I strongly recommend that anyone concerned about the Arlington County streetcar project watch this video. Why? Because, as a strong supporter, I believe it makes an overwhelming case FOR the streetcar (and against the arguments of the streetcar opponents). Don’t believe me? Again, watch the video for yourself. As you do, listen to the Arlington County professional staff thoroughly, methodically lay make the case for why a streetcar makes sense; why there’s no possibility of “bus rapid transit” along the Columbia Pike corridor (no dedicated lane, no chance of “rapid” – end of story); why the money for this project is NOT “fungible” with other needs in the county; why this will add tremendous value to the Columbia Pike corridor, even as it protects low-income housing stock; why this is a crucial part of Arlington’s vision for a sustainable, prosperous future; etc, etc. As the Arlington Patch reported:
Several residents stayed afterward to thank the board members for their leadership on what’s turning out to be an increasingly difficult issue. “I came in skeptical but now I think the streetcar is a no-brainer,” one woman told Tejada after shaking his hand.
Watch the video, think about this one, and I believe you’ll agree with what that woman said to Arlington County Board Chair Walter Tejada.
P.S. The Coalition for Smarter Growth handed out a Columbia Pike Streetcar flyer that sums up the arguments FOR the streetcar very well: 1) “Economic Development” (“Streetcars outperform regular buses in spurring economic development”); 2) “Streetcars Can Carry More People;” 3) “We Need the Capacity;” 4) “Planning & Community Input Has Been Significant” (“Arlington County has completed a planning and community input process of almost 10 years.”).
P.P.S. For lots more information, please see Streetcarnow.org and Arlington County’s page on the streetcar.
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