The multi-year process to create a new transportation link between Lake Oswego and Portland is nearing an important decision and the BTA warns that the, “opportunity to connect the region for cyclists” might be lost.
Next Monday (7/16), Metro will host a public hearing where the Lake Oswego to Portland Transit and Trails Alternative Analysis Committee (LOPAC) will make a final recommendation to Metro Council as to which of two options (express bus service or streetcar) should move forward into the next phase of study.
Both options are intended to include provisions and funding for a multi-use trail, but Emily Gardner — who sits on LOPAC for the BTA — says that due to cost concerns, some members of LOPAC might shun the trail altogether.
In a post on the BTA blog, Gardner writes:
“members of LOPAC are balking at the price tag for a multi-use trail and considering removal of the trail from the project entirely. If that happens, the opportunity to connect the region for cyclists is lost.
…it is imperative that Metro Councilors hear from cyclists about the importance of this trail…If the Metro Council decision on this corridor fails to include a walking and bicycling trail, we will have squandered the opportunity to build the facility that will best serve the corridor in the upcoming years.”
The public hearing is being held at the Metro Regional Center (600 NE Grand Ave.) on Monday July 16th from 4-6:00pm.