Coming to a neighborhood near you?As Sam has discussed in his speech to the City Club of Portland, we are facing unprecedented transportation and land use challenges in the not-so-distant future. Whether it is extreme inflation of construction costs in conjunction with declining tax revenues, Peak Oil, global climate change, or simple population growth, we are going to have to change our transportation status quo.
This will take at a minimum some combination of land use, smart development, and investments in non-auto modes. And it is in this context that Sam has initiated a citywide streetcar plan.
According to Metro growth projections, the population of Portland is expected to increase by 300,000 and the population of the region region by 1 million by the year 2025. As the City of Portland prepares for this growth, development opportunities that can take advantage of transit, including streetcar, must be a part of the solution, and this is exactly what the SSP will do.
The Streetcar System Plan (SSP) is a big picture look at the City of Portland's transportation network and how the streetcar can fit into the future system. The goal of the SSP is to identify interconnected corridors to create a citywide streetcar system that is integrated with the City's transportation and land use network. Final decisions regarding where and when specific corridors will be built will be determined over many years after this process is completed.
The Portland Streetcar System Plan will play a key role in shaping the City by reinforcing walkable and economically-diverse neighborhoods and vibrant main streets; encouraging sustainable and equitable development and infrastructure; reducing vehicle trips; and supporting greater accessibility, housing options, employment and economic development.
There will be three primary criteria or questions that will drive this analysis. 1) Is high potential ridership foreseeable? 2) Is it financially feasible? 3) Will the communities affected accept or embrace it?
Community Partners
- Portland Streetcar, Inc. [0]
- Streetcar System Advisory Committee [1]
Media Mentions
- "Adams sees web of streetcars" The Oregonian, July 21, 2007 [2]
Our Blog
- "From Here to Portland's Transportation Tomorrow - Sam's City Club of Portland Remarks," July 20, 2007 (includes link to audio) [2]