Portland — Streetcar Extension

Rail Transit Online, August 2004

Construction of an $18.2-million, 0.6-mi. (1 km) extension of the Portland streetcar from Portland State University to Southwest Moody Street at RiverPlace should be completed in January, with revenue service to four new stops beginning two months later.  One short segment is being built on a new street that will have a steep, nine-degree downgrade, providing passengers with a spectacular view of the RiverPlace neighborhood and the Willamette River.  With seven cars now on the property, the current 14-min. headway will continue when service to RiverPlace begins.  “We'd like to run every 10 minutes,” project spokesperson Kay Dannen told the Daily Vanguard, “but we're not quite there yet.”  Planning continues on another extension of similar length to Southwest Gibbs Street that would open in December 2006 and would require two additional Czech-made Astra streetcars at a cost of $1.8 million each.