Contenido

A finales de 2001 OHSU compró una propiedad en la zona de South Waterfront (entonces conocida como North Macadam), con planes de expansión. Después de estudiar varias formas de transporte, incluyendo autobuses de enlace, telecabinas, túneles e incluso funiculares para conectar el campus principal de OHSU en Marquam Hill con el área de expansión prevista, la universidad solicitó el apoyo de la ciudad para la construcción de un teleférico.[24]​.

Planning and design

In early 2002, the nonprofit Portland Aerial Transportation, Inc. (PATI) was formed.[25] One of its first public actions was to ask the Portland Department of Transportation (PDOT) to conduct an independent analysis of connection options previously considered by the university and supporters of its expansion project. In May 2002, the Portland City Council (Oregon City Council) accepted the proposal for the analysis process that PDOT would carry out and also accepted PATI as a sponsor of the project. PDOT's evaluation reached the same conclusion that OHSU had reached before: a cable car was the preferred method of transportation. PDOT also recommended a second train connecting the Marquam Hill area to a transit center on SW Barbur Boulevard. In July 2002, the City Council accepted PDOT's recommendations and asked PDOT and PATI to move to the design phase, including a design competition.[26] Both entities were also asked to work with residents of the affected neighborhoods to identify ways to mitigate the impact of the cable car and to determine other neighborhood improvements that they believed should accompany the project; one of the results of that process was the Gibbs Street Pedestrian Bridge, which was completed in mid-2012.

The design competition began by identifying four companies that would participate in it. It officially began in January 2003, with firms from New York, Amsterdam and Los Angeles/Zurich as finalists. On March 26, 2003, the winner, Angelil Graham Pfenninger Scholl, based in Los Angeles/Zurich, was announced.[27] In November PATI chose Doppelmayr CTEC to design, manufacture and install the cable car. The first public review of the status of the project was in November 2003.

Construction and opening

Construction began in August 2005; During the summer of that year, construction work was carried out on both platforms and the intermediate tower. Most construction took place in 2006. Engines and other equipment were installed during the spring and early summer of 2006, followed by cable installation in late summer and early fall.[28]

On October 29, 2006, the two cable car cabins arrived from Switzerland after a week's delay. Testing on the cable car continued throughout November.[28]​ The cable car opened its doors to OHSU employees on December 15, 2006,[31]​ and to the public on January 27, 2007.[32]​.

Durante su construcción, el costo del proyecto rebasó significativamente los cálculos originales; terminó costando casi cuatro veces la cifra estimada al principio, lo que prácticamente llevó a la cancelación del teleférico a mitad de camino. Los costos de operación son casi el doble de las proyecciones originales.[14]​ Cuando la ciudad aprobó el proyecto del teleférico, quedó entendido que OHSU pagaría por la mayor parte.[33]​ Mientras que el porcentaje pagado por los contribuyentes ha crecido, OHSU pagó el 85% del costo total del teleférico, aunque este funciona como parte de la red de transporte público.[6]​.

Initial calculations and financing

The original budget for the cable car, released in November 2002, was $15.5 million, excluding intangible costs such as project management and architect fees.[34]​ Funding sources for the $15.5 million include a $4 million direct cash contribution from OHSU; $9.5 million from local improvement districts established to fund cable car construction (OHSU's portion is $4.8 million, while the remaining $3.7 million is paid by other property owners in the South Waterfront Local Improvement District); and $2 million comes from the city through the Portland Development Commission.

The second public review was held in April 2004 to present recommendations on the project before the city council evaluated them in May. By then costs were estimated at $28.5 million, including intangible costs. The city's share at the time was $3.5 million.[34] In April 2005, the price was reset again to $40 million,[34] with a six-month construction delay; These changes were attributed to the increase in the cost of steel, the decline of the dollar, and modifications to the technical design. In October The Oregonian reported that the rise in the price of steel had led to bid offers raising the cost of the project (including contingency funds) to $45 million. The increase was expected to be absorbed through contributions from the South Waterfront area for urban renewal that would otherwise have been invested in streets and parks.[35]

Project review

In January 2006, Portland Councilman Sam Adams, who inherited oversight of the project, took several actions in response to rising costs. PATI's executive director was removed,[36]​ and an independent risk assessment and audit were carried out for a month; The results were published on February 1, 2006. At this point more than a third of the construction had been completed.[37]​.

The audit revealed that OHSU leadership knew as early as 2003 that the cost of the cable car would be well above the original figure of $15.5 million, in part due to a change in the location of the upper terminal to allow for a scheduled hospital construction project, but had withheld that information from city leaders. This led to public criticism of OHSU leadership, with City Councilman Randy Leonard accusing them of committing a "scam...all at the expense of taxpayers."[38] As a result, the city of Portland threatened to pull funding with the cable car half-built, which likely would have sunk the project. OHSU protested vigorously, threatening lawsuits if the cable car was canceled, and asserted that the city was responsible for covering any budget shortfalls. Negotiations between the city, OHSU, and contractors followed, and a revised funding plan and budget was agreed upon in April 2006, with a 3-2 vote on the city council. This revised funding plan required concessions from all sides. the parties involved and established a final budget of $57 million, with contributions from the city of $8.5 million, or about 15% of the total budget.[41]​ The provisions of this final budget were carried out.

Operation costs

The cable car's operating costs are also higher than expected. They were originally expected to be $915,000 a year, but are now expected to be $1.7 million. Consequently, it was decided that the fare, which was originally going to cost only $1.70, would cost $4, about the same as two TriMet tickets valid in all zones ($4.60).[42]​ OHSU employees, students, patients and visitors are exempt, as are those with TriMet or Portland Streetcar passes, or C-Tran rapid service passes (for lines to downtown Portland from Vancouver).[14]​ Operating costs are divided between the city and OHSU in proportion to the number of riders (i.e., if 85% of riders are tied to OHSU, OHSU pays 85% of operating costs.)[43]​.

Incluso antes de los sobrecostos que plagaron el diseño y la construcción del teleférico, el proyecto había sido objeto de críticas por parte del público. Muchos de los residentes de los barrios bajo la ruta del teleférico objetaron a su presencia. Tanto el aumento de costos en sí mismo como lo que el público percibió como maquinaciones de los funcionarios han sido motivo de controversia. Algunos consideran que el proyecto es un mal uso de fondos públicos sin importar su costo, ya sea porque no ofrece beneficios a aquellos no asociados con OHSU, o debido a su oposición a este tipo de proyectos en general.

Objections from neighborhoods under the cable car line

Many residents of the Corbett-Terwilliger and Lair Hill neighborhoods, over which the cable car passes, feared that the cabins would violate their privacy and consequently lower property values.[44] Neighbors were initially promised that the overhead power cables would go underground, but when costs increased this plan was scrapped.[45] Opponents of the cable car who live in the neighborhood have cited other reasons for their opposition, including the The fact that the North Corbett area is a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[46] Some residents filed a lawsuit against the city and OHSU, claiming they own the "airspace" above their properties;[47] the city later offered to purchase the homes directly below the cable car line at fair market value.[47]

Even after its completion, the cable car remains unpopular with some who live beneath its route. In April 2007, Justin Auld, a homeowner below the cable car line, posted a sign on his roof that said "FUCK THE CABLE CAR" in large letters; The sign is not visible from the street, only from the air. Authorities investigated whether the sign violated any laws.[48]​ The publicity generated by the sign caused city authorities to negotiate discreetly with the owner,[49]​ and the sign has been moved and the expletive covered.[50]​.

Concerns about cost

Both OHSU and the city of Portland have received a lot of criticism for the project's escalating costs. Local television station KATU compared the price of the Portland cable car with that of a new cable car at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, which was built by the same company, and which was projected (in 2007) to carry 28% more passengers over a distance three and a half times longer and eight times higher, but at a cost of only $25 million.[6][51][52]​.

Cable car supporters, however, claimed that many of the increases were justified, or due to circumstances beyond the construction company's control. The auditor's report, commissioned in 2006, commended the cable car as "an imposing, one-of-a-kind facility that will become a landmark in Portland," noting that the design was difficult to construct and required a tall, thin, complex tower and a highly loaded, elevated upper terminal to be erected within very tight tolerances.[53]

Special risks cited include:.

• - an extremely limited site for the construction of the upper terminal;.

• - the combination of complex European mechanical and electrical systems with a sophisticated US steel structure and infrastructure presented technical challenges and risks due to conflicts between the two business cultures and management procedures;.

• - the need to install cable car cables over an interstate highway and state highways.[53]​.

Additionally, it is claimed that planning changes delayed the completion of the cable car. One of the cable car's designers noted that "if we add up all the times we turned back to try to save money, we probably lost a year. Maybe we saved $2 million, but what did we lose? If we had had one more year, that would have meant a lot."[54]

Concerns over unjustified subsidies to corporations

Some critics cite the cable car as an example of "welfare" for OHSU with limited benefits to the public.[55] While the public can easily access the lower station, access to the upper station requires passing through the OHSU hospital. A study conducted by OHSU in 2001, before the cable car was designed, predicted that the cable car would have 4,700 passengers per day in 2030, with users not connected to OHSU being less than a fifth (850) of them. Cascade Policy Institute, a local libertarian research group, criticized the project because “small private interest groups pushed it into overdrive through the process.” political”, and expressed doubts that the construction of the cable car would create new jobs.[56]​.

Others argue that while escalating public costs are a real problem, the importance of OHSU's sustained growth to the city's economy must be taken into account as well. Not only is it the largest employer in the city, but it is also an important and effective vehicle to attract both federal funds,[57]​ which totaled more than 168 million dollars during 2005, and highly qualified labor to the area. Growth on the campus at Marquam Hill is limited by access roads and parking, and its expansion would likely cause more serious harm to surrounding communities.[58]​.

The cable car has been praised for its visual impact. Critic Jeff Jahn of PortlandArt.net called it "the most important architectural element added to Portland since Michael Graves' Portland Building in 1980." 2007.[60]​.

According to Councilman Sam Adams, a cheaper alternative, which would have changed the tower's design to the lattice style used in electrical transmission towers, was not considered because the result would have been an "ugly chairlift at a cheap ski resort,"[61]​ and would have left the city with an "ugly postcard" that could have lasted 100 years.[61]​.

• - Official website.

• - Archive of The Oregonian articles related to the cable car, including a diagram of a cable car cabin.

• - South Portland Neighborhood Organization website.

Contenido

A finales de 2001 OHSU compró una propiedad en la zona de South Waterfront (entonces conocida como North Macadam), con planes de expansión. Después de estudiar varias formas de transporte, incluyendo autobuses de enlace, telecabinas, túneles e incluso funiculares para conectar el campus principal de OHSU en Marquam Hill con el área de expansión prevista, la universidad solicitó el apoyo de la ciudad para la construcción de un teleférico.[24]​.

Planning and design

In early 2002, the nonprofit Portland Aerial Transportation, Inc. (PATI) was formed.[25] One of its first public actions was to ask the Portland Department of Transportation (PDOT) to conduct an independent analysis of connection options previously considered by the university and supporters of its expansion project. In May 2002, the Portland City Council (Oregon City Council) accepted the proposal for the analysis process that PDOT would carry out and also accepted PATI as a sponsor of the project. PDOT's evaluation reached the same conclusion that OHSU had reached before: a cable car was the preferred method of transportation. PDOT also recommended a second train connecting the Marquam Hill area to a transit center on SW Barbur Boulevard. In July 2002, the City Council accepted PDOT's recommendations and asked PDOT and PATI to move to the design phase, including a design competition.[26] Both entities were also asked to work with residents of the affected neighborhoods to identify ways to mitigate the impact of the cable car and to determine other neighborhood improvements that they believed should accompany the project; one of the results of that process was the Gibbs Street Pedestrian Bridge, which was completed in mid-2012.

The design competition began by identifying four companies that would participate in it. It officially began in January 2003, with firms from New York, Amsterdam and Los Angeles/Zurich as finalists. On March 26, 2003, the winner, Angelil Graham Pfenninger Scholl, based in Los Angeles/Zurich, was announced.[27] In November PATI chose Doppelmayr CTEC to design, manufacture and install the cable car. The first public review of the status of the project was in November 2003.

Construction and opening

Construction began in August 2005; During the summer of that year, construction work was carried out on both platforms and the intermediate tower. Most construction took place in 2006. Engines and other equipment were installed during the spring and early summer of 2006, followed by cable installation in late summer and early fall.[28]

On October 29, 2006, the two cable car cabins arrived from Switzerland after a week's delay. Testing on the cable car continued throughout November.[28]​ The cable car opened its doors to OHSU employees on December 15, 2006,[31]​ and to the public on January 27, 2007.[32]​.

Durante su construcción, el costo del proyecto rebasó significativamente los cálculos originales; terminó costando casi cuatro veces la cifra estimada al principio, lo que prácticamente llevó a la cancelación del teleférico a mitad de camino. Los costos de operación son casi el doble de las proyecciones originales.[14]​ Cuando la ciudad aprobó el proyecto del teleférico, quedó entendido que OHSU pagaría por la mayor parte.[33]​ Mientras que el porcentaje pagado por los contribuyentes ha crecido, OHSU pagó el 85% del costo total del teleférico, aunque este funciona como parte de la red de transporte público.[6]​.

Initial calculations and financing

The original budget for the cable car, released in November 2002, was $15.5 million, excluding intangible costs such as project management and architect fees.[34]​ Funding sources for the $15.5 million include a $4 million direct cash contribution from OHSU; $9.5 million from local improvement districts established to fund cable car construction (OHSU's portion is $4.8 million, while the remaining $3.7 million is paid by other property owners in the South Waterfront Local Improvement District); and $2 million comes from the city through the Portland Development Commission.

The second public review was held in April 2004 to present recommendations on the project before the city council evaluated them in May. By then costs were estimated at $28.5 million, including intangible costs. The city's share at the time was $3.5 million.[34] In April 2005, the price was reset again to $40 million,[34] with a six-month construction delay; These changes were attributed to the increase in the cost of steel, the decline of the dollar, and modifications to the technical design. In October The Oregonian reported that the rise in the price of steel had led to bid offers raising the cost of the project (including contingency funds) to $45 million. The increase was expected to be absorbed through contributions from the South Waterfront area for urban renewal that would otherwise have been invested in streets and parks.[35]

Project review

In January 2006, Portland Councilman Sam Adams, who inherited oversight of the project, took several actions in response to rising costs. PATI's executive director was removed,[36]​ and an independent risk assessment and audit were carried out for a month; The results were published on February 1, 2006. At this point more than a third of the construction had been completed.[37]​.

The audit revealed that OHSU leadership knew as early as 2003 that the cost of the cable car would be well above the original figure of $15.5 million, in part due to a change in the location of the upper terminal to allow for a scheduled hospital construction project, but had withheld that information from city leaders. This led to public criticism of OHSU leadership, with City Councilman Randy Leonard accusing them of committing a "scam...all at the expense of taxpayers."[38] As a result, the city of Portland threatened to pull funding with the cable car half-built, which likely would have sunk the project. OHSU protested vigorously, threatening lawsuits if the cable car was canceled, and asserted that the city was responsible for covering any budget shortfalls. Negotiations between the city, OHSU, and contractors followed, and a revised funding plan and budget was agreed upon in April 2006, with a 3-2 vote on the city council. This revised funding plan required concessions from all sides. the parties involved and established a final budget of $57 million, with contributions from the city of $8.5 million, or about 15% of the total budget.[41]​ The provisions of this final budget were carried out.

Operation costs

The cable car's operating costs are also higher than expected. They were originally expected to be $915,000 a year, but are now expected to be $1.7 million. Consequently, it was decided that the fare, which was originally going to cost only $1.70, would cost $4, about the same as two TriMet tickets valid in all zones ($4.60).[42]​ OHSU employees, students, patients and visitors are exempt, as are those with TriMet or Portland Streetcar passes, or C-Tran rapid service passes (for lines to downtown Portland from Vancouver).[14]​ Operating costs are divided between the city and OHSU in proportion to the number of riders (i.e., if 85% of riders are tied to OHSU, OHSU pays 85% of operating costs.)[43]​.

Incluso antes de los sobrecostos que plagaron el diseño y la construcción del teleférico, el proyecto había sido objeto de críticas por parte del público. Muchos de los residentes de los barrios bajo la ruta del teleférico objetaron a su presencia. Tanto el aumento de costos en sí mismo como lo que el público percibió como maquinaciones de los funcionarios han sido motivo de controversia. Algunos consideran que el proyecto es un mal uso de fondos públicos sin importar su costo, ya sea porque no ofrece beneficios a aquellos no asociados con OHSU, o debido a su oposición a este tipo de proyectos en general.

Objections from neighborhoods under the cable car line

Many residents of the Corbett-Terwilliger and Lair Hill neighborhoods, over which the cable car passes, feared that the cabins would violate their privacy and consequently lower property values.[44] Neighbors were initially promised that the overhead power cables would go underground, but when costs increased this plan was scrapped.[45] Opponents of the cable car who live in the neighborhood have cited other reasons for their opposition, including the The fact that the North Corbett area is a historic district listed on the National Register of Historic Places.[46] Some residents filed a lawsuit against the city and OHSU, claiming they own the "airspace" above their properties;[47] the city later offered to purchase the homes directly below the cable car line at fair market value.[47]

Even after its completion, the cable car remains unpopular with some who live beneath its route. In April 2007, Justin Auld, a homeowner below the cable car line, posted a sign on his roof that said "FUCK THE CABLE CAR" in large letters; The sign is not visible from the street, only from the air. Authorities investigated whether the sign violated any laws.[48]​ The publicity generated by the sign caused city authorities to negotiate discreetly with the owner,[49]​ and the sign has been moved and the expletive covered.[50]​.

Concerns about cost

Both OHSU and the city of Portland have received a lot of criticism for the project's escalating costs. Local television station KATU compared the price of the Portland cable car with that of a new cable car at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort, which was built by the same company, and which was projected (in 2007) to carry 28% more passengers over a distance three and a half times longer and eight times higher, but at a cost of only $25 million.[6][51][52]​.

Cable car supporters, however, claimed that many of the increases were justified, or due to circumstances beyond the construction company's control. The auditor's report, commissioned in 2006, commended the cable car as "an imposing, one-of-a-kind facility that will become a landmark in Portland," noting that the design was difficult to construct and required a tall, thin, complex tower and a highly loaded, elevated upper terminal to be erected within very tight tolerances.[53]

Special risks cited include:.

• - an extremely limited site for the construction of the upper terminal;.

• - the combination of complex European mechanical and electrical systems with a sophisticated US steel structure and infrastructure presented technical challenges and risks due to conflicts between the two business cultures and management procedures;.

• - the need to install cable car cables over an interstate highway and state highways.[53]​.

Additionally, it is claimed that planning changes delayed the completion of the cable car. One of the cable car's designers noted that "if we add up all the times we turned back to try to save money, we probably lost a year. Maybe we saved $2 million, but what did we lose? If we had had one more year, that would have meant a lot."[54]

Concerns over unjustified subsidies to corporations

Some critics cite the cable car as an example of "welfare" for OHSU with limited benefits to the public.[55] While the public can easily access the lower station, access to the upper station requires passing through the OHSU hospital. A study conducted by OHSU in 2001, before the cable car was designed, predicted that the cable car would have 4,700 passengers per day in 2030, with users not connected to OHSU being less than a fifth (850) of them. Cascade Policy Institute, a local libertarian research group, criticized the project because “small private interest groups pushed it into overdrive through the process.” political”, and expressed doubts that the construction of the cable car would create new jobs.[56]​.

Others argue that while escalating public costs are a real problem, the importance of OHSU's sustained growth to the city's economy must be taken into account as well. Not only is it the largest employer in the city, but it is also an important and effective vehicle to attract both federal funds,[57]​ which totaled more than 168 million dollars during 2005, and highly qualified labor to the area. Growth on the campus at Marquam Hill is limited by access roads and parking, and its expansion would likely cause more serious harm to surrounding communities.[58]​.

The cable car has been praised for its visual impact. Critic Jeff Jahn of PortlandArt.net called it "the most important architectural element added to Portland since Michael Graves' Portland Building in 1980." 2007.[60]​.

According to Councilman Sam Adams, a cheaper alternative, which would have changed the tower's design to the lattice style used in electrical transmission towers, was not considered because the result would have been an "ugly chairlift at a cheap ski resort,"[61]​ and would have left the city with an "ugly postcard" that could have lasted 100 years.[61]​.

• - Official website.

• - Archive of The Oregonian articles related to the cable car, including a diagram of a cable car cabin.

• - South Portland Neighborhood Organization website.