My response to Jerry Boone on WES
E-mail sent after his October 23, 2006 column in The Oregonian
I generally enjoy reading your columns and almost look forward to them (along with Back Fence). I believe it was you who noted how developers get away from paying for schools that their developments need. I am personally against this situation because I used to live in Salem, where a good portion of a bond measure was used to build new schools, even though I lived in a century-old house whose previous owners had probably already paid for the neighborhood\'s schools.
However, I am disappointed in your most recent column on the Washington County Commuter Rail Project. Here\'s why:
- When a freeway is congested, a small number of additional vehicles can make a difference, resulting in slower speeds, bigger bottlenecks and additional accidents. It is just like the difference between a full glass and an overflowing one.
- As planned, all of the 3,000 to 4,000 trips will be taken during peak periods, when they will help the most. It does not matter how many vehicles are on I-5 or 217 at 8 PM if the roads are un-congested and commuter rail is not running.
- Much of the capital expenses of trains, tracks, stations and maintenance/storage facilities could be re-used for service at other times with little additional cost, assuming the freight trains could still be accommodated. Moreover, money spent on widening 217 would only really be useful during the peak periods.
- Part of the money will go towards a place to park the trains. Motorists, on the other hand, rarely have to pay for their parking. They also receive other subsidies, including road expansions paid for by Washington County\'s property tax-funded Major Streets Transportation Improvement Program and, over the West Hills, a major sewer project to clean road runoff but funded by sewer ratepayers.
- I wish that money for projects like this did not have to go through the Federal government and back to us, but there are politicians in DC who like to feed their egos and keep their jobs.
- Lines 76 & 78 that currently serve the corridor are slow, crowded and compete poorly with the freeways. In fact, some Tigard/Tualatin-Beaverton transit riders go through Portland rather than take these buses. A bus line using 217/I-5 would get stuck in the same congestion as motorists do and have to get off the freeway and back on to serve stops. Commuter rail, on the other hand, is a viable alternative.
- There will be "something to recognize" when the money is spent: That people (who could take the train) do not have to idle on Oregon 217. They will have an option, a way to avoid I-5 and 217--one that does not cause increased congestion, pollution, possibility of crashes and wear & tear on roads & commuters. Having people live closer to their jobs would be better, but given multi-income families, desirable neighborhoods and job switches this is not always possible.
If you have further issues, I invite you to go to the ground-breaking tomorrow and ask about them.
--Jason McHuff, transit advocate and enthusiast, Portland