Portland Transport

Author: Chris Smith

  • Transit Safety Poll at the Business Journal

    This week, the Business Journal’s poll is about how safe (crime safe – not traffic safe) you feel on TriMet: Total crime dropped in 2006 on MAX and TriMet — to a total of 886 crimes from 988 in 2005. But there were still 88 robberies last year, and 156 simple assaults. Do you think…

  • This Parking Round Goes to the Neighborhood

    Happily, and somewhat surprisingly, last night Portland City Council upheld the appeal of the Northwest Distract Association and denied design approval of the Irving Street parking structure (the Historic Landmarks Commission had previously granted approval to the design). The issue came down to safety. Commissioner Sam Adams, making the motion to sustain the appeal, cited…

  • Debate on Cleaner Coal Continues

    From yesterday’s New York Times (“Cleaner Coal is Attracting Some Doubts“). My favorite phrase from the article is “capture ready” to describe a power plant design. Sort of like an HDTV-ready TV set. I think I’d like to hold out for power plants that actually capture the carbon…

  • Finding your Way Now a Little Bit Easier

    A new wayfinding system has recently begun to be installed in downtown Portland. I participated in the PDC open houses on this project several years ago (pre-Portland Transport) and am happy to see these hit the streets. OPB had some coverage last week. Some of the key features of the system include: One map to…

  • Parking Lament

    I spent a significant amount of my time for about three years from 2001-2003 trying to work out a parking plan for my neighborhood in NW Portland, sometimes in partnership with, sometimes in opposition to the business association in the neighborhood. Tonight Portland City Council will consider a design review appeal on the first parking…