Portland Transport

Author: Chris Smith

  • A Number for Jim (at long last)

    I finally had a chance to catch the video of Charlie Hales addressing a PSU transportation seminar about Streetcar. You can find the stream and download here. First, for Jim Karlock, Charlie quoted an average trip length for Streetcar (no, I don’t know his source): 3/4 of a mile. So go run your numbers, Jim!…

  • CRC Open House Question # 4

    Short ramps make getting on and off I-5 difficult and unsafe. Improvements are needed to make connecting to I-5 smoother and safer for trucks and cars. Agree/Disagree. Discuss…

  • Local Governments Acknowledge Inconvenient Truths

    Two interesting new reports out that deal with our energy and climate future. First, Metro has released a draft background paper as part of the Regional Transportation Plan update: Key Environmental Issues and Metro’s Mitigation-Related Activities in the Portland Metropolitan Region. It’s not online yet, but here are a couple of key paragraphs from the…

  • Think Harder

    Ron Buel had a very nice op-ed in yesterday’s Trib suggesting we go even further than some of the ideas in the Trib’s special issue on transportation.

  • Burnside, Prudent Streetcars at Planning Commission

    Planning Commission took testimony for about 4 hours on the Burnside Couplet plan last night. Proponents and opponents were relatively balanced (a few more opponents). As one Planning Commissioner noted, about half the opponents referenced Couch from 15th to 19th specifically, which indicates that the Cathedral and school were effective in mobilizing their constituents. The…