New Attitudes Gaining Toward Transit, Land Use

[marmar]

via MassTransitMag:



New Attitudes Gaining Toward Transit, Land Use


Tom Bell, staff writer
Portland Press Herald


OREGON - High gas prices have people talking about concepts that until now might have seemed too controversial - maybe even far-fetched. Ideas such as bringing trolleys back to the Portland area.

A year ago, people would have easily dismissed the idea of bringing light rail back to South Portland, said planning director Tex Haeuser. But today, he's so convinced that public attitudes have changed that he decided to talk about his vision at a Planning Board meeting.

It's a lot easier to talk about moving away from the status quo, he said.

''I think this year is something of a watershed year,'' he said. ''In some ways, we're facing a looming disaster. But on the other hand, we've got some frankly cool possibilities.''

Planners who advocate expanding public transit and revamping land-use policies are finding that higher energy prices are translating into more political support for their ideas from local officials and residents. And while some people question whether attitudes have changed that much, this skepticism isn't stopping planners from bringing forward new ideas.

Perhaps the best example is Haeuser's vision of bringing a modern street car system to the city, with tracks running along the Broadway and Gorham Road corridor and connecting the city's commercial districts with the city's neighborhoods and Southern Maine Community College. ......(more)

The complete piece is at: http://www.masstransitmag.com/online/article.jsp?siteSection=3&id=6679

[nxylas]

1. I thought Portland already had streetcars?

Is the "Portland Streetcar" really a streetcar, or is it an LRV?

[KamaAina]

2. This is Portland, Maine

don't know why it says "Oregon" at the top. :dunce:

with tracks running along the Broadway and Gorham Road corridor and connecting the city's commercial districts with the city's neighborhoods and Southern Maine Community College.

That Portland also finally got Amtrak service to Boston a few years ago.

[Gormy Cuss]

3. Yep, and it's not even about that Portland. The idea is in the separate city of South Portland.

South Portland already has a small bus system spun off from well established (and modest sized) bus system in Portland.

The area would benefit from a regional mass transit initiative on light rail. In addition to the two South Portland corridors mentioned in the article, a train crossing the river into the city of Portland would be smart as would trolleys along major corridors in Portland (Congress St, Forest and Washington Aves, for example.)

[nxylas]

4. Sorry, I was fooled by the fact that the article said "Oregon"

If it was about Portland, Maine, they should have said so, cos that could confuse a stupid person.