The Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation today accepted the Regional Transportation Plan, sending it to the Metro Council for its vote on Dec. 17. If accepted by the Metro Council, the RTP will then undergo an analysis of its projects for conformance with the federal Clean Air Act before final adoption votes are taken next spring.
The vote to accept the RTP was not unanimous and came after several amendments were considered, many of them dealing with important projects such as the proposed connector between Interstate 5 and Highway 99W. The committee also considered two amendments dealing with differing approaches to addressing greenhouse gas emissions in the analysis of RTP projects.
At issue with the I-5/99W connector was an amendment requiring that the project not proceed without a full study of its potential impacts on I-5 from downtown Portland to Wilsonville. Clackamas County Chair Lynn Peterson argued that it was important to study these corridors before proceeding with the connector project.
Washington County Commissioner Roy Rogers objected strongly, as did Tigard Mayor Craig Dirksen who represents the cities of Washington County at JPACT. "This brings a level of scrutiny above that of other mobility corridors around the region," said Dirksen. Rogers indicated that Washington County could not support the full RTP with the requirement of the corridor studies tied to the I-5/99W project. The I-5/99W amendment passed with the corridor study requirement over the objections of Rogers and Dirksen.
Much of the discussion was focused on two competing amendments, one offered by Metro Councilor Rex Burkholder and one offered by Portland Mayor Sam Adams that would have required additional consideration of the effects of RTP projects on greenhouse gas emissions. Burkholder's amendment, which had a majority of Metro Councilors as co-sponsors, required – by December 2010 – the development of new tools and methods to evaluate the effects of land use decisions and transportation projects on greenhouse gas emissions.
Adams' amendment would have accepted the RTP project list for purposes of obtaining public comment and determining Clean Air Act conformity but also would have directed Metro staff to sort the list of projects in the RTP based on "the potential of the project to increase CO2 emissions: negative to low, moderate and higher" and, after adoption of the RTP and project lists, conduct further greenhouse gas emission analyses on projects in the "higher" category "before proceeding with additional funding, planning or construction."
Burkholder contended that his approach was the more reasonable one and that it would yield the most meaningful results over the long term in addressing greenhouse gas emissions.
Adams expressed concerns that the Metro amendment was insufficient in addressing climate change in a timely manner. "It's past time to address this," the mayor added. "I think Metro's amendment puts us in a fact-gathering cul-de-sac and is too passive. Expertise does exist out there. Resources are available. We can get the information if we have the will to do so."
Some JPACT members expressed support for the goals of both amendments but raised concerns about their effects on the process. "I have questions about whether we can move forward with what Sam suggests," said Peterson.
A vote was taken first on the Burkholder amendment, which passed with only one no vote (Adams) and one abstention from Jason Tell, region one director for the Oregon Department of Transportation. Tell expressed his support for the direction of the amendment but noted that his agency is working under different schedules spelled out in state law, and work would need to be done to coordinate efforts.
On the Adams amendment, there were five yes votes (Adams, Neil McFarlane with TriMet, Peterson, Multnomah County Commissioner Deborah Kafoury and Lake Oswego City Councilor Donna Jordan, representing Clackamas County cities) and 11 no votes with no abstentions.
Following adoption of the Burkholder amendment and one other amendment from ODOT relating to safety improvements, the amended RTP passed JPACT by a vote of 12 to 3, with Adams, Dirksen and Rogers voting no.