Portland is a PR machine for light rail & streetcar

Here are Some Facts About Portland Oregon          

“It must always be remembered how cost-effectiveness works in the public sector: the cost IS the benefit.” - author unknown

Automobiles / Roads / Highways

Energy / costs

Cars Beat Transit for, CO2, Cost, Time & Convenience

The real blood for oil problem

Cars, transit and Energy     Printable

Car Energy compared to Transit

Cars Costs 1/3 what transit costs (2005)  Printable

AAA Cost of  Driving = 57¢/mile = 37¢/passenger-mile = 25¢/passenger-mile for the rest of us (2008/2010)

Government data shows cars cost  16.5cents/passenger-mile

THE PUBLIC COST OF URBAN TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES. (Lcl)

How autos cleaned up the cities

Why gasolene costs so much

Cost of Tampa Elevated Expressway

Cars Improve Our Standard of Living

Survey: cars most needed of all “goods and services.”

Driving is easier than transit for elderly

Congestion

High Density Causes Congestion   TriMet's Study

You Can Build Your Way Out Of Congestion

Transit Utilization and Traffic Congestion

False Promises: Light Rail Reduces Congestion

Wendell Cox: Mass transit does not reduce congestion

Cost Of Portland's Congestion Report

Cities Intentionally Increase Congestion (NYC)  (Florida)  

POLLS:

Portlanders Rate Congestion Relief More Important than Education; want roads, not transit

Most People Rate A Car Necessary

Speed Bumps/Calming

Traffic Calming Contributes to Accident

Portland  City Auditor:Traffic calming delays Fire Department

Traffic Calming Kills People

Speed Bumps Kill MORE People Than They Save  More

Subsidies/Externalities

U.S. Government:  Roads users pay more than their cost  

Car Subsidies about 1.0¢ per passenger-mile; transit $2.39; Amtrak 40¢

Delucch: Transit’s higher external cost and subsidizes than cars

Road subsidies based on US DOT data

Pew Charitable Trusts data shows cars=1.1 cent per mile subsidy

Users paid the full cost of roads +  $17.3 billion, or 9.6%  

Actual 2004 (typical) subsidy was negative $75.9 billion

Interstate Highway financing

Parking Subsidy is tiny   

Externality Claim Debunked  

Some Observations on Transportation Policy (common planning errors)

Cars Improve Our Standard of Living

Cars Cleaned up our cities  

Millions of Road Dollars spent on Bikes-Peds-Transit

Millions of Road Dollars(flex funds) spent on Bikes-Peds-Transit (Lcl)

Misc

Most Europeans drive - 78% of  miles traveled is by car - Printable

Tolls Not Needed on Interstate Bridge Project

Driving, regional & Per Person

One-way Streets are SAFER than two way streets

Traffic Calming KILLS people!

The First Cross Study of Car-Bike Collisions   (local)

Updated March 27, 2024