First streetcar is expected to arrive in Tucson in February
Submitted by Teya Vitu, Downtown Tucson Partnership writer
Monday, September 24th, 2012, 9:24am
Key members of the Sun Link Streetcar project team recently visited United Streetcar in Portland, Ore., the manufacturer of Tucson’s streetcar vehicles.
During the two-day visit, the team examined seven Tucson streetcar vehicles in various stages of production. The team was also able to see one of Portland’s streetcar vehicles undergoing final rail tests at the on-site factory track.
Although United Streetcar’s delays in manufacturing Portland’s vehicles have created a tight schedule for the production of Tucson’s vehicles, the Sun Link project team is confident delivery dates for Tucson vehicles will be met and Tucsonans will be riding Sun Link in late 2013 as scheduled.
The first streetcar vehicle is set to arrive in Tucson in February 2013, following vehicle testing that will be conducted on United Streetcar's new test track in Portland. The first phase of testing will be advantageous to Tucson because should any issues arise, adjustments can be immediately made at the manufacturing facility.
The Tucson Sun Link Streetcar project team is committed to keeping the public, business community and visitors informed about progress on the streetcar. Signing up for email blasts, visiting project Facebook and Twitter pages and calling the information line are ways to learn about project, and receive access and parking information during construction. Visit
www.tucsonstreetcar.com for more information.
The Tucson Sun Link Streetcar is a project of the Regional Transportation Authority (RTA) and part of the voter-approved, $2.1 billion RTA plan that will be implemented through 2026. Details about the full plan are available at
www.RTAmobility.com. The Sun Link project is co-managed by the City of Tucson and the RTA.