Reader poll: Which guy will have the heaviest buzz on?
They're having a big ceremony down in Portland's SoWhat District today, cutting the ribbon on some more mega-million-dollar streetcar and light rail malarkey that the city desperately hopes will salvage the failed "vibrant neighborhood" that turned out to be a bankrupt flop:
U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood will join Mayor Sam Adams next Tuesday for a groundbreaking ceremony for the Southwest Moody Avenue project in South Waterfront. The project will rebuild Southwest Moody Avenue between Southwest River Parkway and Southwest Gibbs Street to support redevelopment of adjacent brown fields, and facilitate the completion of light rail and streetcar expansions to the east side. Also on hand to thank LaHood for $23 million in federal stimulus money for the project will be U.S. Reps. Earl Blumenauer, David Wu and Kurt Schrader.Wow, that's quite a lineup of "unique" characters, several (if not all) of whom seem out of touch with the realities of the day. Which leads to a burning question for our readers:
| Posted at 7:49 AM | Permalink |
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Comments (18)
What time is this shindig? I work close to there, maybe I will go see the carnival.
Posted by anthony | March 22, 2011 7:58 AM
If you know a train wreck is about to happen, you should really stay clear of that area.
Posted by David E Gilmore | March 22, 2011 8:25 AM
10 a.m., I believe.
Posted by Jack Bog | March 22, 2011 9:06 AM
Be careful if you go - it could be dangerous. What if David Wu and Sam Adams crash their cars into each other on the way to the ceremony?
Posted by Bill McDonald | March 22, 2011 9:26 AM
Just to clarify. This project is a scandalous part of Milwaukie Light Rail.
It involves moving the current SoWa Streetcar and Moody street to accommodate MLR.
It will also raise the entire site 14 feet- also to accommodate MLR and as a bonus to the schemers, I mean stakeholders-OHSU will raise the site of their planned Life Sciences Collaborative Center building 14 feet also.
NONE of which is being included as a cost of either Milwaukie Light Rail or the OHSU building.
I wonder if Ray Lahood knows about all of the shenanigans?
Like the local match of MLR being ginned up, not secured and unlikely as planned.
OHSU giving some land to TriMet for MLR- TriMet calling it a $15 million part of the local match.
While at the same time TriMet gives OHSU $10 million to help with their new SoWa building.
Clever and it would seem close to money laundering illegal.
So it goes.
Posted by Ben | March 22, 2011 9:27 AM
Yes, it certainly makes sense to spend $42 Million to relocate the recently built SW Moody and the adjacent SoWhat trolley. It's Jobs. And it certainly makes sense to have this ribbon cutting when MLR isn't even a done deal. Clackamas Co. hasn't created its new urban renewal area to fund its $25 Million portion. Milwaukie hasn't created its URA to fund its $5 Million portion. On top of that, there's the petition to require voter approval for urban renewal in Clackamas Co. which is coming on strong. It all makes sense, doesn't it?
Posted by lw | March 22, 2011 9:41 AM
Maybe everyone will just sink into the muck of the SoWhat haszmat goo down there if this wet weather keeps up.
Posted by portland native | March 22, 2011 10:24 AM
Groundbreaking? Today? I went for a jog down in the condo jungle last week and Stacey and Witbeck already had Moody all "groundbroken" with sewer pipes and construction equipment slued everywhere. Whole road south of Sheridan St. looks like it's been closed for weeks.
Posted by Ryan | March 22, 2011 12:14 PM
MIAMI -- President Barack Obama says Florida Gov. Rick Scott was wrong to reject $2.4 billion in federal money to build a high-speed rail line from Orlando to Tampa.
Read more: http://www.miamiherald.com/2011/03/18/2122621/obama-criticizes-fla-governor.html#storylink=mirelated#ixzz1HMM7F6bK
Perhaps Mayor wants to get on good graces with the President so that the next time Obama comes into town, Mayor won’t have to take spend the day in the car with the Police Chief, in order to evaluate how security does function when a President comes into Portland. Didn’t he have years as Chief of Staff under Vera to figure that out?
Posted by clinamen | March 22, 2011 12:56 PM
I hope it's Sam, and that he's loaded on amyl nitrate. I'd really like to see how the Oregonian spins it when he spends the time impersonating Dennis Hopper from Blue Velvet for three hours.
Posted by Texas Triffid Ranch | March 22, 2011 1:49 PM
I'd go with LaHood, because he's drinking some seriously strong kool-aid from the "livability/sustainability" camp.
Posted by MJ | March 22, 2011 2:08 PM
I wonder if Ray Lahood knows about all of the shenanigans?
Knows about it? He's actively encouraging it!
Posted by MJ | March 22, 2011 2:13 PM
This is the same SW Moody that was good enough to put fresh streetcar tracks down 3 years ago? Now it needs another $30M to lift the tracks up 15 feet or so?
Vote NO on every and any bond. There is plenty of money in govt if they can throw it away on poor planning like this.
Posted by Steve | March 22, 2011 2:31 PM
Talk about life imitating art - Ha . . .
LaHood . . . did he show up with Marshall Stockburn & deputies.
Jeez - can't make this c**p up!
Posted by msmith | March 22, 2011 8:03 PM
"Now it needs another $30M to lift the tracks up 15 feet or so?"
I take it back, from the O article about LaHood:
"praised the $51 million reconstruction of Moody"
Vote NO on every bond.
Posted by Steve | March 23, 2011 8:17 AM
"praised the $51 million reconstruction of Moody".
Just 6 months ago PBOT and PDC was telling its own SouthWaterfront URAC that the SW Moody project was going to "only" cost $42 Million. A $9 Million, 20% increase without even moving a speck of dirt. I guess it's another tram scenario.
Then the Oregonian reports this morning that moving SW Moody is an economic stimulus. I guess having the existing street with still the same two lanes isn't a "stimulus" under the Oregonian's intelligent economic eyes. Logically, we should just move all of Portland's streets a few feet and we'd be totally stimulated.
Posted by Lee | March 23, 2011 9:30 AM
$51 million to lift up the street?
Adults are responsible for this?
Children would know better.
Posted by watching for our children | March 23, 2011 10:32 AM
Logically, we should just move all of Portland's streets a few feet and we'd be totally stimulated.
Literally a case of economic stimulus by digging a ditch just to fill it up.
Posted by Ryan | March 23, 2011 11:43 AM