Next Up at City Council, 7/16 – 17, 2008

The Portland City Council Agenda this week shows hearings Wednesday morning, Wednesday at 6 p.m., and Thursday afternoon. The Wednesday evening hearing is the culmination of a process we’ve followed on this blog:

1031 TIME CERTAIN: 6:00 PM – Adopt and implement the North Interstate Corridor Plan and amend Comprehensive Plan Map and Citywide Design Guidelines (Ordinance introduced by Mayor Potter; amend Titles 32, 33)

Readers who remain shy are welcome to email me with comments on the plan, which I will post without ascribing authorship if you prefer. Others, please post directly. What do you think? Good plan? Needs improvement?

The other item of major concern to neighbors – and all Portlanders – is on Thursday afternoon.

1032 TIME CERTAIN: 2:00 PM – Adopt the South Corridor Phase II: Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Project Locally Preferred Alternative and project conditions (Resolution introduced by Commissioner Adams)

This is another huge regional transportation project ($1.4 billion) with huge implications for Southeast Portland, as well as Northeast Clackamas County.

Overall, this Locally Preferred Alternative seems to be a good plan. The safety report is greatly improved compared with plans for previous MAX lines, for instance the Blue Line which is now necessitating the Portland Station Area planning aimed at retrofitting the more dangerous stations.

One specific concern on Milwaukie MAX is the siting and distribution of Park and Ride spaces, which obviously attract auto trips and therefore need good regional road access. The proposed 1000 space Park and Ride at the Tacoma Station could attract more regional commuters onto already-overloaded SE Johnson Creek Boulevard west of 45th, through the Ardenwald and North Milwaukie neighborhoods.

The Council should also consider meshing the bus, streetcar, and light rail master plans, currently under way. Neighbors and businesses involved in the Southeast District Citizens Working Group for the Portland Office of Transportation’s Streetcar Master Plan have expressed interest in planning a complete transit system, rather than just one element. To promote passengers taking transit from home to destination, rather than driving part-way and needing to park in neighborhoods near fixed rail routes, bus service improvements should be added concurrently.

There are other interesting issues on the Council Agenda, which yet again I don’t have time to cover in depth because I’m about to leave home and won’t return until late tonight. Please click on the link above, review for yourself, and tell others in the comments if you’re moved to do so.