June 2015 NEWS The Southwest Portland Post • 7 Experts provide ‘tunnel therapy’ regarding future light rail alignments SOUTHWEST CORRIDOR PLAN Metro councilors Bob Stacey and Craig Dirksen were on hand to show support at the Southwest Corridor Plan forum on May 12. (Post photo by Erik Vidstrand) By Erik Vidstrand The Southwest Portland Post All the stops were pulled out at the most recent Southwest Corridor Plan forum held on May 12 at Wilson High School. Metro councilors Bob Stacey and Craig Dirksen were on hand to show Metro’s support in leading this big endeavor. Tunnel expert Isabelle Lamb, from McMillen Jacobs and Associates, was brought in from Seattle to provide “tunnel therapy” addressing fears and answering technical questions. Lamb responded to numerous concerns about mitigation from noise, dust, traffic, and disruptions that could last up to three years due to tunnel construction. The cities of Tualatin, Tigard, and Sherwood were represented as were Oregon and Portland departments of transportation, TriMet, and Metro staff. Multiple easels fanned the room outlining the most recent components and options. Staff stood at attention next to each easel responding to comment after comment. Maps featured details on each section: downtown connections; Marquam Hill and Hillsdale tunnels; Portland Community College and Barbur Boulevard alignments; the stations in Tigard, Beaverton, and Sherwood; and bus rapid transit basics. All of this, for the reader’s interest, is online as well as a comment form that can be submitted until late June. The steering committee, made up of top administrators of each agency, will decide on whether to continue study of tunnel alignments to serve South Portland, Marquam Hill, and Portland Community College. In what’s being called the “July decision,” the much anticipated outcomes will reveal what types of funding sources, implementation timelines, and secondary projects (roads, bike paths, and sidewalks) will be determined. But much of the night involved the participants sitting with staff at tables around maps and reviewing factors that mattered the most to them. In this case, participants rallied around Marquam Hill, Portland Community College, and Hillsdale proposed alignments. Susan Hanson, from the Oregon D e p a r t m e n t o f Tr a n s p o r t a t i o n , responded to vocal criticism of the proposed light rail tunnel options. “We have vetted this entire concept with a variety of stakeholders including this community,” Hanson said. “In fact, high capacity bus transit came out of these very workshops.” “We know people are concerned,” said Hanson. “We can still serve these areas with or without tunnels. Portland gets behind transportation and has shaped one of the finest systems in the nation.” The coordinator summed up the next steps. “The feedback from tonight,” announced Noelle Dobson, a senior specialist for Metro, “will be put online immediately. We urge more people to comment online until the end of June.” Editor’s Note: In a May 13 article on the Southwest Corridor Plan’s website, Metro staffer Craig Beebe writes, “Mount Sylvania represents another difficult decision about how to bring faster transit to an area with a lot of potential but a lot of constraints. Come July, the Southwest Corridor Plan Steering Committee must decide which options for serving Mount Sylvania seem more promising for further study: largely bypassing it with light rail or bus rapid transit on Barbur Boulevard, digging a light rail tunnel under a residential street or weaving bus rapid transit up Capitol Highway to the Portland Community College campus.” Additional information can be found at www.swcorridorplan.org. COMMUNITY LIFE for students, and are available at the door. (Continued from Page 8) and discover resources and information on healthy homes programs. Free, but please register online, in the library or by calling 503-988-5234. 13 Take a hike! The monthly Southwest Trails walk is set for Saturday, June 13 and will include portions of Tryon Creek State Park and Marshall Park. Meet behind the bleachers at Wilson High School (Sunset Blvd. and Capitol Hwy.) and be ready to go at 9 a.m. Bring a snack and water and dress for the weather. Well-behaved dogs are allowed on leash. For more information, contact Sharon Fekety at fekety@hevanet.com. 14 Your neighborhood orchestra: The Jewish Community Orchestra holds its June concert and tackles Jacques-Francois Halevy, Rubenstein, and Tchaikovsky in an evening of musical magic. Sunday, June 14 at 3 p.m. at the Mittleman Jewish Community Center, 6651 SW Capitol Hwy. Affordable tickets start at $5.00 Two-wheel tour: The Tryon Creek Watershed Council will lead you on a bicycle tour through Tryon Creek State Park on Sunday, June 14 from 2 – 5 p.m. The tour will be a fun and educational ride on bike path and road lasting approximately eight miles with many stops along the way. Bring your bike, helmet, water bottle, and bright clothing. Meet at Riverdale High School Parking Lot, 9727 SW Terwilliger Blvd. For more information, contact Adra Lobdell at tcwc.volcoord@gmail.com. 20 Clear out the clutter: Recycle your old electronics safely and benefit local seniors. Bring your scrap electronics to the Meals on Wheels headquarters, 7710 SW 31st Ave., on Saturday, June 20 from 10 a.m. – 2 p.m. Your trash will be turned into cash to help feed homebound seniors. Acceptable items include computers, DVD/CD players, laptops, keyboards, and digital cameras. No televisions. For more information, contact Megan Stuart at 503-953-8130. POST A TO Z BUSINESS CARD DIRECTORY 503-244-6933 Family & Cosmetic Dentistry 503-246-2564 www.mvdentalcare.com 7717SW34thAvenue•Portland,OR97219 (MultnomahVillage•SWCapitolHighway&34thAve.) 9715 SW Barbur Blvd. Portland, OR 97219-6097 Phone: (503) 246-3373 Fax: (503) 246-2767 Rx Hotline: (503) 246-0861 Open 7 days a week www.pacif icveterinaryhospital.com Email: clientcare@pacvh.com PRECISION HOME REPAIR & DRYWALL JON A. GOSCH Phone: 503-643-3517 E-mail: precision17@frontier.com Quality work at affordable rates! Mention this ad and receive 10% off your next job! Licensed•Bonded•Insured•CCB#77073 Be sure to advertise in the Hillsdale special section in the July edition of The Post. Call Don at 503-244-6933 or Harry at 503-244-4442 for details. Deadline for space reservations is June 19. The IDEA Today … The SIGN Tomorrow! •SIGNS •BANNERS •GRAPHICS •MAGNETICS •LETTERING •LOGOS&MORE 503.244.0980 9220 SW Barbur Blvd. #111 - Portland - OR - 97219