Go, Jim Go!


Our own Jim Howell is the “Monday Profile” in the Oregonian today.

The article highlights Jim’s contributions to everything from Waterfront Park to keeping the idea of Light Rail alive to Washington County Commuter Rail.

Jim is one of our community’s treasures, and I hope we’ll have his wisdom for a long, long time.

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8 responses to “Go, Jim Go!”

  1. We are very fortunate to have Jim and his supportive family in Portland and our region.

    I agree with Jim on the need for new and more open discussion around directions that the CRC Task Force is heading.

    There is a direct comparison between the Mt. Hood Freeway effort and direction and what this CRC Task Force has been doing. Jim and others stopped the the Mt. Hood Freeway and now it is time to stop this run-a-way CRC Task Force train.

    Jim has said at many of the meeting that we should look at more alternatives that truly reduce traffic in the I-5 corridor.

    The CRC Task Force had a plan from the word go to replace the Interstate Bridges and not look at anything else and all they have been doing up to this point is to dot the “I’s” and cross the “T’s” in their effort to comply with all code and regulations, it has not been to listen to people like Jim, myself or anyone else.

    It would be nice if the Oregonian and Jim Mayer would have written what Jim Howell and others have been saying about having a critical review of other alternatives like; commuter rail, light rail looping around the EXPO Center and sharing a new multi-mode replacement BNSF RR Bridge as possibilities and creating a new alternative arterial corridor that can move people out of and away from the I-5 corridor.

  2. the ultimate answer may be an underwater tube such as the Posey Tube that connects Oakland to Alemeda,or the Hollansd tunnel] if indeed any more crossing[s] are actually needed… the existing bridges do the job intended, may need replacing in 20 years or so… remember that existing [at the time] the interurban streetcar line to Vancouver failed first, check Labbe’s book “Fares Please.”

  3. I am also happy to see Jim gracing the page of today’s Oregonian.

    I haven’t agreed with Jim’s recent proposals for building a subway or relocating the Yellow Line MAX to the Central Eastside Industrial District, but he has been pretty much right on with his other proposals.

    I think that his ideas for electric trolley buses and express bus service along local freeways are especially worthy of future study.

  4. We are indeed fortunate to have someone who is so committed and smart working to help this region make the right transportation choices. Jim has an amazing record that proves how right he is. Thanks, Jim.

  5. While I don’t necessarily agree with all Jim’s positions, it’s nice to see the opposition think things through. Keep fighting that fight for us all.

  6. So, HE is the one who is responsible for sticking
    us with MAX!

    On the other hand, he is also responsible for the
    crosstown bus routes, which have been an enormous
    boon to the transit system as well as myself.

    Well, lose one, win one.

  7. The original light rail proposal only went from downtown Portland to Gateway with no improvements to the Banfield Freeway (now I-84 then I-80N). After being removed as an alternative, light rail was introduced back into the eastside transportation improvement mix on two fronts. About the same time TriMet was privately reappraising the concept, Gerry Shields, the Laurelhurst Neighborhood Representative on Banfield Citizens Advisory Committee made a presentation to the committee to extend light rail all the way to Gresham using the current alignment. Burnside was actually an old rail right-of-way that was much wider than the two lane road then occupying the space. The majority of people on the committee embraced the idea and eventually voted to accept it as an alternative, coupling light rail with making upgrades and improvements to the Banfield Freeway as a total package. This proposal also became the committee’s recommendation. Furthermore, it should also be noted the Banfield Citizens Advisory Committee was one of the first of its kind – having an officially recognized group of citizens brought together (by ODOT) to conduct meetings, public hearings and be advisors to make recommendations for a project of this magnitude.

  8. Terry,
    Jim says that the Banfield citizens committee was the first and last of its kind, with citizens appointed by neighborhood associations and other outside groups. ODOT has hand-picked its citizen advisors ever since.

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