Last Thursday, The Oregonian’s top transportation reporter Dylan Rivera (he’s also their go-to guy for coverage of the new I-5 bridge/CRC project) took a closer look at the new TriMet multi-use transit bridge project. The story also included an audio slideshow titled, “Concept Bridge Creates Controversy” (watch it below).
In the article, Rivera delves into the capacity issues that currently exists on the Hawthorne Bridge (which is just north of where the new TriMet bridge will be) and seems to wonder whether or not the currently planned 14-foot wide path on the new bridge will be adequate (Hawthorne is 10 1/2-feet).
While it’s great to see The Oregonian reporting on whether a bike/ped path will be wide enough, it remains a mystery to us where they get the idea that the TriMet bridge project has been “controversial”.
In our story on this project last month, we reported that the City of Portland’s Bicycle Advisory Committee had written a letter in support of the 14-feet width (although they would have preferred more). Rivera’s article also includes a quote from the BTA’s Advocacy Manager Michelle Poyourow saying “14 feet will make a good design possible” and that it would “reduce tensions between bikes and pedestrians”.
So, where exactly is the controversy? Nowhere. Because there doesn’t seem to really be one (unless you count the many comments on The O’s story from people who are incensed that the bike/ped path is being built at all).
Despite this, unfortunately the O’s story has already been picked up by national transportation infrastructure blog, The Infrastructurist. They ran The Oregonian’s “Concept Bridge Creates Controversy” video and then assumed that “there’s still some jockeying between competing interests”.
The only “jockeying” going on right now (that we’ve heard about) is how exactly to best utilize (or “program” in planning-speak) the 14-feet of bike/ped space. That topic will be presented by TriMet and discussed by the City of Portland Bicycle Advisory Committee at their monthly meeting tomorrow night at City Hall.
Watch The Oregonian’s video below.
| Concept Bridge Creates Controversy |