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Better Trips, Transformational Leadership
There was a flurry of news on Friday, describing TriMet’s new multi-modal trip planner. There is no question the planner is very cool. The ability to integrate bike and transit trip planning, better pedestrian routing to transit stops, and a myriad a bells and whistles (check out the ‘bike triangle’!) are a great step forward.…
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Responding to Cascade Policy Institute on the role of transit (and other issues)
Last week, John Charles of the Cascade Policy Institute penned his latest missive against Milwaukie MAX. While I share concerns about the cost of the project, I view a comprehensive rapid transit network throughout the metro region as something which is vitally important–and which will become moreso as gas prices and environmental pressures in the…
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TriMet to study OPAL’s Campaign for a Fair Transfer
The TriMet board today, before a packed house, considered a proposal from OPAL, the “Campaign for a Fair Transfer”, which would extend the validity of single-ride tickets to address equity issues in public transit. OPAL, an advocacy group which focuses on environmental and economic justice issues, claims that the reductions in service over the past…
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Governance Reform at TriMet: A Path to Democracy and Accountability
As a recent transplant from Seattle, I have been fascinated by all the subtle and not-so-subtle differences between the Portland and Seattle regions’ transit agencies. Most of these differences have their pros and cons. One agency vs several agencies, tickets vs smartcards, payroll tax vs sales tax, these are all issues that can be vigorously…
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More from CPI: Calls on Congress to block MLR, but still build the bridge
Our friends at Cascade Policy Institute have been busy, with a letter being sent to House Transportation chair John Mica (R-FL) asking that funding for Milwaukie Light Rail be deleted from future federal appropriations. While Mica and the GOP is known to be targeting discretionary funding, including infrastructure, as part of budget cutting exercises, whether…