SDOT hosted a “First Hill Streetcar Safety Day” last week at the Occidental & Jackson, Broadway & Denny, and 14th and Washington stations.
The Safety Day featured Metro streetcar operators onboard stationary streetcars at the three station locations. The public was invited to board and check out the new streetcars and ask questions about how they operate and learn streetcar safety tips. SDOT Rail Transit Manager Ethan Melone gives “Streetcar 101” here on our latest Blog Video.
The First Hill Streetcar will operate from 5 a.m. to 1 a.m. Monday through Saturday, with 10 minute headways during peak commute periods, and Sundays from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. It will help connect and serve major hospitals (Swedish Medical Center and Harborview Medical Center), higher education institutions (Seattle Central College and Seattle University), and sporting event venues (CenturyLink & Safeco Field).
If you couldn’t make it to Safety Day, here are few things you need to know:
- Streetcars are quiet. They may sound warning bells and horns when necessary.
- There are no fences or barriers separating streetcars from other cars, bikes or pedestrians.
- Drivers should be prepared to stop behind streetcars.
- Streetcars cannot swerve to avoid obstacles as they run on tracks.
- Streetcars sometimes have their own traffic signals and can cross the street when other vehicles cannot.
- Cyclists should cross streetcar tracks at a right angle to avoid falling.
The First Hill Streetcar line was built by the City of Seattle in partnership with Sound Transit, with funding provided by the 2008 voter approved Sound Transit expansion plan. The streetcar system is an important part of Seattle’s transportation network, and will help to improve mobility and reduce traffic congestion in the city.
Find out more about the Seattle Streetcar at http://www.seattlestreetcar.org/ and sign up to receive streetcar news and updates. SDOT will announce a start date for service once final phase testing is completed.