Apparently the reality of transportation funding constraints has started to sink in. The steering committee for this project has directed staff to develop a concept that does not involve creating a new road (I assume that means expansion of existing roads and things like new signalization, etc.). This is being called the ‘hybrid’ concept:
“We should be planning for something that can be implemented,” said Tualatin City Engineer Mike McKillip.
4 responses to ““Hybrid” I-5/99W Connector”
According to the project website, there’s also an alternative on the table that doesn’t involve new roads or the “no-build” option: Alternative 2, which would improve alternate transportation access within the area, including transit, sidewalks, and bicycle lanes.
Both Erik Halstead and I have, on several previous occasions, mentioned and/or explained how transit service is sorely lacking within the area. I realize the tired saying of “transit only carries 1% of commuters…,” perhaps it’s because transit doesn’t serve every area of every city at times work shifts begin and end, and/or employers that unfairly discriminate against non-drivers.
Before this becomes part of the never-ending ‘bus disinvestment’ chronicles, here’s a crazy thought which entered my mind… what if the area was able to set up a separate ‘local transportation improvement district’ to fund only specific routes within the corridor, using buses to be used only along said routes in the said corridor? We’re assuming any applicable state and local law is changed to allow such a district.
“what if the area was able to set up a separate ‘local transportation improvement district’ to fund only specific routes within the corridor, using buses to be used only along said routes in the said corridor? We’re assuming any applicable state and local law is changed to allow such a district.”
I love the idea. I wonder how many other places would do it? For instance, if everyone in my neighborhood paid an extra couple bucks, we could easily get shelters at all the bus stops in the neighborhood, and since 30% of my neighborhood rides the bus to work regularly already, it shouldn’t be that hard to get it passed.
Its called a TMA…Transportation Management Assoc. Tualatin used to have one, but let it die; there is still a shuttle that does a route out there, funded by federal JARC, Job Access Reverse Commute, funds administered by TriMet.
On Swan Island in the last 10 years we have tripled the level of transit service, built sidewalks, installed shelters, organized vanpools, got funding for trails, etc. and freight moves easily up and down Going Street and along Basin Avenue.
The problem we DON’T have is cut thru traffic, which is what plagues the Tualatin industrial area and many other industrial areas.
Also Swan Island has about 10K people working in about one square mile, so employment density is pretty good…unlike Rivergate which is more spread out. Note that in all these industrial areas valuable “scarce industrial lands” are given away free for auto storage by employees.
Real transportation options can free up land for expansion as well as reduce congestion, move freight, etc.
Lenny Anderson wrote: The problem we DON’T have is cut thru traffic, which is what plagues the Tualatin industrial area and many other industrial areas.
Not necessarily; there are numerous alternate roads to Tualatin-Sherwood Road that could be used – Hermann Road, to be specific. Leveton Street is another. Tualatin Road is another. Avery Street is another.
The City of Tualatin has already identified a lack of transit as part of their city visioning process and one of the suggestions (per the city’s website) is to start their own transit system (as Wilsonville has done). IMO, TriMet as the transit agency has a responsibility to “put up or shut up” – either provide service demanded by the public, or stop collecting taxes and publicly admit that it can’t do it – and pull out. It shouldn’t require an election that forced TriMet out of Wilsonville, Molalla, Sandy, and Damascus.
TriMet promised local bus service with the conjunction of the start of WES service and TriMet once again is failing to deliver on the promise. I could see a lot of great potential for Sherwood, Tualatin, and Wilsonville to work together to create a transit system that would be the envy of the entire region to serve a fast growing residential and industrial area.