Once an industrial hub focused on building and then dismantling ships around World War II, the neighborhood has changed greatly. As city zoning codes changed, so did the land uses within South Waterfront. Access to the river for industry became increasingly difficult and environmental regulatory changes made change imminent; for the better.
Plans for a mixed-use, vibrant urban neighborhood were outlined in the Central City Plan of 1988. Robust and well-balanced transportation modes were called out as vital for the success of this newly designed neighborhood.
'It features an efficient, well-planned and integrated transportation network that serves an eclectic and well-designed mix of buildings and open space.' Central City Plan, 1988
As of 2011, the South Waterfront District is achieving that multi-modal transportation vision. With Streetcar stops, bus lines, the aerial tram, bicycle lanes, and miles of sidewalk, the district has become a nationally recognized neighborhood for promoting a sustainable, low-carbon lifestyle. A number of projects have or will break ground soon including a new pedestrian bridge connecting South Waterfront to Lair Hill, Portland-Milwaukie Light rail (completed in 2015), a streetcar extension to Lake Oswego, and the redesign of the South Waterfront Greenway, from SW Lane Street to SW Gibbs Street, which will include separated pedestrian and bicycle lanes.
With transportation options increasing within the district and access to/from the district becoming less of an obstacle, coupled with an increasing residential and business population, the South Waterfront is truly becoming a model for sustainable living.
The Portland Aerial Tram connects the South Waterfront and Marquam Hill, where the OHSU hospital, physician clinics, research labs, and medical and dental schools are located. Cyclists can take their bike on the tram to Sam Jackson Park Road and Marquam Hill where hiking and biking trails connect to the Hoyt Arboretum and Forest Park.
Fares
Roundtrip Fare: $4.00
Children 6 & under ride free
Tram annual pass: $100.00
TriMet annual and monthly passes: honored
Portland Streetcar annual pass: honored
C-Tran monthly Portland Express pass: honored
Note: The Tram ticket machines located at the lower terminal only accept credit and debit cards, and quarters. They do not accept paper bills or other coins.
During regular business hours Tram tickets are available at the Pharmacy in the Center for Health and Healing Building.
Hours: Mon-Fri 5:30am-9:30pm, Sat 9:00am-5:00pm, Sun 1:00pm-5:00pm(May 16 – Sept. 19)
Closed Noted Holidays
Website: Portland Tram
Restaurants, shops, and entertainment throughout downtown Portland are easily accessible via the Portland Streetcar. The streetcar travels along an 8-mile loop through Portland State University campus and past the Portland Art Museum, downtown performing art venues and galleries in the Pearl District, and the shops and restaurants on Northwest 23rd Avenue. It also connects to the downtown transit mall for travel to NE Portland, Beaverton, Hillsboro, and the Portland International Airport. There are five stops in the South Waterfront District. The South Waterfront District is just outside of the Free Rail Zone, so fare is required.
Fare Information:
- Portland Streetcar fares are the same as TriMet's fares and the Streetcar accepts all valid TriMet passes/tickets.
- There is no charge to passengers riding entirely within the Free Rail Zone.
- All TriMet tickets and passes are honored on the Streetcar.
- The Annual Streetcar Pass is valid on the Portland Aerial Tram.
- Tickets are sold on-board the Streetcar at fareboxes.
- TriMet and Streetcar fares are valid all day on the Streetcar.
- Ticket may be used for transfer to TriMet buses and MAX lines.
- Tickets purchased on the Streetcar are valid for two (2) hours on TriMet buses and MAX.
Fare Pricing:
- Zone 1 & 2 Adult1: $2.05 - valid all day on Streetcar
- Honored Citizen2: $1.00 - Valid all day on Streetcar
- Youth3: $1.50 - Valid all day on Streetcar
- Streetcar-Only Annual Pass $100.00
1 Adult: 18-64
2 Honored Citizen: 65+, people on medicare and people with a disability
3 Youth: 7-17 and Students in high school or pursuing a GED
Streetcar-Only Annual Pass Information:
- Purchase Passes Online - Click Here
- Portland Streetcar assumes no responsibility for lost, stolen or damaged passes.
- Reproduction of annual passes is illegal; laminating is not allowed.
- Streetcar-Only Passes are available for in-person purchase at: P1516 NW Northrup, 503-823-2900
- TriMet Ticket Office at Pioneer Square, 503-962-2368
- Portland State University Information Center at PSU Urban Center, 503-725-9005.
- Umpqua Bank in South Waterfront, 503-288-5661.
Buses
35-Macadam/Greeley
To University of Portland:
To Oregon City TC
36-South Shore
To Lake Oswego TC or Portland:
Transit Tracker
Want to know exactly when the bus is going to pull up? Use Trimet's Transit Tracker either online or by phone at 503-238-RIDE (7433). Enter your Stop ID number to find out how soon your bus or train will arrive. Now you won't have to rush to your stop just to watch the bus leave; you can grab that cup of coffee or newspaper and know that you'll be at your stop in plenty of time.
Route Planning
Getting from point A to point B is easy with TriMet's Trip Planner. Enter your starting location, destination, estimated time of departure or when you'd like to arrive, and follow TriMet's directions for the quickest route to your destination. You can even change the parameters based on how far you're willing to walk and whether you want to avoid multiple transfers. It's a pretty slick tool for getting around the Portland Metro region.
LIGHT RAIL
TriMet's Light Rail currently has four lines.
Light Rail connection from the South Waterfront is easy by simply jumping on the Streetcar and transferring at Portland State University Campus or the Central City Library.
Portland State University Connections:
Central City Library Connections:
Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Project
The Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Project will create a light rail alignment that travels 7.3 miles, connecting Portland State University in downtown Portland, inner Southeast Portland, Milwaukie, and north Clackamas County. The project itself will create up to 14,500 jobs and generate up to $573 million in personal earnings.
MAX service on the alignment is scheduled to begin in 2015. By 2030, this future light rail line will carry up to an average of 27,400 weekday riders and there will be approximately 22,000 households and 85,000 employees within walking distance of Portland-Milwaukie light rail stations.
South Waterfront residents will have yet one more transportation option as connection to Portland's eastside will ultimately be accessible by light rail and streetcar using the Portland-Milwaukie bridge in 2015.
Related Links:
Simulation Gallery
Portland-Milwaukie Map
This historic trolley runs 7 miles between Portland and Lake Oswego along the Willamette River. Often called the Willamette Shore Trolley, this line passes through the Johns Landing area, by Willamette Park, and through scenic wooded areas. Trolley patrons currently ride in vintage cars on the old route, but there are discussions between city officials, citizen groups, and transportation representatives on whether a new streetcar line should be constructed along this route carrying patrons to Lake Oswego.
Related Links:
Willamette Shore Trolley
A new bike and pedestrian bridge will be constructed over I-5 to connect Lair Hill neighborhood with the South Waterfront District. The bridge will span approximately 700 feet, and will have a landing on the west side near the intersection of SW Gibbs Street and SW Kelly Avenue and on the east side near the intersection of SW Gibbs Street and SW Moody Avenue. The bridge will be adjacent to the aerial tram and will include improvements to some pedestrian crossings in the area.
Construction began in January 2011 and is expected to last one year. Wildish Standard Paving Co., a Eugene-based company with experience building roads and bridges throughout the Pacific Northwest, won the bid for construction. The construction bid was $6.7 million.
Related Links:
Gibbs Street Pedestrian Bridge
Sometimes you want to find a different way to get to work, one that combines work with play. The South Waterfront is conveniently connected to the 40-mile bike loop, so biking to work doesn't have to mean dodging cars.
Bike Lanes/Paths
- SW Moody Ave./SW Bood Ave. – Bike lanes along these two streets provide safe on-street space for cyclists to access the South Waterfront. For more information: Click Here.
- South Waterfront Greenway – When construction begins in 2012, separate bike and pedestrian paths will be placed in the Greenway. For more information: Click Here.
Helpful Hints When Parking Your Bike
- Lock the wheel and frame to the rack with a high-security, U-shaped lock.
- Be sure the rack itself is securely anchored.
Route Planning
- Metro has created a regional bike map showing the location of bike and multi-purpose lanes, along with roadways color-coded to indicate the degree of traffic congestion. For more information check out Metro's Bike There! Regional Bike Map
- South Waterfront TMA stocks a variety of bikeway maps produced by the cities of Portland and Vancouver. You can also check your local bike shop for maps and information.
- Look for "Bike Route" signs and follow bike lanes.
- ByCycle.org is an online route-planner similar to Mapquest or Google Maps, but designed specifically for bike trips.
Walking is the simplest alternative to driving for a short trip. All you need are comfortable shoes, and a will to wander. It's inexpensive, invigorating, and zero-emissions travel. In addition, you'll notice the richness of your neighborhood that is only a blur through the windshield of a car.
Local Pedestrian Paths/Trails
- Gibbs Street Pedestrian Bridge — This pedestrian and bicycle bridge will provide safe and convenient access between South Waterfront and Lair Hill. Funding was received by the Federal Highway Administration for this project. Work activities began during the week of January 10, 2011. Construction work is expected to last one year.
- South Waterfront Greenway — Following the South Waterfront Greenway Development Plan, the redevelopment will strive to balance the needs of the public and the health of the Willamette River. Construction is expected to be completed in January 2013.
Pedestrian Resources
Zipcar
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Zipcar is an international carsharing service with vehicles across the United States and Canada. Members have access to hundreds of late-model cars, trucks, SUVs, and more, not only in their home cities, but everywhere that Zipcars live. That includes Seattle, San Francisco, Vancouver BC — even New York, Chicago, and London! Zipcar has over 200 vehicles in Portland, including two in South Waterfront (SW Whitaker and SW Bond — the OHSU lot). Visit Zipcar's website and get up-to-date information, including discounts for South Waterfront residents and employees on vehicle plans and hourly rates.
Carpool NW
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CarpoolMatchNW.org is Oregon and Southwest Washington's carpool matching service. Easy to use, it works for one-time trips as well as routine commutes. To sign up, visit the website and enter your name, home address, email, and phone number as well as your commute origin and destination. The database then scans for matches and alerts you and your matches of the carpool potential. For security, the program only provides your matches with your first name, email, and an idea of your origin and destination.
- South Waterfront has its own on-street designated carpool parking spots. 30 spaces are open from 6:00 am to 10:00 am M-F. New carpool locations are:
- West side of SW Moody Avenue between SW Pennoyer Street and SW Gaines Street.
- South side of SW Gaines Street between SW Moody Avenue and SW Macadam Avenue.
- North side of SW Bancroft Street between SW Bond Avenue and SW Moody Avenue.
- East side of SW Bond Avenue between SW Bancroft Street and SW Lowell Street.
For more information about the City of Portland application and carpool parking permits, click here.
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