Tucson streetcar could spur downtown growth

Steve Hawley, Dec 19, 08.

Tucson has proposed a four-mile-long streetcar line after witnessing Portland’s success with a similar system, according to an article in Inside Tucson Business. Data shows that the Portland system dramatically increased building density within the surrounding three blocks, largely due to reduced parking demands, and led to an additional $3.5 billion in development. The Tucson line may also reduce tensions between the University of Arizona and surrounding neighborhoods. The university wants to significantly increase enrollment but has no room to expand without buying adjacent property; instead, it could build high-density student housing along the streetcar line, allowing students easy access to campus and downtown while preserving the neighborhoods. The city hopes to have an operational streetcar system by 2011.