Maybe we can kill this thing off. We should all contact the Mayor and the City Commissioners right away. Surely they won't be so arrogant as to completely ignore what seems to be a very strong recommendation NOT TO MOVE AHEAD from the PLANNING Commission. The biggest problem with this couplet thing is that it isn't part of any kind of comprehensive plan...not to mention the at least $80 million price tag.

Call and e-mail your commisioners.

Can there be hope? Nah... I'm just sniffing too much benzene.

Why spend hundreds of millions for this project to divert autos from Burnside to ?--not to mention the windfall profits for landowners have theirs. Burnside can be made safer for traffic and peds with improvements, without doing this.

The no vote on Burnside/Couch Couplet is not a done deal just because the Planning Commission says no. Remember that the Planning Commission also said "no" on several aspects of the SoWhat Plan including the tram. Council ignored them. The back-room-dealing, lobbying, horse trading, and scams is not over yet. Meet, call and email your commissioners and insiders, and graft-artists immediately.

the plan wasn't a thoughtful one, or particularly visonary. and "city girl" is right--it's not really part of any larger plan.

Burnside illustrates one of the fundamental problems of growth-seeking planning: you work as hard as you can to get lots of development, people and money into an area--then lament the awful ensuing traffic, pollution, prices, unaffordable housing and other marginalizing effects.

but this is how eveybody plans. the 2040 plans, as Ethan Seltzer once told me, *requires* growth to work.

of course, calling for visionary planning that addresses too much growth and too little health will get you called "crazy" around here.

"The back-room-dealing, lobbying, horse trading, and scams is not over yet."

And the boondoggle push provided by Citizen Smith and company will be all the council will need to perpetrate yet another fiscal folly.

Look for Citizen Smith to also assist Metro in their Convention Center Hotel folly.

Among the recommendations...

Make turn lanes from Burnside

I think I may faint.

Actual common sense. I'm sure they'll put a stop to it in short order.

Just a reminder about the cost of the streetcar:
(All data per passenger-mile except as noted)
Bus.........................................$0.835 System wide average
Light Rail..................................$0.434 System wide average
Lowest cost BUS line.................$0.34 Per Trimet: Line 33-McLoughlin
Private Car................................$0.294 (veh.-mi - actual cost - national average)
Private Car ...............................$0.185 (actual cost - national average)
Private Car..............................$0.227 (Above - adjusted for Portland’s lower vehicle occupancy)
Portland streetcar.....................$1.25 (per ride)
Portland streetcar..................$1.67 (using average trip length per Charlie Hales)
Taxi Fare in Portland.................$2.10 Taxi fare - per mile portion only

Details at: DebunkingPortland.com/Transit/Cost-Cars-Transit.htm

Thanks
JK

Sounds like somebody didn't stay bought.

Perhaps this will give the Mayor an opportunity to make the Planning Commission more diverse?

Diversity meaning lot's of people from the trades...

Carpenter's Union
Iron Worker's Union
Plumber's Union
Architects
One of Homer's stepkids
Urban League
Bank Vice President
Property Appraiser

That just about covers it, right?

Yes, a diversity of who gets funded by the PDC is key. If you've already received funds from the PDC and you have millions maybe you should go to the end of the gravy train line.