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John Branam: Strong Values, Bold Leadership

[photo: American flag on wall]

Transportation

Portland is on the forefront of public transportation and bicycle commuting in the United States. But we can still do more.

John Branam as a child riding a bicycle with his father

With bottleneck congestion in urban centers across the country and a significant portion of greenhouse gas emission coming from automobiles, efficient transportation is one of the most important issues American cities will face this century. Portland must serve as a model and do everything it can to reduce it’s impact—and, in the process, create safe, vibrant and connected communities. As a city council member, I will continue to push forward the city’s transportation plan—and will add my own innovative programs to the cause.

Transportation is not a stand-alone issue. To properly design a comprehensive transportation plan, we cannot only focus on buses and bikes, but need to understand the broader issues, like city planning and affordable housing. If we fail here, we will continue to suffer from suburban sprawl, whereby individuals and families move outside city centers (often seeking less expensive housing) and commute to their jobs still inside the city center (and, hence, creating more congestion and emissions). As Portland continues to grow and experience economic success, we need to make sure that Portlanders of all income levels can remain living inside the city—where they can bike and take mass transit to accomplish their daily needs. As a city council member, I will push forward affordable housing plans and will work with the Planning Bureau to design a city that is ready for demands ten and twenty years into the future.

More specifically to transportation plans, the city needs to increase spending to foster an environment that encourages public transportation, bicycling and walking as an alternative to carbon-emission car commuting. Ultimately, such a system saves public money, whether it is because the City pays out less for repairs because of the reduced wear-and-tear, or it is because individuals pay less for medical costs due to improved health. We need to create plans today that provide long-term savings for the city. Spending money on public transportation and bicycle/pedestrian projects is a wise investment.

[photo: MAX train]

For public transportation, we need to make these alternatives as appealing and convenient as possible. We can encourage TriMet to expand its use of technology to boost convenience. Trimet already uses GPS tracking information to deliver up to the minute timing for bus arrivals and departures. TriMet should also improve its cooperation with online sites like Googlemaps to better plan efficient routes for individual and should implement the use of debit or credit machines in buses to make boarding more convenient.

The ultimate goal of the city’s transportation plan is to increase ridership while decreasing individuals’ vehicle miles traveled (VMT). Let’s get people out of their cars and onto the bus, lightrail, and street car! Working with employers to help us is an important step in the right direction. The City can provide employers guides and assistance to accomplish this goal. Employers can be educated that public transportation—especially lightrail, which does not compete with traffic—can reduce commute times and can be encouraged to special bonuses for alternate transportation use, car pool lists and showers/lockers for bike commuters.

As exciting as improving and encouraging public transportation are the possibilities to push forward bicycle and pedestrian commuting in Portland. Already Portland is known as a bike friendly city and a reported eight percent of residents ride their bikes to work on a regular basis—a phenomenal number. As a city council member, I also will push forward other initiatives:

I believe that Portlanders have created a culture that nurtures alternatives to automobiles. Portlanders want to leave their cars at home. The City needs to provide safe bicycle routes, public transportation and crosswalks. When Portlanders choose public transportation and healthy commuting alternatives, the result is a cleaner and healthier city.

Read more of John's thoughts on these and other issues.

Website by Mark Wyner Design.