VIA Streetcar Feasibility

San Antonio, Texas

As with the other major metropolitan markets in Texas, the San Antonio region has experienced rapid growth over the past 20 years including new urban redevelopment in and around its downtown and employment cores.  To meet the related growing transportation needs of its population, the City’s transportation agency (VIA) has undertaken multiple new transit programs including a downtown streetcar.  Following the successful implementation of this limited streetcar line, VIA undertook a comprehensive planning analysis of 10 new streetcar lines throughout the City.

Working as part of a larger multidisciplinary team lead by Parsons, Catalyst was engaged to prepare economic development strategies assessing the potential for new investment around each proposed streetcar stop along the 10 proposed lines.  As part of this task, Catalyst prepared market programming forecasts for the various stations along each line alternative, undertook a physical and economic analysis of each line, and evaluated the likely build-out potential and related programming over a 20 year period.  Catalyst assembled this information into a decision-making matrix for VIA’s analysis and use in final routing selection.

Client: VIA Transportation Agency

Status: Plan Accepted

Services: Market Analysis, Station Location, Economic Impact Analysis