South Lake Union Streetcar

South Lake Union Streetcar.
The South Lake Union Streetcar is a streetcar route in Seattle, Washington, United States. Traveling 1.3 miles (2.1 km), it connects downtown to the South Lake Union neighborhood on Westlake Avenue, Terry Avenue, and Valley Street. It was the first modern Seattle Streetcar line, beginning service on December 12, 2007, two years after a separate heritage streetcar ceased operations. It was conceived as part of the redevelopment of South Lake Union into a technology hub, with lobbying and financial support from Paul Allen. The line is popularly known by its nickname, the South Lake Union Trolley (abbreviated as "SLUT"), which is used on unofficial merchandise. The streetcar was controversial in its first few years due to its slow speed, low ridership, and ties to real estate development. Improvements to its corridor since 2011 have increased service and improved schedule reliability, but ridership has declined since 2014.