Portland’s neighborhood system is known for its enclaves of walkable retail areas, centered around restaurants, bars, coffee shops, and boutiques, and some of the most successful areas are popular because of the ease of access via public transportation and bike. The Pearl District, Nob Hill, Hollywood, Hawthorne, Clinton, and Belmont districts are all walkable and accessible for all Portland residents, thanks to our amazing transportation systems. One of the most popular modes of transportation for residents and visitors alike is the Portland Streetcar, launched in 2001. In the almost ten years since the opening of the Streetcar lines, ever area serviced by the Streetcar loop has boomed in popularity.
A study in 2008 found that Portland’s light rail and Streetcar system generated $3.5 billion in investments and resulted in over 10,210 housing units around the streetcar line. The boom in Portland Real Estate, economic growth, and neighborhood cohesiveness can be traced to the maximization of transit funding and ingenuity.
Other American cities are catching the light rail wave, opening electric steetcar routes to encourage development of commercial and cultural districts. In 2010 along, the US Department of Transportation awarded more than $250 million in grants for streetcar development in Tucson, Dallas, Cincinnati, Charlotte, St. Louis and Fort Worth, including awards for the construction of a new eastside line in Portland, connecting the existing Streetcar loop with the Industrial Southeast. These grants are available thanks to changes in government transit policy initiated by the Obama administration. One only determined by cost-effectiveness, government funding for public transportation projects like a streetcar system take into consideration sustainability, economic development potential, protection of public land, and improvements to the livability of a city.
Portland has proven that streetcars serve to connect communities, and also connect urban citizens to the history of their regions, as many American metropolises once featured light rail transit in their early years of development. Streetcars are also a great boon for sustainability, as residents can choose to ride the electric streetcar instead of using their cars. It’s an elegant win/win solution to a growing disconnect in American cities, bringing neighbors together, drawing in and encouraging tourism, supporting local businesses, and encouraging resource preservation. The streetcar system is one way to ensure economic stability in an area, as businesses close far less frequently when they are supported by a high-volume walking district and streetcar line. No wonder the world is watching!
