The Proposal
Streetcars are a proven tool of economic development in cities across the U.S.
The proposed alignment of the Oakland Streetcar
The 2.55 mile Oakland Streetcar would tie together Jack London Square, Chinatown, Old Oakland, Downtown, the Financial District, Uptown, Upper Broadway, and Piedmont Avenue, connecting to two BART Stations, 18+ AC Transit lines, a ferry terminal, a Capitol Corridor/Amtrak station, the Kaiser and Alta Bates Summit Medical Centers, the Paramount and Fox Theaters, Mosswood Park, Lake Merritt, the Jack London Market, and potentially a new waterfront A's baseball stadium. The Oakland Streetcar would cost roughly $87-$92 million to construct and $2.9-$3.2 million annually to operate, and attract roughly 6,900-7,800 riders per day. The biggest potential benefit to Oakland, however, would be economic development.
As development-oriented transit, streetcars have excelled at reshaping economically depressed neighborhoods into a livable, sustainable, equitable, and prosperous communities. In under 15 years, the Portland Streetcar has helped transform the city's abandoned rail yards and industrial areas into over 10,000 new housing units and 5.4 million square feet of new commercial space. These developments have brought upon a 65% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for residential units and a 45% reduction in emissions for commercial units (relative to the suburban status quo). Moreover, within Portland's Pearl District, 31% of housing built is below market rate, and 90% of new retailers small businesses. Seattle's South Lake Union Streetcar has followed suit, with 2,500 housing units and 6.4 million square feet of commercial space (including the new headquarters of Amazon.com) constructed along the line over a span of just five years, translating to 16,000 new construction jobs. Cities such as Los Angeles, Washington D.C, Dallas, Atlanta, and Denver are now pursuing streetcars for these economic development impacts, which are highly transferable to Oakland's Broadway Corridor.
The Oakland Streetcar Plan is available for download. More maps below:
As development-oriented transit, streetcars have excelled at reshaping economically depressed neighborhoods into a livable, sustainable, equitable, and prosperous communities. In under 15 years, the Portland Streetcar has helped transform the city's abandoned rail yards and industrial areas into over 10,000 new housing units and 5.4 million square feet of new commercial space. These developments have brought upon a 65% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for residential units and a 45% reduction in emissions for commercial units (relative to the suburban status quo). Moreover, within Portland's Pearl District, 31% of housing built is below market rate, and 90% of new retailers small businesses. Seattle's South Lake Union Streetcar has followed suit, with 2,500 housing units and 6.4 million square feet of commercial space (including the new headquarters of Amazon.com) constructed along the line over a span of just five years, translating to 16,000 new construction jobs. Cities such as Los Angeles, Washington D.C, Dallas, Atlanta, and Denver are now pursuing streetcars for these economic development impacts, which are highly transferable to Oakland's Broadway Corridor.
The Oakland Streetcar Plan is available for download. More maps below:
 Touring the Oakland Streetcar |
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