First Hill Streetcar Gets the Green Light

Ready, Set, Go!

We reached a big milestone on March 5, when the City Council authorized execution of the construction contract for the First Hill Streetcar project (Ordinance 117387). SDOT then moved forward with several other smaller

project milestones including issuance of Notice to Proceed to the streetcar manufacturer and the traction power substation manufacturer.  We have also started taking delivery of the streetcar rails.  The special “girder rail” for urban, in-street applications was manufactured in Austria and is temporarily stored at a city-owned yard in the Duwamish industrial district. 

First Hill Streetcar Rail Delivery at Rail Yard

With construction slated to begin this spring, SDOT held two open houses to inform the public about the project and what they should expect during construction.  Utility work is expected to begin in April, with track construction to begin sometime during the summer.  Track and roadway construction are projected to be complete by early 2014, with streetcar service beginning in the spring of that year.

The new streetcar line will connect to Link Light Rail in the Chinatown/International District and Capitol Hill –, while serving diverse neighborhoods, medical centers (Harborview, Swedish, and Virginia Mason) and higher education (Seattle Central Community College and Seattle University).