TriMet is spending $1.4 million to build new bike-and-ride facilities. That's an awful lot of money to spend on facilities that aren't going to be used any more than the one at Sunset Transit Center -- which averages just 1.2 bicycles a day. Cyclists want to have their bikes with them when they reach their destination.
A simpler, less costly solution to bikes on MAX would be to install more bike hooks on the trains. On a recent trip downtown, I counted 11 bikes in one train car. There are only four hooks in each car, and only in the newer trains. Cyclists had to place their bikes in aisles and doorways, which created great inconvenience for the other passengers.
How much would adding four more hooks per car cost? Certainly not $1.4 million.
TOM WIRCH
Northeast Portland
1 comment:
I completely agree; but the rumor is that they've tried and could not come up with a way to add more hooks without blocking the aisle.
IMO if more hooks are going to be added then they'll have to remove seats and I don't think there is political will to do that.
More hooks also doesn't solve the "rush hour problem" (MAX is jammed, bikes not allowed).
I think the bike and rides are an interesting idea but they're going to have to come up with something much better to really solve this issue. It would be great for bikes/transit to be partners -- bikes solve "the last mile problem" very well; something transit really struggles with.
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