Having been to Portland several times and having used light rail to get from downtown to the airport, I can testify that it's an excellent system. The street cars supplement light rail by bring people to the light rail system and running in the higher density areas between downtown and the immediate commercial and residential neighborhoods.
SEE: http://www.trimet.org/streetcar/index.htm Street cars work where you don't have the space or funds for light rail, but they are a "funnel" to the light rail system. I personally would love a Street Car line from City Hall to the Capital, up Selby Hill, down Dale to Grand Avenue to St. Thomas and then down to the Ford Plant down Ford Parkway to 7th Street back to downtown I love how this man, Charles Hales from Portland, hasn't even spoken yet, and the cynics, conspiracy theorists and nay-sayers are complaining. Why not come and see what Mr. Hales has to say before starting to draw conclusions. Light rail is such a failure in Portland they are building another extension, the 4th or 5th, along I-250. http://www.trimet.org/improving/i205.htm And light rail is such a failure in Saint Louis they are now building the second extension from Downtown to Clayton to the suburb of Shewsbury. The major complaint I heard when I was in St. Louis three weeks ago was that the Metro expansion isn't going thru or under Forest Park by the Zoo and the Art Museum and that it should have been built down the middle of I-64 to get commuters out of their cars. http://www.metrostlouis.org/MetroLink/stationlist.asp Dan Dobson Summit Hill --- John Birrenbach <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I got this last week, and it asked for it to be > forwarded to anyone > else who might be interested, and since I haven't > seen it posted here > thought I would post it for those that might be > interested in the > greatness of Street (Trolly) Cars. > > Apparently this is being put on by the City Council > as they are the > contact, and this guy is gonna talk to the Council > at it's regular > meetings... Hmm, Street cars on W7th St, with lots > of space to pull > over in the parking area's and pick people up :-) I > don't think you > would run Street Cars down Sheppard or 35E (but I > suppose this is not > lightrail, nor is it express bus service). It does > leave one to > wonder, Lets try Street Cars first and see if that > flys, when they > are used to it we can run busses :-) Yea I know > conspiracies, > theories unfounded by any fact, but isn't that how > government works > these days? :-) > > --------------Start of Message----------------- > Bring the streetcars back! > Saint Paul Launches a Civic Dialogue > Wednesday Nov.17,2004 > Thursday,Nov.18,2004 > Former Portland City Commissioner Charlie Hales will > be speaking at > four different > events in Saint Paul on Nov.17-18,2004.Hales is a > transit planning > principal at HDR > Engineering,working with communities on transit > options.As a member of the > Portland City Council from 1992 through 2002,Hales > was the driving force behind > the effort to raise $58 million in bonds to create > the Portland > Streetcar,the nation 's > * rst modern streetcar. > With the success of the new Hiawatha LRT line,Saint > Paul welcomes the > opportunity > to explore streetcars as a way to link downtown > arts,entertainment > and business with our city 's > vibrant neighborhoods for residents and visitors > alike.On > Wednesday,Nov.17,3:30 p.m.Charlie will > address the Saint Paul City Council at its regular > meeting,which will > be televised on St.Paul Cable > Channel 18. > Wednesday,Nov.17,2004,7 to 8:30 p.m. > Public Event:"Bringing Back the Streetcars " > Minnesota History Center,3M Auditorium,St.Paul > HDR Transit Planning Principal Charlie Hales is > helping to revive the > electric street- > car as a popular,ef * cient,and cost-effective > transit option in > cities across the U.S. > Charlie shares his experiences in this > presentation,as both Twin > Cities consider reviving the streetcar > on lines like the Midtown Greenway and Grand > Avenue.From 6 to 7 > p.m.,visit the ex hi bit Going Places: > The Mystique of Mobility to enjoy archival streetcar > * lm footage and > read riders ' stories. > Wednesday,Nov.17,11:30-1:00 p.m. > Brown Bag Lunchtime Talk for Activists and > Engineers:"The Nuts and > Bolts of Streetcars " > Saint Paul City Hall,Room 40,15 West Kellogg > Blvd.,St.Paul > Transit enthusiasts,transportation > planners,neighborhood > activists,public works engineers and > interested members of the public are invited to join > Charlie to talk > about how to start planning for > St.Paul streetcar.Bring your own lunch and RSVP to > reserve a chair by > calling Jane Prince at > 651/266-8641.Pop machines available. > Thursday,Nov.18,8-9 a.m. > "Streetcars,LRT and Buses:Regional Transit Leaders > and Charlie Hales " > Macalester Campus Center,John B.Davis Lecture > Hall,Grand &Snelling,St.Paul > Charlie will discuss how streetcars can enhance our > region 's > multi-modal transit system > by linking downtown and neighborhood > residents,workers and visitors.A responder > panel of regional transit and business leaders will > respond.Coffee and Rolls. > Presented with support from the City of Saint > Paul,the Minnesota > History Center,Macalester > College,University UNITED,the Capitol /River > Council,Merriam Park > Community Council,Midway > Transportation Management Organization,Capital City > Partnership,HDR > Engineering,Inc.,Dayton 's > Bluff District 4 Community Council,Macalester > Groveland Community Council. > If you have questions about any of these events,call > the Saint Paul > City Council at 651/266-8641. > --------end of info-------------- > > -- > Sincerely, > John Birrenbach > W 7th Neighborhood, St Paul MN > === Political & Business Consulting === > http://www.birrenbach.com/ > ====================================== > The Counter to Republican Radio > http://www.airamericaradio.com/ > ====================================== > "Six years on the council has trained me to feign > interest for long > periods of time" > Chris Coleman Jan 21, 2004 > +++++++++++++++ > _____________________________________________ > To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion > Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > _____________________________________________ > > St. Paul Topics - This Week: Light Rail > http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul-topics > _____________________________________________ > NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your > password - visit: > http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul > > Archive Address: > http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/ > _____________________________________________ To Join: St. Paul Issues Forum Rules Discussion Email: [EMAIL PROTECTED] _____________________________________________ St. Paul Topics - This Week: Light Rail http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul-topics _____________________________________________ NEW ADDRESS FOR LIST: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To subscribe, modify subscription, or get your password - visit: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/listinfo/stpaul Archive Address: http://www.mnforum.org/mailman/private/stpaul/
