Metro planned for 40-50 attendees at last night’s workshop on the trail portion of the Willamette Shoreline transit/trail alternatives analysis. They got a substantially larger turnout, apparently due to outreach among neighborhoods along the alignment.
The small-group format, designed to answer the planners’ questions about project parameters, went out the window as attendees politely but persistently posed questions about security and access if a bike/ped trail uses the current rail alignment (which in some cases runs through individual home lots). The questions also focused on ownership, easements and the legal status of the alignment if rail operations are moved to a different alignment.
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Metro planned for 40-50 attendees at last night’s workshop on the trail portion of the Willamette Shoreline transit/trail alternatives analysis. They got a substantially larger turnout, apparently due to outreach among neighborhoods along the alignment.
The small-group format, designed to answer the planners’ questions about project parameters, went out the window as attendees politely but persistently posed questions about security and access if a bike/ped trail uses the current rail alignment (which in some cases runs through individual home lots). The questions also focused on ownership, easements and the legal status of the alignment if rail operations are moved to a different alignment.
After the initial Q&A period, the group did individually review the presentation boards, ask questions of staff and complete the comment cards.
The group that reconvened at the end of the meeting was smaller, and clearly had a different orientation. When SW Trails advocate (and project advisory committee member) Don Baack said in response to a question about rail/trail tradeoffs “There ain’t no way there won’t be a trail” he got an ovation from the remaining group.
6 responses to “Feisty Trail Meeting in Lake O”
do hope the powers in charge retain the rail link, services to LO and across the existing rr bridge would work, don’t see a new bridge [Caruthers] receiving taxpayer support anytime soon with an existing cridge in place and underused..plus service to Milwaukie can be established.. existing rails…
Personally I hope that the “trail” becomes no rail…
I’d really like to take a gander at Lake Oswego, but I’ll be damned if I have to drivein a car down to that area.
The historic trolley operation on this line has been supported by lots of jurisdictions in order to keep the rail easement. If rail operation ceases, it will be a real political/legal battle to do something else with the alignment.
Dick,
I’m curious about your remark re: lack of taxpayer support for the Caruther’s Bridge. Does this extend to the Milwaukie MAX Line, too? Indeed, I think we should be exploring the use of “existing rr bridge” and other routes. Not that this proposal would not have its hurdles, but why reinvent the wheel?
Ther is some discussion that Tri Mets construction allocations may be reaching their near-future limit. But, even with belt-tightening I wouldn’t discount some commuter rail to the south METRO area–but perhaps on a different scale. I hope the West Shore streetcar line goes ahead all the way to LO. We need a major station at the west end of the Sellwood Bridge in order to, and in conjunction with other projects, stabilize the bank in that area (from landslide).
the river line to lake Oswego has been in place for most of a century…and as for Don B demanding a trail be put in place, a good choice provided he and friends purchase the right-of-way.. otherwise their rights are limited… no station is needed at Sellwood bridge, no place to park or otherwise need to enter the trolley here..
Dick B. says “no station is needed at Sellwood bridge,”—I don’t agree.
This could be an important juncture. Besides, there are already projects in the works which will reshape that area–and the sliding hazard is a major contingency to be reckoned with. 1. A new Bridge will need new ramps on both east and west. 2. The western approach is more complicated since it intersects with four-lane Hwy.43. 3. Westshore SC will come through and this a logical place for a stop. 4.Commuter rail plans to Milwaukie and points south are still in flux. One option would be a streetcar from Milwaukie over the Sellwood Bridge. At the west end people could go either south or north. 5. If this ground continues to slide figure in multiple millions to repair the damage. So stopping that disaster would make economic sense.
So, there’s 5 reasons….