We have some big news to share: the Seattle City Council has approved funding for Friends of the Benson Trolleys to relocate our two remaining cars from storage in Anacortes to Ballard—and we couldn't be more excited about what comes next.
For those who have been on this journey with us, you know how much this means. We acquired the two surviving green-and-yellow waterfront streetcars in 2024, but they've been sitting in Anacortes ever since, out of sight and out of reach for most Seattleites. Getting them to Ballard—where people can see them, touch them, and start to picture them rolling through the city again—feels like a genuine turning point. This wouldn’t be possible without the leadership of City Councilmember Dan Strauss.
The energy around a Ballard route has been building for months. A coalition of local business and industrial leaders, anchored by real estate developer Ned Carner, has rallied around a 1.4-mile corridor along Shilshole Avenue Northwest, connecting Ballard's commercial core to the Chittenden Locks, the Nordic Museum, and Ballard Blocks. We share their vision: these trolleys aren't a novelty. They're a functional transit option, a tourism driver, and a living connection between Ballard's working waterfront heritage and its future.
There is still real work ahead — track upgrades, a power solution, and a new operating agreement with the city.
Stay tuned for updates as the cars make their way to Ballard!
