Transit moves people, literally. Transit planning, on the other hand, can have communities stopped in their tracks. Transit expert Jarrett Walker says it doesn't have to be that way.
Walker, who writes the popular transportation blog www.humantransit.org, spoke to a packed crowd at Metro on Tuesday. He shared tips on how to avoid and resolve common disagreements that arise around transit planning.
He said new transit projects can be heavily and hotly debated because they redefine people's current sense of home. Transit projects can come unraveled if the discussions shift away from facts to focus on fears and emotions that are not heard or addressed.
Walker said projects can move forward more easily if a framework is laid to acknowledge and separate personal biases from the fact-based aspects. He feels the practical engineering pieces that determine the feasibility of a project must be balanced with a sense of vision and forethought.
Metro Council President David Bragdon and Councilors Robert Liberty and Carlotta Collette were just a few in the room who listened as Walker explained how important it is for community leaders and transit planners to recognize the hard choices that must be made for transit projects to run successfully.
Walker recommended that goals and interests of all parties be clearly defined and shared at the beginning of projects. He said goals of transit agencies, which are typically defined as maximizing ridership and serving communities equitably, can conflict and often work against each other.
Walker encouraged groups involved with transit planning to find a middle ground between vision and practicality. Walker shares more of his thoughts and insight concerning all aspects of transit and planning on his blog, www.humantransit.org.
Metro and their partners in the region, such as TriMet and C-TRAN, make great efforts to understand community issues and concerns at the beginning and throughout planning for transit projects. They do this by engaging the community and soliciting feedback.
For example, community members can learn more about the Lake Oswego to Portland Transit Project at www.oregonmetro.gov/lakeoswego and get the latest updates about the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Project at www.trimet.org/pm. Both sites provide information on public involvement opportunities, e-mail lists where people can sign-up to receive regular updates, and offer contact information if community members wish to speak with someone about their concerns.