Winston-Salem Journal editorial on the proposed downtown streetcar line:
A similar proposal several years ago was scuttled largely because of its price tag, in the neighborhood of $179 million. There was also a fair amount of public skepticism over whether an adequate ridership would support streetcars.
The new proposal is estimated to be in the $35 to $40 million range, Evan Raleigh, the city’s director of business inclusion and advancement, said at the meeting. Most of that would come from federal transportation funds. That makes the project more feasible.
….Winston-Salem is growing and will continue to grow, no doubt. If a rail line receives a green light, it could be a part of what makes our city stand out.
I love it when city officials and local media tout the benefits of what they often call “free money” from the federal government for a particular project. As for a streetcar making Winston-Salem “stand out,” I guess it depends on your definition of standing out, considering the long list of cities that have (money hemorrhaging) streetcars.
