VIDEO: Anti-Streetcar Group Rolls Out New Ads

As Election Day draws near, next Tuesday, Nov. 4, one of the hot-button issues continues to grab the attention of some Arlington residents: The proposed Columbia Pike Streetcar project.

Two candidates are vying for a seat on the county board, which is officially behind the project; unofficially two of its members have made no secret they think it’s a bad idea and are promoting less costly bus transit instead.

John Vihstadt, a Republican running as an Independent, is the incumbent on the board trying to keep his seat after winning a special election against Democrat Alan Howze. Vihstadt is against the streetcar, while Howze is for it.

On Monday, Arlingtonians for Sensible Transit (AST) unveiled four new anti-streetcar ads to counter claims about the streetcar made by Arlington County. The county earlier mounted a PR campaign of its own to get the word out about what it sees as the benefits of adding a streetcar to Columbia Pike.

Watch one of the videos below; watch them all at this link.

The anti-streetcar ads address comparisons to Metro, capacity, and the need for a dedicated lane, according to AST.

“Streetcar supporters have tried to mislead the public into thinking that streetcars on Columbia Pike would be just like Metro, and that only streetcars have the capacity to handle ridership growth”, said Peter Rousselot, a leader of AST.

“Supporters also argue that bus rapid transit (BRT) cannot be a transit upgrade on the Pike because BRT requires a dedicated lane,” Rousselot continued. “AST’s new ads feature two AST supporters who explain succinctly why these claims by streetcar supporters are false and make no sense”, Rousselot concluded.

Arlingtonians for Sensible Transit is a non­partisan, grassroots citizens group organized to educate Arlington residents about the County Board’s plan to construct a streetcar along Columbia Pike. AST has over 700 public members from all over Arlington, including many who live along Columbia Pike.