Slower speeds on the First Hill streetcar will stay in place indefinitely, the Seattle Department of Transportation said Tuesday.
The agency just restarted the line after a 2 ½ week suspension following an electrical malfunction on one car. It skidded two blocks to a halt. SDOT blamed the problem on a failure of a load contactor, like a circuit breaker.
Upon return on Monday, the cars were slowed to 7 miles per hour in two spots on the steepest part of the First Hill line.
SDOT's Andrew Glass Hastings was part of a delegation that testified before the Council and said the restrictions will stay in place until a long term fix is made. He told the Council the City is exploring what is covered under warranty.
"Now is the opportunity to go back and understand who's responsible for what," he said.
