Anyone going to the Oregon Bike Summit on June 4th!?

I would appreciate information and comments on the process TriMet is using to hire the new General Manager.

Robert Liberty, Metro Councilor

Here ya go Robert Liberty:

The Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TriMet) is seeking candidates for General Manager (CEO). The General Manager is the chief executive officer responsible for all aspects of TriMet’s business, governmental, public, and corporate activities. The General Manager reports to a seven person Board of Directors (“Board”), each of which is appointed by Oregon’s Governor.

Candidates should have bachelor’s degree and ten years of increasingly responsible managerial experience, including five years in an executive capacity. Experience in the public or private transportation industry coupled with highly developed and refined skills in working with local, state and federal governments and with the public process necessary to maintain strong partnerships, transparency, and public confidence are critical and necessary job requirements. We are seeking applicants that have demonstrated a strength of leadership, innovation, and a track record of success, with specific experience managing large and diverse workforces, employee groups, and customer service intensive organizations. Ability to assess and sensitively serve the needs of customers, including those from culturally diverse backgrounds, the elderly, persons with disabilities, or other vulnerable populations is essential.

If you qualify, please submit your complete resume to our executive search consultants via e-mail at rog@pringleco.com. Our search firm is The Pringle Company, P.O. Box 25392, Portland, OR, 97298. Our search leader is Roger Pringle, 503/221-0048 (office), 503/789-9401 (cell). If you require an accommodation to complete the application or selection process, please contact The Pringle Company at 503/221-0048 (office). TriMet is an Equal Opportunity Employer

I guess you gotta contact the Pringle company, whoever they are???

Wired.com has this interesting artice in their "Autopia" section...

http://www.wired.com/autopia/2010/04/as-our-cities-grow-so-too-must-our-transit-system/?intcid=inform_relatedContent

Excerpt...
People are returning to urban centers at an increasing rate, a trend that will require an increased focus on creating the transportation infrastructure we’ll need to prevent further congestion and gridlock.

No Oregonians on CRC Task Force

This project has become a total joke.

No comments on this article?

The Seattle Transit Blog has an article comparing an official bicycle transportation study in Portland vs. independent research:
http://seattletransitblog.com/2010/04/20/portland-and-seattle-bicycle-analysis/

And a quote from the article that's huge enough to be applied to everything that's going on:

This is an extremely important part of transportation planning, after all if you don’t know what is wrong how can you solve it.

I've probably done plenty on this site already to harp on what's wrong that hasn't been fixed (on purpose?).

It seems that when the bus routes segments were integrated (e.g. 9-Broadway + 9-Powell = 9-Broadway/Powell), those automated on-board route announcements were poorly reprogrammed. When the door opens for passengers on the tail end of the route, the computer speaks the same words as before the integrations, but in a cadence that's difficult for anyone [who doesn't already know what the route is] to parse. The perfectly clear "Line 9, Powell, to Ninety-Eighth Avenue," became, "Line 9, Powell-to-Ninety-Eighth-Avenue," the last five words running together.

Line 9 is a good example, but the problem is global on TriMet buses that make these announcements. They were an innovation intended to make wayfinding easier, but now they are less clear than the human bus drivers' announcements. (Also, they lack that bright, cheerful tone they used to have!) Did the programmers not listen to their own changes before they rolled them out? Why make those changes in the first place? Is it a possible ADA violation?

Newberg-Dundee Bypass
I-5 to 99W connector
217 widening to 4 lanes

To me the most logical place for the I-5 to 99W connector is at the interchange of I205 and I5 in Tualatin. Just use eminent domain to condemn the houses in the way.

Similarly, the new Sellwood Bridge should be an extension of the Milwaukie Expressway. This would have it landing at a better spot along OR-43 on the west side.

Just use eminent domain to condemn the houses in the way.
Eminent domain is the last thing anyone would want to do. That area of Tualatin is an established neighborhood, and an I-5 to 99W freeway would further bisect a city already bisected by I-5 in the first place.

Similarly, the new Sellwood Bridge should be an extension of the Milwaukie Expressway.
One of the things discussed during the Sellwood Bridge Project early on in 2006 was the South Willamette River Crossing Study, with final results that said if the Sellwood Bridge is replaced, it should be at or near its current location. Many members of the Community Task Force later said it sounded like a good idea to recommend Clackamas County build an additional new bridge within Clackamas County borders. IMO, Since Clackamas County will provide some funding for the new Sellwood Bridge (which will be in Multnomah County), it would strike me as unlikely that they'd want to build another bridge.

Sorry, Jason, I was being facetious. It is interesting how cavalier people get when it comes to putting/expanding a freeway through someone else's community. Based on the logic of the original freeway system those two spots are EXACTLY where you would put the bridge and connector.

We clearly are less likely to do that today, but we have less of a problem with how the expansion of freeways harm the neighborhoods they've already ripped apart. This is NIMBYism at its best. We've already screwed that area so why shouldn't we continue to do it, but don't think about coming to my town!

In looking at the I5 to 99W maps it's looking like all the alignments would need to go over the hill? Am I looking at this right? I'm thinking by 2020 Sherwood to McMinnville will be one continuous city. I wonder if they will actually move the UGB out to Yamhill County and extend Metro out that far?

There's a lot of vintners and others in Yamhill County who would disagree with you, Greg--and Oregon's land use laws essentially prevent this. The "urban reserves" which have been set aside, do not include a continuous stretch of land along 99W out to McMinnville.

Screw the vitners, they should take their poison back to California. I'd rather see houses than stupid grapes that serve no good whatsoever.

Uh, the vineyards are private property, and the vintners are generally not interested in turning their pinot grapes into housing.

Whether you think it's poison or not, is kinda irrelevant--if you wanna curtail the production or sale of wine, by my guest, but it's off-topic here.

Am I looking at this right? I'm thinking by 2020 Sherwood to McMinnville will be one continuous city.

Probably will be if the "Progressives" get "immigration reform" enacted---over the objections of the American people.

Ahhhh....so, that's what all those proposed MAX lines are for? (as if I didn't know) SB 1059 requires six Oregon communities to plan for it. Thanks, OEC.

Well I think you're wrong that it won't be city Sherwood to McMinnville. Maybe 2020 is a bit early but eventually it will be. I am not that old to remember Newberg half the size it is today and Sherwood barely a fork in the road..... Now if you drive down 99W you'd notice it's only 4 miles from the edge of the UGB and Newberg City Limits. And Newberg may as well annex Dundee, they touch.... Once they build the bypass,the population will explode and all the cities will grow together just like they have in the Portland area. I expect to see in my lifetime a giant sprawling megalopolis stretching from Eugene to Vancouver, B.C.

Alright, drop the xenophobic dismissals of [insert your disfavored group here].

We're here to discuss transportation and land-use options, not immigration reform or who should move out of the state. Both Ron and Greg have been warned about this before.

(And, to close out the whole off-topic immigration reform thing, Ron, you're not correct about the views of the American people. No need to reply, comment over there if you're so inclined.)

Alright, drop the xenophobic dismissals of [insert your disfavored group here].
Bob, I participate in the UN World Urban Forum. I would hardly call that xenophobic.

Then knock off the repeated conspiracy theories about immigrants. End of discussion.

http://www.newberggraphic.com/news/2010/April/20/Local.News/concern.about.private.bypass.mounts/news.aspx

I've always like the idea of getting Yamhill County it's own exit directly to I-5. The bypass idea the state is pushing is shortsighted, in my opinion, because it does nothing to resolve the bottlenecks all the way through Tigard, Tualatin and Sherwood. It seems a much better alternative to build a connection from 18/99W directly to I5..... If the Marion County folks are grumbling so much, they just need to be enticed with more money to overcome their objections. Farmland could be preserved if they built the freeway elevated like they do through Europe.

It looks like there is some objection to it so who knows if it will ever take off? They'll eventually build this AND the "bypass" as well.

Whatever, Bob R. This isn't much of a forum for decision makers anyway.

What is the extent of the cobblestone removal on NW Marshall Street that begins next week? Is this a complete removal or minor bike lane width removal? I find removing cobblestones on one of the few streets left with them a little troubling.

I had not heard that any construction plan around the bike boulevard on Marshall had been finalized yet. The recommendation from the community was to do a "schmeer" of asphault over the cobbles (at a bicycle width), not to remove any cobbles.

What have you heard about removal?

From the Streetcar Construction Update:
Civil/Concrete work on NW Marshall from 12th to 14th
Weeks of April 26, May 3, May 10
· Expect closures on Marshall as cobblestones are removed for the new bike path.
· Sidewalks to remain open.
· Driveway access will be accommodated.

http://www.portlandstreetcar.org/constupdates.php

I had heard there was talk of doing this but was greatly surprised to see it starting next week. Plus I've always thought bike improvements on both Johnson and Overton made more sense than Marshall (which ends at 22nd).

Save mass transit-call the Oregon Senators now!
Information HERE!

I'm trying to find out more about the cobblestones.

The facility on Marshall is important to replace the lane on Lovejoy. The boulevards on Johnson and Overton are too far away to support access to the many destinations on Lovejoy. This was reviewed extensively with the neighborhood.

I am disappointed to confirm that we will indeed be removing the cobbles in two 5-foot wide sections to form the bike facility.

Save mass transit-call the Oregon Senators now!
Information HERE!

Yeah, tell them we can't afford any more wasteful projects, like MAX. If you can't figure out how to make buses attractive, in these days with all of the innovations already here or soon on the way, you shouldn't be running a transit agency. It's not rocket science.....

Chris, thank you for looking into it.

I'm not clear why cyclists can't deal with the cobblestones if they choose to ride on Marshall over several alternate routes (you know a good number will just ride with traffic on Lovejoy/Northrup regardless of Marshall). I ride a good amount and have ridden over these cobblestones many times, they arent too bad and if you ride a bike in Portland you have put up with much worse things than 2 blocks of cobblestones with little auto traffic on them.

Keep in mind that the target for the Bicycle Master Plan are the 60% of the population in the "interested but concerned" category.

Cobblestones might not trouble you or me too much, but they would represent a barrier to folks in this target group. This part of the decision was also reviewed with the neighborhood and the Bicycle Advisory Committee.

[Moderator: Attempt to exploit today's tragedy and demand the closure of TriMet removed. Greg, take your rants somewhere else. That is not the purpose of this forum. - Bob R.]

[Moderator: Further hyperbole removed.]

no hyperbole this time

http://www.oregonlive.com/portland/index.ssf/2010/04/major_overnight_trimet_wreck_l.html

I cant say I'm an highly experienced cyclist, in fact I would consider myself in that "interested but concerned" category, though I do ride, I stick more to foot and TriMet.

I'd personally like to see the asphalt peeled off NW 12th to re-expose the cobblestones and old tracks. Its half way there now with the tracks and cobblestones peeking through. It would really add some character to that street and its not a very busy or major street. NW 9th (and SW 9th) I think screams to be a major North-South bike corridor linking PSU-West End/Downtown-Pearl to the Broadway Bridge, Naito Parkway & Centennial Mill. It really just needs a good signaled crossing at Burnside & 9th and maybe a few less stop signs.

While I don't know what Greg said, not having read his comments before they were removed by the moderator; but I'll note that folks don't call for the closure of the freeways every time there's a wreck on one....

Just received (and completed) my ballot today for the May 18th State of Oregon Primary Election. Remember to vote!

* This message is that of the commenter and does not necessarily reflect the views of the staff/management of Portland Transport.

With all the hysteria and finger-pointing going on as of late, I'm sure nobody in the media will pick up on the positive things, like the TriMet Operator on Line 72 this afternoon that stopped and waited for the ambulance to arrive when someone who wasn't even on the bus was obviously suffering from something and fallen down on the sidewalk.