The real reason streetcars are making a comeback

It’s mostly about economic development.

Starting in the late 20th century, modern streetcar proposals started rippling across municipalities in the United States. They’re touted as infrastructure carrying benefits ranging from the social to economic and the environmental. But these projects often make appearances in the news as costly, blunder-filled experiments in public policy.

Cities are willing to bet big on this technology for its potential to develop the local economy. But there is some disagreement as to whether the streetcar is driving this progress, or if it is simply the result of planning *around* the streetcar.

If you're looking for more information on public transportation and urban planning, here are a few links:

[samuvisser]

This was disappointing. We have streetcars all over The Netherlands and it is one of the best transforts in a city. The thing is, we don't actually have them running over the streets in most cases. If you give them dedicated lanes, it workes perfectly and definitely is not only needed for a modern look.
Vox is a US media company, I get that, but when saying a entire category of transportation is not actually usefully for transport, you should really look beyond the borders of the US

[blazingDancer]

so weird to watch this as a european :D

[ofekluislewinsohn]

How can such a channel with this kind of videos work without comparing to real successful infrastructures outside of the U.S. bubble for example in Europe or China? There is nothing more common than a tram in Europe, even my town/city with around 150k inhabitants has one.

[MQHNATYTC]

0:46 "Modern US streetcars"


*points red dot at Canada*

[rajathpai]

Rest of the world: Trams
America : Street car

[rockstopsthetraffic]

>Toronto
>on a map of US streetcars

Please don't forget your passport when you visit Canada!

[Habibus]

In my city - Warsaw - the first horse trams were introduced as early as in 1866, electric ones in 1908. Now our tram network, in constant development, is one of the biggest in the world (293 km of rails).

[bluemeannie]

I've never heard the saying street car I've only heard *tram*

[marronimaa]

Haha what the hell? Of course they aren't a good alternative to other means of transportation if you don't create lanes dedicated to the street cars and if you just build small networks. Here in Switzerland you're getting through the city way faster with the street cars in rush hour because they can just pass all the cars that are stuck in traffic. You shouldn't just support them because they help urban development, you should support the because they can be powered by clean energy in contrast to most busses and cars!

[frday]

Germany: **Hold my Straßenbahn**
They are EVERYWHERE

[matthewcollins]

For those who don’t know U.S cities used to have working streetcar/tram systems but they were bought out by car companies and most lines were destroyed. The U.S used to be a lot like Europe.

[ethylenoxid]

It's funny to watch "streetcars are making a comeback" when in my city there are 30 different lines for more than a hundred years now

[trilexmagie]

Comments under this video be like:

60% It's called Trams!
30% In my city/country we do have them
And they work
10% Hahaha streetcars sounds stupid

[jul]

In Germany every tiny city has a type of streetcar system. I use it too to get to the university…

[NotKevinLin]

i live in melbourne, and watching this makes me so grateful of TRAM system (street cars) around the Melbourne area, it's cheap, fast and efficient.

[tomkillsjerry]

its amazing how many people are surprised different countries have different names for things...

[bogdaneq]

, ,the streetcars are coming back''
the european trams that never retired: *am i joke to you?*

[deloreanfan]

The correct term is light rail systems. Streetcars, Trams, Trolleys and road based Cable Cars all fall into this category.

Also I am surprised there was no mention of the Great American Streetcar Scandal. General Motors and Firestone purchased light rail system across the country with the purpose of dismantling them and replacing them with buses and cars.

[autocad]

*How to create a successful streetcar*
1. ACTUALLY RUN THE CARS FROM NEIGHBORHOODS TO BUSINESSES
2. Put them in areas with lower income people
3. Profit

[CrazyMonkeyMusic]

Every big city in Germany has plenty of those "streetcars"