Fremont Street bus gets new number to go with service cuts
Now it's called the 24, and it no longer makes it past Emanuel Hospital going west toward the river. No more ride over to the Widmer zone on Interstate, and for a denizen of Fremont to get across the river, he or she will have to stand in the rain to connect to the 4 at the hospital, the 6 on MLK, the 8 on 15th Avenue, or the 9 on 24th Avenue. No more night or weekend bus on Fremont, going anywhere, either.
This is the third number that the Fremont route has had since I started riding it nearly three decades ago. Years ago, it was called the 41, and more recently until now, the 33. The fact that it no longer goes downtown makes it pretty useless for a lot of us former riders. RIP -- go by streetcar.
The bus on NE 33rd Avenue no longer goes downtown, either. It used to be called the 10 and it went downtown. Now it's the sickly 73, dead-heading at the Rose Quarter. Why have sensible buses that actually get people there when you can force them out into the elements and onto a high-priced train?
| Posted at 10:17 PM | Permalink |
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Comments (7)
Sorry, Jack. "Go by streetcar" doesn't work in this case.
According to the Streetcar System Concept Plan (5MB PDF) adopted by our progressive council, Fremont is on the no-go list for any streetcar extension.
Don't worry, though. The city will probably take out the parking on Fremont to make a bike lane. Go by bike!
Posted by Garage Wine | September 19, 2009 7:13 AM
Who goes downtown anymore?
Posted by John Benton | September 19, 2009 8:21 AM
NO driving, no bus service...
I long for the days of the old Rose City Transit Co. I think that privately run entity actually made a profit too at some point, and I recall the service was pretty good too.
Of course my mother(She is now 98!)
remembers the original streetcar system 85 years ago; one of the routes ran on Hawthorne from downtown. The original street cars were horse powered...really!
But some folks want to ban the horses too.
Posted by portland native | September 19, 2009 8:22 AM
you all voted for this when you continue to vote these folks into office.
Posted by richard/s | September 19, 2009 9:18 AM
Who voted TriMet leaders into office?
Posted by none | September 19, 2009 2:30 PM
Stopping at the hospital is just plain STUPID!
What the hell is wrong with the people planning this stuff?
Posted by al m | September 19, 2009 8:44 PM
Nice to see Tri(ed)Met(ButNoGo) is now screwing routes on the East side for a change. Pretty soon the whole bus system will be in major decline due to decisions to continue to make it unusable.
Go By Streetcar, in deed.
Posted by LucsAdvo | September 19, 2009 9:48 PM