TRAIL FROM LAKE OSWEGO TO PORTLAND IN JEOPARDY!
Posted by: EmilyJul 06 2007, 2:25 pm
Lake Oswego to Portland Public Hearing: July 16th, 2007
Metro Council Chambers and Annex
600 NE Grand
4pm-6pm
Tell Metro Councilors that you want this trail!
In 2005 we released our Blueprint for Better Biking: 40 Ways to Get There report based on roughly 1000 surveys of cyclists and experts from around the region. One of the top 10 regional projects cyclists identified was a connection from Lake Oswego to Portland, as currently cyclists must either brave Highway 43 or go a circuitous, hilly route. Highway 43, which serves as the primary north/south route between Lake Oswego and Portland, presently experiences heavy traffic volumes that are forecasted to increase and cause greater congestion in the future.
For several years, community members, business people and elected officials have been thinking about this area and considering transit alternatives, all of which include a complementary trail component. After years of research and analysis, the study group concluded that the two alternatives that would best address the needs in the corridor are Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) or streetcar.
As the time for final recommendations approaches, members of the Lake Oswego to Portland Transit and Trails Alternative Analysis Committee (LOPAC) have been reviewing cost projections for the two alternatives and complementary trail alignments. In a nutshell, BRT is cheap ($50 million), as is BRT with a trail ($57 million). Streetcar is expensive ($130-$150 million), and streetcar with a trail even more so due to the acquisition of additional property required for a trail adjacent to streetcar ($200-$233 million).
With such a significant difference in price for the two alternatives, members of LOPAC are balking at the price tag for a multi-use trail and considering removal of the trail from the project entirely. If that happens, the opportunity to connect the region for cyclists is lost.
From the outset, the stated purpose of the LOPAC process has been, “to develop a transit project that will meet future travel demands and support local and regional land use plans.†Various criteria are being used to evaluate the options, including decreased travel time and congestion, ability to accommodate projected ridership, cost to build and maintain a facility, and potential for economic development. An integral piece of a successful project is the completion of a continuous, safe pedestrian and bicycle trail as part of the desired end results. Using the evaluation criteria listed above, a bicycle and pedestrian trail surpasses the ability of the two alternatives to reduce congestion along the corridor, yet it is the trail that could be dropped from the final recommendations of LOPAC.
Consider the following:
Projected Use / Congestion Mitigation
Research from Alta Planning and Design, one of the nation’s leading bicycle planning firms, indicates that if a trail between Portland and Lake Oswego were on the ground today, approximately 4,000 people would use it each day for commuting or recreational purposes. While Metro staff has not done the projections, past experience and anecdotal evidence from around the region indicate that the trail would experience a significant increase in use in the upcoming years, seeing as many as 6,000-12,000 daily users by the year 2025.
By comparison, the bus has 1,870 riders today and 8,700 projected for 2025. Streetcar is projected to have 10,900 riders each day in 2025. Therefore, a walking and biking rail could meet 50-100% of the travel demand at a fraction of the cost of the other options. It should be strongly considered at least in addition to either option, if not an option on its own.
Travel Time / Efficiency
When we consider the travel time along the corridor, Metro estimates that BRT will take 39 minutes and streetcar will take 30 minutes to get from Portland State University to Lake Oswego. Using the Portland Office of Transportation’s “no-sweat pace†bike distance calculator (10 miles/hour), it would take approximately 35-45 minutes for a slow cyclist to bike from Lake Oswego to Portland. By factoring in walking, transferring, waiting and looking for parking, bicycling compares favorably to, both BRT and streetcar in terms of efficiency.
Building and Maintenance Costs
BRT is cheaper in the short term, but becomes more expensive due to maintenance and equipment costs over time. Implementing BRT would cost $50 million, with the addition of a trail costing $7 million. Streetcar is expensive in the short term, but more cost effective over time due to lower maintenance and equipment costs relative to BRT. Implementing streetcar will cost $130-$150 million, with the addition of a trail costing $70-$83 million.
Bicycle trails cost less to build and maintain than roads, BRT or streetcar. BRT will cost $7.5 million annually to maintain, streetcar will cost $3-$4 million annually to maintain, while the trail alignment will cost a mere $6-$10 thousand annually to maintain according to Alta Planning and Design.
Economic Growth and Development
The high cost of building a streetcar alignment is mitigated by the potential for development that has been identified, and by the federal funding that is available for such projects. What has not been articulated throughout this process is the potential for development along trail alignments. While development varies, a 3.5 mile trail in Vancouver, WA cost $3.5 million to build and had helped catalyze over $300 million in private redevelopment along the trail; a pay off of almost 100:1!
A Wisconsin DOT study estimates bicycling provides $765-$835 million in annual economic benefits throughout the state in the form of retail, service, advocacy, distribution and manufacturing jobs in addition to fees from bicycle related tourism and events. Portland’s bike industry is estimated to provide 800 jobs and over $63 million a year to the City.
Given all these factors, it is imperative that Metro Councilors hear from cyclists about the importance of this trail. Bike routes should be safe for people of all ages and abilities, and work as true connections within the region. If the Metro Council decision on this corridor fails to include a walking and bicycling trail, we will have squandered the opportunity to build the facility that will best serve the corridor in the upcoming years.
Public Comment Period: June 27th – August 31st
email: trans@metro.dst.or.us
hotline: 503/797-1900, option 3
mail: LOAA, 600 NE Grand Ave., Portland, OR 97232
info: www.metro-region.org or 503/797-1756
Contact Emily Gardner with questions by email or by phone at 503/226-0676 x. 11
Emily,
Jul 10 2007 at 1:28 pmThe BRT option pales as transit service next to the Streetcar option. Removing rail service may put the existing alternative ROW in question. In this case, the trail may have to come in pieces over time as money is found so as to insure the best transit option is moved forward.
I have lived along the railroad tracks between Lake Oswego and Portland for many years. Not only is there no safe route for biking from my home, there is no safe walking path to anywhere. Many of us have used the nearly deserted tracks as a pathway for years.
I do ride my bike to downtown Portland many days, but I have to drive to Sellwood Park and start the trip there.
I cannot believe that the bike path option is possibly being eliminated. I personally feel that the bike path alone would be the best use of this right of way.
The streetcar in Portland works because it makes frequent stops in a commercial area. The trip between PDX and LO is non commercial and there would be few stops.
Many many people would use this bike path and it would link to the paths from Terwilliger and West Linn.
Jul 18 2007 at 7:04 pmI am a property owner along the Highway 43 and the railroad tracks. I believe the bike path is the best alternative and would make the city more livable. The path would get a lot of use by commuters and for recreation purposes. The path would connect a lot of existing paths together. I am less supportive of the street car due to the high cost and what I believe will be lower rider ship than expected. If a street car was to go to LO why not connect it with the project that will go to Milwaukie. This would also give the bike path along the right-away another connection to the east side.
Jul 26 2007 at 3:11 pm