I think the OHSU expansion and Tram development is one of the lesser wastes that have been envisioned in this city. While I agree that the entire "creative class" investment strategy is overblown, nobody in the world wants to be sick or dead so there should be some growth room, albeit in a crowded field. Peter Kohler, so far, has done an admirable job of raising OHSU's rank in NIH funding so many would like to see the new (hoped-for) bioscience industry consolidated in one location, thus reducing our other urban planning concerns. As a member of the Carpenters Local I will be glad to get my piece of the work stemming from this development and other projects springing up in Portland.

Is the overall "density" strategy good?--Go ask the millions of other people around the world who have moved into similar developments. A downside could be seismic safety--yet this is also true in shorter buildings that are poorly reinforced.

I do agree with Lenny that the Columbia Crossing has the makings of another boondoggle, but how would he propose to accomodate the increased traffic through and into Portland, especially projecting several decades ahead? At the Clark College open house last week I met someone who was also favorable to developing another crossing, at the heavy rail bridge. This could take truck traffic off I5--that portion headed to Term. 5 and 6--and could provide a shorter route to Hwy. 30. Vancouver would also have to be agreeable...not such an easy goal.

There were other people raising the issue of alternative crossings--but there are some suggestions that are not feasible. One important concern on the present bridge(s) is that in the major earthquake, which will someday hit, the I5's counterweights are not stable. But, in a Richter 9, how would we know that any structure would, necessarily, survive? Perhaps a new bridge could break apart,too, although seismic engineering has made great progress. The recent Pakistan quake took out a lot of reinforced concrete buildings, but they probably skimped on the steel.

I am afraid that light rail is getting too expensive and have been advocating for TOD with less costly alternatives. Light rail is more cost-effective aither in large cities or cities with big ghettos--but those people would be riding the bus anyway. But growth in Portland--taking us from a big town to a real city --is simply inevitable and we need to plan for it.