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
Transit
Light Rail - Costs Too Much
East MAX: Not On schedule and Over Budget
West MAX: Not On schedule and Over Budget
I205 MAX: Not on budget, ridership low
Pickrell Report -Analysis of Rail Cost Over-runs
Delusion and Deception in Large Projects (local)
Five things about cost overrun (local)
Tri-Met’s Tangeled Web (a 1988 look at problems)
TriMet’s 2008 payroll shows $100k drivers
Portland light rail's mixed track record
Light Rail - Does too Little
Costs Too Much, Does Too Little
Rail carries too few people to relieve congestion
Light Rail Fails to Relieve Congestion
Transit DOES NOT reduce congestion
Transit cannot get people to most jobs
Light Rail does’t cause development-Subsidies Do
Auditor: Portland Streetcar Lies
(Portland Gives Millions in Development Subsidies)
Rail won’t save energy or reduce greenhouse gas
MAX system time chart (24 min to Gateway)
Bus is faster than MAX! (a lot faster!)
Light Rail & 12 lane freeway - reality
Portland’s Tram
Transit
Transit costs when you show ALL COSTS
FTA Annual Report on New Starts
Few low income people need transit
Transit costs more than driving cars.
Portland light rail costs including local matching dollars
Transit uses more energy than cars. Printable
Even big city transit DOES NOT save energy
Transit commutes take much longer than driving
Transit DOES NOT reduce congestion
Overview & History of Urban Transit (pdf)
Cars Improve Our Standard of Living
Bus Pollution-Union of Concerned Scientists (Lcl)
Coal Power Spew s Radiation, Mercury (Local)
Car Energy compared to Transit
Transit Costs 3X More than Driving Printable
THE PUBLIC COST OF URBAN TRANSPORTATION ALTERNATIVES. (Lcl)
GM and the Red Cars (Local Copy)
TriMet Service cut, ridership down (Local)
Europeans are Abandoning Transit Too Printable
Wendell Cox: Mass transit does not reduce congestion
Columbian: Light rail-big cost, little benefit (Wayback)
Analysis of Light Rail in Six Cities (Local Copy)
Don't believe us about light rail? Would you believe the Orange County Grand Jury?
Light Rail KILLS people at 250% the rate of Cars
How Light Rail Destroys Neighborhoods
MAX causes crime (More via Ortem.org)
How to ride MAX without being mugged
MAX runs red light, hits fire truck
TriMet can’t increase bus service because of rail
No new buses for 6 years to get rail money
Cars Improve Our Standard of Living
Who Needs It?
Who Really Wants Light Rail - Portland 1998?
Who Really Wants Light Rail - Vancouver 1994?
Who Really Wants Light Rail - Vancouver 2013
Who Really Wants Light Rail - Tigard 2014
Rail Tranist, a Land Developer Scheme? (Local )
is little more than a subsidy for developers.
public transport will not regain market share
Electrical Power Generation Stats
Portlanders: Congestion relief higher than education
Corrupt(?) Land Deal in Australia by Former TriMet boss more more local local local
The Streetcar is about density NOT transit
Development Oriented Transit (Local Copy)
“Most streetcar projects in the U.S. provide slow, unreliable service that does not serve many people” David Bragdon, (Former Metro Council President) brooklynpaper.com more local local
High Speed Rail
Shanghai High-Speed on a Fast Track to Nowhere
California Auditor’s Report (full PDF) Local
state’s ridership forecasts “are not reliable.” pdf
The Trouble with High-Speed Rail
Updated September 5, 2024
Bribery |
Cheaper & Better Transit |
EuroTranistShareLoss |
Elderly Travel |
GM & The Streetcar |
Commute Time Chart |
Top 10 Bus |
Clackamas Public Safety |
transit_congestion |
Why They “Need” More Money For Roads |
McLoughlin Plan |
CRC_Planning |
Zoneing Increases Cost, Hurts Economy |
High Rise |