Revived Streetcars May Be On Track For Disappointment

Streetcars are rumbling back to life in cities across the country from Portland to Salt Lake City and Atlanta, with New York becoming the latest city to hop on the bandwagon. But as these new streetcars run into unexpected roadblocks, critics say this mode of transportation might not be the answer to great public transit.

New York City has an ambitious, multi-billion dollar plan to connect Brooklyn and Queens with a streetcar. It would bring convenience to residents from Red Hook, an isolated area cut off from the rest of Brooklyn by water and a major highway.

"There's only really one way into Red Hook, and that's it," says Jackie Soto, who lives in one of the several big public housing development in the neighborhood. "We only have the buses that come in out and out."

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