bike walk vote

As great as our City is in providing transportation options, we still have a long way to go, particularly due to deficiencies in infrastructure and service. Many areas have poor bus service with long headways throughout the day, and particularly at night, hindering our ability to be a true 24-hour city. Not everybody works 9–5 in Portland, nor should they be forced to be because of a lack of transit choices. We also don’t have enough options in enough neighborhoods, whether it be transit, sidewalks or safe bike routes.

As Mayor, I will create a Capital Construction Fund in the City budget, funded in part by the reduction of overhead and inefficiencies in all bureau budgets. We will not just depend on Portland’s share of federal and state gas taxes to fund these necessary transportation facilities. This will allow us to begin to make good on City promises to build sidewalks, pave streets and stripe bike lanes, sharrows and other improvements in neighborhoods throughout Portland. We also must continue to resist pressure from ODOT, the Portland Business Alliance, or any other backward-looking organizations who advocate for more lanes as “the solution” to congestion. And we must zone more of the city for walkable mixed-use development.

While PBOT’s current budget shortfalls restrict the City’s ability to immediately pledge an exact percentage to bike, walk and transit access projects, I think 25% is a legitimate goal. As Mayor I will commit to increasing the percentage each year of my administration until the 25% threshold is met.

In my nearly 10 years as City Commissioner, during many of which I was the Commissioner-in-Charge of PBOT, I had a very close and successful relationship with TriMet, and would continue to work hand-in-hand with them on the design of an even better transit system. I think one key area of the City’s focus should be on constructing more sidewalks to increase safe access to transit stops across the city. City Council also must quickly develop a strategy – beyond merely helping TriMet lobby in Salem – for helping them achieve the financial stability necessary to stop annual fare increases and cuts in service. We should be figuring out ways to increase service and reduce fares, particularly in this economic climate.

I also have already met with TriMet leadership to create a plan to restore and broaden service, including the ability to have TriMet fares built into ticket costs for sporting and cultural events. I’m also working on a plan with the airline industry to create the first airline ticket-free transit pass system in the nation. Another priority in this partnership: keeping universal student passes in the hands of Portland’s kids.

As mentioned above, I will begin to solve the problem by creating and on going Capital Construction Fund. It’s foolish to think that we can fund basic city infrastructure on left over gas tax revenues and systems development charges, particularly in times of economic upheaval. With an ongoing capital fund, we can begin to address those longstanding needs.

First, as I’ve mentioned already in my campaign, upon taking office I will complete a line-by-line review of every Bureau’s budget and reduce overhead and eliminate inefficiencies, particularly in internal operating costs.

Then, I will look at any combination of short-termrevenue options to enable the City to meet its basicresponsibilities of maintaining the transportationsystem we have, and systematically building themissing pieces. Some of these short-term measuresmight be local, as opposed to waiting for regionalconsensus of federal action.

Longer term, we must move to some pricingmechanism like those you suggest. I believe that likemany other policies, the Portland metro area willpioneer these concepts for the nation, rather than waitfor the federal government to embrace them.

The impact on our infrastructure (including from a maintenance standpoint) from walking and biking is negligible and, of course, most bicyclists and pedestrians also drive and therefore pay gas taxes and parking fees. We (I, too, am a transit rider/pedestrian and a cyclist) also contribute critical positive benefits to our community by not creating air pollution and congestion. I have been a major player in changing our local understanding that the right-of-way belongs to all citizens no matter what mode of transportation option they choose (yes, including skateboards). Just as the right-of-way needs to be shared safely by all users, funding for transportation improvements needs to be fairly distributed.

The problems with the safety benefits through sewer investments issue were primarily the result of very poor communication and explanation by the City. I’m very interested in moving beyond the rhetoric and the unnecessary feud between transportation users and we can only begin to do so by having better communication with the community. I am no beginner when it comes to making the case for a progressive transportation program in our city, nor in getting bureaus to work together on shared policies and programs.

I have decried the high number of pedestrian deaths in the city for years, pointing out that often more Portlanders died by being run over than were murdered each year. It’s a senseless loss of life and the City has a critical responsibility to ensure the safety of all its citizens, including drivers, pedestrians, cyclists, skateboarders, runners and anyone else using the street. During my tenure as Commissioner in-Charge of Transportation, I aggressively increased the amount of traffic calming projects built in neighborhoods across the city and also instituted photo radar to slow down drivers. As Mayor, I will continue to emphasize those things and keep up with new research so that we can bring the most effective solutions to Portland.

I have been consistent in my answer from day one of my campaign – I believe in a fundable, buildable Columbia River Crossing, and the one on the table is neither. It’s disingenuous for candidates to say otherwise at this point (much less than to say different things to different audiences). We are at a point in time in this process where not only do we have an opportunity to reduce the cost significantly but to make sure the key components, like light rail and other transportation options, are duly accounted for in the final result.

You know my record… from stopping the Water Avenue Ramp to insisting on a two-lane Sellwood Bridge that respected the Tacoma Main Street plan, to insisting that the Yellow line be sited in two former travel lanes on Interstate Avenue. I will make sure that the City of Portland stands for, and lobbies for, projects that advance our values… and can actually be built. The CRC is finally starting to move toward what I have been saying since last June.

I have been very troubled by the series of fare increases instituted over the last decade by Tri-Met, but it’s not all their responsibility – the City has a ways to go in ensuring equity.

Under my leadership, Bureaus will not be assigned until I am satisfied that EVERY Bureau has built-in to their work plans equity in service distribution. As I mentioned earlier, I plan to work closely with TriMet and the Legislature to ensure that good bus service is available throughout our community.

I believe Portland’s accessible and bike-friendly environment is a great asset for its citizens and a great quality that we need to promote whenever and wherever we can. I agree strongly that such an environment helps promote the city and its economy, and I will continue to be a leader, as I’ve always been, around the region, the state, the country and the world.

My lifelong belief in these principles, and my ability to put them into action in policies and projects, are what have earned me recognition like the BTA’s Alice B. Toeclips Award, the Rudy Bruner Award for Urban Excellence and the Distinguished Leadership Award from the Oregon Chapter of the American Planning Association.

So, THAT’s how forcefully and publicly I will CONTINUE to make the case!

I’ve built my career, both in the public and private sector, on the improvement of transit options in Portland and around the country. As Portland City Commissioner for nearly 10 years, and a good part of that time as Commissioner-in-Charge of Transportation, I am proud of many specific accomplishments. I fought, and in fact temporarily stopped the final planning and engineering of the Hawthorne Bridge improvements, to find additional funds that resulted in the far-wider sidewalks enjoyed today by thousands of pedestrians. I helped bring the final funding for the cantilevered pedestrian walkway and bikeway attached to the Steel Bridge that helps make the Eastbank Esplanade such a success. Under my tenure, the City added hundreds of miles of bike lanes and sidewalks throughout the city. And I led the charge to fund, complete and launch the Portland Streetcar, Airport MAX and Interstate MAX, and in the case of Airport MAX not only did we bring it in under budget, but 10 years before it was scheduled to be completed.

As a Senior Vice President at HDR, I spent nearly 10 years helping cities throughout America- places like Phoenix and Salt Lake City- move from a post- World War II idea of how to move people around into the modern world of transit, educating city leaders on the need to adapt to a changing worldone that must be responsive to climate goals, to public health goals and an increasing public demand for a better way. I am proud to have helped dozens of cities follow Portland’s lead; now I’m ready to WIDEN that lead!

1. I love this place.
2. That passion shows.
3. I will outwork my opponents, street by street, doorstep by doorstep, neighborhood coffee by neighborhood coffee, to hear from Portlanders about how to make this great city even better.

I want your support and will be very proud to have it!