Nov 11, 2009
Modern Streetcar Update: Engineering Firm Being Selected, Design/Engineering Work Underway By December
By: Kevin Buchanan
When last we checked in with the Fort Worth modern streetcar project, the city had taken a major step forward and issued a Request for Qualifications to select an engineering firm to do detailed design and planning work on the project. Once a firm is selected, they’ll have 365 days to come up with a real, build-able streetcar system design for the city. The RFQ is a major landmark along the path to the streetcar, and indicates a level of commitment to the project from the city that is significant.
The RFQ stated that submissions from engineering firms had to be sent to the city by October 22nd. We have learned that the city did in fact receive several quality submissions from “highly qualified” firms, and that they are now in the process of selecting a submission to move forward. What’s more, the city hopes to have a firm selected and actively working by the Tracks to the Future conference on December 11.
Tracks to the Future is a conference being presented by the City of Fort Worth, Fort Worth South, Inc., and other members of a coalition of groups to discuss the importance and need for rail transit in the Metroplex, including the streetcar. It will feature a wide variety of speakers, such as Charlotte, NC mayor Patrick McCrory, Karen Walz of Vision North Texas, John Walsh of the Urban Land Institute, Texas State Senator Wendy Davis, Assistant City Manager Fernando Costa, and more. Tracks to the Future is being presented through TCU Extended Education. It will be on Friday, December 11, from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM at the Sheraton in Downtown Fort Worth. Enrollment costs $50 and includes breakfast and lunch. For more, visit Tracks to the Future at TCU Extended Education. Sponsors and coalition members of Tracks to the Future currently include: the City of Fort Worth, Downtown Fort Worth, Inc., the Fort Worth Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, Fort Worth South, Inc., the Fort Worth Transportation Authority, Scenic Fort Worth, Inc., Sheraton Fort Worth, TCU Extended Education, Greater Fort Worth Real Estate Council, the Berry Street Initiative, Hillwood Properties, Associated Businesses of the Cultural District, the Fort Worth chapter of the American Institute of Architects, the Central City Redevelopment Committee, Fran McCarthy, Camp Bowie District, Inc., Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce, Fort Worth Metropolitan Black Chamber of Commerce, Fort Worth League of Neighborhood Associations, League of Women Voters of Tarrant County, Southeast Fort Worth, Inc., and Urban Strategies of Texas, LLC.
This is all further encouraging news on the streetcar front. The city’s received submissions from engineering firms and is selecting one to move forward. We expect to hear more during Tracks to the Future – it’s an exciting time for the long-awaited Fort Worth modern streetcar project.
For those not up to speed on the project, or those joining us from out-of-city urban/transit blogs, the Fort Worth modern streetcar project aims to link Downtown, the Near Southside, and the Cultural District with a modern streetcar system. The project would create a rail transit link between neighborhood destinations in those districts, as well as links between the districts themselves. It is intended to serve such destinations as Sundance Square, the Convention Center/SoDo area, South Main Village, Magnolia Village, neighborhoods like Fairmount, the West 7th Street corridor, the museums of the Cultural District (such as the Kimbell, Carter, and Modern), and major employers. For more, make sure to check out our “streetcar” tag and the city’s own streetcar project web site.
Great news!
Can I buy an annual pass yet?
I am very excited about the future of a streetcar system here, but I have one question. Why is there a charge to go to the conference? Shouldn’t those kinds of things be free, or cost just enough to cover breakfast and lunch, to get a larger community involvement? I’m just curious as to what this conference offers that I should consider paying $50 for.
Can’t answer the cost thing for you, and I’m not sure who sets the price (maybe it’s TCU Extended Ed?). I can say that $50 is downright cheap compared to a lot of pro conferences – the cost of a single day of CNU 18 is between $215 and $295 plus ticketed items.
The biggest cost item for the conference is the food, but there are also keynote speaker fees, banquet room fees at the Sheraton, and A/V equipment rental. Believe me, the groups working on this wish we could present the conference for free, but as Kevin said, it should be a good value and a great chance for those interested in bringing more rail transit to Fort Worth (or not) to influence the discussion.
Mike Brennan
Fort Worth South, Inc.
You may have already thought of this, but could any of the presentations or the conference be summarized down to a suitable FNA meeting presentation? (If you already have done this, nevermind. I’ve missed the last several meetings).
Although it may not sound like it… I’m really not trying to pick a fight here, but I have a problem w/ this statement- “it ($50) should be a good value and a great chance for those interested in bringing more rail transit to Fort Worth (or not) to influence the discussion.” I really don’t like the thought that a persons influence “cost $50″. That seems to push out those who may not be able to afford to go to this conference, but still want a say.
thanks,
shawn d.
To be fair, it’s not so much a “public meeting,” of the sort that we have already had (and will undoubtedly have more of) during the streetcar process. It’s a day-long conference of planning and government leaders (including out-of-state) on the importance of rail transit (not just the streetcar) for the city. Considering the cost of the thing and that it’s not being presented as an open public meeting, I’m not sure that there ought to be an expectation of it being free.
I’ll accept that Kevin. I’m just looking out for – the rest of us.
thanks,
shawn d.
I totally get you. Like Mike from Fort Worth South, Inc. up there said, a lot of the participants would love for it to be free, but it doesn’t seem like that was do-able.
At the least, we’ll make an effort to attend and report back on everything. And I have no doubt there’ll be more free public meetings about the streetcar project.
This is a huge step forward. Bravo, Fort Worth Leaders!
Help me understand a little better here- what is the difference between a “streetcar” and “light-rail” like I’m familiar with in Minneapolis?
Are electric buses being discussed? I see those during my travels to the northwest (Portland, Seattle, Vancouver) and I have to say I find them to be aesthetically disgusting with all the power lines criss-crossing the streets. I think a system like the streetcar/light-rail is much more tolerable as their power sources are much less obtrusive.
Jonathan,
It’s a difference of scale and intent. A modern streetcar, like Portland’s or the one Fort Worth is designing, uses lighter vehicles, runs primarily in-street with traffic, and makes stops every few blocks. It is a neighborhood connector/circulator and “pedestrian accelerator.”
Light rail is like Portland’s MAX, the Mpls line, the DART trains in Dallas, etc. and consists of larger, heavier vehicles that run in their own right-of-way, and makes stops farther apart. It is generally more of a commuter-oriented or more district-to-district sort of system, though it sometimes makes more frequent stops such as in downtown settings.
Streetcars don’t need as much infrastructure as light rail. They only require scraping off the top layer of street, placing tracks, and re-paving, whereas light rail needs a stronger base. They also require a less-elaborate overhead power source than light rail. They are more maneuverable and can get into neighborhoods more than light rail. They can also operate with a minimum of infrastructure at stops, usually not much more than a bus-type shelter, where light rail generally needs more formal stations. Because of all that, they are generally much less expensive to build than a light rail line.
They’re basically two different things that accomplish different goals, but they look just similar enough to where the distinctions are sometimes hard to pick out.
Electric buses aren’t being discussed. The T’s current CNG-powered bus fleet will remain.
Great news! Firm selection in a month, and 1-year design phase. So we should be hoping to see construction begin in Jan 2011?