An electric streetcar network once crisscrossed San Diego. What if we got it back?

Long before San Diego became defined by freeways, parking shortages and long commutes, electric streetcars connected the region's urban core to beaches, business districts and growing neighborhoods more than 100 years ago.In this episode, KPBS metro reporter Andrew Bowen talks with The Finest about how the streetcar system helped shape neighborhoods that remain some of the city's most walkable and desirable today. The conversation traces the rise and fall of the rail network, how San Diego became shaped around cars and the lasting impact those decisions still have on the way people move through the city.We also look at why conversations around public transit are shifting again and meet the people trying to bring the streetcar system back to life.Guests:Andrew Bowen, KPBS metro reporter and Freeway Exit hostEthan Elkind, Climate Program director at the Center for Law, Energy and the Environment at UC BerkeleyMichael Donovan, co-founder of Vibrant UptownMonica De La Cruz, car-free San DieganSources:The enduring legacy of San Diego's streetcars (Andrew Bowen, KPBS, 2026)Amid San Diego's high transportation costs, some manage to find relief (Andrew Bowen, KPBS, 2026)ASU study finds Americans' attitudes toward car-free living are changing (Delores Tropriano, ASU News, 2026)