First Hill Streetcar

History

First Hill is considered a regional destination due to its concentration of major medical facilities and Seattle University. It was to be served by a deep-bore Link light rail station as part of the North Link project. Due to high construction and engineering risk, Sound Transit removed the station from the North Link preferred route in July 2005. The First Hill Work Program did a study to evaluate alternative transit options to connect First Hill to the regional transit system. Neighborhood residents, institutions, and business owners strongly preferred a streetcar. Sound Transit plans to have 10 stops on the line.

The $134 million line is funded as part of the Sound Transit 2 mass transit expansion ballot measure approved by voters in November 2008. It was approved by the Seattle City Council in December 2008. Sound Transit developed an interlocal agreement with the City of Seattle for the City to design and construct the transit line. Construction began in late April 2012, and the line was originally scheduled to open in 2015.

There had been a debate on the exact routing of the First Hill streetcar line. A community group petitioned the city of Seattle to run the streetcar down 12th Avenue, 2 blocks east of Broadway. The First Hill Improvement Association, however, wanted the streetcar to run down Boren Avenue, turn right on Seneca Street and back to Broadway to bring it closer to the core of the neighborhood. The City selected a route on Broadway.

The line opened with a soft launch on January 23, 2016, with 2 weeks of free rides until the grand opening on February 13, during the Lunar New Year celebrations in Chinatown.

Vehicles

The streetcars are being built by Inekon Trams, of the Czech Republic, the same company that built the vehicles for Seattle Streetcar's South Lake Union line. The vehicles are based on Inekon's bi-directional 12-Trio model, but are a variant that is designated as Trio model 121.

The First Hill Streetcar line will require six streetcars (five in normal operation and an additional operational spare) for the initial segment. The Broadway extension will require at least one additional car in order to maintain the desired service frequency. Of the initial six cars, three were assembled at Inekon's facilities in the Czech Republic and the remaining three were assembled locally in Seattle by Pacifica Marine.

Unlike Seattle Streetcar's original fleet of streetcars, used on the South Lake Union line, vehicles serving the First Hill Streetcar line operate using the overhead wires for the outbound/northbound/uphill leg and under battery power for the inbound/southbound/downhill leg of the route. Production fell behind schedule due to design safety as well as component supply issues, and this delayed the line's opening until early 2016.

All streetcars were delivered in 2015 and began testing the required 310 miles (500 km) for each vehicle that year.

Route and stops

The First Hill Streetcar line begins at South Jackson Street and Occidental Avenue in Pioneer Square. The line continues east on South Jackson Street, stopping at 5th Ave in the International District near the International District/Chinatown light rail/bus station, and at both 7th and 13th Avenues. The line then turns north on 14th Avenue South, stopping at South Washington Street before turning west on Yesler Way. After a stop at Yesler Way and Broadway, the line turns north onto Broadway, stopping at Terrace, Marion, and Pike/Pine streets before terminating near the Capitol Hill light rail station at Broadway and Denny Way.

Stations

Each of the station platforms features an inlaid map showing each of the stops and their corresponding elevation above sea level. The actual station being depicted is marked with an embedded LED light. Each station offers a shelter with seating as well as real-time arrival information and off-board payment using ORCA Card. In addition, ticket machines (TVMs) will be installed at each stop.

Broadway extension

Design work has been 90% completed for an extension to north Broadway which will include a new stop at Broadway & Harrison St and a new terminus at Broadway & E. Roy St. In addition, the extension of the line will also include extending the Broadway Protected Bike Lane all the way to E. Roy Street. But as of December 2016 the project is on hold, due to a lack of support from businesses for the current design and the financial plan, which would involve taxing properties located along the alignment.

Center City Connector

In 2014, the City of Seattle approved the Locally Preferred Alternative for the Center City Connector via Resolution 31526 which will connect the First Hill Streetcar Occidental Street terminus to the South Lake Union line via dedicated streetcar lanes on 1st Avenue. The Federal Transit Administration has since approved the City of Seattle’s request for entry into project development.