Portland Streetcar

P

Patrick

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A Portland (Maine) Streetcar?

An email I received that some may have an interest in:

Tonight the Transportation and Sustainability Committee will consider creating a Streetcar Task Force. It would be great if you would send some emails to show support for creating a Streetcar Task Force, which will be charged with implementing a feasibility study. As you know, streetcar lines act as magnets for development. Investing in a streetcar line the downtown will help to stimulate development of surface parking lots and increase property values while providing transit options for residents and tourists.

It would be even better if you could come to the meeting tonight at 5:30 at City Hall in the Council Chambers and speak on this issue. If you cannot attend, then emails will be great.

Please send your emails to:
Mark Rees mhr@portlandmaine.gov
John Anton janton@portlandmaine.gov
Cheryl Leeman cl@portlandmaine.gov
 
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Am I the only one who thought you were creating a thread about Oregon at first?
 
Matthew said:
Am I the only one who thought you were creating a thread about Oregon at first?
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No , I thought that aswell... As for a Portland Streetcar system , it should connect Downtown Portland with South Portland via Casco Bridge and onto Broadway , West End , East End , Old Port North Deering , Deering Center and Rosement. A Diesel Light Rail should be built between Downtown Portland & Gorham via Westbrook.

The Portland Transit center should be moved to Between Congress and Park Aves with a Streetcar Connection downtown and LRT service to Gorham. Its a small network , all cheap. A Streetcar system about 24 miles , should only cost around 260 Million $...and the LRT probably 150 Million $.
 
Nexis4jersey said:
No , I thought that aswell... As for a Portland Streetcar system , it should connect Downtown Portland with South Portland via Casco Bridge and onto Broadway , West End , East End , Old Port North Deering , Deering Center and Rosement. A Diesel Light Rail should be built between Downtown Portland & Gorham via Westbrook.

The Portland Transit center should be moved to Between Congress and Park Aves with a Streetcar Connection downtown and LRT service to Gorham. Its a small network , all cheap. A Streetcar system about 24 miles , should only cost around 260 Million $...and the LRT probably 150 Million $.
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I was thinking a gondola from Portland to North Station in Boston. That's cheap too.

Thanks for the insight (really)
 
A streetcar for Portland would be great.....having been to portland oregon and Seattle, both of which have streetcars, the benefits for development on the penninsula would be an economic boon!

The idea gets my vote
 
One-way pairs are a really bad idea for transit. They actually lead to a smaller catchment area.

The first question I'd ask is: Is this streetcar really going to be an improvement over a bus?
 
Matthew said:
One-way pairs are a really bad idea for transit. They actually lead to a smaller catchment area.

The first question I'd ask is: Is this streetcar really going to be an improvement over a bus?
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While there is not a single study of which I am aware that shows the economic development stimulus of bus, the studies for this benefit with respect to rail abound. The reason, most likely, is that rail is a fixed route permanent investment, which acts as a market indicator of public support for development, whereas the same cannot be said for bus. Key here is to remember that the point is not just transportation (for which bus would suffice) but catalyzing development (for which bus won't do).
 
Patrick said:
I was thinking a gondola from Portland to North Station in Boston. That's cheap too.

Thanks for the insight (really)
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Haha , I would electrify the Downeaster Corridor and bump speeds up to 125mph...which is cheap. You would only need 100-300 Million , Service would be every 30 minutes both ways.
 
Nexis4jersey said:
Light Rail can't share tracks with Heavy Rail unless you 3 track the corridor....which is doable. And why not extend the lines to Gorham and South Portland?
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Not meant to be a real proposal, just the quickest way I could see to connect a streetcar/light rail with the major cities nearby. Obviously, they light rail would need its own tracks, and the service to Biddeford/Saco would be duplicating Amtrak to some degree.

Really, I think Patrick's point about a streetcar working as both transit and a development catalyst is spot on, and means that limiting a proposal to the peninsula or maybe extending up Forest Ave or to South Portland would be sufficient.

In that regard, I think the U-shaped route on the peninsula in my map could work. It would cover the major tourist areas, as well as serving the major developable areas (East India, Bayside and Forest Ave). It would do that all while connecting areas that aren't currently that well connected by bus and which are beyond what most people would normally choose to walk, and provide a single major downtown/city center transit loop, which could then extend off the peninsula.

Obviously, it's entirely anecdotal and only one possible route, but it's my initial take, and I'm curious to see what ideas the city comes up with.
 
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