city news...
Nov 5,2008
Weigh in On Eastside MAX Station Improvements
by Erich
For all the green cred and planning plaudits Tri-Met's MAX brings Portland, actually using it for daily commuting is an experience described at best as tolerable. This is especially true for passengers using several of the Eastside MAX stations. Spartan, wind-swept, and isolated from neighborhoods by traffic, trains, and commercial buildings, they are uninviting by day and often dangerous at night. Recognizing this, the city's Bureau of Planning in June launched a project aimed at making several of the Eastside stations safer and more attractive to riders and residents. The Eastside MAX Station Communities Project is examining current land use, building and station design, and transit structures within a half-mile of six Eastside stations (60th Avenue, 82nd Avenue, Parkrose/Sumner, 122nd Avenue, 148th Avenue, and 162nd Avenue; see this map ). Project staff hope to identify and get public input on ways these factors and facilities can be improved to make the stations more welcomi
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posted at 07:13 AM
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Oct 16,2008
Rose Quarter Transit Center Gets New Bike Lanes
by shooter
Starting today, you'll notice some changes as you drive or ride through the Rose Quarter Transit Center. PDOT has begun to install new bike lanes in an effort to reduce the risk to all who use the center. The Rose Quarter has long been a point of contention between bus drivers and bike riders. With so many buses, cars, bikes, and the Max congregating in one place, it was dangerous for everyone. Trimet, bike advocates, and City Officials have worked together to come up with a solution that should reduce the risk of accidents by adding new bike lanes and rerouting some buses.
Details about the bike lanes can be found at BikePortland and the Portland Tribune .
We just wanted to let everyone know about the changes. Be careful as you commute through that area! Related Links:
BikePortland - First Look: New Green bike Lanes in Rose Quarter Transit Center Bike Portland - Parade Will Mark Opening Ro
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posted at 08:39 AM
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Aug 29,2008
Take the Streetcar Survey
by Trace
The Portland Office of Transportation (PDOT) is currently drafting a Streetcar System Plan, with the intent of creating a citywide network. The purpose of the Streetcar System Plan (SSP) District Working Group process that is currently underway is to engage the public in the beginning of a long-range planning effort that will identify future streetcar corridors with the highest potential in a long-term implementation strategy. Specifically, the goal of the NE District Working Group process is to identify where community support for potential streetcar corridors is located in NE Portland. Currently, volunteers like us are doing community outreach to gauge the level of support in Northeast Portland along various corridors such as Broadway/Weidler, MLK Blvd, Alberta St, and 82nd Ave. The city has stated that new streetcar corridors will be prioritized in areas where community support exists.http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=7QjGufQZvkQ5cFawdRA6CA_3d_3d
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posted at 11:07 AM
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Aug 24,2008
Steel Bridge Opens Monday - Beware of Changes!
by shooter
This article from the Portland Tribune details the changes you will find when you use the Steel Bridge. The biggest change is that cars, trucks, and buses will travel in the outside lanes only. There are signaling changes on both ends of the bridge and bikes need to be aware of sidewalk changes.Read more...
posted at 09:22 PM
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Aug 22,2008
Forced into a better solution
by shooter
The Steel Bridge should open next week after the completion of construction that links the new MAX green line into the existing routes. The Steel Bridge connection was the trickiest part, given the age of the bridge and the original design for the job.This story from the Daily Journal of Commerce describes how a creative solution was needed to get the job done.
As it turns out, no structural contractor would take the job because of the risk involved in working over a railroad. The industry had numerous highway projects from which to choose, so contractors didn't want to take the risk.
Faced with no contractor, the civil engineers redesigned the project so the risk of the railroad was eliminated—and in the process saved about $1M in construction costs and cut the bridge closure time in half!
They hope to use the same design when the streetcar line is extended over the Broadway Bridge to the east side.
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posted at 10:41 AM
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Aug 18,2008
LA Times Reflecting On Portland
by stockboy
"L.A. could learn a thing or two from Portland...""The city is a veritable transit utopia where light rail goes to the airport, parking restrictions increase public transit use and free streetcar service benefits downtown businesses. It also has a 20-year head start on planning." In an interesting article the LA Times marvels at the strides Portland has made and continues to make.
posted at 07:58 PM
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Aug 15,2008
Portland In the National News... Again!
by stockboy
USA Today reported that Portland was founded in the mid-19th century as a shipping and logging center (which prompted one of its first nicknames, Stumptown), and has been a poster child for progressive urban planning for decades. Check out the newspaper article online at USA Today .
posted at 11:11 PM
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Aug 14,2008
Goodbye SW 10th & Yamhill SmartPark—Hello Condos!
by shooter
From the Portland Tribune... The PDC approved a preliminary agreement with developer John Carroll to raze the SmartPark at SW 10th and SW Yamhill and build a mid-rise mixed-use building with 16-floors of hotel or residential, eight-floors of parking, and ground-floor retail. Carroll sees this property as a linchpin for downtown, connecting the main downtown shopping district with the Pearl District, and would bring new residents and businesses to downtown on the MAX and Streetcar lines. Some parking would be lost in the process, spaces would be reduced from 800 to 600. On the other hand, the public toilets - aka stairwells - would be eliminated.
Read more *8/15 Additional Coverage PDC Gives Preliminary OK to Downtown Portland Smart Park Tower
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posted at 08:46 AM
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Aug 5,2008
First impression of commuting during the Steel Bridge closure
by shooter
Dieselboi over at Our PDX Network posted about his commute on the first day of the Steel Bridge being closed to the MAX . He has some good ideas about things that need to be improved, but reports that over all the commute wasn't too bad. Rather than take a bus across the river he opted to walk, and what a nice way to start the morning by walking from the Rose Garden across the Steel Bridge into downtown. The views are great and you get a nice stroll on the waterfront esplanade. I've done a few early morning rides along the waterfront recently and it is really nice and peaceful. The photo was a quick iPhone shot of the Hawthorne Bridge the other morning.Dieselboi does note that a couple of cyclists were riding a bit fast across the Steel Bridge while it was loaded with other people walking. Hopefully that will change as riders realize that, at least for the next few weeks, more people will be walking into downtown across the bridge. We don't need the local med
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posted at 08:53 AM
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Aug 4,2008
TriMet - Bridge Pedal will affect service Sunday morning, Aug 10
by shooter
Expect 15-minute delays downtown The 13th annual Providence Bridge Pedal on Sunday morning, August 10, will involve nine Willamette River bridges in Portland. The event includes three different cycle routes and one for walkers. As usual, the event will require some changes in how motorists get around the city, especially when crossing the Willamette River. Several bridges—including the Burnside, Morrison and St. Johns—will remain open to vehicular traffic in both directions, despite the presence of cyclists and walkers. TriMet buses and MAX trains may experience delays up to 15 minutes in downtown during the event. Buses are being routed off the Broadway Bridge for the event and the Steel Bridge is closed to all vehicular traffic because of construction. Buses that regularly use these bridges are being rerouted to the Burnside, Morrison and Hawthorne bridges. Read TriMet's full press release .
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posted at 05:08 PM
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