Streetcar tracks are a type of cycling hazard, but they are only one of very many hazards. The solution is better design of cycle routes and better education for riders (which will help, though not completely prevent crashes). It isn't so much the track that is the problem, but the design of the whole street cross section. To fixate on the rails is to not see the forest for the trees, I think.

Streetcars usually have platforms rather than street-loading now (which is good for wheelchair access anyway), so the platforms should be put at intersections with traffic lights -- proper light design then prevents cars from running over pedestrians heading to the platform.

This seems to be how most "light rail" systems are designed.

Traditionally, streetcar tracks go down the middle of the street. That's what they do in Toronto, and that's what they did in Brooklyn in the old days (I'm just barely old enough to remember trolley in Brooklyn).

Putting streetcar tracks down the middle of the road creates problems of its own, of course. Drivers have to be taught that they should NEVER pass a streetcar that is stopped to pick up or drop off passengers. I'm not sure how to drum that into motorists' heads, but evidently they behave OK in Toronto (and even in Brooklyn, many years ago).

And so when experienced cyclists are falling on the tracks in question that's a annoyance. But when novice cyclists are being turned back into drivers then suddenly it's a big problem to me.

Heck, cyclists even crash on the tracks in Amsterdam. But Amsterdam has ways of convincing folks to cycle that no US city can even dream of, so it probably doesn't matter much there. The Dutch still get to have their cost effective bike-centric system.

Here in Seattle, on the other hand, we can't even afford to keep our bus system running at planned capacity. We're in the deepest recession in generations and oil is still 70$ a barrel. We need to convince people to save our tax dollars by biking more than ever.

Here's an example of what's been happening here:

http://slog.thestranger.com/2007/12/re_am_i_wrong_about_the_slut_tracks

Jonathon's pain should be taken to heart by everyone who pays taxes in Seattle Cause his pain in the ribs is our pain in the wallet...

I think you're thinking of the light rail. Which I support also. Very different animal. The street car is slow as molasses and only goes a mile or so back and forth.

And yet in going that mile it manages to occupy some critical routes to bikes. That's why so many folks are crashing on the tracks.

You would have had to work quite hard to cause any more damage to the liveability of the district

wait, they do transit right in new york city? no one questions the high transit ridership in nyc but nyc transit construction is a joke. the city that hasnt built a major transit line in 60 years? the buses that run 3 mph? second avenue subway?

not that seattle is any better, their plans for a major rapid transit line go back to the 1910s and almost mirrors the 2nd avenue subway in NYC with all the stops and starts.

as for the seattle streetcar...
why dont bikers just choose to not use the streetcar track lanes? ride in the left lanes, another street, or then at least ride super carefully in the streetcar lane.

south lake union streetcar was entirely an inititive of the property owners in the south lake union area, its pretty much all of paul allens vulcan development company. it was their idea and they chose to pay the local contribution for the line. oh and the line is all about real estate development.

It makes South Lake Union - a new central business district that was supposed to be a big deal green development - pretty much a no go area for bikes. I've personally seen folks crash on the tracks - and you can bet that a novice cyclist who endos after trapping a wheel will not be coming back to cycling in the city.

So basically it functions as a device for turning novice cyclists back into drivers.

And no, the idea that all those folks that are falling on the tracks are somehow defective won't go. I have it on good authority that a cycling journalist well known as an experienced Portland rider went down on them when he recently visited. So there's something seriously wrong with the design.

And even in Amsterdam the streetcar tracks are a source of pain (listen to the bit where the Dutch mechanic says what his main wheel repair is):

http://marketplace.publicradio.org/display/web/2008/07/04/bike_mechanic/

So let's imitate the smart bits of Dutch society, not the dumb ones

We need cyclists a lot more from a fiscal and environmental standpoint than we need toy trains. So let's stop the streetcar before it stops any more cyclists. The South Lake Union Trolley has demonstrated that it's expensive, useless, and dangerous.

Want to build more of these horrors in Seattle? Fine. Fix the original travesty and we'll talk.

Until then, I'm one greenie that'll be organizing all my friends to prevent any new ones.