Megaregion
The region spanning the two central Texas cities is growing fast, posing challenges for local infrastructure and water supplies.

Since Zion's Shuttles Went Electric “The Smog is Gone”
Visitors to Zion National Park can enjoy the canyon via the nation’s first fully electric park shuttle system.

Trump Distributing DOT Safety Funds at 1/10 Rate of Biden
Funds for Safe Streets and other transportation safety and equity programs are being held up by administrative reviews and conflicts with the Trump administration’s priorities.

German Cities Subsidize Taxis for Women Amid Wave of Violence
Free or low-cost taxi rides can help women navigate cities more safely, but critics say the programs don't address the root causes of violence against women.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie