My grandmother tells me that the streetcars that criss-crossed Seattle when she was young had wicker seats and cost a nickel. They were everywhere, they were fast and they were used by everyone.

Times have certainly changed. Say what you will about the vices and virtues of streetcars, the reality is they’re not cheap.

SDOTs pricy rail plans

SDOT presented a $595 million four-line streetcar network plan to Seattle City Council members Tuesday. The four lines they propose would connect a dozen central and northern neighborhoods for about $40 million a mile.

Some council members questioned the mode of transit. Buses are cheaper, more maneuverable and we’ve been investing in them for forty years, said council member Tom Rasmussen. There’s also the more affordable electric trolleys (pretty much buses) as an option, Rasmussen said.

Others questioned the duplication between the lines and existing and proposed Metro routes.

SDOT said the streetcars will make some of those bus routes obsolete, like the No. 70 in the U District, and will also fill some service gaps, like between downtown Ballard and downtown Fremont. (I guess the No. 28 bus doesn’t count because it doesn’t go deep into Ballard?)

Another benefit: Streetcar money stays in Seattle, unlike Metro dollars and service, which are distributed throughout the county.

Also, people are more likely to ride the streetcar than the bus, they say. They certainly used to, and they have taken it up in most cities that put one in (or put one back in, sigh).

I thought tons of people were riding the bus until I got a reality check a few weeks ago. The Dalai Lama was here and my bus was full to the gills still 30 minutes from downtown. It passed hundreds of riders on the way into town, people who live on the bus line and just don’t take it for whatever reason most days.

My grandmother remembers when it was assumed you would take the streetcar everywhere in Seattle. I wish we were debating how to update those old lines and not trying to figure out whether to pay for these new ones.