Those who were eagerly awaiting the much anticipated streetcar project that was set to roll into Arlington will have to wait a little longer, perhaps forever. On Tuesday, November 18, Arlington County officials ruled against two long-planned streetcar projects along Columbia Pike and in Crystal City.
The ruling came hot on the heels of the November 4 election, when the public voiced a very loud opposition against the plan, which would have cost the county upwards of half a billion dollars. The official ruling, in addition to voters’ opinions, caught many proponents of the project off guard especially as the project had seemed destined from the beginning to bring about a new wave of public transportation that would help promote growth and development throughout the metropolitan area.
“How did we arrive at this point? We ... were caught flat-footed when organized opposition to the streetcar surfaced in just the last year or so,” said Jay Fisette, chairman of the Arlington County Board and strong proponent of the streetcar project, in a press conference reported by The Washington Post. “We were unable to persuade a majority of voters that a streetcar system is Arlington’s next generation of transit and that we can afford to build it.”
What went wrong?
Originally, the streetcar had backing all the way up to the governor and was approved multiple times by the Arlington and Fairfax boards. Streetcar projects were touted in studies as key components in fostering affordable growth for a community.
In such a transit-focused and smart-growing region, the project seemed natural for Arlington, however much opposition remained focused in resistance to the idea in general, and the reliance of the expensive project on local tax dollars.
Although Fisette and other board officials stressed that funds for the streetcar would be obtained through state funding, regional transportation and capital funds and not through an increase on taxes for residents, it seems voters still thought this project was not the wisest use of the county’s money.
Additional opposition came from the idea of using streetcars in general. Many have complained that the incorporation of the streetcar within traffic lanes can create serious traffic problems in the event of a breakdown. Many speculate as to whether a dedicated lane for the streetcar may have increased its chances for ultimate approval, but for now it seems the focus has shifted to improving the city’s bus service.
While Arlington’s streetcar project has been ground to a halt, Washington, DC’s line seems to be puttering along as well. The line has been plagued by blown deadlines, long-term funding issues, snarled traffic and safety concerns.
With the recent decision in Arlington, it seems the future of the Washington, DC line hangs in the balance while officials weigh whether this is an investment that is worthwhile. Still, officials like Fisette believe the time and place for innovation in Arlington is here and now.
“There are those who moved there or developed in anticipation of the streetcar,” Fisette said. “I will say that we are committed and remain committed to the Columbia Pike corridor. We will continue to work towards the realization of that vision [of high quality, mixed use development] in a modified form, and that is the commitment of this Board. We will enhance the bus system to the extent possible.”
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http://www.thecondohub.com/blog/columbia-pike-streetcar-project-derailed-what-went-wrong
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