Future Cities: Portland's Transit System
LU STOUT: Welcome back. Now in our special new series, it's called Tomorrow Transformed, we take a look at how communication technology is changing the way we live. In this latest installment, Richard Quest introduces us to Portland, Oregon's cutting edge light rail system.</s>RICHARD QUEST, CNN INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: A century ago, trollies and trams ruled the roads. That is, until the almighty automobile came along. Now, a younger generation of urban commuters, are reversing course once again.</s>LOGAN GORE, LIGHT RAIL COMMUTER: Most of my friends would like have mostly done away with their cars, used public transportation, kind of the new it thing to do.</s>DAVE UNSWORTH, TRI-MET TRANSIT AGENCY: We look out in the future, we see a lot of people coming to our community. We've got to figure out how we get them around.</s>QUEST: Dave Unsworth is director of Project Development for TriMet, Portland's transit agency. In a city known for its love of the environment, transportation leaders have bet on light rail to reduce traffic congestion and air pollution. It brings a buzz and economic boost that comes from urban density, all those people downtown.</s>UNSWORTH: We've got to do better about growing the place, making sure that we get the right uses in these places and serve them well with transit.</s>QUEST: TriMet says it's spent $4 billion to build the rail and it's paid off to the tune of $10 billion in new development around its stations. Light rail is still seen by some as the Cinderella way of getting around town. As long as cars are faster, a majority of people will take to their own wheels. See that bridge over there? About a year from now, transportation planners hope, it will change the equation. When it's ready, the Tillicum (ph) crossing bridge will be the first of its kind in the United States. Off limits to private automobiles. The bridge will gladly carry light rail trains, city buses, and there will be plenty of room for bike lanes and pedestrians. Cutting through rush hour is one thing. Many commuters still don't like to wait for the train or pull out their cards every time they need to go somewhere. Now to counteract the hassle, Portland has partnered with a local startup, GlobeSherpa, creating a commuter friendly app for the smartphone.</s>TONY TOM, EXECUTIVE VP, GLOBESHERPA: I can validate my fare within 10 to 15 seconds as opposed to having to get my credit card out, put it in the machine, oh put it in the machine one more time. OK, now which buttons do I push again to make this work? That whole experience is completely eradicated with the mobile app.</s>QUEST: The app allows riders to pay for rail and buses without having to buy multiple tickets. What this really shows is that when governments think big, invests heavily for the future, and harness the power of technology, then when it comes to our journeys, tomorrow is transformed.</s>LU STOUT: You're watching News Stream. Still to come on the program, we head back to the heart of Hong Kong's pro-democracy protests as the clock ticks down on an ultimatum demanding the city's chief executive to stand down.