Obama Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood came to Portland this morning. Standing next to the nation’s largest platinum LEED building at the base of the aerial tram in the shadow of the South Waterfront manufactured high density community, LaHood announced, “Portland is the transportation capital of the our country, the green capital of our country, the streetcar capital of our country, the livable community capital of America!” Then, at the end of his speech, just before unveiling the first streetcar manufactured in American in 60 years, LaHood repeated the line verbatim AGAIN, to thunderous applause. Now there’s a man who knows how to whisper sweet, sustainable nothings into Portland’s ears.

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Yes, indeed, Secretary LaHood along with a host of other politicians, including Governor Kulongoski, Congressman Pete DeFazio and Congressman Earl Blumeneaur (who graced his second transit-unveiling press conference in two days), were very very proud to release the first American-made streetcar since the auto industry killed streetcars 60 years ago.

“This is a great, great accomplishment, I believe this is the dawn of a new era for transportation in the USA, a new opportunity to claim ‘Made in America,'” gushed LaHood, gesturing to the red, white and blue streetcar which was built at a cost of $2.9 million (with 90 new jobs created) right in state at Oregon Iron Works.

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There was political high-fiving all around. “Thank you to the legislature for passing my Jobs and Transportation Act, the largest and greenest long-term investment in Oregon’s transportation history,” said Gov. Kulongoski, hilariously glazing over environmentalist’s complaints that the act included only a tiny sliver of funding for bikes, ped and public transit.

The only person not engaging in the jobs-green transit-love fest was sulky Jonathan Maus, of BikePortland.org, who shook his head in disdain at the photo opp. For less than the $77 million cost of the first 3.3 mile streetcar extension, Portland could build the nation’s best bikeway network, with hundreds of miles of bike lanes. “Streetcars are great, but at what cost? Where’s the similar dedication to bikeways that cost nothing in comparison?” said Maus. “In politics, things that are cheap and easy don’t always win – there’s no money behind them.”

Sarah Shay Mirk reported on transportation, sex and gender issues, and politics at the Mercury from 2008-2013. They have gone on to make many things, including countless comics and several books.

29 replies on “Portland’s Streetcar Born in the U.S. of Fuckin’ A!”

  2. $2.9 million=90 jobs (that are now – not jobs) No. 1 green transport and green city and the fastest growing unemployment and nearly highest dropout rate in the nation.
    WE’RE No. 1! WE’RE No. 1! U-S-A! U-S-A!

  3. “Portland is the transportation capitol of the our country, the green capitol of our country, the streetcar capitol of our country, the livable community capitol of America!”

    All well and good. But how about we try a little harder to become the jobs capitol of our country.

  4. I agree with Jonathan. Why are we expanding the streetcar to places that are already well served by public transit? I know it’s federal funding, but it would be nice if they gave us money to stop cuts in trimet bus service…

  5. Wait a second…so they’re extending both the streetcar and the MAX to run past OMSI? What next, the aerial tram?

  6. Look at David Wu standing there all smug, as if he’s done a lick’s worth of work on transportation in this country. I bet he drives an SUV.

    There better be some strong Democrat ready to take him on in the 2010 primary. He’s completely out of touch with Oregon, funded almost entirely by wealthy Asian-American businesspeople in NYC and not even willing to have real discussion of any issue. Send his ass home.

  7. Am I missing Sam somewhere in this photo? I mean, what could be more homoerotic than unwrapping a giant Made in the USA bullet train?

  8. “I believe this is the dawn of a new era for transportation in the USA”

    Hmm. Looks a lot like the streetcar era of 100 years ago to me.

  10. “Capitol” refers to a building, a structure, an edifice. Mr. LaHood referred to Portland as the “capital” of many things. For example: “the US capital is Washington, D.C. The capitol building is located at 444 N Capitol St NW.”

    You guys really don’t have a copy editor do you? It’s not just a joke, is it?

  11. I get really mad whenever I think about the story of how they bought all the streetcars and took them apart. It’s one of the big tragedies in the history of the US. Fucking assholes.

  12. If the Streetcar actually seated more people so that it didn’t come off as a plaything for the City to woo tourists with, I’d be more impressed. Let’s see more transportation improvements in sectors of the city that are more densely populated by poor and underserved populations, and make those transit amenities run to places where those people can find real jobs; and THEN we can slap ourselves on the back.

  13. “Hmm. Looks a lot like the streetcar era of 100 years ago to me.”

    If that were the case, there’d be a hell of a lot less cars on the road and more horses.

    I, like many tourists and newcomers to Portland, loved the hell out of the streetcar when I first moved here, especially living in downtown and going to PSU.

    Then I realized that it was entirely useless past 9:30, 10pm.
    Then I realized that I could outwalk the thing, so if it was going to take any longer than 5 minutes to arrive at a stop, I would be better off served taking off myself.
    And then I also realized and christened it “the yuppie train” precisely because of the areas it serves (NW 23rd, Pearl, Downtown- presumably for the other folks to get to work- and then the South Waterfront?)

    I’m happy that they’re wanting to extend the streetcar service to other areas that it could really be used in, but it is a shame if you think about the opportunity cost. I think Jonathan Maus is on to the right sort of thinking; what else could we have used that money for? Bikes would be great, but building an electric bus network similar to SF’s MUNI would help reduce pollution, noise, and make downtown a lot nicer for pedestrians and especially the bicyclists who are stuck sucking in their fumes.

    I guess, just like everything else with Oregon, if we give it enough time they’ll pull their heads out of their asses and catch up with the rest of the country (see: smoking ban, cell phone ban).

  16. Public transport = undeniably a good thing.

    Max = undeniably a good thing (I don’t understand why there’s so many people who are happy to take MAX but refuse to take the bus, but so long as they exist, the MAX is worthwhile).

    Streetcar = waste of money.

    Seriously, how hard would it be to make approaching streetcar trains automatically trigger green lights, so they’d at least be quicker than walking?

  17. I heard from a reliable source that they still have a lot of Czech parts in them. Sort of like buying your furniture at Ikea and taking it home to put it together. Made in Your House in the USA.

  19. “Streetcar = waste of money.

    Seriously, how hard would it be to make approaching streetcar trains automatically trigger green lights, so they’d at least be quicker than walking?”

    As I’ve pointed out before, a streetcar does absolutely nothing that a bus can’t do, without the expense of permenantly putting tracks in the street and removing street parking spaces.

    Why don’t we buy one of those buses made up to look like a trolley and drive it up MLK and Grand? It would take all of two months of operation to figure out that it has limited utility.

  21. Blabby, if we had electric buses (like San Francisco does) then I would agree with you, but we don’t. Buses eat fossil fuels, while trams do not.

    Also, this has to be the worst written story I’ve ever read. And considering this is the Mercury, that’s a tall order.

  25. Yeah never understood the rationale of people riding the streetcar. We’re in obese mode, walking speed is almost as fast as these cars go.

    Trams, light rail, streetcars all use a great deal of energy, of course. Even walking uses energy, people have to eat to fuel their existence.

    You want to significantly reduce carbon footprint? Sterilize children on birth, and make them pay $$$ money to get it reversed. PEOPLE are the greatest use of energy. Reduce people, and you reduce carbon footprint. Political death to suggest population control, funnily enough.

  29. dear portlanders. i feel your pain. i once counted myself among your ranks. but seriously. try living in chicago for a while. see the unholy mess that is known as the chicago transit authority, the rank corruption in city hall, murders every day (it’s like the wire for serious right now)…i digress.

    streetcars are nice. and it worked…living there when it first launched it made no sense, now there is an entire neighborhood built around the streetcar stops. for better or for worse, it’s there.

    bikes are nice, too. try riding one with maniacal illinois drivers nearly clipping you, two feet of snow on the ground and a minus ten windchill. and with no on-street bike parking in sight.

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