Portland observer. (Portland, Or.) 1970-current, October 20, 1999, Page 8, Image 8

Below is the OCR text representation for this newspapers page. It is also available as plain text as well as XML.

    Page B2
October 20, 1999
Œlff ÇorUanb <©h«mr
, floods hull of New CariSSa again
The 2040Growth Concept Metro’s Regional Transportation
Plan in Brief
A dopted in 1995, the 2040 G row th
C oncept is a 50-year vision o f
w here ex pected grow th should
occur in the Portland m etropolitan
region. This vision is based on
using urban land w isely and directs
developm ent to centers and along
e x is tin g m a jo r tr a n s p o r ta tio n
corridors. It relies on a balanced
tr a n s p o r ta tio n
s y s te m
th a t
accom m odates w alking, bicycling,
driving, using transit and national
and international goods m ovement.
Why is the Plan Needed?
M ore and m ore traffic is clogging
our roads. Tw elve percent o f roads
in the urban tri-county area are
now congested. It takes longer to
get to w ork and to school, to
shopping and recreation. In the
future, m ore than a quarter o f our
roads could be clogged during peak
periods. W e can ’t build o u r w ay
out o f congestion, but w e can
lessen the im pact o f traffic by
expanding transportation choices
and im proving roads and bridges
to m ake them w ork better.
What Will the Plan Accomplish?
The plan sets a new direction for
th e fu tu re . P la n n in g b y a ll
governm ent partners in the region
will be guided by the follow ing
strategies:
•
Reduce the need to drive by
m aking jo b s and sh opping
m ore convenient tot w here
•
•
•
•
•
people live.
Expand transportation choices
b y p ro v id in g s a fe an d
c o n v e n ie n t a lte rn a tiv e s to
driving.
A void sprawl and reinforce
m ain streets and traditional
d o w n to w n s b y ta r g e tin g
transportation projects.
Sustain econom ic health by
providing access to jo b s and
industry.
B alance tra n sp o rta tio n and
la n d u se p la n s to p ro te c t
livability in the region.
Maintain access to natural areas
around the region.
The Regional Transportation
Plan
The Regional Transportation Plan
sets a regional fram ew ork that
coordinates city, county, Tri-M et,
O re g o n
D e p a rtm e n t
of
Transportation and Port o f Portland
transportation
plans. It identifies
1 a ilO p tV l IW U V U
¡pecific transportation projects and
trogram s needed to im prove our
choices for travel and create livable
com m unities throughout the region
as envisioned in the 2040 G rowth
Concept. It also identifies a financial
strategy to achieve this vision.
E xam ples o f the types projects
included in the plan are: boulevard
design retrofits o f m ajor streets for
w alking, biking and transit, new
street connections and canacitv
capacity
im p ro v e m e n ts, new m u lti-u se
paths and better bike-pedestrian
connections to existing paths and
sidew alks and expanded transit
service to destinations throughout
the region.
In a d d itio n , th e R e g io n a l
Transportation Plan identifies other
projects that focus primarily on
im proving regional mobility and
access to industrial areas and
facilities where goods move from
one transportation mode to another.
These improvem ents are primarily
fo cu sed alo n g m ajo r highw ay
corridors throughout the region,
including 1-205, 1-884 and the
M ount H ood Parkw ay in East
M ultnomah County.
West Columbia Corridor
M o re th a n 50 p ro je c ts and
programs have been identified to
serve the W est Colum bia Corridor
subarea during the next 20 years.
These projects are considered to
be the most critical in terms o f
serving planned grow th in this
subarea. The projects are grouped
by proposed construction date;
actu al tim in g d epends on the
availability o f funding.
levels o f investments can address
future transportation needs.
The plan considers funding at three
investment levels:
•
Existing resources system -
limited to current funding levels
which fall short o f m aintaining
the system already in place.
•
Preferred sy ste m - includes all
future projects necessary to
meet the adopted goals and
s ta n d a rd s
fo r
th e
transportation system .
• S tra te g ic system - lies in
b e tw e e n th e o th e r tw o
systems, and is m ade up o f the
most critical program s that are
needed to keep pace w ith future
grow th.
The plan studies these investm ent
levels during three tim e periods:
short-term (five years), m edium -
term (10 years) and long-term (20
N early 120 projects and programs
have been identified to serve this
subarea during the next 20 years.
These projects are considered to
be the most critical in terms o f
serving expected growth in this
subarea. The projects are grouped
by proposed construction date;
a c tu a l tim ing d ep en d s on the
availability o f funding.
years).
The region’s transportation system
is funded through a com bination o f
federal, state, regional and local
m oney sources. Federal funds are
given to this region w ith differing
requirem ents on how they can be
spent. The state generates funds
through a series o f user fees that
are constitutionally lim ited to road
use, including a gas tax, taxes on
h e a v y tr u c k s , v e h ic le /tr u c k
registration fees and drivers license
fe e s. T r i-M e t a n d SM A R T
(Wilsonville) collect regional transit
funds through a business payroll
tax and fares. Local sources include
c o u n ty g a s ta x e s , d e d ic a te d
p ro p e rty tax le v ie s and o th e r
developm ent-related fees.
East Multnomah County
Metro
N early 75 projects and programs
have been identified to serve East
Multnomah County during the next
20 years. The follow ing projects
are considered to be the most critical
in term s o f serving planned growth
in this subarea. The projects are
grouped by proposed construction
date; actual timing depends on the
availability o f funding.
M etro serves 1.3 m illion people
who live in Clackamas, M ultnomah
and W ashington counties and the
24 cities in Portland m etropolitan
area. Metro provides transportation
and land-use planning services and
oversees regional garbage disposal
and recycling and w aste reduction
program s.
For m ore inform ation about Metro
or to schedule a speaker for a
com m unity group, call 503/797-
1510 (public affairs) or 503/797-
1540 (council). M etro’s web site
is w w w .m etro-region.org.
Portland Central City
Transit Service Strategy
The Regional Transportation Plan
is a 20-year transportation blueprint
for the region. As part o f the current
update to the RTP, M etro and Tri-
Met have w orked with residents
and local governm ent partners to
define long-term transit needs for
the
region. M e tro ’s role is to
--------
establish a 20-yearplan forregional
tran sit im p ro v em en ts, such as
m ajor bus or rail service, through
the RTP. M etro also links long­
term transit and land-use planning
in the region.
Transportation Funding Puzzle
The Regional transportation Plan
identifies three funding scenarios
to help give elected officials and
residents a picture o f how different
L C d K 11 U U U 3 H U 11 U I
A ssociait d P ress
Salvage crews found more holes today
in the stem section o f the New Carissa,
forcing them to work on patching the
hull and again delay efforts to pull it
o ff
the
beach .
”We found some more holes in the
engine room ,” said N ick Leitz,
spokesman for the Donjon/Devine
Jo in t V e n tu re sa lv a g e team .
A tug began the effort to free the
stem at high tide Monday afternoon,
but the wreck began taking on water
just as it was pulled upright. Crews
since have had to patch holes in their
effort to beat the arrival o f winter
weather and tow the stem to sea.
Fog e n v e lo p e d
the
w reck
W ed n esd ay a fte rn o o n as the
Astoria-based Salvage C hief pulled
within 100 feet, torqued its winches
and began straining against the stem
section that contains the engine room
o f the freighter. Crews were pulled off
the stem about 5 p.m. without budging
the
w reck .
Wind and and heavy seas forced the
mg to stand o ff today, Leitz said.
“The weather’s turned bad, so w e’ re
just going to work on patching for
while,” he said. “W e’re not going to
try to move it.”
Melinda Merrill, spokeswoman for
the ship’s Japanese owners, said
rough seas could cause the engine
room section o f the stem to bump
against the other segments o f the
ship
th a t
h av e
b een
dismantled.
Divers worked through Tuesday
night and W ednesday morning to
patch a leak inside the engine room
that developed during M onday’s
attempt to refloat the segment o f ship.
They continued last-minute patches
Wednesday afternoon, even as the
Salvage C hief revved its propeller-
diversion system to scour a channel
in the sand from the wreck to deeper
y -
O>'*\T****« • *»*♦
about all drugs, and not just drugs
such
as
m etham phetam ine.
Information is available on alcohol
and other drugs, and on how to talk
to your kids. My office and our
partners also have information on
treatment. Ifyou need help or know
water.
Late W ednesday afternoon, the
ship’s only visible movement was a
more pronounced list toward shore.
Crews said part o f the forward end o f
the stem still might be mired in 10 feet
of
sand.
"They don’t feel that’s a show-
stopper,” said Loren Gamer o f the
Oregon Department ofEnvironmental
Quality.
Once the stem has beenpulledoff the
sand, the plan is to tow the battered
and rusting hulk about 50 miles to sea
&
Honoring
Excellence-
educationin
B randy n Jamaal Brooks
Bom: August 17th, 1982
17 yr. old Senior at Jefferson High School
Activities: Editor o f school paper “The
Jeffersonian”
Varsity Soccer and basketball
GPA: 3.49
Hobbies: Baseball and basketball card collector, his own music company
called Head 2 Head Production, and writing songs and poetry.
Groups: Brandyn participates in SEI (Self Enhancement Inc.), Pamplin
Leadership Program, Regional Drug Initiative, Young Life Christian
Ministries, Jefferson Mentor group, and an ambassador for SEI.
Tidbits: Brandyn comes from a family five, His mom works at SEI and my
dad works for the City o f Portland Maintenance Bureau.
Goals: He has been pre-accepted into Johnson C. Smith University in
Charlotte, North Carolina. While there he w ill be majoring in biology and
minor in music composition. After graduating from college he hopes to go
to medical school and study neurology. “ 1 want to be one o f the few
African-Americans in this field.’’
F3
Safeco Insurance
Safeco Insurance and the Matthew Barnett Insurance Agency recognize the
positive achievements o f Jefferson students and wish them, their parents, and
the Jefferson High staff the very best.
M atthew K. Barnett
Insurance Agency
Life/Auto/Fire/Business
33 3 2 N . Lombard - Suite C . Portland, OR 97217
(503)285-2546 Fax (503)285-1388
Help shape our transportation future
Think
globally
act
locally
U u r m g the past five years, residents have
Public comment meetings
joined with local governments from across
the region to identify how we can best meet
our future transportation needs. Now it’s
time to take a final look at the Regional
Transportation Plan - our 20-year blueprint
for the region’s transportation system -
before it is finally adopted.
Come to one of the following meetings to
learn more and to comment:
5:30 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 20
Conestoga Middle School
12250 SW Conestoga Drive
Beaverton
Regional elected officials are seeking com­
ments on the plan’s recommended motor
vehicle, transit, pedestrian, bicycle and freight
projects, and on ways to finance these long­
term needs.
In addition, state and regional decision­
makers need your input about transportation
projects on the state system proposed for
priority funding with part of the recently
passed increase in the gas tax and vehicle
registration fees.
Meth from page 5
caregiver is a user. Meth users are
d a n g e r to c h ild re n , an d to
:mselves. They often experience
lusions, anxiety, and confusion,
[treme paranoia, drastic m ood
rings, hallucinations and homicidal
suicidal thoughts. As with many
u g s,
the
first
u se
of
;thamphetamine was as a medicine,
this case for asthma and epileptic
izures. It’s acommon ingredient in
right-loss drugs. Serious illicit
oduction began showing up in the
•80s inCalifomia, and today stories
out illegal meth labs and users are
the new n early e v e ry day.
^fortunately, meth is easy to make,
s relatively inexpensive, and it does
bat the user wants to do, provide a
lick, sustained feeling o f euphoria,
“high.” It can be smoked, snorted,
ten or injected. The ju stic e
partment report noted that injection
the method used by 49 percent o f
irtland-area meth users, a much
gher rate than in the other cities
rveyed - Los Angeles, Phoenix,
in Diego and San Jose. Officials
id the reason is the relatively high
oportion o f heroin users in the
»rtland area w ho inject drugs,
je c tio n in c re a se s the risk o f
insmitting HIV and other diseases,
bright spot is that Portland had the
ghest number - 34 percent - of
ers who had received or tried to get
satment. Most meth users do not
ek treatment because they are in
mial and meth is highly addictive.
!eth users commonly try alcohol,
bacco and marijuana before using
etthampetamine, which makes it
itical for parents to talk to their kids
iC r tJ U
and sink it. The hole have been found
near the bottom o f the hull, called the
bilge. “I think it was just changing
weights that caused it,” Merrill said.
The larger bow section o f the New
C arissa, w hich ran aground in
February, was hauled more than 300
miles offshore in March and scuttled
after leaking about 70,000 gallons o f
fuel
o il
a lo n g
the
coast. The em pty freighter was
heading to Coos Bay to load up with
wood chips, but it had400,000 gallons
o f fuel oil on board.
som eone w ho need help w ith
methamphetamine or any other drug,
call the Oregon Partnership at 1 -800-
923-HELP. Ifyou need information to
help you talk to your kids, call the
Oregon Resource Center at 1-800-
822-6772
Creating livable communities
Oregon Department
of Transportation
be a better way," it's not just talk.
Dean Miller and Brad Williams were sure that they
could come up with a quicker, more reliable way to
pinpoint and resolve problems on power circuits. If
there was an outage, this would help get the power
back on to customers faster. The technology existed.
It would just have to be applied the right way.
So Dean and Brad, along with their co-worker Tom
Eyford, put their heads together and came up with a
remote control process that combines the automation
of piower poletop switches with computer operations
at the substations.
Here's how it works: the poletop switches
f
send information back to the substation
5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 26
Metro Regional Center
600 NE Grand Ave.
Portland
5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 28
Monarch Hotel
12566 SE 93rd Ave.
Clackamas
For more information, call M etro’s
transportation hotline, (503) 797-1900,
option 2, or visit www.metro-region.org.
For ODOT, call 731-8245 or visit
www.odot.state.or.us/stip/
Metro Regional Services
W hen Pacific Power engineers say, "there has to
5:30 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 21
Gresham City Hall
1333 NW Eastman Parkway
Gresham
computers. If the computer detects a problem, it can
automatically close a switch, and immediately reroute
power around the problem. Not only is the power back
on faster, but line crews can also be dispatched more
effectively to fix the trouble spot.
The new control scheme was tested in Portland,
which showed that outage times could be reduced
drastically. The team knew their idea was a winner.
In fact, the process is so state-of-the-art, the engineers
were awarded a patent. The plan is to install the
automated switches along with other reliability
measures throughout the Pacific Power service area,
from big cities to rural towns, in the coming years.
"This kind of innovation, along with other
new technologies like customer outage monitors
and intelligent
meters, improves
our responsiveness
and also helps keep
costs down," said Jim
Walters, a Portland operations manager, who put the
team's work into action.
Dean Miller, Brad Williams and Tom Eyford.
Three of the brightest bulbs in the box.
ers of invention.
You can reach us 24 hours a day, 7 days a week,
just call 1-888-221-7070.
M PACIFIC POWER
A PacifiCorp Company
Making it happen.
, 'J
U, Y
V 11 « H * * * 1
* * *
l * *
/
I * M* V * fl
* V