Are we Next? OC Streetcar in testing
Southern California is waking up to the need to rethink our transportation systems in an effort to activate our more walkable neighborhoods. While it has taken quite a while to get through the process, Orange County is now to the point where their streetcar system is ready to begin testing to prepare for passengers sometime early next year.
This is good evidence that this is a viable solution, even in car crazy SoCal. they ran into lots of challenges, from funding to discovery of buried utilities to uncovering native american artifacts that needed to be carefully preserved along the way, but they are now getting ready to open for business. The route runs from Santa Ana to Garden Grove and connects these neighborhoods to regional transit options such as AMTRAK. Stops are frequent, the cars are designed for walk on-walk off ground level access and are articulated to allow sharper turns.
The Vibrant Uptown crew is reaching out to learn more about lessons for San Diego and what they learned in their investigation of options and technology options. More to come!
