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Seven months ago, the word “streetcar” started showing up on Unfair Park — seems Jim’s plenty keen on the idea, along with other trolley-touters who look to yesterday’s transportation option as tomorrow’s development generator. Which is why, as the Dallas City Council’s Transportation and Environment Committee discusses the second downtown light-rail alignment for Dallas Area Rapid Transit this afternoon, it’ll also bat around the idea of downtown streetcars.
In the briefing doc, which also sneak-peeks DART’s downtown options (including subways), you’ll find all the proposed alignments — ah, if only. Because, see, there’s a minor issue connected to the connectivity offered by streetcars: how to pay for the things. Because while the city and DART will “work together to secure funding from various sources,” there is this footnote: “Funding for Streetcar Program is not in DART’s 20-year Financial Plan.” –Robert Wilonsky
