.floatimg-left-hort { float:left; } .floatimg-left-caption-hort { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:300px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatimg-left-vert { float:left; margin-top:10px; margin-right:15px; width:200px;} .floatimg-left-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; font-size: 12px; width:200px;} .floatimg-right-hort { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px;} .floatimg-right-caption-hort { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 300px; font-size: 12px; } .floatimg-right-vert { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px;} .floatimg-right-caption-vert { float:left; margin-right:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; font-size: 12px; } .floatimgright-sidebar { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 200px; border-top-style: double; border-top-color: black; border-bottom-style: double; border-bottom-color: black;} .floatimgright-sidebar p { line-height: 115%; text-indent: 10px; } .floatimgright-sidebar h4 { font-variant:small-caps; } .pullquote { float:right; margin-top:10px; margin-left:10px; margin-bottom:10px; width: 150px; background: url(http://www.dmbusinessdaily.com/DAILY/editorial/extras/closequote.gif) no-repeat bottom right !important ; line-height: 150%; font-size: 125%; border-top: 1px solid; border-bottom: 1px solid;} .floatvidleft { float:left; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;} .floatvidright { float:right; margin-bottom:10px; width:325px; margin-right:10px; clear:left;}
The Downtown Community Alliance (DCA) will host two public meetings this week to present information and gather input on the possibility of offering tram service downtown. The meetings are on Monday from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and Tuesday from noon to 1:30 p.m. at the Central Library Meeting Rooms, 1000 Grand Ave., Des Moines.

The meetings are part of the tram feasibility study being conducted by HDR Inc., which is looking at potential routes, types and styles of trams, infrastructure needs, funding options, costs and a timeline. It is led by the DCA, the city of Des Moines and Polk County and is funded by Nationwide Mutual Insurance Co. The tram was one proposal suggested in the What’s Next, Downtown? vision plan, which came out in fall 2007.

The biggest discovery in looking at possible routes, said Mary Lawyer, president and CEO of the DCA, is that “we started out thinking this was a people mover and it’s really about development.” The group has looked at developing areas outside the Walnut Street corridor that could be enhanced by a tram, including the Gray’s Landing development, the lower East Village and the Drake neighborhood. Laying tracks for a tram also is more reassuring to developers than a bus system, Lawyer said, even though the new downtown shuttle is averaging 800 riders a month, which has made it more successful than expected.

Three or four potential routes will be discussed at the public meeting, Lawyer said. A final report is expected to come out it April. Lawyer added that if President-elect Barack Obama’s economic stimulus package is enacted with the huge infrastructure component proposed now, it could be a good opportunity to gain funding to move forward on the project.