Taking A Streetcar Test Drive

In a fact-finding mission to see if the technology is right for their city, officials from Vancouver, Washington, will hop over the state line to Portland to try out the city's streetcar system.

1 minute read

August 19, 2007, 9:00 AM PDT

By Nate Berg

"How could a mode of transportation that became obsolete 81 years ago be considered a part of Vancouver's transportation future? What kind of rear-view-mirror visioning is that?"

"In the case of Vancouver city councilors researching the possibility of reinstituting streetcars, the visioning is not flawed. It's creative."

"On Sept. 17 the council members will venture to Portland to ride and research the bigger city's streetcar system, which carries about 10,000 passengers each weekday."

"Would such a system work in Vancouver? No one knows ... yet. And we would hasten to add that, until answers to two key questions (What will it cost? Who will pay for it?) are known, no decisions can be expected. For now, though, the idea of streetcars in Vancouver is worth researching."

FULL STORY: In our view: Streetcars? Here?

Thursday, August 16, 2007 in The Columbian

Transportation Washington

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