streetcar
Wednesday, February 17, 2010
streetcar Boise Snubbed in Federal Grant for Streetcar
Posted by Nathaniel Hoffman on Wed, Feb 17, 2010 at 9:37 AM
The City of Boise failed to make the cut for a piece of $1.5 billion in federal TIGER grants, which officials hoped would pay for the bulk of a downtown streetcar project.
Tucson, New Orleans, Dallas and Portland all received funding for streetcars. Top dollar grants funded rail freight projects including $105 million for a freight rail line across the Midwest and Atlantic Coast, $100 million for freight rail projects around Chicago and $98 million for freight rail in the Mid-Atlantic.
The list of winners, including descriptions of projects is here, in .pdf format.
Fifty-one transportation projects got a piece of the funding.
“TIGER grants will tackle the kind of major transportation projects that have been difficult to build under other funding programs,” said U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood in a press release. “This will help us meet the 21st century challenges of improving the environment, making our communities more livable and enhancing safety, all while creating jobs and growing the economy.”
We'll be checking in with Boise officials later today, so check back for Plan B.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
streetcar Urbanistas Meet the Streetcar
Posted by Nathaniel Hoffman on Tue, Dec 8, 2009 at 9:26 PM
- Urban Lunch
- Oooh, how urban!
When Urban Lunch organizer Chris Blanchard asked for a show of hands of support for the streetcar, the hundred people in the room looked around to see who would represent. Only after a few hands shot up, did nearly half of the group acknowledge support.
About three urban streetcar detractors fessed up in public.
Urban Lunch is a new, informal monthly gathering for urban-minded individuals, including planners, design freaks, greenies and Twitterers who "want to further the discussion surrounding Boise's urban issues." Their inaugural lunch, held in the über-urban (as in, we can't abide drywall) Watercooler conference room, gave the platform to Cece Gassner, the city's point person for all things streetcar.
Gassner delivered a rapid-fire presentation on the history, the perceived social and economic benefits and the process of the streetcar project. Most of the information presented is already familiar to anyone who reads BW.
Gassner pitched the project as a way for Boise to stay competitive. "It's an amenity that companies want," she said. She also spoke about some of the criticism the streetcar has faced in terms of ridership predictions and economic development expectations, saying multiple times that they can't prove that all of the recent development along Portland's or Little Rock's streetcars is because of the tracks, but that it seems quite an odd coincidence nonetheless.
Gassner also showed a slide, similar to the one below, highlighting the surface parking and undeveloped lots in downtown Boise, including near the proposed streetcar line.
- City of Boise
- Downtown Boise "underdeveloped" lots.
Much of the information presented, including the studies and reports that the streetcar project has generated is also available on the newly re-skinned Boise streetcar Web site.
As for the urban masses ... proposals for the January meeting include the city's comp plan (yawn), green building standards (oy) or the interference of cell towers to brain waves (no comment). Check 'em out on FB to weigh in with some better suggestions.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
streetcar / elections Litster Certified for Streetcar Petition Drive
Posted by Nathaniel Hoffman on Wed, Oct 21, 2009 at 9:56 PM
The city, earlier today, rejected nearly a third of the signatures—7 out of 23—that Boise City Council candidate Dave Litster needed to certify his petition for an initiative drive on the streetcar.
But Litster resubmitted the petition, and according to a release from his campaign, the city certified the document late today. Most of BW was eating pizza at the time.
That means Litster can now begin collecting the 6,500 or so signatures he needs to get the initiative on the ballot during a regular election date next year.
streetcar / elections Litster Fails to Gather Enough Valid Signatures
Posted by Andrew Crisp on Wed, Oct 21, 2009 at 8:37 PM
Last time I called the Boise City Clerk’s office, I was informed that my blocky, black scrawl on a Public Records Request form was, to quote the perky receptionist, “illegible.” They were a nice bunch, though, and they eventually helped this befuddled reporter through the hoops.
Today, when I called Deputy City Clerk Wendy Burrows-Johnson, I got another lesson in the importance of properly completed paperwork, but at least this time it wasn’t my mistake.
City Council candidate David Litster’s recent promise of a petition calling for a public vote on the proposed streetcar was fulfilled yesterday. At least, Litster, who has made denouncing the streetcar a pillar of his campaign, submitted the initial paperwork.
“I am filing this proposed initiative petition language, as required by city code, because current law allows only three council members plus Mayor [Dave] Bieter to impose on the taxpayers a tiny trolley and a $20 million tax bill,” stated Litster in his Oct. 15 press release.
Burrows-Johnson said that while Litster had more than the necessary 20 signatures needed for the preliminary petition, some of them were not valid. Article 1, Chapter 22 of Boise City code states that anyone who signs an initiative petition must be a registered voter within the district. When the clerk’s office receives a petition, they run through a list of voters to verify names.
“He only had 16 valid signatures of the necessary 20. He had 23 on there total,” Burrows-Johnson told BW.
She went on to discuss the necessary steps taken to rectify the petition, which include resubmitting the signatures. Once Litster does that, he’ll have 75 days to get, and verify, the remaining 6,440 signatures needed to get the petition in front of City Council.
TJ Thomson, Litster’s sole opponent, said he’d be happy to sign Litster’s petition should he come to Thomson’s doorstep.
“Yes. I will be the first signature on the list,” Thomson said.
And does Litster want his signature?
“We’d be happy to have him on board,” Litster said.
He’s pragmatic about the city’s rejection of his initial petition.
“That often happens with these things,” Litster said. “You know, you go out and ask people, ‘you’re registered to vote,' right?’”
Of course, since the names of registered voters are public record, Litster could have verified the names himself before turning them in.
“We’re gettin’ another one turned in today,” Litster added.
The rejection from the city came as Litster also announced a slate of new endorsements, that of all of the Ada County Commissioners, Fred Tillman, Rick Yzaguirre and Sharon Ullman; as well as five local members of the Idaho Legislature; Max Black, Cliff Bayer, Russ Fulcher, Raul Labrador and Mike Moyle.
Black, chairman of the House Business Committee, summed up the announcement:
“I speak for every member in the group in saying that Dave Litster has our strong support for Seat 4 on the Boise City Council. Dave understands first-hand both the pressures of raising a family and the day-to-day challenges facing private enterprise. We need more, not less, of that expe rience on the Boise City Council.”
Thomson has racked up a lengthy list of endorsements himself in recent months.
Thursday, October 15, 2009
streetcar Even Destructo Plans to Take the Streetcar
Posted by Nathaniel Hoffman on Thu, Oct 15, 2009 at 10:11 AM
Cincinnati is another medium-sized U.S. city working on a streetcar line. Next month, Cincy voters will consider a ballot measure to force a vote on any future rail development within city limits. The Cincinnati Chapter of the NAACP, the Green Party, the Libertarian Party, Hamilton County Business Owners, and the Coalition Opposed to Additional Spending and Taxes are oppose the streetcar there.
Here is a little viral Youtube that came across the citydesk this morning:
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
streetcar Go See Trolley
Posted by Nathaniel Hoffman on Tue, Sep 22, 2009 at 10:40 AM
The City of Boise will host an open house on Mayor Dave Bieter’s proposal to bring a streetcar to the downtown area. On First Thursday, Oct. 1, you can speak with city officials about the plan, hear how the idea came about, how it might be funded and where it might roll.
Bieter first proposed the streetcar in 2008. A Streetcar Task Force is studying the idea and expected to release a report by the end of the year. You can leave comments on the plan at the open house, from 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the storefront at 821 W. Idaho St.
Friday, March 20, 2009
CCDC / Phil Kushlan / Boise / streetcar / PR Boise to consider streetcar proposal by end of summer
Posted by Nathaniel Hoffman on Fri, Mar 20, 2009 at 11:23 AM
Boise City and CCDC, the city's redevelopment agency, are circulating a timeline and letter to downtown property owners and other stakeholders updating them on plans for a streetcar line.
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