Quote Originally Posted by Plutonic Panda View Post
I'm divided on streetcars as I wish the money would be sunk into a grade separated transit system that would likely induce more riders than a streetcar. I am also very skeptical the streetcar has spurred a single penny in private development. That said, I think in order for the streetcar to be successful it needs an expansion to nearby neighborhoods. Capitol Hill, Paseo, Innovation District, Wheeler District, Linwood, OCU, NW 23rd, Plaza, Deep Deuce, Film Row, and MLK Boulevard are all good candidates for a streetcar extension. This would help boost ridership.
Very respectful reply. I do agree it should have been raised and then you still keep traffic ability for other methods (cars/bus/bike/taxi/uber).

Where I disagree is expansion. If the current “last mile” as we’ve been sold cannot sustain itself then why would we spend 9 digits to expand it? Then you end up going in several directions and its “just one more extension and I promise it will work”. And then you fail to improve the “outer” miles systems like buses. No matter how many extensions you make the system fails once it gets to the last mile because its a circular and not efficient people mover. If it had only north/south and east/west routes then its faster and can actually move more and faster. So any extension would just dump people into a flawed system (circular).

I think the SC’s calling is Convention Center, OMNI and events. I do not see it as a fast people mover. Imagine if it went north as an extension. So you ride it down and get off about 1/3 into existing system. When done you have to ride existing system the other 2/3rds (after waiting to get one) to then go back to north extension. Its never gonna work as currently built.