Today’s New York Times story about the lessons to be learned from Toronto’s popular but pokey streetcar network makes plain what the Brooklyn-Queens Connector will need to offer if it’s going to succeed. Fortunately, the essential components recommended by our Canadian counterparts - fare integration with the subway and a significant amount of dedicated lane space – are assumed in the initial plans for the BQX.

As the story notes, New York City officials are hoping to have the streetcar run on dedicated lanes for 70% of the proposed route along the Brooklyn and Queens waterfront. Maximizing dedicating lanes should remain a major priority for the BQX: The lack of dedicated lane space in Toronto slows travel time significantly. Toronto can be forgiven for the lack of foresight – its streetcar network dates to the 1890’s. In Washington, D.C., a streetcar launched earlier this year along H Street has been heavily criticized for slow speeds caused by the lack of dedicated lanes and the tight space between streetcars and parked vehicles. The good news is that D.C. transportation planners are contemplating reserving a lane for the streetcar when the network is expanded.

The integration of streetcar fares with the rest of the urban transit network has underpinned Toronto’s network despite sluggish speeds, and integrated fares will be crucial in New York. Another asset for BQX is that it will serve an area with a far greater population density than that of cities where streetcars have struggled to catch on.

New York must learn from the experiences of other cities, but the advantages of a streetcar along the Brooklyn and Queens waterfronts make this a great opportunity for the city and region.

Photo: Toronto Streetcar by William Cabic /Flickr