page_title: Portland Aerial Tram
section_title: History
hierarchical_section_title: Portland Aerial Tram / History
caption_attribution_description: The tower of the Portland Aerial Tram while under construction.
context_page_description: The Portland Aerial Tram or OHSU Tram is an aerial tramway in Portland, Oregon, carrying commuters between the city's South Waterfront district and the main Oregon Health & Science University campus, located in the Marquam Hill neighborhood. It is one of only two commuter aerial tramways in the United States, the other being New York City's Roosevelt Island Tramway. The tram travels a horizontal distance of 3,300 feet and a vertical distance of 500 feet in a ride that lasts three minutes.
  The tram was jointly funded by OHSU, the City of Portland, and by South Waterfront property owners, with most of the funding coming from OHSU. It is owned by the city and operated by OHSU. While most passengers are affiliated with OHSU, it is open to the public and operated as part of Portland's public transportation network that includes the Portland Streetcar, MAX Light Rail, and TriMet buses. After opening in December 2006, the tram carried its one millionth passenger on October 17, 2007 and its ten millionth rider on January 8, 2014. A round-trip ticket costs $5.15 but is free for OHSU patients and certain visitors; OHSU employees and students ride free by showing their ID badges.
context_section_description: In late 2001, OHSU purchased property in the South Waterfront (then known as North Macadam) area, with plans to expand there. After studying several ways, including shuttle buses, gondola lifts, tunnels, and even funiculars, to connect OHSU's primary campus on Marquam Hill with this area of planned expansion, the university sought city support of an aerial tram.
caption: The intermediate tram support tower under construction. The tower is adjacent to the northbound lanes of Interstate 5.
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