First Hill Streetcar

The Seattle Streetcar—First Hill Line, commonly called the First Hill Streetcar, is a 2.5mi modern-streetcar line operating in Seattle. The line connects the Capitol Hill, First Hill, and the International District neighborhoods in central Seattle. It is one of two lines in the developing Seattle Streetcar system. Construction of the line began in April 2012, and was completed in June 2014, but delays in the delivery and testing of the streetcar vehicles delayed the opening of the line to January 2016.HistoryFirst Hill is considered a regional destination due to its concentration of major medical facilities and Seattle University. It was to be served by a deep-bore Link light rail station as part of the North Link project. Due to high construction and engineering risk, Sound Transit removed the station from the North Link preferred route in July 2005. The First Hill Work Program did a study to evaluate alternative transit options to connect First Hill to the regional transit system. Neighborhood residents, institutions, and business owners strongly preferred a streetcar. Sound Transit plans to have 10 stops on the line.The $134 million line is funded as part of the Sound Transit 2 mass transit expansion ballot measure approved by voters in November 2008. It was approved by the Seattle City Council in December 2008. Sound Transit developed an interlocal agreement with the City of Seattle for the City to design and construct the transit line. Construction began in late April 2012, and the line was originally scheduled to open in 2015.