[Yak] Re: Portland train station to airport

[Sam Santos]

Generally speaking, streetcars aren't as affected by traffic as regular cars
so they tend to stick to their schedules pretty well.  They also tend to be
far cheaper to construct than elevated or underground tracks.  If done
right, streetcars, and their tracks, pose little threat to cyclists.

I've never been to Portland, so I can't comment specifically about their
streetcars, but they must be doing something right.  Portland is considered
one of the bike friendliest cities in America.

--sam

On Tue, Sep 9, 2008 at 9:47 AM, John S. Allen <jsallen at bikexprt.com> wrote:

> At 09:13 AM 9/9/2008, Aaron Weiss wrote:
>
>> Indeed, it's all of 3500 feet from Union Station to the light rail in
>> Pioneer Courthouse Square. It's a very easy walk down 6th avenue.
>> Anyone who told you to take a cab from there to the airport was
>> looking for a kickback from a cabby. :-)
>>
>> Also, they're currently finishing up the new downtown light rail
>> line (the green line) which will provide service to Union Station.
>> It's set to open next year.
>>
>
> Recently visited Portland. Just gotta love that on-street wheel-catcher,
> with tracks that merge over to the curb at every stop. What is the reasoning
> behind installing new streetcar lines -- unlike buses, totally inflexible in
> routing as demand changes or if one streetcar breaks down backing up the
> others, and unlike buses or trackless trolleys, can't climb steep hills and
> mixes poorly with other street traffic -- but especially bicycles!
>
> John S. Allen
>
> Who has caught a wheel of an NWT in an *old* streetcar track in San
> Francisco but somehow avoided crashing...and who is pleased that Boston just
> paved over its last on-street streetcar line.
>
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>
>
>
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