Streetcars & Safety: Do you really know how to ride around them?

Earlier this month, The El Paso Streetcar Project started training its drivers, and testing its cars downtown in hopes of getting them up and running by November.

Tuesday, that process came to a halt after a suspected drunk driver crashed into a streetcar escort vehicle which then hit the trolley, damaging the brand new unit.

El Paso police said the trolley and the SUV escorting it were stopped at a red light at Stanton St. and Rio Grande Ave. That’s when 24 -year-old Hector Emiliano Parra Robles rear- ended the SUV and pushed it into the streetcar. Parra Robles was charged with DWI and booked into El Paso County Detention Facility under a $1,000 bond.

A City spokeswoman said the damage sustained by the trolley was minor. The crash came as a shock to Sun Metro Director Jay Banasiak. Banasiak told ABC 7 “To have your first accident, its like oh my goodness what happened? But for one thing luckily no one got hurt.”

Jay told ABC 7 that the damage was minimal, and something that can be easily repaired. He said Streetcar 1506, which was the one that was damaged, was back on the road testing right away.

Late Tuesday, Sun Metro held an already-scheduled meeting at the La Fe Culture and Technology Center in the Segundo Barrio to raise awareness about streetcar safety.

Banasiak said that safety is very important, “People that are pedestrians, people on bikes, motorists, there the ones that really need to be used to it (the streetcars) because it’s a brand new form of transportation out there,” Banasiak said.

Public transit representatives urge people to look both ways and listen for the streetcar before stepping into the street, only cross when the “Walk” signal is on, and never try to beat a moving streetcar.
If you are driving a vehicle, pass the streetcars with caution, never block the tracks and never cut in front of a moving car.

For drivers wanting to make a right-hand turn, Sun Metro recommends getting behind the streetcar, never turning right in front of one.

There are two more community meetings scheduled to raise awareness about streetcar safety.

Wednesday, August 22 at 5:30 p.m. El Paso Main Library (501 N Oregon Street) Thursday, August 23 at 6:00 p.m. Cathedral High School Auditorium (1309 N Stanton Street)

The El Paso streetcar project is in its testing and training phase. To ensure the system can operate safely for the public, Sun Metro encourages the public to obey traffic laws and cross safely at designated locations when driving, cycling or walking near the 4.8 mile streetcar route.

Other tips for pedestrians from Sun Metro:

Streetcars run on electricity and are extremely quiet when approaching a station. Remove headphones or reduce volume so you can hear streetcar warning bells and horns. Streetcars will provide warning sounds before coming to a stop. Never try to beat a moving streetcar by walking or running in front of it while it’s in motion. Streetcars cannot make sudden stops.

Tips for motorists from Sun Metro:

Pass the streetcar with caution. Never block the tracks while parking or changing lanes.

Park only at designated spaces along the streetcar route. Never block the tracks. Cars will be towed. Pay attention to new signs, striping & signals all along the streetcar route. Cyclists

Avoid riding near streetcar tracks when possible. Track grooves are slightly wider than the typical bike tire, so it’s easy for tires to become caught between the rails. Always cross rails at a 90 degree angle.

Tracks can be slippery, especially when wet. Try to avoid any wet areas along the route when crossing the tracks.

Stanton Street (between Baltimore & Rio Grande) is now a 2-way bike way. All cyclist can ride north and south on the same side of the street. Never grab the back of a streetcar to be pulled along on your bike.

The route for the Streetcars runs in two loops known as Downtown and Uptown. The Downtown Loop includes Santa Fe Street, Franklin Avenue, Kansas Street and Father Rahm Avenue. The Uptown Loop includes Franklin Avenue, Stanton Street, Glory Road, Baltimore Drive and Oregon Street.

Banasiak saying that streetcar safety is very important so that way the community can enjoy the streetcars, and utilize them properly. He say’s El Paso is doing something special with the streetcars, “Nobody else in the country is doing it, everybody is getting modern streetcars as they call it, we’re the only city right now that is getting the old street cars back on the street again,” Banasiak said.