4A • November 11, 2016 • Seaside Signal • seasidesignal.com
SignalViewpoints
Bike lanes in the tsunami zone
SUBMITTED PHOTO
Bob Cook takes the plunge.
Crossing one off
the bucket list
fter examining my bucket list, I decided it was
time to check something off or kick it and no-
body wants to kick the buciet. Since elder Bush
did it at the age of 85, why couldn’t I at the young age
of 82!
I thought of a lot of reasons why I couldn’t or
shouldn’t, but there was nobody to tell me how dumb
it was, so I called the club at the Molino Airport and
made arrange-
ments to go sky
diving on my
GUEST COLUMN
82nd birthday.
BOB
COOK
The fi rst thing
I was told was
that it should be
tandem (student
tied to the instructor) and the main reason is that an
older person’s memory and refl exes are not as good as
they used to be, of which I can attest to. After a lot of
instructions and reminds of safety, we started the long
walk. During this time I was reminded that just because
I’d paid my way didn’t mean I had to go.
Upon close examination of the airplane I noticed
there was neither seat for me or a parachute. I was im-
mediately reminded of the briefi ng I had just received.
During our take off, I sat on the fl oor and halfway to
14,000 feet the instructor got behind me and secured
us together to the point that all of my movements were
controlled by him.
When the moment of truth arrived the exit door was
opened and loced in position. I was moved to the door
and positioned so that I had no choice. It was a long
way down and so i thought it best to just don’t look.
At this moment I thought this is a young man’s game
and that is why “God made young men.” I was thankful
that he did as I had no intention of jumping again. Once
we left the airplane there was no stopping us. But we
did slow down when the chute was deployed. A few
maneuvers caused us to spin and to go to our right or
left, which caused a bit of vertigo. Fortunately I had
no control so consequently we landed in a sitting down
position within 50 feet of our designated point.
I was apprehensive at fi rst but since my will was
already made out, meant there was only one thing left
to do. I wrote my obituary and left it on my counter top.
When I returned home I tore it up.
Bob Cook
Seaside
A
FILE PHOTO
Jim Mendenhall, owner of Triangle Towing, upends a 2006 Ford Escape that came to rest on its roof after nosediving in the
Dairy Queen parking lot in 2014. The intersection by Dairy Queen could see changes under proposals from the city.
A
Gearhart Transportation System Plan makes a
lot of sense. But in a place due within the next
15 years to experience a 9.0 earthquake and
tsunami plan, there are some special consider-
ations.
City Planner Carole Connell and city staff were able to
win the $100,000 grant about two years ago, Connell said at
an October presentation at City Hall.
Gearhart’s grant proposal had the usual requests for side-
walks and bike paths, but “the one that got their attention
was the tsunami evacuation plan,” Connell said.
After the grant was awarded, the process of hiring a
consultant followed. The city contacted the Portland-based
consulting fi rm DKS.
“We’re telling a story,” Kevin Chewuk of DKS said at
the Gearhart presentation. “Each part is a basic part of the
story.”
Consultants present an “aspirational project list” to ad-
dress all of the city’s transportation needs, whether the city
can pay to fund them or not. Analysis is geared to the next
20 years, to 2040.
They considered state, county and local rules and identi-
R.J. MARX
fi ed areas of “transportation enhancement” and “transporta-
Gearhart Planner Carole Connell and consultant Kevin
tion improvement.”
Chewuk discuss the city’s proposed Transportation System
Elements of the enhancement project consider traf-
Plan.
fi c-calming devices on city streets, tsunami route identifi ca-
tion, bike parking, “way-fi nding” signage for bicyclists and
pedestrians and Ridge Path enhancements.
Chewuk is right: the plans will tell a story: how the city
perceives its audience and its users.
SEEN FROM SEASIDE
There are those needing bus transport to Warrenton and
Astoria. Hikers and walkers who want to trek through the
R.J. MARX
city’s magnifi cent sheltered trails. Parents who want to drive
the babysitter home without making two dangerous left-
hand turns to go one block, from Salminen to Hillila and
home again.
Even with a signal at Highway 101 and Pacifi c Way,
funding. If grant funds are acquired, the city can start priori-
“You’re standing in that little space waiting for the light,”
tizing them by importance.
Connell said. “So far, the east side people are frustrated by
While analyzing options, city and residents should con-
those constraints. We know that’s where the problems are.”
sider not only the memo at hand, but future what-ifs.
Fifty-two improvement projects are listed in the consul-
Will the Gearhart fi re hall be replaced, and if so, where?
tant’s Sept. 29 document. They connect walking and biking
When Gearhart Elementary School relocates, what will
facilities and address the need to cross the highway. “A lot
replace it?
of the projects we identifi ed are trail projects that could
Where will residents fi nd the greatest access to cache
facilitate tsunami evacuation, but also act as recreational
sites in case of a long-term need for emergency supplies?
facilities through the year,” Chewuk said.
Could new construction east of the highway call for addi-
About 10 people a day use Sunset Empire Transportation tional, previously unconsidered roads and crossings?
District buses in Gearhart, according to the memo. Improve-
Most towns don’t need it, but for Gearhart, which lies
ments to bus stops near Wild Rose or Cottonwood lanes
almost entirely within the tsunami zone, the emergency
could make the prospect more appealing, featuring “new
component should be an opportunity to meet multiple goals
sheltered stops” to keep riders out of the rain while they
— emergency evacuation, pedestrian safety and improved
wait.
roads for bicyclists and drivers.
Another proposal suggests a traffi c signal is considered
City Administrator Chad Sweet said last month the state
at Highway 101 and Gearhart Loop Road, what the state
responded to the city’s ideas about planning for tsunami
identifi es as a high-collision location.
and quake hazards, “which was part of the reason we were
“Biking and walking on the highway are dangerous,”
selected for the grant.”
Connell said in October. “Cross-
The other reason, he add-
ings don’t exist.”
ed, was that the city didn’t
The highway — innocuously
have a transportation systems
called “Park Avenue” on maps
plan.
— gets the bulk of consideration
We think, as the state did
as the city seeks to make it easi-
awarding the grant, the fi rst
er for bikes and walkers to cross
reason — the threat of hazard
the 80-foot roadway. Options
in the Cascadia Subduction
include narrowing portions to
Zone — is the most com-
three lanes, buffered bike lanes
pelling. The tsunami safety
and widening for sidewalks.
aspect of the program drew
The most costly approach
the state to funding this
would widen the highway to fi ve
grant. A bike lane is terrifi c,
lanes with a sidewalk and bike
but in a tsunami, drivers may
Kevin Chewuk
lanes.
swerve.
consultant for DKS
The least expensive alterna-
Here’s my plan: Put
tive? Do nothing.
money into scooters and
The memorandum now goes
motorbikes for emergency
before the Planning Commis-
getaways. Install large, read-
sion, where they’ll be presented with the fi rst draft, consider able maps. Test loudspeakers to make sure they are clear
options and narrow down the list. Their fi ndings will be
and can be heard throughout the city. Give each residence
refi ned to maximize funds, minimize impacts to environ-
an individualized evacuation plan. Establish an emergency
ment, and “balance investments across all modes of travel,”
database accessible by registered users. Construct pedestrian
according to Chewuk.
bridges over every waterway. Inform every resident about
“They’re going to fi nish the plan and hopefully get it
tsunamis, landslides and quakes.
adopted,” Connell said.
And while we’re at it, put a covered shelter on that bus
Once adopted, Gearhart is eligible for additional state
stop.
EDITOR’S NOTE:
Claire Lovell’s column
“Scene and Heard”
will be back in the
Nov. 25 Signal.
LETTERS
Don’t shut off Avenue U
I am writing in response to a letter that was printed in
the Sept. 16 edition of the Seaside Signal. In the letter, the
writer expressed his thoughts about the upcoming local
election and outlined some ideas that he thinks would be
good to help reinforce and protect the city and it’s residents
against a possible tsunami and other natural disasters and
problems.
Some interesting ideas were presented in the letter,
however, there is one point on which I disagree and that is
the comment that the Avenue U bridge has absolutely no
value in the event of a tsunami evacuation and that money
that has been set aside to strengthen and retrofi t the Avenue
U bridge should be used for something else.
I disagree with this idea because there are many homes
and residents who live in this area and several businesses
who use this bridge on a daily basis. The Avenue U bridge
aids with the improved fl ow of traffi c in the Seaside area
and offers many people an effective way to get out of the
area and into the town and other surrounding areas without
having to drive through the crowded downtown area.
I agree that it would be good to begin retrofi tting the
bridges and securing the schools, they are both import-
ant areas but it is important to take care of the Avenue U
bridge too. It would not be good to cut off one end of the
city by not fi xing the only bridge that serves that area.
Thank you for publishing my letter and giving me a
chance to respond and express myself.
Carrie Paldanius
Salem
‘A lot of the projects we identified
are trail projects that could
facilitate tsunami evacuation,
but also act as recreational
facilities through the year.’
PUBLISHER
EDITOR
David F. Pero
R.J. Marx
ADVERTISING
MANAGER
PRODUCTION
MANAGER
Betty Smith
John D. Bruijn
CIRCULATION
MANAGER
SYSTEMS
MANAGER
Heather
Ramsdell
Carl Earl
ADVERTISING
SALES
Brandy Stewart
CONTRIBUTING
WRITERS
Katherine Lacaze
Claire Lovell
Eve Marx
Esther Moberg
Jon Rahl
Susan Romersa
SCENE & HEARD
CLAIRE LOVELL
Lost rentals
I told you so. The rental housing market in Seaside was
totally destroyed by the conversion of long-term rentals
into vacation rentals in the early 1990s. At the time the
City Council and Planning Commission had members who
See Letters, Page 5A
Seaside Signal
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