Portland — Streetcar Extension Approved

Rail Transit Online, December 2003

The city council on Nov. 5 unanimously approved a $15.6-million budget for an extension of the downtown streetcar from its current terminal at Portland State University to RiverPlace.  Approval had been delayed for 10 months while the city attempted to obtain a commitment from the federal government that would have allowed the 0.6-mi. (0.96 km) project to serve as the local match for a further streetcar expansion to Southwest Gibbs Street in the North Macadam Urban Renewal District.  However, the FTA demanded a full environmental impact study that would have required another year to complete with no guarantee that federal funding would be forthcoming.  Instead, the council agreed to finance both extensions with purely local money if no financing can be found from other federal sources.  The RiverPlace extension will run along Southwest Harrison Street to a new terminus at Southwest River Parkway and Moody Street near the Willamette River. 

Web site: www.portlandstreetcar.org