A taskforce is currently evaluating alternative transportation modes. One such alternative is a modern streetcar. In addition, the Mid-Region Council of Governments is conducting a cost/benefit analysis of a proposed streetcar system.

Frequently Asked Questions:

• What is a Streetcar?
• How do they work?
• Where is the first phase of the Streetcar planned?
• What is the history of Albuquerque and the Streetcar?
• What types of public meetings have taken place?
• How fast does a Streetcar travel?
• What is the cost of the Streetcar?
• Why is a Streetcar important to the City of Albuquerque?
• How is the system constructed? How will my home/business be affected?
• Why not a Light Rail system?
• Who will ride the Streetcar?
• Is the Modern Streetcar accessible to people with wheelchairs or other ADA needs?
• Can bicyclists use the Streetcar?
• What effect does the Modern Streetcar have on economic development?
• What other communities are looking at Modern Streetcar?
• How does the Modern Streetcar affect land use and land use planning?

What is a Streetcar?

A streetcar is an electrically powered, 66-foot long, 8-ft wide mass transit vehicle.  Each vehicle can carry up to 150 passengers. It shares the existing roadway lane with vehicles on steel rail tracks set within the pavement.

How do they work?

Streetcars feature a pole that touches an overhead wire, called catenary. Once the power reaches the streetcar through the trolley pole, it is fed to motors, which are called traction motors that are located on each wheelset. The overhead wire, or catenary, isn't as eye catching as one might imagine. Like street light poles, the catenary poles come in decorative styles that add to streetscapes. In many cases, poles can be combined with street lights and/or traffic signals to actually reduce the number of poles along the streets. The wires themselves are designed to blend in with the streetscape and do not pose aesthetic problems.

It takes one person to operate a streetcar who are sometimes referred to as motormen or operators. Since the rails do the steering, the operator regulates speed, controls the doors, and ensures the safe operation of the streetcar. At the end of the line, Streetcars can be ballooned, where they go through a loop or the operator can change ends. Many, if not all, streetcars are double ended so all an operator has to do is switch trolley poles and switch ends.

Where is the first phase of the streetcar planned?

The first phase of the streetcar being analyzed will run along Central Avenue between the BioPark and Nob Hill connecting Old Town, Downtown, Edo, and UNM.  

What is the history of Albuquerque and the Streetcar?

The railroad reached Albuquerque in 1880. By 1881 horse drawn streetcars were common sight. By 1917 an electric streetcar system was in place. Many historians believe the advent of streetcars in Albuquerque is what helped the area develop more quickly than Bernalillo, which at the time was the major stop in central New Mexico. By the middle of the 20th century, the electric streetcar in Albuquerque was just a memory.

Albuquerque Museum 1982.180.277, c.1881 Ward Hicks collection, John Airy
Albuquerque Museum 1980.101.005, c.1917 Milner Studio/Crouch collection

What types of public meetings have taken place?

There have been numerous meetings of including a fixed rail system along Central Avenue, including three formal meetings along the corridor in September 2006, as well as meetings with neighborhood associations, merchant groups, etc. If you would like a presentation to your group, please contact Mark Motsko, Public Information Officer for the Department of Municipal Development.

How fast can a Streetcar travel?

A Streetcar can travel at 45 mph, however, the operating speed will be set at the posted speed limit for the route.

What is the cost of the Streetcar?

The cost to construct a Streetcar is approximately $28 million / mile.  That cost includes all aspects, including steel rail, concrete, pedestrian friendly stops, traffic signals, maintenance facility, power source, utility reconstruction, roadway reconstruction, and vehicles.

Why is a Streetcar important to the City of Albuquerque?

The purpose of the Streetcar is to connect people and shape places.  Studies have shown a Streetcar system over other forms of mass-transit pioneers mixed use redevelopment that meets with the scale of our City.  While some development follows any mass transit system, with Streetcar’s permanent steel and concrete in the pavement development has historically been much more aggressive.  The size of a Streetcar allows it to carry approximately twice the number of passengers than any vehicle in our current transit system.

How is the system built? How will my home/business be affected?

Streetcar lines are built three blocks at a time. It takes approximately three weeks to construct those three blocks. During construction, at least one lane of traffic will remain open in each direction. Streetcar track construction is relatively fast since most utilities generally do not need to be relocated. As a result, the impact to your home/business is minimized.

Why not a Light Rail system?

Unlike light rail, which requires the entire reconstruction of underground infrastructure to support the weight of the heavier light rail cars, streetcar rail is embedded into the street. Because of the lighter weight of streetcars, most modern streets can already support a streetcar. Construction of a streetcar line can be as basic as removing enough concrete in the road for the rails to seat, less disruption than repairing a simple underground water line.

Light rail systems costs approximately 3 times the cost for a Streetcar system, and a light rail system also requires its own dedicated lane of traffic.  Simply stated, a light rail system is far to expensive and intrusive to the Central Avenue neighborhoods that we are trying to connect.   

Who will ride the Streetcar?

According to early studies, approximately 7,100 additional people would ride the street car per day based on a fare of $1. Currently more than 10,000 people ride Rapid Ride and the Route 66 bus per day. By reducing the number of automobile trips in the corridor, the City will see positive effects on air quality, congestion, and reinforce vibrant, pedestrian friendly neighborhoods along the streetcar route.

Is the Modern Streetcar accessible to people with wheelchairs or other ADA needs?

Yes, Modern Streetcars are ADA-compliant. Their low floor access allows passengers to enter or exit through wide doors at the same height as the transit stop platform, providing easy access for those with mobility difficulties as well as families with small children and strollers.

Its exceptionally smooth operation enables wheelchairs with no need for tie-downs. As this project moves forward, project personnel will be continue to consult those with special needs (visual, hearing impaired) to ensure the streetcars and routes are designed appropriately.

Can bicyclists use the streetcar?

Yes. The Modern Streetcar's interior layout will be designed to allow bicycles to be brought on board using the wide passenger doors that are level with the station platforms.

What effect will the Modern Streetcar have on economic development?

Recent examples of the successful implementation of a streetcar system in a community are;

• Kenosha, Wisconsin (pop. 92,800) implemented a new system in 2000. $150 Million in direct development has been generated to date. Currently 60,000 people ride the modern streetcar in Kenosha a year.
• Little Rock, Arkansas (pop. 184,000) implemented a new system in 2004. $200 Million in direct development has been generated to date. Currently, 118,000 people ride the modern streetcar in Little Rock a year.
• Tampa, Florida (pop. 326,000) implemented a new system in 2003. $1 Billion in direct redevelopment has been generated to date. Currently, 434,500 people ride the modern streetcar in Tampa a year.
• Portland, Oregon (pop. 556,000) implemented a new system in 2001. $2.2 Billion in direct redevelopment has been generated to date. Since the streetcar was implemented, mass transit rider ship has increased 87%.

What other communities are looking at Modern Streetcar?

With the increase of alternative modes of transportation, the streetcar system is being looked at as a viable alternative in several communities across the nation.

Communities currently operating a Modern Streetcar System:

• Portland, Oregon
• Tacoma, Washington
• Little Rock, Arkansas
• Memphis, Tennessee
• Kenosha, Wisconsin
• Tampa, Florida
• San Francisco, California
• New Orleans, Louisiana

Currently Under Construction:

• Seattle, Washington- Opens September 2007
• Washington, DC- Opens Spring 2008

Currently in Design:

• Miami, Florida
• Charlotte, North Carolina

Currently in Planning:

• Baltimore, Maryland
• Columbus, Ohio
• Glendale, California
• Sacramento, California
• Tucson, Arizona
• Omaha, Nebraska
• Ft. Lauderdale, Florida
• Austin, Texas
• Cincinnati, Ohio
• Madison, Wisconsin
• Winston-Salem, North Carolina
• Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

How does the Modern Streetcar affect land use and land use planning?

In the Albuquerque area, the Modern Streetcar will encourage people to live more centrally which has the potential to increase infill. Also, fixed transit systems with good land use policy have shown to reduce demand for driving by creating more compact, efficient forms of development that are pedestrian friendly. Such systems also lead to the development of exciting urban environments where services, ie. live, work, play, are located closer together.

For more information, please contact Mark Motsko, Public Information Officer for the Department of Municipal Development

View the The Rapid Transit Project Analysis Report by linking here