There are signs of increasing support for light rail in both the Portland and Seattle areas, likely thanks to familiarity with the technology and mounting frustration over congestion.
In the Portland area, two out of three people polled support extending light rail across the Columbia River into Clark County, Wash. That's a reversal of the 2-to-1 opposition in a similar poll a decade ago. Plans call for a new I-5 freeway bridge with space for rail to connect with Portland's growing system.
In the Seattle area, preliminary route plans for rail to the Eastside were approved this week. It's notable that all the small cities in the area support the light rail plan, a major change from substantial opposition to plans in the 1990s. What's changed is that the first segment of Seattle's light rail is about half finished and area traffic is worse than ever.
None of this suggests that transit agencies should get a blank check. Details of financing need to be worked out any additional rail lines need to be coordinated with buses, congestion pricing and land-use changes to optimize demand for the new services.