"Yo Leg, 12 Lanes is Wack."
Now that's funnY!!!

I wonder if they would allow this to be video recorded?

This just in: recent poll shows Clark county residents opposed sales tax increase to cover MAX operating costs by 22/76 margin. No MAX, no CRC Bridge.
TriMet should go ahead with planning for a Hayden Island extention and terminus for the MAX Yellow Line, including a local access bridge.

recent poll shows Clark county residents opposed sales tax increase to cover MAX operating costs by 22/76 margin.

Wrong population. Of COURSE Clark county residents don't want to pay for MAX. Almost none of them will have occasion to use it.

They'd probably have better luck making the Vancouver segment a City of Vancouver "fareless" project with operations supported by parking revenues or a special downtown business assessment, and subsidized in part by WSDOT.

But for now, I'm content to use this survey as another weapon in the anti-CRC arsenal.

Why can't this event be a week later? :)

Lenny Anderson wrote: TriMet should go ahead with planning for a Hayden Island extention and terminus for the MAX Yellow Line, including a local access bridge.

And what is the cost/benefit of such? Building dense housing on an island that has known to flood makes no sense...building a two lane local access bridge connecting N. Force Avenue (to the south) with N. Farr Avenue (on the island) makes more sense, serves more people, allows for an inexpensive bus shuttle to loop around the island and return to the MAX station at the Expo Center and Vanport (where there are connections to more services)...and costs far, far less.

(And, if the CRC is built, a few spans of the current Interstate Bridge could be recycled into the new span, with room for bike lanes in addition to the sidewalks for pedestrian access.) It would only require three spans of the current bridge plus an approach ramp on either end.)

And what is the cost/benefit of such? Building dense housing

Commercial potential? It's easier to get hotel/retail permits than residential permits up there anyway, and a lot of parking lots that could be replaced...

an inexpensive bus shuttle

Well, that would require an additional transfer. But to be honest, there really wouldn't need to be a shuttle, since C-TRAN could continue to provide service south of Hayden Island to MAX like they do today.

a few spans of the current Interstate Bridge could be recycled into the new span

Isn't the local access bridge supposed to be a quicker way to solve at least some of the problems with I-5? I really don't think that we should wait until the Interstate Bridge spans are available to build it.

Also, its kind of ironic to build a bridge over the Portland Harbor, since condition and design of the I-5 span over that is fine. But it could address some weaving, and just closing the I-5 ramps to/from the south would allow the north ones to have more room.

Chris, great presentation last night! Very helpful. I know you waved a document briefly, but would you please tell me once more where I can find the sources of info you used to come up with budget estimates for public transit?

Thanks much,
Al Bradbury, december24th@gmail.com (one of these folks trying to start up a Portland Transit Riders Union again)

Sure:

City-wide Streetcar plan:

http://www.portlandonline.com/Transportation/index.cfm?c=46134

Metro/TriMet High Capacity Transit plan:

http://www.oregonmetro.gov/index.cfm/go/by.web/id=26680

Anyone have a summary/video of the event or details of the presentation? I thought about going, but kind of forgot about it and was tired from work. Though if it was the same night of the car-free happy hour there, I would have definitely gone.

Or we could do the non-polluting electric buses for a fraction of the streetcar system!

Has anyone heard of the Neoplan Co.? This is a German company that builds all kinds of transit buses for Europe and all over the world. I found the double decker city buses fascinating. Some are very, sleek and modern looking with big, comfy seats.
http://busesforsaleonline.info/images/content/Neoplan_Starliner_bus.jpg
Plus they have an articulated version:
http://busconversion101.com/images/articulated-charter-bus.jpg

Neoplan is now a subsidiary of MAN, AG. It's big.
How about if we had some of these running up I-5 on an express route, and with a slightly higher legal speed limit, like 80 mph.?

Double-decker busses have problems unless the local infrastructure is designed to accomodate them; I doubt this is the case for Portland.

Or we could do the non-polluting electric buses for a fraction of the streetcar system!

WTF?

Hey pal, this is AMERICA, not pinko Russia!
In America we do everything BIG AND EXPENSIVE see!

We want TRAINS, and the MORE EXPENSIVE THE BETTER!

In America who cares about people having access to service, as long as we have the FANCIEST MOST EXPENSIVE TOYS AVAILABLE ON THE MARKET!

This is AMERICA, AND DON’T YOU FORGET IT!

MTFBWY

The NeoPlan buses even have seats facing each other with tables between them, like European trains...mmmmm
Then we don't all have to face the same direction, like good little socialists.

Then we don't all have to face the same direction, like good little socialists.

LOL!!LOL!!

Toooo Funnnny!

Double-decker busses have problems unless the local infrastructure is designed to accomodate them; I doubt this is the case for Portland.

Is it just a matter of vertical clearance? A Neoplan Skyliner is 4 meters tall (if I read the specs correctly) which is a shade over 13 feet, 1 inch tall. Wikipedia listed typical London double-deckers as 4.38 meters tall, which is about 14 feet 4 inches.

What is the standard standard overhead clearance for traffic lights, utility wires and overpasses? I remember reading 13 feet 6 inches someplace, but I can't find it. If that's standard clearance, there should have no infrastructure obstacle to putting some of the shorter double-decker buses on the streets. I'd welcome them on longer, busier routes like the 12 or the 72.