Seattle starts up talk of a new streetcar line again

Mayor Bruce Harrell calls the renewed idea for downtown transit a “Culture Connector.”

A streetcar in Seattle's Pioneer Square against the backdrop of a sunset

Seattle’s two streetcar lines currently don’t have a connection between them.

Photo via @adam_noble86

Ding, ding, ding — that’s the sound of another Seattle streetcar line gaining renewed track-tion.

Recently, Mayor Bruce Harrell has floated the possibility of creating a third streetcar line in the city that would serve as a “Culture Connector” near museums and other downtown attractions.

If this sounds familiar, talk about expanding Seattle’s disconnected streetcar system has been going on for years. However, previous plans have often halted due to factors like high costs (we’re talking a $300 million price tag).

Here are the deets:

  • The new line would hypothetically run down First Avenue, have its own lane, and connect the South Lake Union and First Hill lines.
  • The Seattle Department of Transportation is assessing costs and hoping to get a boost from federal money.
  • The city is hiring an engineer and program manager related to the project.

Will it get done? Hard to say — but it’s fun to think about potential trolley names again.