Portland, Oregon's OHSU's New Aerial Tram

The Portland/OHSU South Waterfront Development and Aerial Tram System is a unique project. When completed, it will be the first aerial tram of its kind in the world.

High above the treetops and homes on Portland's West Hills, the Oregon Health & Science University's new $57 million aerial tram will soon be carrying passengers between the South Waterfront campus and Marquam Hill, OHSU's main campus. It is expected to make its debut in January, 2007.

The new expansion project in the South Waterfront district will add over 10,000 new jobs and will reconnect adjacent neighborhoods to the river, creating a new, vibrant live/work district for Portland. The tram affords exciting panoramic views of Mt. Hood, the Willamette River and Portland's skyline.

The aerial tram will be able to quickly link doctors, nurses, engineers, scientists, patients and students between the two OHSU campuses. More patients will find it easier to access services as ample parking and good public transportation will conveniently be combined at a centrally located point. The area surrounding the waterfront terminus will include nature trails, bike trails and pedestrian paths.

The completion date is expected in late January, 2007. Two 79-passenger cars, which can transport 980 passengers/hour in each direction, will take 3 minutes from campus to campus, The tram will travel at 22 miles/hour and will depart every 5 minutes during peak hours. Each tram car will have an on-board operator.

Bicycle Commuters:

Portland, Oregon, is known as the "best overall city for bicycling in North America" (Bicycling Magazine), and there are an estimated 500-600 bike commuters daily going to the OHSU campuses. Bicycles will have their place on the new tram system too. The tram car is designed for roll-on, roll-off bike access, and bike commuters are being encouraged to use the tram. New bike facilities have been included on both ends of the route. Two secured bike parking cages were built in the riverfront parking garage and 82 new bicycle parking spaces will be available at the tower at South waterfront campus.

Bike accommodations on the Marquam Hill campus are already quite adequate. OHSU currently has 230 bike racks and 32 bike lockers, as well as six bike banks. When the construction is complete, OHSU will have 420 bike racks, 32 bike lockers and six bike banks. There are four new shower and changing rooms added to the already available ones at the Marquam Hill campus, and the new wellness center at the waterfront will offer a special bike commuter membership to use the shower and changing facilities there.

About OHSU:

Oregon Health & Sciences University is the state's only health and research university. OHSU has nearly 3,200 research projects underway and has had thousands of clinical innovations and research breakthroughs. (Please see the link below for a list of the research projects and to see what OHSU has accomplished.)

In 1867, the University of Oregon established the first medical school in the Pacific Northwest and in 1917 the present 116 acre Marquam Hill campus was started on a 20 acre tract of land donated by the Oregon-Washington Railroad and Navigation Company, and 88 additional acres donated by the C.S. Jackson family, the former publisher of the Oregon Journal Newspaper. In 1919, The University of Oregon Medical School moved from downtown Portland to its present location on Marquam Hill in southwest Portland.

Today, OHSU includes 33 major buildings on the Marquam Hill campus as well as numerous facilities throughout the Portland metropolitan and tri-county areas. In 2001, the institution changed its name to Oregon Health & Sciences University.http://www.ohsu.edu/about/mission/research/breakthroughs.cfm