Sunday, October 02, 2005
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.
Comments:
>>>>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<<<<<<
There are plenty of roads in Portland but there are just too many cars trying to go to the center of town. In addition, there is no more room to build another I84 because that would mean destroying thousands of homes, schools, parks etc.! Look at Mapquest if you don't believe me. When you think about it, why should those living comfortably in the city destroy their town (Portland) by building a highway right through the center so that people can save time driving out to the the burbs? Portland does not need the blight that comes with the building of a superhighway. If people want to work in Portland and have a fast commute, they better sell their homes in the burbs and move downtown. The days of a fast commute driving to work are coming to an end.
No amount of road construction will resolve this problem. I do agree on the toll concept but if we are going to make motor transportation expensive, the city better provide an alternative with new rail lines and bus service.
When you think about it, Los Angeles did no solve the problem by building more highways and Portland must not make the same mistake. In fact, come political leaders in Los Angeles finally came to the conclusion that it can not continue to build more highways and is focusing more on rail transport. Good for them.
There are plenty of roads in Portland but there are just too many cars trying to go to the center of town. In addition, there is no more room to build another I84 because that would mean destroying thousands of homes, schools, parks etc.! Look at Mapquest if you don't believe me. When you think about it, why should those living comfortably in the city destroy their town (Portland) by building a highway right through the center so that people can save time driving out to the the burbs? Portland does not need the blight that comes with the building of a superhighway. If people want to work in Portland and have a fast commute, they better sell their homes in the burbs and move downtown. The days of a fast commute driving to work are coming to an end.
No amount of road construction will resolve this problem. I do agree on the toll concept but if we are going to make motor transportation expensive, the city better provide an alternative with new rail lines and bus service.
When you think about it, Los Angeles did no solve the problem by building more highways and Portland must not make the same mistake. In fact, come political leaders in Los Angeles finally came to the conclusion that it can not continue to build more highways and is focusing more on rail transport. Good for them.
If you have overcrowded schools, you add more classrooms.
If your sewers are over capacity, you add more capacity to handle the added sewage.
If you add density you must add the needed infrastructure to handle it.
Such as more capacity on the roads.
It’s responsible planning.
Post a Comment
If your sewers are over capacity, you add more capacity to handle the added sewage.
If you add density you must add the needed infrastructure to handle it.
Such as more capacity on the roads.
It’s responsible planning.
