Skip to Content
Streetsblog New York City home
Streetsblog New York City home
Log In
Light Rail

Streetfilms: Take a Ride on the Seattle Streetcar

Seattle's South Lake Union Streetcar is a 1.3-mile line that opened in December 2007, the first leg in the city's commitment to new transit and light rail. It passed the half million passenger milestone in its first year, surpassing ridership projections.

The streetcar features many top-of-the-line tech amenities, including real time arrival message boards, solar-powered ticket vending machines, and human-activated doors to save energy while the train is in layover mode. If you go to the Seattle Streetcar web site, you can find out the next arrival time and actually watch the streetcars moving via GPS trackers.

As you'll see in the film, development is booming along the South Lake Union corridor. "If you build it, they will come" certainly seems to apply here.

Stay in touch

Sign up for our free newsletter

More from Streetsblog New York City

Hired Actors, Paid Media: Big Tech Has Already Dumped $8M Into Hochul’s Car Insurance Ploy

Buckets of cash and ads with professional actors are boosting Uber and Hochul's cause.

March 13, 2026

Claire Valdez: In Congress, I Will Fight For Transit and Bike Lanes

One of three leading candidates to succeed Rep. Nydia Velazquez shares her vision for how members of Congress can improve transportation.

March 13, 2026

Friday’s Headlines: Close the GAP Edition

It's past time for the Department of Transportation to connect Prospect Park and Grand Army Plaza. Plus the news.

March 13, 2026

Cement Truck Driver Kills Cyclist On Treacherous Borough Park Stretch

A senior cement truck driver struck and killed a cyclist on a notoriously dangerous Borough Park avenue on Wednesday.

March 12, 2026

MTA Demands Albany Deal With Toll Evasion Already

A new analysis of toll evasion found that the amount of money owed by drivers who don't pay paper toll invoices has more than doubled since 2022, from $147 million in unpaid tolls to nearly $350 million.

March 12, 2026

Hochul’s Car Insurance Plan Blows Fraud Way Out Of Proportion: Stats

Gov. Hochul's proposal to lower car insurance premiums is built on suspected fraud. But a body of evidence reveals that there really is very little.

March 12, 2026
See all posts