Finally some improvements to Columbia Pike, no real alternatives to the streetcar have been offered.

Economic development

Increase ridership in public transportation and more investment in Columbia Pike.

Own two businesses in Crystal City and just announced the opening of a third business yesterday in Arlington as well. I would love to see this project fast tracked and get people moving aboard this project! Washington Wine Academy and Crystal City Wine Shop

Very smart investment and best way to move larger numbers of people on Columbia Pike.

alternatives to Metro, more public transit, making the area more accessible to all

It's a life style choice-healthier, easier, and makes good business, Let's get this done now!!

We need to break our driving habit, and make traffic easier in this area.

Ridership, Econ, ease of transport & pkg

Because Columbia Pike needs it

The streetcars will provide increasing speed and attraction to potential riders. The ridership will grow significantly.

High quality, permanent infrastructure transit will help economic development in south Arlington. Electric trams are also another way to diversify the energy sources used for mass transit. I only wish there was a more comprehensive plan to interconnect all of Arlington with high quality transit.

Going on the car-free diet and this will help!

Realizing the positive vision of Columbia Pike as a diverse, dynamic, and progressive community.

Economic community development and ridership

transportation benefits, economic development

Economic development

Streetcars are so easy-to-use, if routed properly - they can eliminate car traffic. They are much less expensive than a subway - and provide a fixed address on a "train" route which will enhance property values.

Best solution for transportation on the Pike

The Street Car is about more than simply moving people from point A to point B. It's Economic development and growth done the right way and it's the right thing for South Arlington!

The Street Car is about more than simply moving people from point A to point B. It's Economic development and growth done the right way and it's the right thing for South Arlington!

Getting people out of their cars and using public transit is a good thing. Thins will increase property values all along the corridor - no one bought a condo because there was a good bus line close by. It's not in my neighborhood, but this (like the "frivolous" underground metro stations will be good for the entire county.)

I expect positive economic and environmental effects

I've lived with streetcars in Melbourne, Australia for nearly 40 years and they're great. Now that I live in Arlington i'd love to see them here also.

I went to Norfolk, Virginia and saw that they had a streetcar and I was totally stunned. This is an example in our own state, why are we not talking about this? Sections of the streetcar in downtown Norfolk run in traffic and it is fine. The streetcars look like a piece of art -- like the Japanese trains. They are also quiet. There is no step up so it is safer and quicker to get on and off. The streetcars were driving and interweaving making turns in downtown traffic. The cars negotiated the streets safely with no issues. Everything was moving and it appeared that the streetcar was moving just as fast as the cars, if not faster, contrary to what the "Tea Party" says. I also noticed that the buses were empty. I guess no one wants to ride the bus. The Norfolk streetcar has been so successful that Virginia Beach, the neighboring city government recently voted to extend streetcar from Norfolk to Virginia Beach. Why should we be stuck in the 70s with buses? Is Arlington so poor that Norfolk and Virginia Beach can have a streetcar but Arlington can't? I guess people think Columbia Pike is the poor part of town. People fighting the streetcar are perpetuating this stereotype of south Arlington. The streetcar seems the only thing we can do to fix the transportation problem on Columbia Pike. I would prefer Metro, but have been told it is impossible due to the prohibitive cost of moving Pentagon communication wires under Columbia Pike. In addition, I would like the businesses to start acting as if the streetcar was already here and start enforcing the laws -- delivery trucks are not supposed to be parked on Columbia Pike. If the rails are in, they certainly won't.

Looking forward to more green public transportation alternatives! Our family would be far more inclined to frequent the businesses along Columbia Pike if streetcars were an option.

Capacity.

The streetcar project means transforming the area into a world class community.

The streetcar will help to bring improved transit service to this part of the county and spur economic development. Other cities like Portland, Dallas and Kansas City are investing in streetcars while also supporting efforts to create more affordable housing. We can do this, too. The additional economic development can provide benefits to the whole county, and especially to the corridor.

As representative of a commercial property owner along Columbia Pike I would like to express our support for the Streetcar. We believe it will enhance the transformation of the Pike into a more vibrant, successful place to live, work, and shop.

At the beginning of the 20th century we had streetcars up and down the Washington metropolitan area. In fact, before it was a Metro corridor, Rosslyn-Ballston was a streetcar corridor. In the middle of the century the streetcars were taken out in favor of buses, and the area fell to car dealerships and McDonalds -- much like what portions of Columbia Pike are today. It's time we went back to streetcars and gave Columbia Pike and south Arlington the revitalization it deserves.

Moved to the neighborhood 3 years ago and love the Col Pike Dev plans including trolleys! Will create a real sense of place and put us on the map.

I will ride the streetcar as often as I can! I am a new, however 'future long-time' resident of Penrose, and am looking forward to improving the quality of life for the many future new residents we have coming our way along the pike.

This will benenfit people living with disabilities to provide this transportation option.

I'm a native Arlingtonian and resident of the Columbia Pike corridor. The County has put forward a comprehensive plan to redevelop the Columbia Pike Corridor that is sorely needed. To accomplish this plan and achieve economic revitalization of the area a new mode of transportation, in the form of a streetcar, is needed to attract new, urban development to serve all current and future Columbia Pike residents.

I support the street car because our community deserves long-term transport solutions that provide high-quality, easy to use services that the people of Arlington will use on a daily basis.

Reduce traffic, better for the environment, adds charm to the local area

I believe the streetcar is a key ingredient in the revitalization of the Columbia Pike corridor, and is the first step in creating an integrated streetcar network throughout Northern Virginia.

Taxpayer for Streetcars

Streetcars will retalize and bring excitement to the most neglected areas of Arlington!

Increases ease of movement to, from, and around Arlington, without use of a car. Expand menu of clean transportation options. Accelerate economic development around a preferred and fixed transportation backbone.

I grew up in Salt Lake City and saw how a streetcar (light rail) can transform an area. Most opposed the rail line before it opened, but it's now seen as an incredible success. It's revitalized areas along the line and has helped bring people back to the city to work and play. Although I'm concerned about the ever increasing cost of the Columbia Pike streetcar, I do think it will someday help boost the area economically and will ultimately make us better connected. I am so convinced of the area's promise that my wife and I purchased our first home along the line. I do not believe that BRT is the right answer since it won't be a dedicated bus line, and it will still carry the stigma of a public bus. I understand the attraction to it based on the finances, but I really don't think BRT will help the Pike grow the way a streetcar will.

The streetcar will contribute to sustained growth and provide tax resources. It's a wise investment.

A major investment in our awesomely diverse South Arlington by way of public transportation infrastructure. What's not to like? I can't wait to ride on the street car!

I will ty to be at the meeting to support the street car.

This is a much need boast to the revitalization of Columbia Pike that will pay dividends economically and environmentally. The alternatives do not measure up.

Economic development and transportation convenience

I strongly believe that a streetcar connecting Columbia Pike would increase the economic development of the area and enable local businesses to thrive with the increase in consumers. It would also likely bring many more people who are eager to live in an up and coming neighborhood, which is currently lacking in Arlington, as most of the areas are well established.

I am a resident of south Arlington and live just steps from the corner of Columbia Pike and Four Mile Run Drive. I have been a resident of Arlington since 1997. I grew up as an army brat and spent six years in Germany and often commuted to and from school, toured cities, went out dining and shopping with my parents using streetcar transportation. Streetcar infrastructure isn't cheap. But neither is all the infrastructure that has been approved for other areas of the county: new swimming pools, new schools, additions to the water treatment facility to accommodate nearly continuous housing development along the Wilson-Clarendon corridor, and a massive redevelopment plan for Crystal City. My support for this initiative is twofold. First, a streetcar is an effective catalyst to spur sustainable, lasting economic and community development in south Arlington (especially in Zip Code 22204). I consider a streetcar system to be a middle-ground transportation option (a new subway line being the most expensive option and continued bus service the low-cost, simplest and least effective option). Bus service has been improved significantly along Columbia Pike but to what end? The area has realized no significant improvement since the plan was initiated. It is now time to abandon the low-cost option as an answer to this question. The second part of my support for this initiative is based on the concept of equity. South Arlington residents provide a significant portion of the county's revenue base. Since I have lived in the county I have resided in the Courthouse area, in Crystal City, and in Barcroft. The inconvenient truth of the matter is that south Arlington has been and remains last on the list of the county's prioritization of communities. Arlington county is small in area but the disparity among communities is enormous (and growing). It's time to end this cycle of economic and social segregation. And it's long past time to stop pretending it doesn't exist. I'm an Alabama native so I know it when I see it. The county commission should support the streetcar initiative and move forward to implement the plan at the earliest possible time given the real and growing need for such a resource. It is more valuable than ten Aquatics Centers, dozens of Planetariums, and hundreds of parking spaces.

I have lived in South Arlington for more than 20 years, and I welcome the streetcar as a means of keeping affordable housing AND preventing car gridlock up and down the 'Pike." Change is coming to the Columbia Pike Corridor whether we have a streetcar or not. So, let's be smart and proactive and prevent car gridlock from taking over our wonderful South Arlington neighborhoods. I'm glad the business community welcomes the Streetcar, as they will be footing the bill for funding it (over and above the federal contribution.) If they are willing to put up with the construction (which will take less time, and money than Metro), then I am. I am glad I have learned more about the Streetcar, as I have changed from being doubtful about its benefits for our community, to becoming a supporter.

Will bring convenience and more development to South Arlington.

Streetcars will be the key to sustainable growth and protecting our enviorment.

The addition of Streetcars in Arlington would be a great positive for the area and will bring even more businesses and residents to the area. It will also give residents already in the area more options to help them discover different parts of Arlington.

The Streetcar is a sustainable, forward thinking transportation solution that will adapt with the Pike as our community grows and evolves. It is a fiscally responsible step forward.

I watched the demise of streetcars in DC and the congestion problems that caused

Arlington: Separate and Unequal By Robert Parry I have lived in South Arlington for 35 years. I’m proud of our history as the site of Freedmen’s Village, carved out of Robert E. Lee’s plantation to provide homes for emancipated slaves during and after the Civil War. My four children attended South Arlington public schools, among the most ethnically diverse in the United States. But I have become increasingly disappointed and even offended by what appears to be the systematic discrimination from predominantly white North Arlington toward the more racially and ethnically mixed neighborhoods south of Route 50. We are treated like we “live on the other side of the tracks.” And, the Arlington County government, which prides itself on its liberal attitudes, should reflect on this disparity. The latest sign of this growing division of Arlington into separate-and-unequal communities is a new reluctance on the County Board to press ahead with the long-planned construction of a light-rail streetcar on Columbia Pike, the main thoroughfare through South Arlington. Years ago, I and many of my neighbors took time out of our busy schedules to attend public meetings that endorsed the streetcar as a key element in the long-delayed revitalization of the Columbia Pike corridor. Now, I’m told that there is the possibility that the County Board might not see this project through. Yet, if the streetcar is abandoned, it will confirm to many of us in South Arlington that we are second-class citizens as far as the Arlington government is concerned. Indeed, this problem of discrimination against the racially and ethnically mixed neighborhoods of South Arlington has grown worse since I first bought a modest bungalow on South Highland Street in 1978. Then, the difference in comparable home prices between North and South could be measured by $5,000 or $10,000. Now, that variable can run into the hundreds of thousands of dollars. The principal reason for this widening disparity, of course, is the location of the Metro’s Orange line running under Wilson Boulevard, the main business artery through North Arlington. The placement of the subway transformed that corridor and provided a financial windfall for people lucky enough to have owned property near the route. The subway also attracted wealthier newcomers who expect even better schools and other county services. So, when the county’s three high schools were scheduled for reconstruction, the two North Arlington high schools were bumped ahead of Wakefield, the one South Arlington high school. Wakefield had been first in line but instead fell to the back of the line. Other South Arlington schools, like Thomas Jefferson Middle School, get patch-ups while North Arlington schools get new construction. I’m also told that it’s next to impossible for South Arlington kids to gain transfers into North Arlington’s “magnet” science focus school. In recent years, one of the prime examples of actual new construction in South Arlington has been the expansion of the wastewater treatment facility off South Glebe Road. Yes, one thing that folks in North Arlington do seem willing to give us is their sewage. So, in my view, the fate of the Columbia Pike streetcar is more than just whether Arlington County will live up to a commitment made to South Arlington residents at those public meetings years ago, but whether the County Board will tolerate the deepening division of Arlington into two separate-and-unequal communities, one that is predominately white and wealthy (and which gets favored treatment) and one that is more racially and ethnically diverse (and which gets the short-end of the stick). Will the people of North Arlington continue to get the benefit of a very expensive subway system that we all helped pay for – and will the folks of South Arlington be denied a much less expensive surface rail line? Does Arlington really want to be known as a county that feels its North residents should have access to a modern subway while its South residents must make do with buses? It’s time to build the Columbia Pike streetcar, finally. Signed/ Robert Parry 3524 7th Street South Arlington, VA 22204-1567 Robert Parry is a veteran investigative journalist who worked for The Associated Press, Newsweek, PBS Frontline and Bloomberg News. He currently edits the investigative Web site, Consortiumnews.com. He can be reached by e-mail at robrtparry@aol.com.

I think that the streetcar program would be an excellent addition to the area. I know that I would use it frequently. I support it for the economic development and ecologic advantages it would bring to the Columbia Pike neighborhood.

car free, tourism, neighborhood ambience

Wave of the future Holds lots of people Good for people and economic growth

economic development and accessibility for transportation.

Lived in Europe, its about time we do it here......

Looking to buy a house in Arlington on the Col. Pike and would like to use the street car to commute to work at the Pentagon

This is good for the environment. We would also like to go carless, and can only do it with a street car.

The Columbia Pike Street Car will be a winner. Please make this happen!

ridership, aesthetics, creating a destination

Would love to see the Pike even more accessable.

As a small business owner transportation is hugely important to me. It is imperative that we continue to invest in our infrastructure.

I Live in the Penrose and think the street car is great for our neighborhood and it enhances all of the local businesses

Fewer cars! More transit!

We need a modern transportation system that will decrease auto traffic on Columbia Pike. The Pike Corridor was ignored during the Metro Rail process and its time that the Pike be given adequate transportation options. The trolley will increase tourist options thus bringing revenue to the county.

In huge support of the streetcar!

This is a visionary transportation element in Arlington County. Much of what has become great about this community in the past 20 years has been due to the vision of Arlington's leaders and senior staff a generation before. The planned streetcar system will rejuvenate the Columbia Pike corridor for the 21st century and and is expected over time to provide critically needed mass transportation improvements to affected nearby key roadways in Crystal City and Potomac Yards as well as along Route 7 (Leesburg Pike) in nearby Fairfax County. But care must be taken to protect as much affordable housing along the Pike as possible and to limit redevelopment to something substantially less than that permitted along the Rosslyn-Ballston Metro corridor.

Improving Columbia Pike is very important to the economic viability of South Arlington. For too long the majority of the new affordable housing units have been put into the 22204 ZIP; it is time for improvements for the property owners in this area too. Discussion of the improvements to Columbia Pike have been ongoing for nearly a decade since the first charette back in 2000 -- the streetcar will bring a much needed revitalization to the area and has been delayed far too long.

Increase public transit ridership, reduce traffic on Columbia Pike, make public transit to Pentagon City and Crystal City, and Metro easier.

Economic development - safety - slow down traffic - make Columbia Pike more pedestrian friendly / walkable neighborhoods - END the ARTERY nature of the Pike

I grew up in the St. Louis area and was fortunate to experience streetcar transportation with my grandmother. Your whole perspective is elevated, and the Columbia Pike trolley will be similar. We will have our own positive distinction for a special part of Arlington, and it definitely will attract people to our neck of the woods. I only wish this great idea and partnership were now!

To help get cars off the road

Economic development; ridership

It brings a cornucopia of goodness--development, efficiency, effectiveness. And having lived in Europe for nearly a decade and relied in them regularly, streetcars do work. Arlington--and the Pike-corridor are only going to get more crowded. This is the right mitigation strategy.

Having lived for several years in European cities with electric tram line infrastructure, I strongly feel that this additional transportation mode will provide a rider-welcomed quality of life boost to Arlington County workers and residents.

It will definitely increase ridership due to the potential efficiency and speed improvements that the streetcars will offer, which will in turn have economic benefits. It will also increase the appeal of the Arlington area that is included in the streetcars.

Economic development, smartest environmental choice, long-term planning, smart growth, and to provide the Co with a negotiating tool for the creation of committed affordable housing

Economic development

Ridership, economic development

For the proposed route, it is the best way to attract riders and move people. The route has the requisite population density and density projections. It is financially feasible (buses are not cheap), and of the various options provides the easiest access to public transportation for those with mobility limitations and for parents with small children and strollers.

As a North Arlington resident of 17 years whose family has benefited in many ways from forward-thinking public transit investments made by taking MetroRail underground through North Arlington decades ago, I support the street car plan as a comparable strategic investment for Columbia Pike in particular and the Arlington community overall.

All the reasons given on this site. Columbia Pike needs the upgrade for transportation and economic development. I fully support this.

Levels of ridership, attractive public transit, efficiency, and starting to build a light-rail network in the DC metro area.

I am a new resident of Arlington. I think that the streetcar is good sensible transportation to keep Arlington on track for smart growth. Having seen the streetcars in Minneapolis and Portland I can say that they really do connect communities and are affordable for all to ride. Glad to see this group get together!

I am pleased to see there is a group in favor of the street car. I support your effort and I support the project. I think will be good for this area that need revitalization.

(1) Columbia Pike need, (2) Success of other light rail/ street cars in numerous locations around the world, (3) Need to connect Fairfax to Arlington to Alexandria, (4) Possibly future to have a Route 7 street car that crosses the Columbia Pike street car along with other lines.

Convenience of ridership and permanence of progressive, alternative public transportation. Long-term economic development and sustainability.

I live along the orange line but work along the Pike. There's so much potential there for first-rate urban living. And with apologies to any friends who might sympathize with AST, but reading their web resources is like reading Ken Ham's Answers in Genesis blog.

Moving more people, more conveniently, faster and more economically is vital to revitalization of the Pike.

Economic Development and improved efficiency of commuting.

My personal experience in riding both streetcars and buses is that streetcars offer a more comfortable, more reliable trip. Also, I think the streetcars connecting Alexandria and Fairfax through south Arlington will improve our local economy and overall quality of life.

Our family lives in Arlington Heights and strongly believe the street car will be a huge transportation, economic, and environmental benefit for our area

Permanence, economic development, environmental sustainability, air quality, safety etc etc. I think we should reconsider making the streetcar run down the middle of Columbia pike and reducing the number of traffic lanes. Let's make the pike a true neighborhood, a walkable safe place to raise our children. Right now there are too many speeding cars cutting through our collective home to go to or come back from somewhere else. We should make Columbia pike a destination. Right now it's a two lane super hwy, where crossing is equal to a game of frogger.

I'd consider moving to the Pike if it were there. It would be nice to have a subway but streetcar is the best practical option. Even the best bus system would be second class.

It will be a very significant investment in South Arlington. Will create jobs and encourage more business along the Pike. I am 100% behind it.

Great, green way to move people and enhance the county

I collect the experience of riding public transit. I have ridden on systems all over the world. I have lived on Columbia Pike and used 16 buses for almost 20 years to commute for work, to take my son to school, Tae Kwon Do, and for social and recreational purposes. I am an engineer. I know streetcars and I know Columbia Pike.

Streetcar is the right decision at the right time. We need a higher capacity, high quality, permanent transit system for the Pike to develop as planned; we need to take the long view in planning for the future; interest rates are low today; better and more seamless transportation links are increasingly important for commuters and non-commuters alike; more opportunities for work, shop and recreation will arise as transportation evolves… Just like the Metrorail corridors, the possibilities for transformation are tangible, exciting and immeasurable!

Invesments in our infrastructure will last for hundreds of years. New buses could be sold tomorrow. This is exactly what we need as a city to stay competitive for the next several decades.

Increase ridership, reduce SOV (single occupancy vehicle) travel, increase access to non-Metro linked neighborhoods, economic vibrancy. Plus, streetcars are just cool!

It will provide the corridor with the dedicated mass transit necessary to support the existing population as well as the planned future growth. It will bring a vibrancy and attention to an area of the county that deserves it as well as much needed capital investment from both public and private sources.

All transportation solutions should be looked at and considered. I have yet to hear realistic reasons why a streetcar would not work or benefit the residents, businesses, the county and its growth when it has considerably in other cities around the nation. Hopefully, it will for Arlington as well.

Support based on the potential for economic development that will bring to the Arlington Columbia Pike corridor which will benefit business, employers, and residents.

Economic development, increase use of public transit

property value, neighborhood revitalization, modern and efficient transportation option on the Columbia Pike corridor, fair spending of Arlington County taxes for residents of south Arlington

I've tried the bus - never again. Please, let's move forward and get this project going. Enough talk about fancier buses. That's not going to get it done. South Arlington deserves a better form of mass transit, and streetcar is it.

Experience elsewhere has shown that streetcars attract a higher ridership than buses, even well-designed BRT systems. I believe that a streetcar is the best way to move people out of their cars and onto mass transit, something that will become more important as the Columbia Pike corridor continues to develop and become more densely settled.

The #16 buses are great. Streetcars sound like a good way to build on the public transport we have, improve accessibility, and provide a new attraction to the Pike. I look forward to riding!

We own a house in Alcova Heights and we are confident that the streetcars will do much for our property values and our connectivity to greater Washington and the rest of South Arlington. We are posted out of state now but will be back in a few years and we hope the cars are running by then.

I travel to a number of cities with modern streetcar lines. In Geneva, Switzerland - a city of about 200,000 very similar in size to Arlington, they have two streetcar lines. They go right through the heart of the city down very busy narrow main streets - and I observe no issues about traffic. What I like about the streetcars is it's very easy to know where they go even as a tourist. They are roomier inside than buses - and as the cars are interconnected its easy to walk between cars. You don't get that effect of buses with one jammed, the next one empty. Also, they stop and start more smoothly than buses. The main down side are the electric wires, but they are less conspicuous than old trolley lines were (e.g. the one I knew in Pittsburgh). Plus, there are no fumes and it's quieter than a bus. My observation is that there are people who will ride streetcars and avoid buses, but few bus riders who would shun a streetcar. So I think it will lure more people into using public transportation. As for traffic issues, again - in Geneva, they run down the streets. Where passengers are picked up - there are lanes for traffic to flow around the streetcar. The effect on traffic is no more than what a bus would be. Finally, like Metro - the investment in a infrastructure like this will strengthen the economy along the corridor where it runs. It will be inconvenient and a headache when it is being built. But so was Metro when it was being built (I was living in NW Washington when the Red Line was going in) and no one can doubt the positive impact on neighborhoods with close Metro access. And many of us enjoy the fact we can take metro to get destinations throughout the city. This will provide that kind of easy comfortable access for others to reach Columbia Pike businesses and other destinations.

1) It is vital to have a more efficient way to catch the metro at Pentagon City. if we can't extend metro inside South Arlington then the streetcar is a good alternative 2) It will help with the economic advancement of South Arlington and the improvement of the neighborhoods 3) Arlington is committed to spending energy resources responsibly, at least the streetcar does not rely on gasoline

Go Streetcar! Will be a great addition to our public transit portfolio. I heartily endorse it.

I have lived in the Columbia Pike corridor and used transit for more than 25 years. In that time I have seen the continuing redevelopment along the corridor and the accompanying changes in transit service. The streetcar is the transit option that will best serve current and future residents and workers as the corridor continues to grow and thrive.

With the public funding of the interstate highway system transportation was dramatically changed and in very short order we became a society dominated by cars. The new urban development philosophies that focus on integrating walkability and high quality, permanent public transportation finally provide the recipe for promoting development WITHOUT increasing cars and congestion on the roads. The streetcar is a critical component of this and an excellent investment of public money. It's time to build the streetcar and continue the amazing growth of Columbia Pike.

Economic development

Street cars are great for economic development ans well as for the fabric of the community. It makes traveling easy and should lessen car use as well as ease congestion.

I strongly support the Columbia Pike street car as it believe that the streetcar will be an integral part of the development of the Pike over the next several decades. Planners in the 1960's fought for, and got, the orange line through Arlington, altering, for the better, much of the core of our county. The time is now to spur improvements, spur "smart growth" along the Columbia Pike corridor.

The Pike is growing! We need streetcar transit to keep up with increased business and residential density.

I wholeheartedly support the Columbia Pike streetcar and the enormous benefit this will offer to Arlington for years to come! Urban Streetcars have been proven time after time to offer economic, social, and environmental benefits to every community that has built them, and I am proud of Arlington for undertaking this important project.

I own Washington Workplace, a business employing 33 people in Penrose. We strongly support the Streetcar. Hey????? Hasn't this thing been approved already?

In November 2012, we visited my brother, a former Arlingtonian, in Portland, Oregon. He lives in affordable housing on Grand Ave, S.E. and the Portland Streetcar line stops directly in front of his house all day and night. The cars are quieter than buses, take up a lane only as much as a bus would. The tracks did not disrupt traffic flow or pedestrian crossing. Parking has been rearranged to keep cars out of the track lane, but traffic flows compatibly with the train cars. My brother is disabled so accessing the street car is much easier and less embarrassing for him than having to slow down passengers on a bus that requires a great deal of effort to enter. We are very much in favor of the street car addition to Arlington transportation options. Another perspective...I recently spent 7 months moving my elderly mother around in a wheel chair. Wheel chair accessibility is not exactly the picnic that the signs would make you think....just try maneuvering a wheel chair over uneven sidewalks, frightening ramps, scary lifts. It is a most uncomfortable situation since wheel chairs do not have shock absorbers! Providing public transportation for the disabled which does not have these barriers would be one more thing to be proud of in Arlington. WE LOVE THE STREETCAR AS PROPOSED. GO FOR IT NOW.

Many people that I meet find the capital costs of the streetcar daunting--a problem that has faced every large-scale project since time began. What they don't realize is that these costs are capitalized over a long period of time, and for many thousands of people. Today, noone would question the wisdom of building the public transportation in London or New York. The fact is that the long-term benefits of building those systems will extend for hundreds of years. The street car is a permanent transportation solution that will eventually connect us not only to shops along the Pike, but to Fairfax County, DC and beyond. As a fixed-route system, it will be easy to use, and people like them. I have seen these systems in other cities and they work very well. Yes, we can buy more buses, but they aren't as comfortable to ride or as attractive. And yes, there will be more people riding the streetcar than would ride the bus. And in the long run, that does make a difference.

Same reasons as my wife, Kim Collier!

The street car would lessen traffic on the Pike and provide citizens an alternative means of transportation in this area. It would also help foster economic development and bring back a "home town" feel to the unique and historic nature of the Pike.

Believe that the streetcar is the best long term solution to support growth on the Pike.

The Streetcar is the key to walkable, sustainable Columbia Pike!

Why is it people will ride a streetcar but not a bus? Never understood that logic but it certainly exists. I'm all for providing a public transportation system that will actually get people out of their cars.

I am delighted to think that we might one day have a streetcar system on Columbia Pike. I have lived on the Pike for more than 50 years. I am retired, now, so I am no longer concerned with commuting to a job, but plan to utilize the streetcar for transportation to medical appointments, routine shopping expeditions, luncheon or dinner outings, visiting friends who live along the Pike, and for connecting with the metrorail system for visits to other metropolitan areas. I hope the Columbia Pike streetcar system is fully operational by the time it is necessary for me to give up my car. If so, it will help me to live independently and remain in my home for years to come.

It will help mould the redevelopment that is inevitable and necessary for Columbia Pike. Fixed transportation shows the permanency of the feature and is the only solution that is good enough for South Arlington if we are to be a fullly developed destination with Arlington.

I'm excited for the streetcar and the opportunities it will bring to communities lining the pike. I have lived in Douglas Park for 17 years and am pleased with the development that has come to Arlington. The county has seen phenomenal growth that has provided new retail, residential and office areas through clustering development around transit. All of this has been done with minimal increases in local traffic counts despite major increases in density. At the same time the county has moved to support existing single family neighborhoods and affordable housing. Location is key in real estate and land is finite. These things are the advantages that Arlington has over other locales. Growth in Arlington is inevitable and we have to provide the infrastructure needed to facilitate that growth. The streetcar provides an opportunity to mitigate the impacts of the growth that is coming to the Pike and secure financial support from companies wishing to develop projects along the Pike. We can choose to invest in the future or stick our heads in the sand and let developers build their projects by-right, this is Virginia after all, without supporting transit options and hope for the best. The county studied the options and determined the streetcar to be the best option for the Pike. I agree with the county's findings. The streetcar is a good investment, will support the inevitable growth coming to Arlington and yes is well within the county's financial means. We need to continue to invest in the county's future and the streetcar is a logical next step. Sean R. Moore Douglas Park

Economic development - particularly along Columbia Pike! This is the forgotten area of Arlington and if you do not help this area of Arlington, what does it say about how much the Board cares about the ENTIRE county (and not just the North side). Do NOT continue to neglect South Arlington!!

Projects like this one make a great deal of sense as we work to build a more energy efficient, environmentally friendly Arlington County. It was a big mistake for America to have moved away from streetcars in the first place - even going so far as to tear up streetcar lines and pave them over to make them friendly to cars! Now, at a time when global warming threatens massive devastation to humans and to every other species on this planet, we need to transition as rapidly as possible to smart growth/transit-oriented development, renewable energy, and mass transit alternatives like streetcars. As for this specific project, it's been carefully studied and extensively discussed for years. Now it's time to stop endlessly debating and build it already!

I love the idea of more and better public transportation. This will significantly increase the livability of our area.

Streetcar service would be a permanent infrastructure investment in and enhancement of the Columbia Pike corridor. The service would be a benefit to the overall community by promoting ridership and access to the Pike corridor services, and would add to the home values in our Barcroft location. We support the streetcar project.

Long term economic development in sustained and livable manner

I want streetcars for easy, attractive public transportation.

This is an investment in making Arlington a great place for decades to come an an important piece of an overall growth strategy that has protected the environment, grown the local economy and improved quality of life in Arlington. It is time to stop talking and start building.

Ridership.

The street car will give us more rides up and down the pike, increase property values and enhance south Arligton as a place to visit, eat and shop.

We need to stop being so reliant on cars. A street would Columbia Pike to become a much more dense, walkable community.

It's proven to increase ridership over buses, it will promote a lively Columbia Pike and it keeps Arlington on the map for being forward thinking about transportation. Don't let us fall behind DC!

I am a real estate agent and do a lot of business in the neighborhoods along Columbia Pike (I am also a resident of Arlington Heights). Many of my clients decide they want to search for a new home around Columbia Pike because of the street car. They believe that the street car will increase property values and they think it is a fabulous area to live. In addition many business along the Pike lose business because they are not on a metro stop and people don't want to take a bus from the metro to get to the restaurants on the Pike, however, they would take a street car. The street car is undoubtedly a draw for people! Please bring the street car!!

The Streetcar is the right choice to meet our transit needs now and for the future.

The county board has already voted in support of it, most of the funding is coming from federal dollars, and anything that gets cars off the roads is a good plan, so there should no longer be any argument about it.

A streetcar network will support and encourage the kind of development that has made Arlington a great place to live and work. The thoughtful work of our past leaders created the community we are today. We must be equally committed to planning for the next generation. Streetcars are an essential piece of a transportation system that will support growth while maintaining a high quality of life for our residents and workforce.

It will brighten the dreary corridor west of Glebe Road immensely

I have lived in the Pike corridor and ridden the Route 16 buses since 1975. People who won't ride a bus will ride a streetcar - the experience of numerous cities demonstrates that. Our community has approved increased mixed-use density in 4 specific geographic areas along the Pike through the Form-Based Code. The private sector has begun to redevelop these areas with the understanding that a streetcar line would be built. In 2006 both the Arlington and Fairfax county boards approved streetcar as the Locally Preferred Alternative after full vetting in both counties. In 2012 both county boards approved streetcar again after full vetting. In 2012 the Arlington County board approved the Columbia Pike Neighborhoods Plan for the multi-family apartment areas between the 4 geographic areas covered by the Form-Based Code. The Neighborhoods Plan has an extremely ambitious goal - to preserve 100% of affordable housing. This goal cannot be achieved without streetcar. Our community has approved increased density, the private sector is responding - it's time for the county to demonstrate a significant commitment to the health of the Pike corridor through streetcar. From a financial standpoint there is unlikely to be a better time for any jurisdiction to make investments in infrastructure than now.

I'm looking forward to the County being great for ALL its taxpayers... not just those in North Arlington. The development and transportation ideas emerging along the Pike are great and greatly encourages me to stay.

The streetcar project would be the closest we will ever get to a Metro line in South Arlington. Permanence, capacity and character.

I believe the subway will make the Columbia Pike corridor a sought after destination for entertainment, dining and shopping. I love the fact that it will be much more bike accessible than metro buses. The streetcars in Denver and New Orleans are very popular both with locals and tourists

I have lived in South Arlington near Columbia Pike for 27 years and have waited for a very long time for revitalization on the Pike to occur. It is finally under way, and I believe the streetcar is an essential part of its success. The streetcar will give South Arlington a transportation system comparable to the Metro which has worked wonders to revitalize the Rosslyn to Ballston corridor in North Arlington. Let's not let anything get in the way of upgrading the Pike!

Economic Development

I wholeheartedly support the streetcar! The streetcar option is the minimum that should be invested on Columbia Pike. I wish political leaders should be more clear on what Arlington would be investing in - economic development. The possibility of keeping current residents, retaining affordable housing, and improving transportation, while all vitally important, would be byproducts of economic development.

The Pike needs first class transport - not the proposal of the new "Arlingtonians for Second-Class Transport" or the Tea Party

I support the Streetcar option because it has the potential to change South Arlington in a way that benefits all of Arlington County.

It may be hard for an egg to turn into a bird: it would be a jolly sight harder for it to learn to fly while remaining an egg. We are like eggs at present. And you cannot go on indefinitely being just an ordinary, decent egg. We must be hatched or go bad. - C. S. Lewis

Because it is the right thing to do.

I'm looking forward to having a streetcar on the Pike!

I think it will help with ridership along Columbia Pike and it will help with economic development. Furthermore it will connect South Arlington to the metro stations and if extended it can help connect past baileys crossroads into seven corners. I lived in London and Paris and I have seen first hand what street cars or light rails can do. I think this will help Arlington tremendously.

Having been a citizen activist in the R-B corridor, my view is one of equitable access to great transit. While the Pike will not be the same regional transit technology as the subway, in the end subtracting cars, increasing livability and inducing quality are what we in the corridor got with lots of taxpayer and private investment. I am still learning about the options along Columbia Pike, but it seems like the higher you go in non-streetcar options, the sooner you seed the transition to a streetcar anyway.

Bus's routes are unpredictable unless you've rode it for years. A street car just going up and down Columbia Pike would make access for kids a lot easier.

Ridership, Economic Development, Healthy Neighborhoods

I would love to see the Columbia Pike corridor more built up and more walkable-- and better public transit options will most definitely impact this.

I believe this project will spearhead a better and more balanced quality of life for all residents and commuters alike. Let's look at other cities (i.e., Portland, OR)where similar initiatives have taken place, and the overall positive results (good jobs, higher property values, sounder tax base,cleaner environment, urban renewal just to name a few)it has brought over time.

I would like to see increased mass transit options for Arlington.

Street cars show real commitment to the future of a place by it's citizens. This commitment attracts outside investment & promotes smart growth. The street car is an essential piece to real place making and for the smart growth of Columbia Pike. I strongly support the street car.

Ridership

Streetcar is the quality transit service the Columbia Pike corridor deserves. Citizens should expect and demand nothing less. Bus options can not provide the comfort and convenience of a streetcar = guided transit with a steel wheel running on a smooth running surface i.e. a rail. The community has done its part. Through the Form Based Code and recent neighborhood plans, the Columbia Pike neighborhoods have agreed to significantly increased development and new population growth on par with Arlington metro stations. This vision was always built on the premise there would be a first class streetcar service to draw all these people out of their cars and create a more pedestrian friendly corridor. Again the community did its part. The County Board needs to follow through and provide the necessary streetcar service.

Economic Development. The Streetcar + Good Planning = A lovable, lively Columbia Pike where people live, work & shop. (Pretty much the opposite of Rockville Pike and Leesburg Pike)

I already ride the bus on Columbia Pike and would take more trips using the streetcar.

I am convinced that the streetcar is the best alternative for Columbia Pike after reading the arguments on both side.

I support the streetcar because it has the ability to permanently connect Arlington and Alexandria, making it easier to live in the larger area without a car.

Building a streetcar along Columbia Pike is long studied idea whose time has come.

Ridership

Short of VDOT letting the County redevelop Columbia Pike into the mixed modality urban road it should be, the streetcar appears to me to be the best option to both spur long-term development and move residents for work and play.

I support the streetcar. I participated in the process. I think Columbia Pike should be transformed into a walkable urban boulevard. I believe that the streetcar is the most cost effective transportation infrastructure that will support that transformation. A new underground Metro line is too expensive. Any option at grade level that requires its own right of way would be too expensive. Enhanced bus service would not effectively support the transformation. What the BRT boosters are selling is not actually BRT, it is enhanced bus service. Enhanced bus service was delivered to the Pike in 2003 and encouraged approximately 0 development projects during a massive real estate boom. It wasn’t until the streetcar was selected as the locally preferred alternative in 2006 that developers started looking at the Pike. The costs are included in the 10 year CIP and we never breach our exceedingly conservative debt caps. We can’t afford not to build the streetcar. Without it, the corridor will continue to be traffic clogged and economically stagnant.

Ridership, economic development, less car dependency, decreases traffic, better mass transit connectivity.

The density is already here along the Columbia Pike Corridor. We need a high quality transit solution as soon as possible.

convenience, economic development, Arlington always needs new ways of public transportation due to the drastically increasing population within the county over the past decade

Virginia, a strong property right state, gives localities very few means to control developers who want to redevelop land they own. This means Arlington needs to provide something, along the Pike that would increase a developers interest in negotiating with the County. The streetcar provides that. Metro provided that. Adding more buses does not, because it is more of the same thing we have now, strings of overcrowded buses focused largely on getting people to the pentagon. A streetcar provides an urban alternative that, with multi car multi entrance/exit is more attractive to intra-Pike transit than the current inter-county bus model. It is a must have that will make developers more interested in accommodating the County's interest in maintaining the affordable housing stock, than simply tearing it down to attract high priced buyers who just want to commute to DC or Tyson's. the streetcar maintains the Pike's focus on neighborhoods, whereas more buses, or bigger buses, enables the deterioration of our neighborhoods by catering to those who only want to sleep here, not live here.

I strongly support the Streetcars in Arlington to boost the economy, move people more efficiently and easily.

I believe the streetcar represents the kind of long-lasting, reliable investment that is needed to elevate the Pike to a neighborhood that is a desirable, walkable, and lively as any in Arlington. I look forward to the future of the neighborhood.

The streetcar is an excellent investment in infrastructure and will bring new economic opportunities to Columbia Pike.

Investment in mass transportation is critical for the county to remain a first class community. Columbia Pike in particular will always be viewed as a second-class destination until it has permanent mass transit options. Streetcars were vetted long ago as the most viable option, and it's time to end debate and move forward with making it happen.

Who knew public transport could be so stylish? I've used streetcars in several cities, and have come to love them because they're efficient and fun. If we learn from what's been done in Portland and a number of European cities, streetcars will enliven the sidewalks and businesses of Columbia Pike and make it a vibrant and cool place. But how soon can we get them on Wilson Boulevard??

A street car system on Columbia Pike would allow the south end of the County to share in the same type of economic development that is prevalent along the orange line through the heart of the county. It will mean more jobs and opportunities for everyone who lives in that part of Arlington. I lived a block off the western portion of Columbia Pike in 1978 when I first moved to Arlington and it has not changed much since then. Compare that to the development that has occurred in other parts of Arlington and its clear more needs to be done - other than add more buses on Columbia Pike. Streetcars are viewed as a significant upgrade to buses by users and a much nicer form of public transportation. In addition to attracting many, many more riders, a streetcar system will also spur economic development for that part of the County in a way that no dedicated bus system will ever do. Arlington County has developed a world class public transportation system and there is no reason we should not include the residents and neighborhoods of South Arlington and provide them with the same types of improvements that we take for granted in other parts of the County.

We 100% support the streetcar initiative. This long overdue transportation infrastructure investment in Columbia Pike is a perfect fit. Expense is reasonable for a long neglected transportation corridor. We witheld our votes for the "local" politician who is once again opposing Columbia Pike neighborhoods/school investments and will continue to do so.

I am one of those people who will never take a bus to a destination along Columbia Pike or to Pentagon City. I would, however,take a streetcar. I grew up in Perth, Australia, where I rode the trolley bus system on a regular basis. It was quiet and a very fuel efficient way to get around. I see the proposed streetcar as a very similar mode of transportation.

This is an investment for the future. It's important that we do this.

Great streets and streetcars form the backbone of great places.

We need a sustainable solution to meet the growing transportation demand along Columbia Pike. I live in a great walkable, transit-oriented community in North Arlington. It took a lot of thoughtful planning and investment in transit and other transportation infrastructure for us to get where we are today. I want my friends and colleagues who live along the Pike to have the same great access I enjoy. It is time to make this investment in Columbia Pike's, our County's, and our region's future!

Expanded network of transportation in the Columbia Pike corridor that links to main Metro lines; knowledge of light rail and street car networks in other cities and countries that offer excellent service.

Developing a walk able city - more public transport - fewer cars. Develop the Colombia Pike Corridor

I have seen how well streetcars work in Europe and I think it will really improve transportation in Arlington.

We need a transportation system to meet the long-term needs of the Columbia Pike community. The Streetcar is the best option for meeting those needs and ensuring that the Pike has a vibrant and prosperous future.

In the 60s and 70s more than 2000 residential units were built in the eastern half of my neighborhood under blatant disregard of all sound planning standards. This is roughly 9x the average population density of Arlington. A mediocre at best bus service was all the transit that was afforded to thousands of my neighbors. These urban atrocities are still there, towering 12 stories high in the middle of a paved parking lot wasteland that empties daily into the Pike. Repairing this will require decades of community efforts, significant incentives for redevelopment and improvement but first and foremost modern, efficient, comfortable, high capacity and high ridership transportation. I support modern streetcars in Arlington because they have a proven track record to be urban game changers. The sense of permanency inherent to streetcars supports the local economy, creates jobs and local wealth and is the foundation for a livable, diverse, desirable community. The community I want my neighborhood to be.

I strongly support the streetcar project as an essential part of a broader community vision for Columbia Pike, Crystal City and all of Arlington. Just as the Orange Line has done, the streetcar will spur economic development while helping to meet the transportation needs of current and future residents. This project is the product of thousands of hours of community dialogue and is the best choice for a growing Arlington. It is time to move forward!

The streetcar is part of the vision for rebuilding Columbia Pike. We who live along the Pike have spent a decade working on that vision in countless meetings, committees, emails, phone calls at every step of the Arlington Way. It is required to meet affordable housing needs through bonus density. Streetcar now!

I completely agree with the analysis on this topic on the website. Streetcars will increase ridership immensely and turn what is now fast becoming a slum into a once again thriving community. Any bus system would fail to do this. Furthermore, the addition of a streetcars is consistent with the concept of Town Centers and walkable communities planned by the COLUMBIA PIKE REVITALIZATION ORGANIZATION (CPRO) in its’ efforts to revitalize Columbia Pike and its adjacent neighborhoods.

Please INVEST in our community. The streetcar is an excellent INVESTMENT - the prospect of which has already prompted economic and business development in the Columbia Pike Corridor.

Arlington needs to invest in its future in order for it to grow and prosper. Forty years ago DC took a chance and invested in Metro- now it is one of the best transportation networks in the country. It is now time for Arlington to invest. BRT and buses are not stable enough to encourage businesses to locate along their lines. Had North Arlington had a BRT instead of metro it would not be the vibrant area it is today. I am looking to buy a house along Columbia Pike, mainly because of the streetcar.

I have a condo along the pike and I know neither I nor any one I know will ride a bus. A streetcar is a much more attractive option to ride and I could see it dramatically increasing the amount of people who take public transportation up and down the pike to go to restaurants, bars, etc. Adding more buses is a cop out that will just add more congestion, what if they had just added bus lines to clarendon instead of a metro line?

I find the current bus system and schedule extremely confusing. A street car would guarantee the route rather than hoping that buses 16A-M will take me where I want to go.

want to see it completed.

Columbia Pike and the residents of/visitors to South Arlington deserve a true rapid transit method of transport.

Increased ridership to reduce traffic in my neighborhood; better intra-Pike transit for me and my family; support our local businesses; and help us preserve affordable housing through the Pike Neighborhoods Plan.

Columbia Pike Streetcar? The sooner the better!

Ridership, reliability, increased desirability of Columbia Pike as a business/residential/social destination, increased capacity on the Pike by removing SOV's and placing them in transit.

Ridership, Ridership, Ridership!