You can help move streetcars forward!
Many of you have asked how to get more involved in this project to restore streetcar service to the neighborhoods surrounding Balboa Park. The volunteers at Vibrant Uptown have, so far, focused on briefing the local Community PLanning Group boards and other neighborhood groups to gauge the level of interest and support for accelerating this transit option that has been a part of the SANDAG regional plan for a number of years. The response has been very positive at each of the groups we have talked with, as well as in discussions with SANDAG, Councilmember Whitburn and the mayor’s office.
Given the positive response, we feel its time to move to an initial action phase. SANDAG has indicated that they would need $500K to perform the initial planning to pull this project forward from its current estimated 2050 timeframe. One way to make that happen is to allocate some of the parking meter revenue to that purpose.
In California, the expenditure of parking meter funds is legally restricted to purposes directly related to the operation, regulation, and maintenance of parking meters and the associated parking zones, as well as other traffic-related improvements that affect those zones. (specifically California Vehicle Code Section 22508) While state law prohibits using these funds for general government purposes, cities like San Diego are expanding how these revenues can be used by updating their municipal codes to fund broader transportation amenities, such as safer street design, crosswalks, and bus shelters, as long as they are within parking meter zones.
We feel that developing options to supplement the fact that our streets and parking capacity will never keep up with the growth in our neighborhoods, the expenditure of some of these funds to support an option to the need to drive would be an effective use of these funds in line with state and local laws. Making it easier to visit our neighborhoods, shop, dine and enjoy entertainment options without the need to worry about availability of parking or congested roads would be a benefit to residents and visitors to our area alike.
To move this forward, we are asking our supporters to send a letter to Stephen Whitburn, city council member for the area involved and chair of the MTS board to allocate 250K in 2025 and 250K in 2026 to SANDAG to accelerate planning for the return of streetcars. We need your help to ensure that city council is made aware of the desire within the community to move this project forward. the link below will open your email program with a draft letter that we encourage you to customize as sign with your Name and neighborhood affiliation. We have put the Vibrant Uptown email address on blind carbon (you can remove this if you choose) to allow us to see more of the sentiment within the community.
If we are able to get planning started, we will hold community town halls to ensure SANDAG and local government stakeholders have full access to community input as they move this forward.
We hope you will take a moment to help us move this project forward!
