PORTLAND PLACES: The South Waterfront & The OHSU Aerial Tram by Robert D. West

South Waterfront & Aerial Tram

Portland's South Waterfront is one of Portland's newest and fastest-growing neighborhoods. With a series of high-rise buildings, and connections to the Portland Aerial Tram, the Portland Streetcar and the Willamette Shore Trolley (which may become a streetcar extension to Lake Oswego), the area is well connected and modern. Here is a look at the South Waterfront as it looked in the summer of 2007.

Portland's South Waterfront is served by the Portland Streetcar's Lowell Extension, which opened on August 17, 2007. Here is Portland Streetcar #004 on SW Moody Street on the Lowell Extension.

This monument marks the site of Portland's first cabin, built in 1842 by William Johnson, a sailor on Old Ironsides in the War of 1812. It was erected by U.S. Daughters of 1812. This entire block of green space is scheduled to become the South Waterfront Neighborhood Park by 2009. In its undeveloped state, the Portland Development Commission allowed the informal public use of the space. The developed park will be managed by Portland Parks & Recreation.

These are some of the new buildings on the South Waterfront. Most of them are condominiums. The two towers on the left are the Meriwether. The John Ross Tower is on the right. The other tall building is Atwater Place.

This building is Oregon Health Science University's new Center for Health & Healing. The South Waterfront will also be the future home of OHSU's Schnitzer Campus. OHSU's expansion into the South Waterfront was the driving factor behind the construction of the Portland Aerial Tram.

Portland Aerial Tram

The main reason for this page is to show off the view from the new Portland Aerial Tram.

The Portland Aerial Tram opened in 2007. At its typical speed of 22 miles per hour, It takes about three minutes to travel 3,300 feet from the South Waterfront to the 9th Floor of OHSU's Peter O. Kohler Pavilion on Marquam Hill, 500 feet higher. The tram cars have a capacity of 78 passengers plus an operator. They are designed to look like bubbles floating in the sky. The cars are named Walt and Jean, after Walt Reynolds, OHSU's first African-American graduate and Jean Richardson, Oregon's first female engineering graduate from Oregon State University. Both graduated in 1949. Walt is the north car and Jean is the south car. The Upper Terminal is named Chameffu, meaning "on the mountain" and the Lower Terminal is named Chamanchal, for "on the water." Both names are from the Tualatin Indian language.

These two pictures show the Portland Aerial Tram from along the Springwater Trail on the other side of the Willamette River, which is just about the only place on land to photograph the entire tram in a single photograph.

Here is Portland Aerial Tram car Jean coming in to the Lower Terminal. The last picture shows passengers boarding the car for the trip up to Marquam Hill.

Here is Portland Aerial Tram car Walt boarding and then departing from the Lower Terminal.

The tram cars have to gain elevation quickly as they leave the lower terminal, but then make a more gradual climb the rest of the way. This tower is where the tram cars make the transition. After passing this tower, the tram cars tend to sway noticeably back and forth, which is a little disconcerting for some passengers.

Aboard the tram, just after making the transition at the tower, the tram crosses over Interstate 5, and offers a look back at the new construction on Portland's South Waterfront.

As the tram makes its trip, is offers a continually changing view of downtown Portland's skyline. Wells Fargo Center and KOIN Center are prominent in these views.

This view of Portland from the Aerial Tram shows the Hawthorne Bridge, Morrison Bridge and Burnside Bridge over the Willamette River. In the background are the Oregon Convention Center, Steel Bridge, Rose Garden and part of the Memorial Coliseum.

Here is a view looking over northwest Portland from the Portland Aerial Tram with the Fremont Bridge in the background.

Here are a series of views of the Marquam Bridge from the Portland Aerial Tram.

Here is a view of the Ross Island Bridge from the Portland Aerial Tram.

A somewhat exciting moment occurs halfway through the journey, as the two Portland Aerial Tram cars approach and pass each other. These pictures were taken aboard Jean as Walt approaches and passes.

As the Portland Aerial Tram approached the upper terminal, some interesting views of OHSU's Marquam Hill Campus are available, including these of the Casey Eye Institute Building and the long pedestrian skywalk.

The observation deck at the Upper Terminal offers some incredible views of Portland, unobstructed by windows.

This view of Portland shows the Hawthorne Bridge, Morrison Bridge & Burnside Bridge across the Willamette River with the Oregon Convention Center in the background.

The view of downtown Portland's skyline from the Upper Terminal is somewhat interrupted by trees, but the tallest buildings like Wells Fargo Center and KOIN Center are still visible.

These views from the Upper Terminal show the new buildings and the South Terminal on the South Waterfront.

This unique view of the Marquam Bridge from the Upper Terminal shows the Interstate 5-Interstate 405/U.S. 26 interchange. In the background on the other side of the river is the Oregon Museum of Science & Industry with the USS Blueback submarine.

This is a view from the Upper Terminal of the Administration Building-Ross Island Campus of the National College of Natural Medicine. I don't really know anything about it but the large interesting-looking old building caught my eye.

Here is Portland Aerial Tram car Jean leaving the Upper Terminal and continuing down to pass the other tram car.

Here is Portland Aerial Tram car Walt approaching the Upper Terminal. Note that the passengers inside can be seen through the tinted windows if the car is close enough.

Here is a closeup view of the mechanism of a Portland Aerial Tram car that rides on the cables.

Here is a closeup view of the cable mechanism at the Upper Terminal of the Portland Aerial Tram.