The region's residents will have a last opportunity Thursday to join in on a forum discussing the next 20 years of transportation investments, and help shape the course of the communities they call home.
The forum, scheduled for 5:30 p.m. in Beaverton, is the final of three scheduled discussions on several of Metro's long-term planning efforts. Metro Councilors Kathryn Harrington and Craig Dirksen are scheduled to attend the forum at the Beaverton Library.
The big question leaders are hoping to answer: What issues would residents like their local and regional elected officials to address to improve communities, right now and in the next 20 years?
In the previous forums – one in northeast Portland and another in Oak Grove – answers to this question were varied. There was no general consensus, but Metro staff members said residents appreciated the opportunity have their voices heard.
The biggest topic of discussion in Portland was funding resources for transportation. Metro staff said many ideas for funding were voiced, including a gas tax, usage fees for bike riders and subsidies for transit riders. Another important idea was the strengthening of active transportation infrastructure: the expansion of active areas and the repair of sidewalks.
Safety was a large concern for Clackamas County residents who want safer crossings for those walking across McLoughlin Boulevard. There was overwhelming appeal to use the Trolley Trail as a main way to get around. Connecting the trail to light rail would strengthen transit connections, residents said. These ideas of safety and connection came up frequently during this forum, according to Metro staff.
Opposing viewpoints were represented at both forums, with some people saying that the urban growth boundary was not an issue in their lives whereas others thought that it was necessary to maintain, Metro staff said.
The biggest division of viewpoints concerned how to spend transportation funds. Cliff Higgins, a Metro public involvement specialist, said that there are completely different ideas on how to invest in our transportation future.
“People want to find a balance between transit investments, modest roadway improvements and alternative transportation, such as biking, walking, and high capacity transit,” Higgins said, whereas others at the forums wanted to focus solely on roadway expansion.
Similar ideas are expected to surface at the forum in Beaverton on Thursday night, with the particular needs of Washington County represented by the community members who chose to share their views.
Higgins said these forums provide an opportunity to hear a variety of voices – which helps Metro plan.
"The councilors are hearing a lot of different voices, and being exposed to different points of view, which helps to balance different interests," Higgins said.
Insights from these forums will be recorded and sent to the Metro Council to help inform its decision on the Regional Transportation Plan, the Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation, the Metro Policy Advisory Committee, and Metropolitan Transportation Improvement Program.
After the forums, Metro will continue to seek comments at the survey site www.makeagreatplace.org until the end of the public comment period on May 5.