NorthParkMainStreet

Past North Park Trolley Lines

For the first half of the 1900s, the City of San Diego had an extensive streetcar network that connected many of its residential neighborhoods, from La Jolla to South Bay and from Ocean Beach to East San Diego. Much of this streetcar system was constructed by John D. Spreckels as an economic development generator. Spreckels’ theory was that “Transportation determines the flow of population.” The initial growth spurt in the North Park community was stimulated by the new streetcar system which linked North Park to downtown San Diego, Hillcrest, Golden Hills, Normal Heights and East San Diego. The streetcar that became the #7 entered North Park from the west along University Avenue in 1907. Streetcar #2, which spanned Switzer Canyon from downtown in 1908, was extended along 30th Street from Upas Street in 1911. The intersection of the trolley lines at 30th Street and University Avenue, became the community’s commercial center and is still identified today as North Park’s “downtown Main Street.” As the automobile gained popularity the fate of the streetcars grew dim. By the 1960s the streetcar system had been completely dismantled and the new suburban malls had siphoned away much of North Park’s thriving retail business. The impact was felt for decades; It was not until the 1990s that the North Park commercial revival took flight.

Proposal to Reintroduce Trolley Lines to University Avenue: Project Feasibility

In keeping with the City of San Diego’s General Plan emphasis on Smart Growth development and the City of Villages model (North Park is a Pilot Village), North park Main Street has proposed that a historic streetcar line be reintroduced to University Avenue to provide an exciting and highly desirable alternative means of public transit. In 2002 the City of San Diego launched a two-year study and public outreach process to develop a University Avenue Transportation Plan. The Plan’s primary purpose was to improve safety, traffic flow, parking, and conditions for walking, bicycling, and transit use on the University Avenue commercial corridor. As part of the Phase I Conceptual Study, the North Park community ranked the reintroduction of the historic streetcar using University and Park Blvd to connect North Park with downtown as their most important priority. As part of the 2004 Phase II study, RBF Consulting was tasked with evaluating the feasibility of the historic streetcar proposal, including route, station locations, streetcar vehicle type, physical requirements and analysis, and operations and maintenance responsibilities. In the resulting University Avenue Mobility Plan, RBF determined that it is possible to physically implement and operate the Historic Streetcar within the curb-to-curb width of the University corridor. However the study identified significant issues, including several physical and operational constraints that would need to be overcome before the system could be considered. The study estimates that the capital cost of the streetcar from 32nd Street to Park Blvd could exceed $25 million, excluding the cost of a maintenance and storage facility. Some of the key challenges facing the historic streetcar include:

• Lane widths
• Turn around locations
• Storage and maintenance 
• Operations in mixed flow lanes
• Interaction with existing transit service
• Operational entity 
• Cost and funding

Acquired Historic San Diego Streetcars

The original University Avenue trolley line supported twenty four (24) San Diego Class 1 streetcars. These streetcars were in service from 1912 to 1939.Today only three of the original streetcars are known to still exist and they are proposed to be used for the reestablished route. The San Diego Class 1 Streetcars were constructed by John D. Spreckels for the 1915 Panama-Pacific Exhibition in Balboa Park. The unique streetcar body was designed specifically for the City of San Diego and was the first of its kind in the United States. The cars were built in the Arts & Crafts style featuring solid cherry wood interiors, bronze hardware, embellishments in gold and silver leaf, hand-decorate ceilings and interiors, and push buttons in mother of pearl. The remaining three original streetcars were rescued and acquired from a home in El Cajon, California by Mr. Christian Chaffee, exercising great personal dedication and sacrifice to secure them and to protect their historical integrity. In 1999, a Memorandum of Understanding was executed between North Park Main Street and Mr. Chaffee, identifying Mid-City as the preferred route for the salvaged cars. Once restored and operating on their original University route, these streetcars could be eligible for listing on the National Register of Historic Places, qualifying them for special transportation funding. Additionally, the possibility exists to acquire several PCC streetcars that operated in San Diego from 1937 to 1949. The cars derived their name from the President’s Conference Committee (PCC) that was established in 1934 to develop a standardized streetcar design with an improved appearance and upgraded performance. San Diego was the first city on the West Coast to order these sleek new PCC cars.

Next Steps

The authors of the RBF study point out that a critical factor in the successful implementation of a historic streetcar restoration project is the collaboration of government, businesses, and nonprofit organizations. They suggest that the single most important factor contributing to a project’s success is the designation of a well-placed and well-connected person in local government to act as the project champion. Clearly the most challenging and significant factor related to moving this project forward will be to identify available project funding.