Public transit, roadways, and bike paths all serve the same function: To get us from one place to another. If the mediums of travel are not efficient and safe however, trust erodes and everyday life slows to a halt. Take a trip through Portland and no matter which mode you choose, you’ll see that we've got a lot of ground to make up in the fight for functioning infrastructure.
When mobility is restricted, economic and social opportunities are lost, and a sense of community beyond our immediate vicinity begins to fade. A pandemic of potholes in our aging streets, overwhelming congestion on our freeways, and public transit systems that provide riders with no assurances of cleanliness or physical security all are byproducts of the continued mismanagement taking its severe and entirely unnecessary toll on Portlanders every day.
Portland should have a reputation that precedes it in many beautiful ways, but placing in the top 50 worst cities for potholes, record-breaking traffic fatalities, over half of all vehicles being unregistered, and rocketing Oregon to 5th in the nation for drunk driving shouldn’t be among them. We have an enviable foundation of transit infrastructure, so why are we wasting it?
While TriMet is not a government body, it is only in close partnership with elected representatives that we can get things back on track. Pressure to implement fare gates at transit centers, enhance security measures where needed most, and ensure the maintenance and cleanliness of buses and trains are all necessary to rebuild trust in our public transit systems.
2016’s “Vision Zero'' is still in effect, but our traffic statistics only worsen each year. It’s well past time to start taking steps towards, not away from, its realization, and we must revert the reductions made to the PPB Traffic Division as the first act in reclaiming our roadways.
Our city’s roads are well past due for renovation, with the cost of neglect most acutely felt by the most physically and financially vulnerable. Planning to renew and maintain all thoroughfares must be a priority in the coming years for the sake of all commuters.
Our existing infrastructure significantly benefits those who choose to commute via bike. Still, improvements are needed to connect existing thoroughfares and ensure those commutes are safe from doorstep to destination. Doing so will create a safer environment for existing cyclists and provide more residents the assurance they need to become bike commuters.
It’s an unfortunate truth; Portlanders are 27% less likely to recommend a visit to friends and family today than they were in 2016. To make Portland a destination once more, we must establish safe, convenient, and accessible tourist routes for all.
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