Proposed new lane on I-84 in east Portland.

In a rare bit of love for freeways, on Thursday July 19th, Metro (Portland's metropolitan planning organization) approved funding for a project that will add capacity to an interstate located within Portland city limits. The $6 million project will extend an auxiliary lane on eastbound Interstate 84 one half mile between the Halsey St. and northbound Interstate 205 exits. Metro says the project is being "fast-tracked by ODOT after it found cost savings around the state."

It's interesting to note how Metro councilors — who pride themselves on supporting investments that improve bicycle and transit access — talk about why they supported this project. I'm also covering this because I think it's important for people to understand how much we spend to alleviate congestion and just what results are expected for this $6 million investment. (more...)

Arterials kill.

Using ODOT traffic crash data and their own data on transportation infrastructure Metro's State of Safety report has found that roadway collisions cost our region $958 million a year — that's significantly more than congestion.

The report also lays bare one of the nagging issues for local transportation planners and a central theme of the Mayor Sam Adams administration: Portland's large, multi-lane arterials are unsafe. In what report authors refer to as one of the "most conclusive relationships" in the study, they found that a disproportionate amount of the serious crashes in our region occur on arterial roads.

Streets like Tualatin Valley Highway, 82nd Ave, SE Powell, McLoughlin Blvd (in Clackamas County) have much higher rates of fatalities and serious injuries than neighborhood streets or even freeways. (more...)

Did you know the new Trolley Trail
south of Milwaukie is almost fully complete?

In case you haven't noticed, there's a ton going on around our regional network of trails and multi-use paths* — a.k.a. "The Intertwine". To help get the public up to speed and foster collaboration and momentum on the projects, Metro and folks behind The Intertwine are hosting their 2nd annual Trails Fair.

The event is coming this Wednesday (4/25) from 1:00 - 3:00 pm (at Metro HQ, 600 NE Grand Ave). From the newly built Trolley Trail down in Milwaukie (yes, it's almost completed!), to the North Portland Greenway, and many others — this event will be the perfect place to hear the latest news on all the major projects. Metro promises about 40 agencies, non-profits, and trail groups will be on hand with exhibits and experts to share info about their programs and projects. (more...)

These green spaces around Happy Valley would be
tied together with the newly proposed
Mt. Scott/Scouter Mt. Trail Loop.

Metro is prepping for the public unveiling of an exciting new network of paths that span from just south of the Powell Butte Nature Park all the way down to the Clackamas River. The Mt. Scott/Scouter Mt. Trail Loop is one of twenty "Connecting Green trail packages" proposed by Metro's Blue Ribbon Committee for Trails.

According to a document and maps released by Metro today, the plans call for a combination of paved multi-use paths as well as hiking and biking trails. In all, the network would encompass about 17 miles of paths winding around the city of Happy Valley and between a corridor bordered by the Springwater path, the I-205 multi-use path , SE 172nd Avenue and SE Sunnyside Road. (more...)

A survey created by Metro and sent to their nearly 10,000 member Opt In Panel last month has drawn the ire of non-profits, local business owners, and citizen advocates — 26 of whom have signed onto a letter outlining their concerns that was sent to Metro President Tom Hughes and members of the Metro Council today.

When the survey was released at the end of December, we shared the negative reactions it received from many in the local transportation advocacy world. Many who took the survey, myself included, cringed at the content and framing of several of the questions.
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Annual trail use between 2008 and 2011 shows a steady climb (despite all the rain last year!).
(Graphic: BikePortland)

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A Metro survey aimed at the 8,000 members of their Opt In Panel drew swift and critical reaction from active transportation advocates yesterday.

The survey was introduced as "some questions about infrastructure projects and economic growth in the Portland-metropolitan area." Despite its intentions, the questions and phrasing rubbed some Opt In members the wrong way and they went to Twitter to share their reactions.
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Survey says. Give us more!
(© BikePortland)

A Metro 'Opt-In' survey on active transportation shows that a majority of respondents from around the region feel it's important to make greater investments in dedicated bicycle infrastructure. The survey, which was answered by 3,865 members of the Opt-In feedback panel, was to help inform in Metro's first ever Active Transportation Plan they'll begin to develop next year. (more...)

JPACT came together this morning to green light $16.8 million in federal grants for active transportation projects.
(Photo © J. Maus)

A Metro committee unanimously approved a $70.7 million package of federal "regional flexible funding" at a meeting of their Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (JPACT) this morning. 14 projects (totaling $22.9 million) — including $2.0 million for the Portland Bike Sharing Project — were included in the passed resolution.

But prior to the vote, there was a heated exchange between Mayor Sam Adams and Multnomah County Commissioner Deborah Kafoury. It came after two citizens gave testimony to the committee about concerns that equity considerations and public input around the bike sharing project has been inadequate. Kafoury supported the concerns and tried to delay a vote on the project, while Adams spoke up in its defense. (more...)

Blumenauer: Come together. Right now.
(Photo © J. Maus)

United States Congressman Earl Blumenauer spoke during a rare appearance at an influential Metro committee last week, doling out some tough love over the groups' inability to come together around a regional vision for transportation investments. It was a rare showing of straight talk that speaks to a larger issue facing metro Portland's elected officials and transportation leaders:

To achieve a new vision of transportation it will take big and bold projects that the entire region supports... But what projects fit that bill? And are regional leaders capable of agreeing to a single priority over pet projects in their own backyards?

Metro's 17-member Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (JPACT) is staffed by bigwigs like Portland Mayor Sam Adams, TriMet GM Neil McFarlane, and many other agency directors, Metro staffers, mayors, and commissioners from around the region. The group recently submitted five projects to the U.S. Department of Transportation's TIGER III grant program.
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