Mayor Dave Cieslewicz held a public meeting at Monona Terrace Monday in front of approximately 200 people to introduce his idea of a city-wide electric street car system.
According to Charlie Hales, a transportation design expert who created plans for the electric street car system in Portland, Ore., a streetcar system in Madison would be a cheaper, cleaner and more comfortable alternative to the city bus.
The street car would operate within the neighborhoods and commercial zones of Dane County and surrounding suburbs. The street car would make as many stops as the current bus system and would be integrated with pre-existing streets.
However, the new rail system would cost the city millions to create and maintain. Also, the street car would not make stops to major traffic areas such as Camp Randall or the Alliant Energy Center.
