Coalition Wants Streetcar Network Across Northern VA

By Jonathan Wilson

A newly formed coalition in Northern Virginia is trying to build momentum for a network of streetcar lines stretching across several counties.

The group held it's first meeting Wednesday night.

Tim Lovain is co-founder of the Northern Virginia Streetcar Coalition. He says the streetcar line planned for Columbia Pike should be just the beginning of a streetcar comeback across Northern Virginia.

"Too often we think jurisdiction by jurisdiction," Lovain says. "This really cries out for a regional response and we'd really like to start especially with extensions from that initial Columbia Pike line."

Lovain and the night's other speakers stressed that though excitement for new transit projects is nearly unprecedented, funding the projects still presents a challenge.

Linda Vitello, who sat in the audience, says she's encouraged by the new coalition.

But she also says the region needs more public transportation as soon as possible, whether its streetcars or something else.

"Streetcars are great, buses are great, metro is great," Vitello says. "Cars are not so great around here."

Arlington and Fairfax Counties have spent $4 million on the planning phase of the Columbia Pike Streetcar line construction funding hasn't been secured.