Critics so far have been having a field day with a plan by several regional governments, including Portland, to tap presumed federal funds for a $458 million streetcar extension to Lake Oswego. As the Oregonian has reported, their concerns are not small: The line might inordinately benefit developers; the funding scheme might not pencil out; and it could distract from other transit needs.

None of that deterred a divided Lake Oswego council last night, and it didn’t sway a for more united Portland City Council this afternoon. At least not yet.

Portland commissioners, voting 4-1, joined Lake Oswego officials in moving the project into the next phase of study. The vote, one of several required over the next two years, declares the streetcar line the preferred means of improving the transit corridor to Lake Oswego, and committing at least $300,000 over the next several months for some preliminary engineering. (Read another account of today’s hearing here.)

But that support came with a lot of caveats and some warnings that it might not continue if the answers to several of the project’s unresolved questions pertaining to funding aren’t to their liking.

“I’m not willing to put on the blinders,” said Dan Saltzman, voting yes, but saying he’d reject a “streetcars at any cost” mentality. Mayor Sam Adams echoed that: “I am not ready to support it but I am ready to support it to the next level of due diligence.”

Only Amanda Fritz, however, actually voted no. She says buses would make more sense, and she worries that the streetcar line would take away cash and staff time from more worthy transportation projects and infrastructure improvements.

“I would have voted “aye” if I was on the Lake Oswego council,” she said. “But I’m not on the Lake Oswego council.”

Denis C. Theriault is the Portland Mercury's News Editor. He writes stories about City Hall and the Portland Police Bureau, focusing on issues like homelessness, police oversight, insider politics, and...

9 replies on “Streetcar to Somewhere That Might Not Make Sense: Lake Oswego Line Gets Tentative Nod”

  1. Actually putting in a streetcar to LO makes lots of sense, since most of the people who live there are too snobbish to ride the bus.

  2. Too-shay. But they’re probably also too busy to spend 37 minutes riding a streetcar and transferring when an SUV could get them there in, like, 25.

  3. Snobbery won’t mean jack shit when our bankrupt Federal government can’t pay the bills anymore.

    Here’s the deal: The buses to/from LO have medium occupancy currently. There doesn’t seem to be this great craving either way for Oregon’s richest community that commutes or visits Portland. The potential riders will be federally subsidized lower classes going inbound for work. Nobody visits LO for tourist reasons, or middle class reasons.

    My suggestion is convert all buses to/from to hybrid, large bucket seats, and get the best of both worlds: buses that are 1/10 the cost of any light-rail design, and environmentally adaptable technology that is far more versatile than any train.

  4. What a colossal waste of money. It doesn’t matter if the federal govt is willing to pick up the initial tab, it’s still a waste. And no doubt it will eventually end up costing Portland money that could be otherwise be spent on social services that actually help people who need it.

    Streetcars are expensive, disruptive and of limited usefulness. Buses make more sense. At least Amanda Fritz realizes this. I can’t wait for the next election when I can vote against the politicians pushing these vanity projects.

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