2 replies to this topic

[KevinKorell]

San Antonio, TX Express-News, 7/28/14:

City pulls support for downtown streetcar

City support for VIA Metropolitan Transit's controversial streetcar collapsed Monday as recently appointed San Antonio Mayor Ivy Taylor called for the $32 million that the city had pledged for it be redirected to other center city development initiatives.

Story here. Grrrrrrrr.

One would think that San Antonio would want to be more competitive with its Texas sister cities of Houston and Dallas who are building light rail and streetcars. The latter cities will end up getting the conventions and other events San Antonio wishes it could get, because they won't have any rail transportation to move people around.

[KevinKorell]

KENS-TV, Channel 5 in San Antonio, TX, 7/28/14:

City pulls plug on VIA Streetcar project

The City of San Antonio announced Monday that they will be pulling the plug on the VIA Streetcar project.

The VIA Streetcar plan has come to an abrupt halt with the City of San Antonio and Bexar county pulling its support for the project.

More

[Sloan]

 

 

Specter of debt dogs city’s streetcar vision

 

A new push for streetcars in San Antonio is getting pushback from a broad coalition of transit experts and civic activists who derailed an earlier venture.

http://watchdog.org/...streetcar-debt/

 

O'Toole     notwithstanding San Antonio has a tough road to hoe.  The city needs a luminary to champion the cause along with some incentives to commercial real estate developers to gin up enthusiasm for the project.

 

Sloan