September 12 will be the 15th anniversary of the opening
of Westside MAX. Unlike most transit projects, Westside light rail was
deliberately routed through vacant land with the expectation that it
would be a catalyst for “Transit-Oriented Development” (TOD). Planners
stated, “The success or failure will be determined in large part by what happens around its 20 stations.”
Fifteen years later, the record is disappointing. There have been
thousands of housing units built near light rail, but very little retail
or office space. In at least two cases, ground-floor retail near light
rail was such a flop that it was later ripped out and converted to
residential. Most projects have been under-built for parking, causing
problems for both residents and neighbors.
Most importantly, light rail did not magically change travel behavior
in Washington County. Extensive field monitoring by Cascade shows that
for a quarter-mile or half-mile radius around MAX stations, more than
85% of all trips to and from the area during the morning peak period
take place in a motor vehicle. Light rail use rarely exceeds 8% of all
trips, and the ratio drops even more on weekends.
The “Field of Dreams” strategy was fun for a movie, but it hasn’t
worked for transit planning. TriMet should learn from this experience
and pull the plug on any more light rail projects.
ORIGINAL HERE!
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