The world's largest streetcar system is in Melbourne, Australia.

The Largest Streetcar System in the World 

Every year, approximately 156.4 million passenger trips are taken on the more than 152 miles of track on Melbourne, Australia’s historic streetcar lines. Originally designed in 1885, streetcars in Melbourne complement the city’s rail and bus services on 500 trams, along 29 different routes across the city.  As many cities worldwide, including Chicago, began replacing streetcars with buses after World War II, Melbourne residents fought to maintain and expand their existing streetcar network. With frequent service, easy access, and a large service area, Melbourne's streetcar system not only contributes to the city’s distinctive character, but provides an efficient mode of transportation throughout the region.

In the wake of several public transit strikes and increasing frustration over the government’s management, Melbourne’s tram network was privatized in 1999. Yarra Trams, a private operator of trams across the globe, was awarded a 12-year franchise in exchange for funding operations.  Yarra was responsible for upgrading and modernizing the tram network, which included purchasing new rolling stock, refurbishing the current fleet, and extending routes.  While controversy over the privatization of the tram system still exists, most consider the public-private partnership a success; there has been a 25.5 percent increase in ridership, 95 new trams, and increased punctuality since the franchise was awarded.

Today, the American Public Transportation Association estimates approximately 21 U.S. cities have plans to add or restore streetcar lines.   With its many successes around the world, it makes sense for cities searching for innovative solutions to re-consider the historic streetcar.  Once the largest streetcar system in the world, the City of Chicago owned more than 250 miles of streetcar track and provided more than 900 million daily rides.  It may be time for Chicago to explore the reintroduction of streetcar services to meet the needs of communities not readily served by the current transit system.

Melbourne's Yara Trams, called "Bumblebees"
Photo courtesy of Jason Man

For Additional Information:

• Investing in Transport – Melbourne’s Tram Network, East West Report
• Benefits of Heritage Trolley Lines – American Public Transportation Association Streetcar and Heritage Trolley
• Chicago’s Last Streetcar – Daily Press

NEWS

Local News

RTA board votes for no paratransit service – Chicago Sun-Times “A confusing, rambling meeting of the Regional Transportation Authority board ended in a vote to give no additional money to paratransit service for the disabled — which will run out of funds this fall.”

Rail Funds Give Chicago Hub a Lift – Wall Street Journal “A long-delayed plan to reduce congestion in the nation's busiest freight rail hub has won $322 million in funding from Illinois, a big victory for railroads that improves the odds the state will win federal stimulus grants to expand passenger rail service.”

Illinois seeks funding to study 220 m.p.h. trains – Chicago Tribune “Attempting to position Illinois as a serious player in the fierce competition for federal high-speed-rail dollars, state officials have proposed studying the potential for express passenger trains traveling at 220 m.p.h.”

Gov. Pat Quinn signs $31 billion statewide public-works package – Chicago Tribune “Gov. Pat Quinn signed into law Monday a $31 billion statewide construction program for crumbling roads, mass transit and schools.”

Chicago traffic delays: A tiny break in the traffic logjam – Chicago Tribune “Congestion has eased up ever so slightly in the Chicago region, at first because of rising fuel prices, and more recently because of the recession.”

South Side hopes Olympics bring a CTA 'Gold Line' – Chicago Tribune “Transit riders already have a choice of Red, Green, Blue, Brown, Orange, Yellow, Pink and Purple Lines, but a coalition of South Side activists also would like commuters to go for the Gold.”

CTA fare options: To save dollars, use sense – Chicago Tribune “Many riders have taken a second look at how they pay their way aboard buses and trains since a fare hike this year and the elimination of popular bonuses when value was added to CTA ‘smart cards.’"

 

World News

US looks to private investment for high-speed rail – Reuters “The United States expects significant private investment in high-speed rail in coming years with firms from Europe and Asia to factor heavily in its development.”

Chamber of Commerce Pushes Increase in Gas Tax – Wall Street Journal “The U.S. Chamber of Commerce said Wednesday that it will attempt to persuade lawmakers to raise the federal gasoline tax to pay for better roads.”

Strapped Cities Outsource Transit Lines – Wall Street Journal “Faced with a budget crunch, an increasing number of cities may join New Orleans in seeking to curb costs by turning operations over to private companies that can potentially run systems more efficiently.”

Buses May Aid Climate Battle in Poor Cities – New York Times “Versions of these bus rapid transit systems are being planned or built in dozens of developing cities around the world — providing public transportation that improves traffic flow and reduces smog at a fraction of the cost of building a subway.”

Cash Incentives for Carpooling to Get a Trial Run in D.C. Area – Washington Post “In a three-month test program starting this fall, commuters along three congested corridors will be eligible to earn $2 a day by sharing rides to work.”

Cities Lose Out on Road Funds From Federal Stimulus – New York Times “Two-thirds of the country lives in large metropolitan areas, but cities and their surrounding regions are getting far less than two-thirds of federal transportation stimulus money.”

Portland to experiment with rental bike system – The Oregonian “Portland transportation officials are eying about 100 high-tech bike-sharing systems worldwide to see if an investment in public bicycles could be successful in what's already considered a world-class bike city.”

Put transit where the people are – Boston Globe “Per capita federal transportation spending in the 10 densest states, which include Massachusetts, is less than half of spending in the 10 least-dense states.”

Parking is quietly becoming the year's big issue – San Francisco Bay Guardian “Parking policies are being used as the main tool to reduce traffic congestion, better set development impact fees, increase city revenue, and promote alternatives to the automobile.”

 

Resources

• 2009 Annual Urban Mobility Report – Texas Transportation Institute

• 2009 Transit Performance Spreadsheet – VTPI

   

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Contact Information

For comments, suggestions or submissions, please contact Emily Tapia Lopez, Associate, at etapia@metroplanning.org or 312-863-6047.