Sunday, October 02, 2005
San Jose opens new light-rail line
Planning in Portland = Congestion
Think the Portland commute's bad now? It could freeze in a hot economy
After years of planning in the Portland Metro area, the solutions density (building up not out, transit oriented developments, urban growth boundaries, light rail, street cars and commuter rail aren't solving the Portland metro area congestion problems.
The area's freeway traffic has doubled in the past 20 years and congestion is growing. A 20 minute trip across the metro area taken before rush hour can take up to a hour or more during the day and it is not going to improve unless there is added road capacity.
One solution that’s out there is a toll road on Oregon 217 but will not be funded until 2089. Highway planners were exchanged for social engineers years ago, which add to the problem. The Oregon 217 project has another flaw, it is a short express way which will take commuters from one congested area to another. Why not build a toll road that starts south of the Portland Metro area, that ends north Of Portland in Vancouver Washington or beyond. We could call it "The West Side Bi-Pass"
20 to 30 years ago traffic wasn’t that bad, we were still building freeways to solve the capacity problems. Now the Portland Metro commuters are told “It's not bad compared with Los Angeles.” The west Side Bi-Pass was planned and ready to go, before planners killed it.
"I think the message is, for a city our size and population, we're doing fine," says Robert Bertini, director of PSU's center for transportation studies. Jobs mean clogs.
We Can’t solve our transportation problems if planners view congestion as a good thing. The Metro area has plenty or transportation money for planning and Light rail but little or nothing for roads which will solve the capacity problem and are paid for mostly by auto taxes.
After years of planning in the Portland Metro area, the solutions density (building up not out, transit oriented developments, urban growth boundaries, light rail, street cars and commuter rail aren't solving the Portland metro area congestion problems.
The area's freeway traffic has doubled in the past 20 years and congestion is growing. A 20 minute trip across the metro area taken before rush hour can take up to a hour or more during the day and it is not going to improve unless there is added road capacity.
One solution that’s out there is a toll road on Oregon 217 but will not be funded until 2089. Highway planners were exchanged for social engineers years ago, which add to the problem. The Oregon 217 project has another flaw, it is a short express way which will take commuters from one congested area to another. Why not build a toll road that starts south of the Portland Metro area, that ends north Of Portland in Vancouver Washington or beyond. We could call it "The West Side Bi-Pass"
20 to 30 years ago traffic wasn’t that bad, we were still building freeways to solve the capacity problems. Now the Portland Metro commuters are told “It's not bad compared with Los Angeles.” The west Side Bi-Pass was planned and ready to go, before planners killed it.
"I think the message is, for a city our size and population, we're doing fine," says Robert Bertini, director of PSU's center for transportation studies. Jobs mean clogs.
We Can’t solve our transportation problems if planners view congestion as a good thing. The Metro area has plenty or transportation money for planning and Light rail but little or nothing for roads which will solve the capacity problem and are paid for mostly by auto taxes.
