Month: June 2013

  • Why the demise of the CRC is a victory for progressives

    It’s been a nice hot weekend, so you can be pardoned if you missed the news, but the Washington Legislature adjourned without funding the Columbia River Crossing, As a result, both governors Inslee and Kitzhaber have essentially declared the project to be dead. This is viewed by welcome news by various different groups: Conservatives opposed…

  • Time to Support Broadway/Flint/Wheeler Safety Project!

    Last year I called out the Broadway/Flint/Wheeler intersection as the outstanding presentation in the Traffic and Transportation class. The realization of this effort, in the form of a PBOT project design, is now on the “150% list” for funding in ODOT’s STIP process. The final selection of funded projects will occur shortly. I’m told the…

  • ArrivalStar Patent on the Ropes?

    A company called ArrivalStar has been making a nice business of suing transit systems claiming rights over technology to display real-time arrivals. In fact, ArrivalStar is the main reason that Portland Transport is organized as a 501(c)(3) – so that if our transit tools generated a legal challenge, we’d have a corporate wall to protect…

  • Twenty-three Powell Boulevards

    Last week I wrote about research into likely patterns of bicycle growth in Portland, and complementary transportation and land use choices that would be required. Roger Geller’s analysis also turns to what happens if we don’t get the intended growth in active transportation. If mode splits stay where they are today Portland will see more…

  • Completing the outer ring of suburban transit

    If you look at the TriMet route map, it tends to resemble an amoeba. There are several arms, of various lengths, and lots of connectivity to the core–but in many cases, no connectivity between arms without travelling into downtown, or routes involving multiple transfers. Starting with the St. Helens Road and heading counter-clockwise; there’s a…