Trimess

Friday, November 18, 2011

TRIMET explains the Boring process

In 1987, the Oregon Legislature passed a law that, in part, allows cities with a population of less than 10,000 and certain unincorporated areas to withdraw from TriMet. These areas must meet certain withdrawal criteria. Petitions for withdrawal can be filed with the TriMet Board of Directors every five years during the period from January 1st through August 30th. On August 30, 2011 the Board received a petition to withdraw from the Boring area, an unincorporated area in Clackamas County, from the TriMet district.


On November 3, 2011, the Board-appointed Hearings Officer held a public hearing on the withdrawal petition. The Board has now received the Hearings Officer’s report with formal Findings of Fact, Conclusions of Law and recommendation regarding what action would be in the best interest of the affected area and the TriMet district. Additional public comment will be heard at the November 23, 2011 Board meeting.

The TriMet Board is responsible for making a decision to allow or deny the petition for withdrawal. By law, the Board must make a final decision on the withdrawal no later than December 31, 2011. If approved, the withdrawal would be effective on January 1, 2013. 

TriMet staff prepared a study of the affected area (as required by law) on the proposed withdrawal, posted here ontrimet.org. The study includes maps of the affected area, information on Line 84-Kelso/Boring and LIFT services, ridership, and estimates of payroll tax revenues from the affected area. The petition from Boring does not propose any transit services to replace current TriMet service. 

If the Board approves the withdrawal petition, there would be a separate process beginning in 2012 to assess what service, if any, TriMet would provide in the area (Figure 2 of the study). This process would include notification of proposed service changes to the community and to Line 84 and LIFT customers who would potentially be impacted, and an opportunity for public comment. 

Since 1987, there have been five withdrawals from the TriMet service area:
  • 1988: Wilsonville (effective January 1, 1989)
  • 1988: Molalla (effective January 1, 1989)
  • 1988: Damascus (effective January 1, 1989)
  • 1998: City of Sandy (effective January 1, 2000)
  • 2002: City of Canby (effective January 1, 2002)

No comments: