Founded in 2006, New York City’s Streetfilms has arguably become the gold standard for educational videos showing how smart transportation policy and design can result in better places to live, work and play. Founder Clarence Eckerson is dedicated to making wonky concepts more accessible and entertaining to the general public and has produced over 200 Streetfilms.

Eckerson recently toured Portland’s South Waterfront with Greg Raisman of PBOT’s Active Transportation division and sent back this video postcard - South Waterfront, “Portland’s Multi-Modal Nexus,”  The video shows off the variety of transportation options available to people who live or work in, or visit this unique Portland neighborhood.

The South Waterfront neighborhood is an eco-district planned and constructed on former brownfield industrial land south of downtown. Construction in the area began in early 2004 and it is one of the largest urban redevelopment projects in the United States.

Footage taken from the Portland Aerial Tram highlights a popular commute choice – biking or taking the Portland Streetcar to the foot of the Darlene Hooley Pedestrian Bridge, across the street from the lower Tram terminal. The Tram provides access to the Marquam Hill campus of the Oregon Health and Sciences University, the Shriners Hospital and the VA Medical Center.  After releasing a short film on the city’s 100^th Bike Corral, Clarence interviewed people using the nation’s largest valet bike-parking operation, Go By Bike, also located at the base of the Tram.

In September 2015, TriMet’s new transit, bike, and pedestrian bridge will provide a direct connection between SE Portland and South Waterfront for people on foot, bike, MAX, bus and streetcar to the new OHSU/OSU/PSU Collaborative Life Sciences building and downtown Portland.  

(photo credit: Greg Raisman/Flickr)