http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charrette

In the 16th, 17th, and 18th century when travel took long periods, a Charette referred to long carriage rides in which politicians and policy makers would be sequestered together in order to collaborate in solving a set problem over the duration of their journey.

Great idea.
Modern day Charrette – have these politicians and policy makers sequestered together on the Max for a long ride until they solve the set of problems.

Take it to the limit
Take it to the MAX!

Clin: Thanks for looking that up.

What freaking elitists! Does anyone still doubt?

In some parts of town, the city has messed up streets so badly that perhaps having to go by car would be even slower. Perhaps sequester a bunch of politicos in a sustainable Smart Car, making them drive from Gresham to Hillsboro, through the worst streets of Portland. It least that'll keep 'em out of their offices for a day. (Gang shootings, stabbings and robberies optional side tours.)

Funny thing is - driving doesn't go away. And it's far more sustainable to be able to maintain a steady speed than to be caught in gridlock. In fact, I believe the city received grant money a few years ago to better synchonize stop lights. Ah, the good ol' days.

I love the misuse of the word "products."

They will deliver no products from the meeting, just puffery and spin to try to justify what they want to do.

(I also dislike it when my banker and insurance agents want to tell me about their new "products." Unless they have started building toasters in the back room the financial folks provide only services. If they can't even be honest about what they do for a living....)

Now that the Mayor has driven out the best and brightest out of transportation, replacing them with loyalists who have no experience or degrees in transportation engineering, no wonder things are so screwed up. Sam does not listen to subject matter experts.

The city uses Charettes to get subject matter experts together with the public and do preliminary designs on site to incorporate ideas and address concerns. Since Sam listens to no one- the exercise is moot.

I still think you guys need a good old fashioned vigilante committee...

Had to take Max today to pick up a car at Dick Hannah (122d/Bside). A young woman waiting on the platform started a race-based rant into her cell phone. Can't really call it racist if you're dogging your own peeps, but she was dropping F and N bombs lefty/righty. It was pretty sad that she had no self-awareness about what she was saying/doing. In five minutes, I heard more cussing from her than an hour's worth of George Carlin or Richard Pryor.

Watch them say that recent polls have shown 'the people' want bikes lanes on I-5 to 'improve' traffic flow.

But...but...I thought having a grid system with small blockfaces was supposed to be the best way to develop a city!

(That's why few cities that have grid systems have blockfaces as small as Portland...that most European cities that Portland is trying hard to emulate don't even have grid systems at all...and there are so many examples of Portland's planning hard not at work...)

Maybe...just maybe...putting all of those big sports arenas and the Convention Center - facilities that don't have consistent usage, but when they are used the traffic flows are in sudden surges - right next to two major freeway interchanges and in a web of complex, busy arterial streets in the center of a grid system with small blockfaces which result in a total mess of traffic WASN'T such a good idea. And MAX in the mix provides only minimal help.

Eric H -

What grid system?

There ain't none in residential SW Portland and there's only slightly more in NW portland outside the alphabet district.

Sdaly, no body in Planning and Sustainability, Bureau of Developmet Services or Bureau of Transportation have noticed.

They continue to routinely ignore the topography and the geology and insist on forcing grid oriented flat land requirements onto a geographic are in which those requirements simply physically won't work.

The farce that is the Stormwater management manual is but the latest example of the myopia in the city bureaus. The Portland plan, when completed, will be the next example.

"I still think you guys need a good old fashioned vigilante committee"
Stick around Dave, we'll get you up to speed.

Please help, I can't find the food menu.

What Nonny said. Try riding a bike on SW Taylor's Ferry sometime.

Better yet, the charette participants first have to reach MAX by bus from any point in east county.

I'm just repeating the crap I hear all the time about how great Portland's small block grid system is.

I know...I find it much, much, MUCH easier for me to walk around my neighborhood (in that God-awful auto-dominated, unhealthy, obese, fast-food living exurb called Tigard) where we have sidewalks and even off-street bike paths, than my old S.W. Portland haunt on Capitol Highway where I dared NEVER let my son walk on or near the road. I don't have to worry about approaching cars hitting me as I walked to/from the bus stop on Barbur Boulevard (where coming home I had to run across the highway as there was absolutely no safe way for me to cross the street...except to ride a bus into that exurb of Tigard to a signalized crosswalk, and then another bus back home.)

Now my son can walk to school - safely. And right around the corner is a cul-de-sac - with friendly neighbors, and the kids can even play in the street without fear of cars barrelling down the road at 10 over the speed limit.

Of course, Tigard has one bad thing going for it...

WES.

The words "Another reality" come to mind!