Alarm Bells Going Off Over Auto-Centric State Transportation Package


BTA (which cancelled its ride to Salem in support of the package), 1000 Friends and others have sent out alerts today about HB 2001, the Governor’s transportation package. From the 1000 Friends alert:

Unfortunately, the transportation package, House Bill 2001, that recently emerged from behind closed doors has lost its balance – it has become a highways bill, dominated by an $840 million list of road building projects divorced from any unified transportation or economic development strategy to relieve freight bottlenecks or strengthen the state or local economies. It specifically earmarks scarce dollars to build massive highway projects that will increase sprawl, traffic, and increase transportation-generated greenhouse gasses.

Call your Representative and Senator now.

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8 responses to “Alarm Bells Going Off Over Auto-Centric State Transportation Package”

  1. Does this surprise you?
    Most people drive cars and want roads, they are sick of being stuck in huge traffic jams.

    In a democracy, those with the most votes wins, and most people want cars and roads.

    Really, unless you live in Portland proper, your stuck with a car.

    The only way this is going to stop is if gas hits $10/gal.

    What are you worried about Chris?
    Portland’s got what it wants, street cars up the kazoo.

  2. Portland’s got what it wants, street cars up the kazoo.

    Um, we’ve got one-half of a central city streetcar loop, with the other half about to break ground. That’s all. Beyond that, we’ve got plans for future corridors decades out. But historically speaking, how many planning projects come to fruition?

    Or do you mean, literally, that Portland has a kazoo located somewhere on high ground near the current streetcar alignment?

    Is it anything like Mill Ends Park?

  3. You’ve got 1/2+the other 1/2 ready to break ground.

    That means you’ve got 1 WHOLE loopdeloop.

    Jeez Bob, you got Lake Oswego, you got green line, you got the purple line, you got the bridge with whatever line that will be.

    You got streetcars going to places I’ve never heard of!

    That my good friend =1 freaking KAZOOOOO!

  4. Or do you mean, literally, that Portland has a kazoo located somewhere on high ground near the current streetcar alignment?

    That sounds… No, I’d stay away from that sound.

    Good work, it’s train repellent!

  5. The coverage I’ve seen to date about the current bill appears to be funneling money into road and infrastructure repair rather than into “massive highway projects.” If this is true, I have very limited sympathy for the BTA’s argument.

    It serves no one in Oregon if critical infrastructure work (bridges, etc.) is postponed in favor of new work for bicycles or even transit. The entire state economy is affected by necessary highway reroutes for trucking, for example.

  6. Jeff F

    Will you please stop being so logical and rational all of the time!!

    Some of us much prefer the emotional hysteria which makes for a much more enjoyable blogging experience!

  7. Most people drive cars and want roads, they are sick of being stuck in huge traffic jams.

    There are many people who have cars and strongly advocate for alternatives to the car, I think we all saw an example of this in the PBS Portland Sense of Place, with the clip from the streetcar workshop. I believe it was Terry that asked who was looking out for motorists and every one at the streetcar planning workshop reminded him that they were in fact car owners. Just because one owns a car doesn’t mean they necessarily like to drive or think it should be the only way to travel.

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