Kind of an old story, but interestingly as TriMet looks towards "Transit-Oriented Development", it can also be noted that there is absolutely NO potential for any decent transit use around this light rail station.

Of course it's located between McLoughlin Boulevard, which is for all intents and purposes a freeway in this stretch; and the Union Pacific's mainline (and yard lead into Brooklyn Yard - so you have lots of stopped and slow moving trains, unlike along the Banfield Freeway where trains sail on by.)

To the east is the golf course - it ain't going anywhere, it's essentially a public park/greenspace. To the west is Westmoreland Park - again, it ain't going anywhere. You have dense single family housing that is gentrified - good luck prying those homes out of their hands (and since that neighborhood generally supports Sam Adams, it'd be a good way to lose his support.) There is the retirement home to the NW; great density, but very poor transit access to the MAX station - and they typically have their own shuttle buses anyways.

I'm a little surprised at the Milwaukie MAX line given its lack of development potential. TriMet is basing their hopes on using MAX to kick-start the stalled SoWhat development - the Streetcar didn't do it, the Tram didn't do it, so why not keep throwing more money down that drain?

Because the City of Portland never, ever, ever admits that it screwed up.

More madness.

Besides the big up tick in Green Line crime that TriMet says has no connection to MAX the green line has already produced BIG REGRETS because of it's lousy location. Stuck between a freeway and commercial development on 82nd most of it is without access.
The Milwaukie Light Rail is following all of the same reckless abandon.
Including a massive McLoughlin Area Urban Renewal plan at the Park Street southern terminus to help pay Clackamas county's $30 million share of the Light rail and millions more to subsidize the typical development.

Take a stroll through this massive and costly makeover. It has something for everyone. Even Homer.

http://www.mcloughlinareaplan.org/docManager/1000000151/Draft_Project_Types_Memo_012010.pdf

With a financing/funding memorandum that leads right to Tax Increment Financing.

http://www.mcloughlinareaplan.org/docManager/1000000152/ECO%20Funding%20Alternatives%20Memo_Draft021710.pdf

Batter up! --

For starters, Hansen is scheduled to address the City Club of Portland on Friday on the problems facing his agency. Among other things, Hansen tells the Portland Tribune that he will have something to say about the future of Fareless Square.

Doors open at 11:30 a.m., and the talk is scheduled to begin at 12:15 p.m. at the Governor Hotel, 614 S.W. 11th Ave.

Just to clarify something, I do believe Fred Hansen is long gone (retired) and has been replaced by a local Tri-met administrator, Neil McFarlane.

A careful perusal of the Tribune article will reveal that the story (accessed via the link Jack embedded) carries the following dates:
The Portland Tribune,
Dec 4, 2007, Updated Oct 30, 2009

So...I think the reference to Hansen "addressing the City Club of Portland on Friday" is a bit outdated (so to speak).

-ob-

"I'm a little surprised at the Milwaukie MAX line given its lack of development potential."

According to the city, isn't the corridor supposed to generate 100,000 jobs or something like that?

Thanks, ob!

TriMet goes on offensive for safety
http://www.theoutlookonline.com/news/story.php?story_id=119708982514212600

(Just don't stand in the crosswalk).

Portland City Club - Friday Forum Archive
http://www.pdxcityclub.org/friday_forum_archive

Date:
December 7, 2007 - 4:00pm
Speaker(s):
Fred Hansen
Audio (play now or download):
pdx12 - 07-07.mp3

Of course every job in Portland is the sole result of building light rail.

Didn't you know that?

Thanks
JK

Re: the city of Portland never admits it screwed up
Check out an op ed in Willy Week today at:
wweek.com/editorial/3636/14272
I want to know why the city has 31 employees working in 4,700 sq ft of the Ecotrust building at a cost of $120,000 a year!?
Of course that is only the very tip of this ice berg.

Today's future MAX platform is tomorrow's crime scene!

The media in Portland make up an important part of the "Three Card Monte" approach from the Tri-Met propaganda machine.

Maybe you should be happy your transit is policed by the underarmed .....

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/01/18/AR2010011802015.html

I think this woman raises very valid safety concerns about that site. And it sounds like Tri-Met is taking her seriously, which is nice for a change.

That said, driving is way more dangerous than mass transit. You're much more likely to get killed driving a car, than you are taking the subway/light-rail/bus.

That said, driving is way more dangerous than mass transit. You're much more likely to get killed driving a car, than you are taking the subway/light-rail/bus.

That all depends on who else is on the train / bus. When I get in my car, there aren't other people already there that may be carrying weapons with unknown intents.

It's funny that bloggers here are discussing the minutiae of Milwaukie Light Rail when funding can't even be found. Portland's $30 Million requirement hasn't been met, and the $20 Million so far taken by Sam is borrowed bond money. There may be legal challenges to that theft. Milwaukie has no funding for its $5 Million commitment. Clackamas Co.'s $30 Million has no funding-they are thinking of creating another urban renewal area like Milwaukie-again borrowed bond money. TriMet's $30 Million has no funding because TriMet is over $80 Million in debt. And the federal government hasn't even committed their $850 Million.

The state's $250 Million taken from the lottery funds is in question by politicians as well as citizens. There's opposition to that theft.

Dudley and Huffman have questioned the federal and state dollars being misappropriated when we are broke in every jurisdiction. Wyden doesn't even know about it-"let me get back to you" kind of answer when questioned on the lack of funding. Wu says "What?".

Let's just keep dreaming that it will happen. There's all kinds of opposition developing against the use of urban renewal dollars for the matching dollars. There are many candidates around the region and state that are making it a campaign issue. But keep dreaming.

That all depends on who else is on the train / bus. When I get in my car, there aren't other people already there that may be carrying weapons with unknown intents.

Fair point. But you're still more likely to die in your car. And while you don't have to worry who is in your car. You do have to worry very much about who is on the road with you.

40,000 people die every year in auto accidents. That is way more than die in all other accidents combined. The second most accidental death is falling, which kills about 15,000 a year. (#*$*#$ GRAVITY!) In addition, it's twice as much as the overall murder rate in this country which is about 16,000 a year.

I'm just saying people worry so much about the safety of public transportation, but don't pay much heed to the incredible dangers of driving. I find it odd.

Well, actually I don't find it odd. Driving is incredibly convenient. And Americans have just decided to assume the risk of auto deaths in exchange for the freedom and comfortability of driving.

I just kind of wish we'd apply the same assumption of risk to other aspects of our lives.

Gravity? What gravity? -- http://www.nytimes.com/2010/07/13/science/13gravity.html

Justin, you are wrong on what is most deadly on a per mile basis. But who cares with "statistics"? Just throw opinions out.

Portland native, I just noticed your comment on the rent CoP is paying EcoTrust. It comes out to $27 dollars a sq/ft. for a B grade building.

I have friends owning similar buildings hoping to get $11 to $15 a sq/ft.. Sounds like another great business decision by CoP. It's even worse if you consider the taxpayer money initially given to EcoTrust for the building. Talk about "partnerships"! Now Sam wants to build a "sustainable building" at taxpayer expense of over $80 Million not including the debt cost. Sounds like another "creative building" scenario like a few years back. CoP had to move PDC into that after that "investment" failed.

Citizens, please stop these neophytes of CoP who know nothing about business and have them go back to filling potholes, cleaning the streets, and providing sewer and water at reasonable prices. Have them be developers on their own dime.

By all means, Lee. Enlighten me. What are the stats on a per mile basis? Way more people drive than take mass transit, so I'm sure the death/accident numbers are skewed toward driving. I'd be very curious to see what the per mile comparison is.

Let's ask him about it:

Jarrett Walker of humantransit.org A field guide to transit quarrels

Please join Council President David Bragdon in welcoming Jarrett Walker to Metro for a brown bag presentation focused on transportation planning options. Jarrett Walker is a transit planning consultant and the author of the popular transit weblog humantransit.org.
What: Jarrett Walker Brown Bag Presentation- A field guide to transit quarrels
When: Tuesday, July 27th, Noon to1pm
Where: Metro Council Chambers- 600 NE Grand Avenue, Portland, OR 97232

As transit becomes more popular, many cities are having intense and often bitter quarrels about what kind of transit to build or operate. Working from 20 years of experience as a transit planning consultant, Jarrett Walker examines some of the most common confusions that affect debates about transit and often lead to disappointing outcomes. He then suggests strategies for clarifying transit debates by recognizing the unavoidable “hard choices” that arise from transit’s intrinsic geometry and costs.

Jarrett Walker is a consultant with 20 years experience in transit network and planning policy. Raised in Portland, he has been based at various times in Portland, San Francisco and Vancouver, British Columbia. Currently, he is a principal consultant for McCormick Rankin Cagney, based in Sydney, Australia. He holds a Ph.D. from Stanford University and writes the popular transit weblog humantransit.org.

Well Lee, since you didn't respond, I googled your question, and uh, guess what? It's way safer to take mass transit on a per mile basis than to drive.

According to the National Safety Council, the passenger death rate for autos is .80 per 100 million passenger miles. And the rate for buses and trains is .05 and .03.

Driving is very dangerous. And very convenient.

"40,000 people die every year in auto accidents. That is way more than die in all other accidents combined."

It has been estimated that 100,000 die annually from medical errors. Maybe they don't qualify as accidents?

lw:Citizens, please stop these neophytes of CoP who know nothing about business and have them go back to filling potholes, cleaning the streets, and providing sewer and water at reasonable prices. Have them be developers on their own dime. . .

They don't have what it takes.
Neither do the developers who get subsidized by them one way or another.
This is quite a marriage.
A divorce is needed. . . for the sake of the citizens.