Hwy 217 Commuter Trail?

[K'Tesh]

For my current commute, I ride on Hwy 217.

For 3 years I've been begging for a Hwy 217 Commuter Trail, but I'm told that it is too expensive, and there isn't enough support for a trail that could cost nearly 1Mil/mile ("Can you justify 1M/mile for one rider?"). I've pointed out the success of the I205 trail, but it doesn't phase them.

There's some great areas along Hwy 217 that could become a wonderful commuter/rec MUP (ie. paralleling the new Wilsonville/Beaverton Commuter Train (WES), set to start late 2008 ). I understand that there are areas that paralleling wouldn't work, but come on... Hall Blvd is dangerous, and I'm not sure that the Fanno Creek Trail would be a viable 24/7/365 commuting alternative.

So, are they right? Is it 1M/mile for one rider as they say? Or, is it "If you build it they will come" as I say? I do understand that there is a problem with obtaining the funding, but I think they are dismissing it out of hand.

Rubberside Down!
K'Tesh

[Haven_kd7yct]

If there was a better, more "linked up" MUP, my BF and I would ride it.

The Fanno Creek Trail (all 4 miles or so of it) is so disjointed, and crosses several busy, large streets, that's it difficult to want to use it.

I'd rather ride Hall and Scholls Ferry than the Fanno Creek Trail, to be honest.

If there was a 217 commuter corridor with decent crossings and a nice wide clean surface, I'd use it in a heartbeat.

I can't believe you ride ON 217! You're crazy!

[K'Tesh]

Originally Posted by Haven_kd7yct

I can't believe you ride ON 217! You're crazy!

When I was talking to my Attorney, I mentioned that I commute on 217 and she said that she wasn't sure about the wisdom of that route.

When I told her my alternative was Hall Blvd, she said "You win.". She's been involved in a few crashes on Hall, and understands my thinking now.

And I'm not crazy... I'm only halfway there...
Rubberside down!
K'Tesh

[tvhwy]

217 South is great fun during the height of rush hour. On at Park Way, off at Canyon Road, and a hundred traffic-jammed suckers in between.

[wyeast]

What section are you riding down? There should be an alternate route, meandering through neighborhoods or using roads like Lombard, Nimbus, or Greenway. Yeah, you sometimes have to cross a major road, but as long as you pick your intersections you can at least get a signal.

And yeah. Hall is baaaad juju. Has been for at least 20 years. Beaverton's a town where the roads were designed for 20,000 population, now forced to cope with 100,000.

[lynnef]

There is indeed a route:
http://www.gmap-pedometer.com/?r=1473835
My husband rides it (at least in the nicer weather). He says most of the major road crossings have lights, or are otherwise not difficult. He's going all the way to Tualatin; I just showed the part to Tigard.

The fuzzy mapping part is the Fanno Creek Trail - doesn't show as a road on gmaps.

[K'Tesh]

Originally Posted by wyeast

What section are you riding down? There should be an alternate route, meandering through neighborhoods or using roads like Lombard, Nimbus, or Greenway. Yeah, you sometimes have to cross a major road, but as long as you pick your intersections you can at least get a signal.

And yeah. Hall is baaaad juju. Has been for at least 20 years. Beaverton's a town where the roads were designed for 20,000 population, now forced to cope with 100,000.

Meandering isn't a very good option, I'm trying to get to work (and I'm often running late, and I don't like neighborhood traffic/traffic controls). Sure, I could start earlier, but I don't like arriving hot and sweaty (or dead/beat/late).

When I was going to work using Hall, I started on Broadway and Watson, proceeded south until Watson joined Hall. Then it was Hall all the way down till I turned onto Cascade. Cascade crosses Scholls, then goes on to Greenburg. Greenburg to 99W, thru the parking lots of Napa Auto Parts, and 7-11, then back on Hall.

Problems were found where there was no bike lane, or where Hall crosses Greenway (RIGHT HOOKS), as well as all the busy intersections and driveways. Whats worse, traffic is often faster on Hall (20-40mph) than on Hwy 217 (12-35mph) during rush hour.