Riverside Officials To Consider Streetcar Corridor Plan

RIVERSIDE (CBSLA.com) — City officials in Riverside have commissioned a study to see if it's a good idea to bring streetcars back to the area.

The proposal, which is called Riverside Reconnects, would bring a 12-mile corridor connecting the downtown area to U.C. Riverside. The cost of the streetcar plan could be anywhere from $3 million to $10 million a mile.

"We were looking at ways to connect the universities and colleges. We have three universities and one college, 20,000-plus students at UCR," said Mayor Rusty Bailey.

The mayor said the streetcars used to be a vital part of the city—until decades ago when they were ripped out or paved over.

"I had always heard about the old streetcar line, the Red Car Line," he said.

Some residents gave the concept a thumbs-up.

"Any kind of a line or any kind of a rail line would be beneficial to the businesses down here in the area," said Brightie Dunn.

The study will take about a year and the public will have a chance to chime in.