OMG!
The tram will be down??!!
Oh yea, I don't use that.
Actually I never have used it nor do I know anybody that actually does use it.
Who paid for that anyway?

Imagine the revenue loss.

I suspect OH&SU keeps a small fleet of buses and drivers on ready stand-by just in case of a Tram failure. The idea of such a fleet seems so horrendously wasteful and therefore totally logical, right?

No problem. The carnival rides at the waterfront will be there through wednesday.

Considering there's potentially some damage to the tram, and certainly some loss of revenue due to the shutdown, it would an interesting legal question to see if OHSU's insurance can go after GNB's business insurance for losses.

I would guess that OHSU is already thinking about this. It certainly won't help their popularity in this area, and it would send another one-finger salute to the neighbors that have to live under that thing.

It might be the city's call. Remember, the city built the thing, because it's benefiting us all.

Abe:

There is actually an OHSU shuttle service, that DOES have a route that DOES connect the Marquam Hill campus with the South Waterfront, thus duplicating the Tram route.

http://www.ohsu.edu/cdrc/administration/maps_directions/public_trans_portland.html?WT_rank=1

http://www.ohsu.edu/logistics/CampusShuttleScheduleOct2006.pdf

OHSU maintains a fleet of minibuses (several of which, if not all, do not have a wheelchair lift) which is similar to a TriMet LIFT bus.

Not to mention the various TriMet routes that exist SPECIFICALLY for OHSU: Lines 61, 64, 65, 66, 68. (The line 8 also goes up to OHSU, but continues as a route in N.E. Portland that has nothing to do with OHSU.)

The VA Hospital also has a shuttle system but it links the Portland and Vancouver campuses, which by using TriMet/C-Tran would require at least three transfers.

http://www.visn20.med.va.gov/portland/MC/Documents/shuttle.pdf

(The VA Shuttle is a Blue Bird bus which is not unlike a school bus, but painted blue and is otherwise unmarked.)

PCC also maintains a bus system to connect its various campuses; so does the Port of Portland (for the airport). And the Portland Water Bureau also owns several buses, including one manufactured by a company which is more well known for manufacturing limos (Krystal Enterprises).

That the tram is not needed -- indeed, it was never needed in the first place -- is not breaking news. Lately it's been as much a parking shuttle for Pill Hill as anything else.

That's what I used it for. Much easier to drive to it, park and get a pass.

Go by tram!

I suppose OHSU will now decide that the book store owner is responsible for any damages and costs related to the tram shutdown.

Of course OHSU will expect the bookstore to have full malpractice insurance!

Per the oregonian story the store owner had no insurance. Ouch.

The Bookstore owns the air rights above it's property. OHSU and the City of Portland (which owns 15%) is out-of-luck if there is tram damage. Go-By-Bike.

My recollection is that the tram sailed through land use approvals because in that area it was built above the public right-of-way, not above private property. It's hard for me to construct a plausible theory under which the bookstore or building owner would be liable to OHSU for the tram shutting down because of the fire.