Portland is sort of like a settlement in the West Bank, minus of course violent pushback from the locals. Our "elected" officials are determined to replace one people and culture with another.

Well, all right, then. I'm sure that Jeffy is perfectly willing to live with the results of his decisions long after he's no longer governor. Oh, who am I kidding? He'll be gone five minutes after his successor is sworn in, howling "So long, suckers!" as he drives his Hummer due east.

The negative ads against Smith are going to be a lot of fun once Brady doesn't have to worry about Hales anymore. I think the primary is going to be something like Brady 39%, Smith 33%, Hales 25%, Max I and II, 2%.

Really? REALLY?? W. T. F.???

This has to be from the Onion. Oh, wait a minute. Then it would be hilarious satire and not a sad (un)reality.

If elected mayor, my budget process positions will be based on what is needed vs. what is wanted. As a bike rider myself, filling the potholes and sweeping the streets and bike lanes on a regular basis would be high on the priority list.Sweeping the streets also prolongs the benefits of the Big Pipe we just opened by keeping debris from entering the sewage system. Arbitrary budget percentages for political gain make little sense for a better Portland....so my answer at 25% would be no.

"As a bike rider myself, filling the potholes and sweeping the streets and bike lanes on a regular basis would be high on the priority list."

I wondered about that - hit a pothole on a dark street at night in a car, and you can break an axle. Hit a pothole on a dark street at night on a bicycle, and you can break a collarbone.

I wondered why the bicycling organizations weren't screaming bloody murder about Sam's decision to stop repaving streets, given that cyclists have a greater interest in good road surfaces than drivers do. I guess Sam's their boy, and they aren't going to criticize him for anything.

I don't really understand how 25% is necessary. Bikes can be a great method of transportation and all, but part of what should make them great is they shouldn't require a lot to roll around. No rails, no special cars, etc. required. Most of the infrastructure is already there.

That said, the City had estimated somewhere between $1mm and $2mm for putting in a northeast trail along the light rail lines. Far from 25% of their budget. There are many people who won't bike commute because of cars, and they KNOW this; this bike superhighway would likely cause bike commuting to explode in NE (especially as Tri-Met withers there). Somehow, Sam's bike rental program got that money instead. Why be smart when you can fuel your ego (and post-political career opportunities) with public funds?

The local pols' approach to bike planning, unfortunately, smells a lot like their approach to economic development: it's another way to line their friends' pockets.

For five years, CoP DOT said the gravel shoulder on two sides of Capitol Hill School would be replaced with sidewalks and bioswales.

When work was finally ready to begin, they cut the job in half, due to inadequate funding. The shoulder abutting SW 17th Street (towards Barbur Blvd. x Tobacco Town and Golden Touch) remains unpaved.

And the bioswales on SW Taylors Ferry are mud bogs too. They don't care about kids walking to school, not if they can't afford to surround an elementary school with concrete sidewalks.

Mister Tee, besides the bioswales at Capital Hill School being mud bogs, they are placed at the highest elevation of the surrounding area. So no drainage to the bioswales. This is the absurdity of many of CoP's transportation dollars going to things that don't work, but it's for the bikes or it's Green. Only that makes it right.

Since so much is for show around here, and continual spending for whatever reason, wonder how well those bioswales actually function?

Apparently, you folks fail to understand what's really going on: this is part of a stealth campaign to get rid of light rail and streetcars, 'cause if you get a bike wheel caught between track and pavement, you're goin' down. Obviously, getting rid of the rails will make for better, safer biking.

Pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure has been playing catchup for some time. It is great to see public officials continue to work towards a better and more livable Portland.

I wish there was an easier way to drive around Portand. Now having to drive in town and dodge the joggers, bikers, peds, buses, trains, skate boarders...non of which obey the rules and all of which will blame the car when they go airborne. Oh, and the lets not forget the potholes.

Clinamen, even CoP employees will admit much of what CoP is doing "is for show".

About four years ago when I was acquiring a building permit for a client, the lead Stormwater staff person, who admitted he was instrumental in putting together the over 2" thick CoP Stormwater Management Plan, stated that much of the requirements did little to mitigate stormwater. And he admitted that the average stormwater mitigation measures for an average home on an R5 lot was costing between $7000 to $10,000. And he continued that the maintenance cost of many stormwater devices, and their longevity was unknown. He suspected it wasn't good.

It was nice to have some honesty.

Too bad we don't get it at the Policy level. We just keep on paying for the dressing.

Michael... -1

Obvious troll is obvious.

Lee,
Thank you for that information.
I am thinking that if whistle-blowers came forward on those bioswales,
at least a moratorium could be put on them,
until they are thoroughly evaluated before they get built all over the city.

Pedestrian and bicycle infrastructure has been playing catchup for some time.

It's amazing what happens when a group of people that use public resources agree to institute a tax scheme to collect revenues based upon the amount of usage (or some surrogate thereof).

You know, like motorists. Oregon was the first state to enact a gasoline tax. However bicyclists seem to think that someone else needs to pay for their needs. If motorists had the same logic, who or what would have been taxed all these years to pay for the roads we use?

As for pedestrian improvements...I'd be very happy if the city took away my responsibility to maintain the public sidewalk that is on MY property (and I have to pay taxes for, on top of maintaining it). Maybe those selfish property owners that don't have a sidewalk...or better yet, those property owners who get government funded sidewalks, should pay an extra tax to maintain my sidewalk. If anything, you shouldn't be thanking the government, you should be thanking me and the thousands of other property owners to take it upon themselves to pay for transportation infrastructure you get to use free of charge. I'd much rather rip the damn sidewalk out and use my property for what I want.

Scott Fernandez is a statesman, it takes a statesman to run a government,
but a mere politician to run a campaign.