Portland Aerial Tram History

In 1999, OHSU developed a 20-year Master Facilities Plan to address OHSU's future growth. The plan recognized that OHSU's ability to expand on Marquam Hill was severely limited due to site and road constraints. OHSU considered other expansion scenarios, but together with the city identified South Waterfront as the best expansion site, assuming a rapid and reliable transit connection between the campus and the waterfront could be established.

A study was commissioned to look at the many connection alternatives, and it concluded that a tram was the best solution. This then led to Portland's first international design competition. From December 2002 to March 2003, firms from around the world competed for the privilege of designing the Portland Aerial Tram.

After a series of public lectures and design discussions, the competition came to a close on March 26, 2003, when a six-member jury unanimously selected Angel/Graham/Pfenninger/Scholl Architecture, based in Zurich, Switzerland and Los Angeles to design the Tram.

The custom-designed cabins were manufactured by Gangloff Cabins of Bern, Switzerland, and the Doppelmayr/Garaventa Group of Switzerland and its North American subsidiary, Doppelmayr CTEC-designed, engineered and built the operating system. Doppelmayr CTEC also will operate the Tram under a contract with OHSU, which has responsibility for the Tram's daily operations. Doppelmayr and its subsidiaries have a 120-year history in the aerial ropeway industry. They have built and continue to service more than 13,300 cable transportation systems in 70 different countries, and they build about 170 new ones every year.

Before the Tram was even running, it became a catalyst for investment dollars in South Waterfront, with even greater investment expected in the future. This area has proved to be a significant and vital addition to the development and growth of Portland's future.

Some controversy arose as the Tram's costs grew beyond the original estimates as a result of design improvements, growing steel costs and other factors. However, efforts were successful in ensuring that the increased costs did not tap into the City's General Funds. The city's contribution accounts for 15 percent, and that money comes from property tax revenues that legally must be spent on South Waterfront infrastructure, such as the Tram. OHSU, its development partners and other property owners in South Waterfront will pay the remainder of the costs.

On August 19, 2006, the 75-foot, 75,000 pound steel truss sky bridge linking the upper tram terminal to the Kohler Pavilion was lifted into place. Soon after, the 195-foot intermediate tower on Macadam Avenue was finished, and the saddles that carry the ropeway were installed on top. In December, 2006 to Portland Aerial Tram began its Operational Phase and opened for OHSU employees and students. On January 27, the Tram opens to the public.

For more history of the tram, visit the City of Portland Office of Transportation website.

www.portlandonline.com.

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