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Transportation, Talent and the Traded Sector
I picked up Metro’s New Look flyer on Jobs & Economic Vitality, and was pleased to read that the Policy Framework leads with “livability has been a major attractor of people, talent, etc.” This cannot be repeated too often, but preferably without yet another picture of our one little container dock, T-6. Portland is no…
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Costs, Costs, Costs
It’s enough to make strong project managers weep in their beer. Costs for most of the materials used in transportation projects are going up, up, up. Jim Mayer gives us the ugly details, and the impact on contract bidding, in yesterday’s O. How does that change the economics of the cost of congestion? Bike lanes…
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Another Link from Cycling to the Economy
Last week’s Business Journal has a guest column by Bart Eberwein, suggesting that we could generate additional tourism dollars by promoting Oregon as THE cycling state. Here’s part of the vision: Fly into Portland where you are met by a bicycle concierge who helps you assemble your bikes, answers questions about routes, etc., and off…
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‘Tis the Season
Memorial Day is the traditional opening of the summer driving season and Saturday’s O takes a look at whether high gas prices are changing behavior. Apparently not. Demand for gasoline is has not significantly changed. The hypothesis is that consumers adapt to gradual changes in price, even signfiicant ones, by readjusting their spending in other…
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Balancing Regional Transportation Outcomes, Priorities, and Costs
An important component of Metro’s Regional Transportation Plan update is to plan for outcomes, not just develop a project list. Metro’s Discussion Draft 2035 RTP Update Work Program states: The clear desire is to move away from a plan that is a compilation of locally desired projects with an unfunded cost, to one that focuses…