Here are the comments I sent to Council earlier this week:

I am writing to express my strong support for this program. When new development puts demands on our transportation infrastructure, it is fair and reasonable to require developers to contribute to the cost of infrastructure.

While in the past TSDC funds have been reserved for "capacity-increasing projects" that have been narrowly defined as vehicle capacity, I am particularly pleased to see that the new proposal before you acknowledges the potential for bicycling trips in the draft project list. This is important because:

* Development will increase demand for bicycling facilities and will increase bicycling trips (as we have seen in Portland's four-fold increase in cycling over the last decade). It would be unfair to ignore these trips by only constructing new vehicle facilities.
* Some potential new auto trips can be mitigated by converting them to bicycle trips if seamless, high-quality facilities are provided. This is a cost-effective way to encourage biking and mitigate the negative impact of new auto trips in our community.
* Portland has a stated goal to decrease greenhouse gases and emphasize sustainable development. Encouraging bicycling as a way to reach local businesses is an outstanding tool to help us reach that goal.

In particular, I strongly support both the Twenties Avenue Bikeway element and the proposed Flanders Bike/Pedestrian Bridge project.

Please support the TSDC program, and please ensure that the non-motorized component stays in place.