RezoneOKC

We throw around trendy cities like Seattle and Portland when discussing streetcar, but a very successful system is right next door in Little Rock, Arkansas. In 2004, Little Rock opened its River Rail service, a heritage trolley line. Functionally, heritage trolleys are the same as the modern streetcar we will be getting, but I think their vintage design seems to appeal more to the tourist crowd. No doubt the River Rail is used by residents as well.

Little Rock has 3.4 miles of streetcar, connecting hotels, tourist attractions, historic neighborhoods, a convention center, an arena, and the office district. The original 2.5 miles were built in 2004 for only $8 million per mile, which is cheap since $10-20 million per mile is a generally acceptable estimate. It has been doubling ridership expectations, with about 3,000 per day. They only charge $2 for a day pass on River Rail, so this low price may be a reason for the high ridership.

The layout of the track is basically two small loops connected by a single-track bridge over the Arkansas River, with an extension to the Clinton Library. Looks like the schedule generally offers 15-minute service.