You’ve got to give me some credit for guessing this eleven whole days ago: Portland’s Eastside Streetcar Loop will get federal funds.
The 3.3-mile project, which will cost a total of $127 million, will get $75 million from the federal government. The project will be in operation in 2011. As I wrote in my previous post, this demonstrates the Obama Administration’s interest in promoting streetcar projects and developing mobility solutions that produce livable, attractive cities.
Sorry, not much else to say, just wanted to gloat.
4 replies on “Portland Eastside Streetcar Extension to Get Federal Funds”
Yonah,
This is great news, but I read the article to mean that a Small Starts application is PENDING, not that FTA has approved it. Am I reading it wrong?
Chris –
The FTA presser makes it pretty clear to me that this funding is solid, but call me on it if you think I’m wrong.
Nice! As I type, I look out on one of the over autoed streets that will benefit from this extension and couldn’t be happier. Here is to street cars up Belmont, down Fremont, across Mississippi Ave., and on and on…
Good call, Yonah. And this is a biggie.
Portland is the poster city nowadays, the demonstration case for public transit. Whenever a growing Sunbelt city is feeling the need for transit,the local Economic Development office or the Chamber of Commerce or somebody organizes a pilgrimage to Portland to see how it works. There the big shots get an earful about green cities, new urbanism, transit oriented development, etc. Now streetcars will be part of the lesson plan for sure.
The visitors will be shown that Portland is more than doubling its streetcar routes, and that the feds are paying almost 60% of the cost. Well, they could get a lot more federal money to bulldoze some of their city for more highways. But at least they will see a working and very popular alternative.