PDOT probes for transportation issues with Central Eastside survey
Posted by Jonathan Maus (Editor-in-Chief) on December 1st, 2008 at 12:23 pm
Eastside — one of life’s finer pleasures.
(Photo © J. Maus)
The City of Portland Office of Transportation wants to hear from anyone who works and/or lives on the Central Eastside.
They’ve launched the Central Eastside Transportation Survey (take it here) to learn more about how Portlanders “use the transportation system today and what your expectations are for the future.”
According to Dan Bower with PDOT, the survey is similar to others being undertaken throughout the city and they’re all meant to aid in a major effort to update the Central Portland Plan.
Elly and I just finished taking the survey (BikePortland.org headquarters are in the CEID) and here are a few of the questions they’re asking:
- How do you normally travel to and from your work site or school?
- If you drive to work, which statement best describes the parking situation at your work site or school?
- In your opinion, what is the biggest transportation concern for Central Eastside employees or students today?
- Please indicate which, if any of the services or amenities would help you reduce car travel if they were provided to Central Eastside residents or employees?
One reader, who is an employee in the CEID emailed to voice his concerns that the business advocacy group the Central Eastside Industrial Council (CEIC) is encouraging their members to take the survey to “encourage more parking spaces”.
He forwarded an email from the CEIC that stated (emphasis mine):
“Given that respondents of the survey will be eligible for a discounted ZipCar membership, it is obvious that the city sees ZipCars as one solution to driving around our area. This may appear to be a logical answer to driving around our area, however, please remember that the more ZipCars that they put in our district will result in less parking spaces for those of us who work in the district. In a recent survey to CEIC members, the number one goal was to increase the number of parking spaces in the district, not take parking spaces away.”
It’s important that everyone who lives and/or works in the Central Eastside clicks over to CentralEastsideSurvey.com to make sure transportation planners get the full picture. The survey closes today.
[UPDATE: PDOT has decided to re-open the survey. See this comment from Dan Bower for more information.]
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December 1st, 2008 14:33
When you finish the survey it has an ad for Zip Car. Who and or what is behind this survey?
December 1st, 2008 14:36
Mike,
The City of Portland Bureau of Planning is behind this survey.
they have partnered with ZipCar to offer a discount as away to entice folks to take the survey.
December 1st, 2008 14:43
What exactly is the boundaries of Central East Side?
December 1st, 2008 14:44
In the comments section of the survey everyone should demand more bike boulevards and more on street bike corrals.
December 1st, 2008 15:03
Re: #3:
Powell, I-84, Willamette River, 12th Ave.
December 1st, 2008 16:39
won't let you take the survey if you just walk or ride through the district every day; you've got to either live or work there...
December 1st, 2008 20:59
Wow, that was fast. The survey is closed already.
December 1st, 2008 21:55
You just posted this today, and already the survey is closed. Why does this all seem rather fishy? I would think if the Bureau of Planning really wanted to gather information they would publicize the effort and give people an opportunity to provide feedback.
December 2nd, 2008 06:56
Yeah, what's up with the short window of opportunity? How about another survey, and this time you (PDOT) give us more notice?
December 2nd, 2008 09:59
"You just posted this today, and already the survey is closed."
You're blaming who for that, exactly?
This survey has been open for weeks. Someone posted a comment about it here about 2 weeks before Thanksgiving. Just because Jonathan Maus didn't put it on the main page of his blog doesn't mean PDOT/planning/whoever didn't do any outreach.
December 2nd, 2008 10:55
ODOT never even contacted the Lloyd Transportation Management Association (TMA), which is a bike and transit organization in the central east side. I think that they intended to skew the results of this survey. Everyone here should call and complain until this survey is opened back up to the public.
Director Matthew Garrett
Phone: (888) 275-6368
December 2nd, 2008 11:13
update: it is not ODOT but PDOT
Phone 503-823-5185
December 2nd, 2008 11:15
Here is the email to PDOT Director@pdxtrans.org
December 2nd, 2008 11:33
One last update.
I have found out the person to contact regarding a PDOT complaint is Dan Anderson at 503-823-5185. I see it as very possible that if enough of us ask for this survey to be opened back up for public input it probably will be.
December 2nd, 2008 12:16
Hey folks,
Glad to hear such enthusiasm for the survey. To be clear, as I told Jonathon yesterday, this is one of 6 surveys that have been going on for over a month now. Every resident and business in the Central Eastside, Goose Hollow, Downtown, and the Lloyd District received a mailing notice of the survey in late October. The South Waterfront and Pearl surveys took place over the summer and last sping. Our scheduled cut off date was Dec 1, 2008 so the survey automatically closed last night.
I'm fine re-opening it, and will do so today but it may take a day to launch. Please keep in mind that this survey is intended for residents and employees of the districts.
you can find the other surveys here
http://www.goosehollowsurvey.com
http://www.downtownpdxsurvey.com
http://www.lloyddistrictsurvey.com
and http://www.centraleastsidesurvey.com
December 3rd, 2008 01:02
...and we would have gotten away with our ultimate agenda of turning the Central Eastside into a giant storage area for Zipcars and a dumping ground for the city's homeless!
Darn you bicyclists, darn you!!!!!
December 4th, 2008 11:04
I believe the city of Portland (we taxpayers) is subsidizing parking in the SmartPark garages. Here is why:
Our company pays for two parking spaces at one of their garages. One space is for the company car which is almost always in the garage because it is used only about twice a month.
That leaves one parking space, but we have four people who drive to work every day and park in the garage. So we are getting three free spaces. All they have to do is show the attendant their business card and they get out free. How many other companies are parking for free?
The people contracted to run the garages do not monitor useage. Why should they? It's not money out of their pockets.
And I don't think Sam Adams cares because he wants people to drive downtown. It makes the business alliance happy, while the city government loses income.