[or-roots] PDX web site

[Kith-n-Kin]

Les

Ah, but "what goes around, comes around" -- ref the light rail Max from PDX
to Portland, Hillsboro, Gresham (started with private money - land to
develop on route - sound familiar?), and the Modern Streetcar, also
initially private money, and expanding all the time.

We can fly to Portland, Max into town, transfer to the streetcar, stay in a
hotel on the line, and never rent a car, except when we want to go to Eugene
(eat at the old Oregon Electric Depot -- watch a basketball game) and other
points south.

Now, here in Tucson, we're digging up the streets for our own Modern Street
cars -- on the Portland model -- and will be finished with the initial three
miles in a year or so.  We're using "our" money, via a special bonding
election, and federal money, rather than private, so the stimulus package
came just at the right time for us. (That's the silver lining message)

My guess is that we will reverse the Portland expansion model, and in ten
years we'll have light rail also for the longer journeys.

Maybe even a high speed train to Valhalla ('scuse me, that's Phoenix). 

Amazing when our forebears wanted not only a chicken in every pot, but two
cars in every garage -- oops -- have to move ever farther out of town.

Pat



-----Original Message-----
From: or-roots-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us
[mailto:or-roots-bounces at listsmart.osl.state.or.us] On Behalf Of Leslie
Chapman
Sent: Thursday, February 26, 2009 8:20 AM
To: or-roots mail list
Subject: [or-roots] PDX web site

Of all the links on the PDX site I checked out though the red electrics was
most fascinating; what a great commuter railroad system we had and then tore
up to sacrifice on the altar of "freedom of the highway!"

Les C