Portland Streetcar News

[zilfondel]

It was in a previous article posted in here; apparently Weston bought like 12 city blocks' worth of property near Sandy/Hollywood TC.

[65MAX]

Weston now owns about 20 blocks along Sandy between 12th and Hollywood, including all of the Jantzen buildings around 17th/18th.

[bvpcvm]

i've often thought that the second and third stories of some of the older buildings around sandy and 42nd would make for awesome lofts.

[PacificNW]

zilfondel: thanks for that blog link....

[tworivers]

New Eastside Loop meeting minutes here.

Lots of interesting info.

[alexjon]

Basically saying they haven't got their financials in order, it seems.

Eh.

[bvpcvm]

Originally Posted by tworivers

New Eastside Loop meeting minutes here.

Lots of interesting info.

i don't get it - i thought we were sailing through this funding process. having read the minutes, though, i can't tell what's going on.

honestly, i've never agreed with the justification for this project. "a ring, you know, like the ringstrasse in vienna" they keep saying. that would be fine, if, historically, there was some sort of ring road that organized traffic in a circle pattern around the central city, but we don't have that, and i don't think people move around the city like that.

and did anyone else notice that it's expected to take *68* minutes from omsi to lovejoy?? maybe that was roundtrip omsi-omsi. even so, what a way to feed the critics, huh? it seems like it would be far more effective to build out along mlk, broadway, sandy, hawthorne, etc before trying to connect down grande.

[bvpcvm]

http://www.portlandtribune.com/news/...93131805163100

Transit plans take long road

TribTownStreetcar extension not yet ruled out as projects creep forward

By Jim Redden
The Portland Tribune, Dec 18, 2007

L.E. BASKOW / TRIBUNE FILE PHOTO

The aging Sellwood Bridge is in serious need of repair or replacement, and a panel is studying the options. Determining a final design and cost is likely to take until 2009.

The idea of extending the Portland streetcar to Sellwood is complicating two significant transportation projects – dealing with the aging Sellwood Bridge and creating a transit line between Portland and Lake Oswego.
No one has formally proposed building a new Sellwood streetcar line.
But city transportation Commissioner Sam Adams is interested in extending the streetcar service throughout Portland and believes the Southeast Portland neighborhood of Sellwood might be a good candidate, along with such east-side areas as Hollywood and Hawthorne.

“There are a number of neighborhoods that could be well-served by new streetcar lines, but a lot of work needs to done before deciding which ones are the best,” he said.

Primarily because of Adams’ interest in the issue, those working on the Sellwood Bridge and the Portland-to-Lake Oswego transit project are trying to avoid making any decisions that would preclude a new Sellwood streetcar line.

This is not yet much of a concern for the Sellwood Project Advisory Group, a panel of regional elected and transportation officials working on the project to repair or replace the bridge.

Adams serves on the committee, which last met Dec. 10 to finalize which alignments and bridge designs to approve for the Draft Environmental Impact Study phase of the project – a step that must be taken to qualify for federal aid.

The meeting ended with the committee agreeing to study how well four designs would work on four possible alignments, including rehabilitating the existing bridge at its current width.

The two lowest-cost designs are the box girder and delta frame. Two higher-cost designs are the deck arch and through arch.

The committee also agreed to study two designs for a separate bridge for pedestrians and bicyclists: cable-stayed and stress ribbon. No cost estimates are yet available for such a bridge.

Trolley line still in running

Despite the large number of remaining options, a streetcar line could theoretically be included on all of the designs under study, said Mike Pullen, a spokesman for Multnomah County, which owns the bridge.

Pullen said that because a streetcar weighs only as much as a large truck, the rehabilitated or replacement bridge would not have to be strengthened beyond current thinking. And because no stops would be required on the bridge, the line could be run within the existing two-lane width.

“We’re not actually planning for it, but there’s nothing we’ve done yet that would prevent it,” Pullen said.

Depending on which alignment and design is chosen, current cost estimates for the bridge range from around $270 million to $400 million, in 2012 dollars, the year construction is expected to begin. The county has not yet secured its match, estimated at around $100 million.

The Portland-to-Lake Oswego transit project also moved to the environmental impact phase last week.

The Metro Council approved further in-depth study of two possible streetcar routes through the Johns Landing neighborhood between the South Waterfront and the existing Sellwood Bridge.

One would install rail in the outer lanes of Southwest Macadam Avenue. The other would follow the existing rail line, which lies between Macadam and the Willamette River, a route known as the Willamette Shore line.

Residents in the numerous condominiums along the river favor the Macadam Avenue route. They argue that the existing rail line runs too close to some of the condos that have been built since freight trains stopped running on the line more than 10 years ago.

“The line is so close to some of the units, you could reach out and snatch a drink off the deck,” said Vern Rifer, a Portland developer and resident of one of the affected condominium developments, who serves on a citizen committee advising Metro on the project.

Streetcar heads south

Rifer favors running the line along Macadam Avenue. He argues it would spur redevelopment of the Johns Landing neighborhood by giving residents and visitors a transportation alternative.

Rifer also noted that both routes could include a spur across the river into Sellwood that would encourage travel between the neighborhoods.
“There’s nothing that would prevent it from hooking over the Sellwood Bridge,” Rifer said.

Metro has yet to decide whether to run the line through the Dunthorpe neighborhood to Lake Oswego, an option strongly opposed by many of the people who live along the route.

In some cases, the proposed streetcar line cuts through backyards, and even between houses and garages.

“I’m concerned about the safety of the children who live here, and also wonder if there would be enough riders to support it,” Riverdale area resident Elizabeth English said.

Cost estimates for a line to Lake Oswego range from just under $200 million to more than $215 million.

jimredden@portlandtribune.com

[tworivers]

I think the "ringstrasse" concept has merit and I'm supportive. I'd be surprised if the ridership numbers were lower than forecast, just based on what I've seen on the westside. I laugh, thinking about the crank critics who deride the "toy trains", when I so often see those trains packed full of people, and I expect similar demand on the eastside. I don't have any hard arguments to support that -- it's just a feeling. I don't know if people circulate like that already or not (I kind of do), but I like the idea of bringing the two sides of the river together and trying to create new patterns of movement around the inner city. I did notice the travel time: I wonder how many people would be riding the ring the entire way? More likely people would hop on and off at various points. Even just going up and down MLK and Grand on a streetcar would be great for the human scale, because right now those streets suck for anything but cars and they have a wide range of services that are begging for greater non-auto access and movement. And anything that spurs residential development in the Lloyd is going to get my vote.

I also think that this line will act as a precursor to other lines branching off and might lessen the spoke effect that we get with MAX. And maybe, just maybe, it will add to the momentum to remove eastbank I-5 and turn the river into the giant "boulevard" of activity and center of the city that it could and should be.

I was confused by those minutes, too. They didn't get the rating they needed, but they're going to figure out how to tweak the numbers, and they still expect to be in the Feb 2008 budget? The other thing I was trying to figure out was the Northrup vs Lovejoy question. It seemed like they were saying that it would be much more convenient to stick with Lovejoy, but that the preference was for Northrup...

[bvpcvm]

i'm not saying there shouldn't ever be "ring" service in this area, just that i think a better approach would be build more spokes (again, mlk, hawthorne, etc) first. i think that would get you higher ridership. maybe build a line along mlk not only in ne but south along the ceid. then, by building junctions at each line, you could add "ring" service without building anything new.

last month i spent time in amsterdam, cologne (there's a city that ought to be a template for portland) and frankfurt. their streetcars are much faster and have fewer stops than ours and there's little temptation to try to beat them by walking, as you might in portland. in fact, in a fit of nerditude, i compared travel times for the portland streetcar and the cologne streetcar line 5 - for a similar distance, portland's took 35 minutes; cologne's took 15.

to a great extent, of course, the difference can be chalked up to our tiny blocks. but it wouldn't hurt to take out a few stations here and there (do we really need stops on 22nd at *both* lovejoy and northrup??) and adding signal priority.

[tworivers]

to a great extent, of course, the difference can be chalked up to our tiny blocks. but it wouldn't hurt to take out a few stations here and there (do we really need stops on 22nd at *both* lovejoy and northrup??) and adding signal priority.

Agree wholeheartedly. That is exactly why I don't think there should be a Lincoln stop for Milwaukie MAX on its way between Sowa and dt when there is streetcar service going to and from the same areas a few blocks away.

[RED_PDXer]

Originally Posted by tworivers

They didn't get the rating they needed, but they're going to figure out how to tweak the numbers, and they still expect to be in the Feb 2008 budget?

The problem with the rating system developed by the federal transit administration FTA is that it's geared toward regional transit projects and thus, relies on traditional travel forecasting methodology. This is the first streetcar to use the "Small Starts" funding system. TriMet reluctantly submitted an application using this methodology and the feds tore it apart. Now they're back at square one with that issue; however the feds are working with them to come up with a new way of forecasting ridership.

Other aspects of the "Small Starts" application process is land use and economic potential of the area surrounding the transit stations. The streetcar has a ton of success on the westside in terms of channeling new higher density development along the route and the central eastside is ripe for development. I'm guessing the feds see this project as one of their "success" stories once it gets built, so i'm hopeful the funding will occur.

As far as personal preference goes, I too would prefer just a few less stops on the MAX line through downtown and on the streetcar. Eventually, once the frequency is increased, I'd like to see the streetcar have it's own travel lane and not have to share a lane with cars, which slow it down too much. Also, there are quite a few turns on the streetcar as it goes out to NE 7th ave to grab the property tax of the Lloyd center mall and then returns to Grand and MLK. I'd like to see it go down NE 7th and cross I-84 with a transit/bike/ped bridge and continue down 7th til it gets to OMSI. I guess that's just me wanting a safe crossing of the I-84 on my bike, which currently doesn't exist.

[tworivers]

Thanks for the funding clarification, red_pdxer.

Check your mailbox, I just PM'd you.

[alexjon]

My heart just leapt into my throat when I realized why the eastside streetcar goes where it does.

TAKE THAT, LLOYD CENTER MALL, YOU LEECH!

[MarkDaMan]

Cincinnati 'Enquires' into Portland's streetcar
Daily Journal of Commerce
POSTED: 03:47 PM PST Thursday, December 20, 2007
BY TYLER GRAF

Cincinnati is thinking about building a streetcar system, and guess what city inspired that? Not Prague, or Vienna or Helsinki -- what American city.

Portland, naturally, which has the only streetcar system in the United States.

The Cincinnati Enquirer reports:

"Last month, 16 visitors from Southwest Ohio spent a weekend (in Portland) to learn what lessons can be drawn for the proposed $102 million plan now pending before Cincinnati City Council.

"They came away, for the most part, with renewed faith in a plan that advocates say can turn Over-the-Rhine into a residential mecca for young professionals and spur new construction downtown.

"'I am absolutely amazed at the economic development,' said Martha Kelly, an engineer in Cincinnati's transportation planning department. She visited Portland in 2001, just before the streetcar launch, to study the region's light-rail system."

During that trip, she went down to the then-developing Pearl District -- a place she thought was "scary" at the time. But then, the MAX was never really intended to spur development in the Pearl District -- that job was left to the streetcar.

One thing the article fails to mention, however, is the deal inked with Oregon City-based Oregon Iron Works, which now makes some of the streetcars locally. Of course, that deal was necessary to ensure that the streetcar (and its federal funding) complies with the Buy American Act of 1933. Nonetheless, many streetcar cheerleaders, within PDOT and elsewhere, believe that the perceived success of the streetcar will inspire them to build their own systems, using Iron Works-built streetcars, as we may eventually see in Cincinnati.

But lest we forget, Cincinnati has an embarrassing history of abandoning public transportation projects in spectacular fashion.
http://www.djcoregon.com/articleDeta...ands-streetcar

[alexjon]

Portland doesn't have the only streetcar system in america; it can't even claim to have the only modern streetcar system. It has the MOST SUCCESSFUL, yes, but not the ONLY system.

[G-Man]

How come you guys never post pics?

Also I am wondering how involved the local citizens have been in lobbying the city for street cars/ trams? I would love to see something start out in Victoria but there needs to be an organzied group of people and it is still on the fringes.

Any thoughts?

[EastPDX]

I hope they start with the loop and then work out to 39th on the East; to Alberta on the North; and Holgate to the South; and to specific short distances on the West Side too (Burlingame, Hillsdale, etc., west side will be more expensive though). Build up the density at the Center and along the short spokes first. Then when the property taxes can support expansion they move the spokes out. Buses can feed the wheel and do Express runs.

We have to plan this system logically.

eP

PS - Still snowing at 1:21 (Severe Weather Alert finally shows up on Google Weather)

[bvpcvm]

http://www.oregonlive.com/printer/pr...l=7&thispage=2

Federal rules prefer buses over streetcar expansion

Travel - Portland wants money for an eastside line, but the transit administration says buses are more efficient

Thursday, December 27, 2007
DYLAN RIVERA
The Oregonian

Portland officials, eager to expand the city's heralded streetcar line across the Willamette River, are learning that federal transit managers favor buses for efficiency and may delay or withhold construction funding.

The expansion, pegged to cost $147 million, would extend the streetcar from the Pearl District across the Broadway Bridge and south to the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry, nearly completing a streetcar loop of the city's core. The federal government, according to the Portland City Council's plan, would pay for half.
But the City Council scrambled in early September to meet a deadline to apply for funds, only to learn from the Federal Transit Administration that Portland is failing to meet a cost-effectiveness test that planners here say is biased against streetcars in favor of high-capacity bus lines.

At stake is about $200 million in federal money that could provide the first national program for streetcars in cities across the nation. More than 60 cities nationwide have ideas for emulating the Portland Streetcar and the dense mix of housing and commercial development that accompanies its downtown route.

Despite the chance to compete for the new pot of money, however, every city except Portland has balked. Seattle, which just opened its first streetcar line earlier this month, says the process favors bus rapid transit -- the type of line that has large vehicles traveling in their own lanes separated from car traffic.

Transit administration officials have said the Office of Management and Budget, a department in the White House, has ordered them to raise standards for cost effectiveness when judging transit projects. That contrasts with the bill Congress passed in 2005, saying projects should be funded if they support public transportation, are cost-effective and boost local economic development.

Meanwhile, two Oregon congressmen are hammering away at the issue on a national basis. U.S. Democratic Reps. Peter DeFazio and Earl Blumenauer led efforts to zero out the administration's 2008 budget for making rules on how to value streetcars versus buses. The measure passed last week as part of a massive bill that funded 14 Cabinet departments.

Both congressmen want the government to implement the Small Starts program, a law that Blumenauer wrote to provide federal money to proliferate streetcar lines and dense urban development in cities across the nation. But two years after Congress passed the law, the administration hasn't funded a single streetcar line and instead proposed rules that would give preference to bus rapid transit systems over streetcars.

DeFazio said Congress was forced to prevent the administration from making a bias against streetcars permanent.

"If they wrote a rule like that and they implemented it, we'd be stuck with it for a minimum of two or more years, and that's not acceptable," DeFazio said.
The transit administration has published rules that would make cost-effectiveness the key test of whether a project should be funded. Zoning for high density and saving miles driven in cars would be combined with congestion relief under an effectiveness test. Together those would count for half the benefits allowed.

The result?

"If you build 5,000 units of housing along that line and people walked from those units of housing and get on the streetcar, they would not count under their criteria," DeFazio said.

The only riders that count are the ones that transfer from a bus or other transit to get to the streetcar line, he said.

"It's totally misanthropic," DeFazio said. "It's set up to make streetcar never pencil out."

TriMet planners have traded memos back and forth with the transit administration, arguing about what factors should be included in cost-effectiveness. The haggling over costs and benefits could go on for six more months yet not interfere with the project's schedule, said Rick Gustafson, executive director of Portland Streetcar Inc.

Several crucial next steps can proceed even while the cost-effectiveness discussions continue, he said. Next month, the project will need to complete a cost estimate. The project could get a big political boost if it is included in the president's budget in early February.

If the transit administration signs off on a construction agreement for Portland's $75 million request, by summer, that could ease the way for $40 million to start construction in the 2008-09 budget.

While Portland, TriMet and Metro planners believe in the streetcar extension and also agree with DeFazio's criticism of the transit administration, they have to proceed with caution through delicate talks, Gustafson said.

"Since you are asking for money, it's generally a good idea not to go kicking the people who are supposed to give you the money," he said.

Dylan Rivera: 503-221-8532; dylanrivera@ news.oregonian.com For environment news, go to http://blog.oregonlive.com/pdxgreen

©2007 The Oregonian

[tworivers]

Fed funding is looking dicey.