Historic Streetcars Planned To Fill A Transit Gap In Brooklyn

New York City plans a new route to fill a void in rail coverage through south Brooklyn. But will the alignment of the tracks and the ancient cars planned to run on them maximise capacity?

1 minute read

September 17, 2010, 11:00 AM PDT

By George Haugh


Yonah Freemark reports that New York should be careful not to fall into the same trap as cities such as Little Rock and Memphis, where the reintroduction of streetcars is "more about tourism than meeting the typical commuting needs."

The streetcars are not handicap accessible or air conditioned and carry fewer passengers than the B61 bus they are intended to replace. Yet Congresswoman Nydia Velazquez from New York City, has funded a study on reinserting them into the urban space. Ms. Velazquez wants a further $10 million earmark to put them into operation.

Saturday, September 11, 2010 in the transport politic

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