I don't know what to make of this article.
When TriMet cuts the ribbon on the new Orange Line between downtown Portland and Milwaukie next month, the environmental benefits will go well beyond easing smog and congestion. The new light rail line also blazes several new trails for sustainability features.YAY SUSTAINABILITY!
The “eco-track” near Southwest Third Avenue and Lincoln Street may be the first of its kind in the world, says Bob Hastings, TriMet architect for design and construction. IT'S ONE MEASLY BLOCK TriMet planted sedum between the rails, which will reduce train noises and vibrations, and filter out pollutants so they don’t drain into area rivers.WTF?, THE WHOLE WAY OR JUST THAT ONE BLOCK?
The light rail trains use regenerative energy systems, which capture energy trains use to brake, releasing it back for reuse. A supercapacitor at the Tacoma substation stores energy from braking trains BRAKES MAKE THE ENERGY? and feeds it to accelerating trains, or trains going uphill.
“It’s one-of-a-kind tech in North America,” Hastings says. SO ONLY THE MLR TRAINS HAVE THIS? AND WHEN IT TURNS TO YELLOW WHAT HAPPENS? HOW MUCH ENERGY DOES IT ACTUALLY SAVE?
Along the entire line, 286 bioswales will collect rain and filter out more pollutants.OF COURSE
Eight eco-roofs were planted atop buildings along the Orange Line.CAN YOU BELIEVE THIS SHIT? Those provide insulation and habitats for butterflies,FUCKING BUTTERFLIES? and absorb pollutants like carbon dioxide and dust particles.MY GOD THEY ARE SAVING THE PLANET HERE!
Water reclaimed by the new stormwater system will be used to wash light rail trains at the Ruby Junction Light Rail Maintenance Facility, cutting potable water use by 70 percent.OH MY LORD THIS JUST DOESNT END
Rain falling on the Tilikum Crossing bridge over the Willamette River is captured and redirected to stormwater facilities on both sides of the river. That’s a first for the city; Portland’s other bridges redirect runoff into the sewage system.DIRECTLY TO THE TREATMENT PLANT? HOLY SHIT!
“Water quality is important for fish,”FISH NOW AFTER BUTTERFLIES! says Dave Unsworth, TriMet director of project development and permitting. “I’m really proud of how this ended up looking.”
TriMet allotted $1.7 million to restore habitats in the shallow water along the Willamette near the South Waterfront, removing 27,000 tons of contaminated soil, concrete and debris.WERE THESE HABITATS RUINED BY THE PROJECT ITSELF?
TriMet did have to remove some urban trees, NO KIDDING A LOT OF NICE OLD TREES but tried to find new uses for them. About 3,325 new trees were planted, four times as many as were uprooted.FOUR TIMES AS MANY?
“Of the trees we knocked over, we turned the root balls into Johnson Creek fish habitats or public art,” Unsworth says.ROOT BALLS INTO PUBLIC ART?
Sixteen solar arrays were installed atop garages and MAX stations.OF COURSE WE HAVE TO HAVE THE SOLAR The park-and-ride lot at the Southeast Park Avenue station gets all its energy from solar panels, powering the lights and elevator, including the bike-and-ride area.HOLY COW!
All the lighting along the Orange Line uses LED bulbs, which use less electricity.
Rail ties on the Tacoma Bridge are made from composite plastic material, PLASTIC? which is expected to reduce soil settlement issues. They have a lower lifetime cost than wood or concrete, don’t leak chemicals into the ground, and are more durable. They can be recycled at the end of their life as rail ties.
TriMet plans to install 12 wind turbines near Tilikum Crossing, each projected to generate 1,000 watts of electricity per hour, offsetting the energy to light the bridge.WIND POWER WILL PAY FOR THE FANCY LIGHT?
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