As expected, last night the Oakland City Council voted unanimously to approve the grant application for the "Broadway Alternatives Analysis Transit Study."  This vote is great news and represents the first step toward a streetcar.  Unlike the 2005 Jack London BART Feasibility Study, this study will carry real weight in the planning process (Alternative Analyses are required for all major transportation projects; Feasibility Studies are a more general first step).  The Alternatives Analysis will likely focus on three main options: the status quo of existing AC Transit service; expanded transit service with the Broadway Shuttle; and a streetcar line.  It will also refine alignments and other choices.  Like the Jack London BART Feasibility Study, I have every reason to believe that a streetcar wind up the preferred alternative given the economic benefits of streetcars (similar analyses across the country have arrived at the same conclusion--streetcars will generally win as long as 1) there is significant economic development potential (definitely yes), and 2) there is no significant obstacle to construction (while Oakland has some constraints, they are all workable).

Moving forward, Oakland has to obviously receive the grant, and we must continue to increase awareness about the project.  Just because councilmembers voted for the study does not mean the project is even on their radar, and it's important to note that to even get this study complete Oakland will need to come up with an additional $700,000 from grants and the private sector.  This vote is just one small piece of the puzzle.  Nevertheless, a victory is a victory--every project has to start somewhere--so tell your neighbors, friends, and councilmembers that you support the Oakland Streetcar!

UPDATE 3/15: Check out the East Bay Express and Oakland Local for two short posts on tonight's city council meeting.

On Tuesday, March 15th at 5:30pm, the Oakland City Council will vote on a resolution to begin the formal streetcar planning process by applying for an Alternatives Analysis grant.  After a unanimous decision, Oakland's Community and Economic Development Committee placed the item on the consent calendar, which more or less means that the resolution is guaranteed to pass.  So, we've already won!  The bittersweet outcome of this victory, however, is that the resolution will not have a debate or public comment period.  As much as I'd like to bring together everyone who has supported this project, I've been told that it is unnecessary and not very appropriate given the circumstances and the numerous other important items that the council must address on Tuesday.  A bit anticlimactic, I know.

I will still speak at the City Council meeting along with a few business and neighborhood leaders during the public comment for all the consent items.  I encourage anyone passionate about the project to come and speak (two minutes per speaker card), but in general I'll say that watching this vote at home is just as respectable as making the trip to City Hall. 

The City Council meeting will be held at the Oakland City Hall at 1 Frank Ogawa Plaza (right outside the 12th St. BART Station at 14th and Broadway). Speakers should arrive at around 5:15pm to fill out a speaker card.  The City Council meeting can also be streamed live here (click on “Windows Media Format” if you have a PC, or “Microsoft Silverlight Users” if you have a Mac).  Tune in from 5:30 to around 6:15 to see the action.

The train has left the station!

If you live or work in Alameda County, consider filling out this survey for the Alameda Countywide Transportation Plan Update.  The ACTP is a very important document which feeds into the Bay Area Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) and opens the door to billions in federal, state, and regional funds.  Getting the Oakland Streetcar project in the next RTP would be an important step forward.

After each question, as well as in question 10, you can name specific projects that you'd like to see included in the plan. Some suggestions:
-Oakland Streetcar
-Broadway Shuttle
-International Blvd. TOD-Streetscape Plan
-BART station TOD projects (MacArthur, West Oakland, Coliseum, Lake Merritt)
-Infill BART Station in Oakland's San Antonio district
-MacArthur Blvd. Bus Rapid Transit

The survey takes less than 5 minutes and is open until March 15th.

The City of Oakland's staff report on the Broadway Streetcar Alternatives Analysis Transit Study has been released (see above).  The staff report is what councilmembers will read before the likely city council vote on Tuesday, March 15th.  The report hits all of the major points to justify the streetcar project--the success of the Broadway Shuttle, the economic advantages of a streetcar, etc.  The report outlines an approximately 3.5 mile alignment from MacArthur BART to the proposed A's baseball stadium at Jack London Square, which is a bit different from what was put forward in the Oakland Streetcar Plan (see map), but these differences are minor:

1. The City proposes studying a corridor which extends to MacArthur BART rather than Piedmont Ave/Kaiser Medical Center.  This option is laid out as one of the first extensions in the Oakland Streetcar Plan, so it makes total sense to study it.  The main issues at hand are the financial feasibility of a 3.5 mile initial line, as well as the choice between MacArthur BART and the Rockridge Shopping Center as the ultimate destination of the line (extending farther up Broadway would probably have more development potential, though MacArthur BART has more transit connectivity).
   
2. The city proposes extending the streetcar to the potential site of the new A's stadium, which makes total sense as long as the stadium gets built.  If not, ending at the Jack London Amtrak/Capitol Corridor Station would probably be more cost-effective.
   

It's important to note that no alignment has been set and these are just musings and speculations based off the staff report.  Moreover, an in-depth study of these options is exactly what the Alternatives Analysis is for.  So once again, mark your calendar for Tuesday, March 15th at 5:15pm and come show your support for the Oakland Streetcar project!

Next month, the Oakland City Council will likely vote on applying for a $300,000 planning grant to conduct an Alternatives Analysis for a streetcar.  This is the first major step toward implementing the project: we're no longer talking about the streetcar's feasibility; we are initiating the environmental review process to envision where it will go, how it will be designed, and what its effects will be.  While this vote does not mean the city is signing off on building a streetcar, and the grant will likely not cover the full cost of the Alternatives Analysis (anticipated at $1 million), passing this vote is crucial to get the project off the ground.

Mark your calendars for the City Council meeting the night of Tuesday, March 15th.  This will be our chance to demonstrate the broad support base which has come together over the past eight months and show city leaders that Oakland residents, businesses, developers, and property owners are serious about attracting new investment and jobs with a streetcar like other cities across the nation.  Remember, political will goes a long way: Seattle's streetcar went from concept to reality in just three and a half years.  Let's get this resolution passed!

Stay tuned for updates on attending the council meeting and writing letters to councilmembers.

Today the Bay Area's Metropolitan Transportation Commission (MTC) awarded $33 million in new Climate Initiative Grants to innovative projects which reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.  Projects such as smart parking management systems, bicycle sharing programs, and electric taxis received funding.  This program represents yet another possible funding source for the Oakland Streetcar moving forward.

In addition to Atlanta, today Salt Lake City's Sugar House Streetcar project was awarded a $26 million TIGER II Grant by the Federal Department of Transportation.  The $45 million project will act as development-oriented transit by linking the region's light rail system to major redevelopment areas.  This grant is yet another example of the Obama Administration's growing commitment to funding streetcars: nearly $400 million has now been awarded to streetcar projects in the past year to cities including Atlanta, Cincinnati, Charlotte, Dallas, Fort Worth, New Orleans, Portland, Salt Lake City, St. Louis, and Tuscon. 

Big news out of Atlanta today: the city has apparently received a $47 Million TIGER II Grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation for a $70 million streetcar line, the initial piece of what could grow to be a larger streetcar network.  This is not the first time that streetcars have performed very well in the highly-competitive TIGER Grant program due to their focus on economic development: Tuscon, Dallas, and New Orleans received a combined $131 million earlier this year.  While the official awards are due to be released soon (and will probably include more streetcar projects), Altanta's early success further illustrates the growing interest by the federal government to fund streetcar projects. 

The 2010s may be the decade of streetcars in America.  Thursday's awarding of $105 million in urban circulator funds to five streetcar projects across the U.S. represents another huge step toward expanding the role of streetcars in America's transportation system.  In the past year alone, over $300 million has been awarded by the Obama Administration to nine streetcar projects in cities as diverse as Portland, Tucson, New Orleans, Dallas (twice), Cincinnati, St. Louis, Charlotte, and Fort Worth.  Practically nothing was awarded in the previous years.  Moving forward, the role of streetcars as engines of economic development and smart growth should only continue to grow--there were 65 applications totaling over $1 billion for the $130 million in urban circulator funds, and many high profile projects such as the D.C. streetcar fell short simply due to lack of funds (it's worth noting that some of these applications were BRT projects, including Chicago's Central Area Transitway which was awarded $25 million).  Streetcar funding sources should continue to expand in the coming years, which means we could be seeing more and more streetcar lines under construction in the 2010s.  Hopefully Oakland will follow suit.