Portland Streetcar Ridership on the Rise

...my life is complete...that whole car congestion thing is really working out for you all out their... Susan - NE Pdx

I also own proprety in Portland and pay property taxes. I also drive in Portland and visit customers and sit in traffic a lot also. I also work with people who have delivery services who burn a lot of gas on congested roads in Portland.

-- that will last for 80 years with lower pollution and that results in development along its corridore that reduce all auto trips that frees up auto lanes for more inportant trips like frieght

Gerry H. ok, then think of streetcar as a big taxi on a rail-- that will last for 80 years
JK: Got any proof of that? The last round of streetcars were all ripped out in a lot less than 80 years because something better came along - the car.

Gerry H. with lower pollution
JK: You mean the CO2, uranium, thorium and mercury put out by the electric plants is better than the little that comes out of a car?

Gerry H. and that results in development along its corridore
JK:
1. Why is development a good thing? (Unless you get the government money to build that garbage)
2. Point me to development that occurred because of the streetcar, not because of profit motive, tax abatements or sweet land deals. Be sure to look at the history that proves that no development occurred along rail lines until tax incentives were started. DebunkingPortland.com/Transit/LightRailDevelopment.htm

Gerry H. that reduce all auto trips that frees up auto lanes for more inportant trips like frieght
JK: Actually increased density increases auto trips. The truth is that as density increases, driving per capita goes down slightly as the capita goes up dramatically. see DebunkingPortland.com/Smart/DensityCongestion.htm

Thanks
JK, whose blog activity and web sites are 100% paid by myself on my own time - can you say the same?

...gives you your money for all this libertarian/conservative car advocacy -- it's ok to be a lobbyst

Pauline Jim, why won't you just come clean and tell us who...
...gives you your money for all this libertarian/conservative car advocacy -- it's ok to be a lobbyst
JK: Why don’t you start by telling us your real name and what government agency, transit company or planning consultancy that you work for.

Thanks
JK, whose blog activity and web sites are 100% paid by myself on my own time - can you say the same?

You proceeded to stalk them and post personal info about them...

Matthew The last time I saw someone actually respond to that
You proceeded to stalk them and post personal info about them...
JK: I see you are so far out of rational arguments against my case, that you have resorted to false accusations.

Why not just quietly slither away?

Thanks
JK

But I wasn't really talking to you, it was more a suggesting to Pauline that she might not want to take you up on your question...

it was more a suggesting to Pauline

Probably just another of your many false names.

Thanks
JK

JK Says: Nice to see that you have finally run out rational criticism of my data and conclusions, so now you are in the attack the messenger stage.
___________

Jim, I'm an analyst in the healthcare industry. I know statistics and I know methodology. You use rudimentary mathematics at best, but more often attempt to correlate complete unrelated data.

The bottom line, however, is that you have created an ethical condundrum that you refuse to address. As such, the conclusions you post are not legitimate or credible sources of information. It's as simple as that.

JK speaks the truth - without government subsidies a large portion of the 'development' would have never happened. The fact that the developments now pay taxes to themselves rather than the city isn't helping our situation. If light rail and streetcar riders had to pay their for how much the rides really cost, both systems would fall flat on their face. All of us subsidize the system that less than 10% of us use. Most of us don't have the extra time that it takes to use mass transit (add at least an extra hour per trip).

We have piss poor roads and crooks running rampant. We have elderly and disabled who need money to help them (not drug addicts) but instead we waste the money by subsidizing high price developments and an under-used transit system. Priorities are pretty messed up.

quote: "If light rail and streetcar riders had to pay their for how much the rides really cost, both systems would fall flat on their face. All of us subsidize the system that less than 10% of us use. Most of us don't have the extra time that it takes to use mass transit (add at least an extra hour per trip).
We have piss poor roads and crooks running rampant. We have elderly and disabled who need money to help them (not drug addicts) but instead we waste the money by subsidizing high price developments and an under-used transit system. Priorities are pretty messed up. "

There are so many problems with your flawed post and thinking that I scarcely know where to begin. To start with, autos are subsidized much more than mass transit. It doesn't take a lot of thought to tick off the externalized costs created by private automobiles. If both mass transit users and private auto users were forced to internalize the costs of their chosen transportation alternative, MT would win in a landslide, but I digress. Secondly, you want to help the elderly and poor by taking away their most important transportation alternative? You are worried about where we are wasting our money but don't mention the massive human and financial sinkhole located in Iraq? You focus your ire on transportation projects designed to help our communnity and vulnerable citizens while ignoring the fact that we are piling up massive deficits and giant body counts in a debacle of unimaginable proportions? You are screwed in the head dude.

To start with, autos are subsidized much more than mass transit.
Care to offer substantiation for that claim? I found just the opposite in a reputable journal - see DebunkingPortland.com/Roads/Docs/Delucchi_Chart.htm

If both mass transit users and private auto users were forced to internalize the costs of their chosen transportation alternative, MT would win in a landslide, but I digress
Care to offer substantiation for that claim? I found just the opposite: DebunkingPortland.com/Transit/Cost-Cars-Transit(2005).htm

You are worried about where we are wasting our money but don't mention the massive human and financial sinkhole located in Iraq?
Since mass transit uses more energy than cars (per passenger-mile), how can mass transit help the Iraq situation?
DebunkingPortland.com/Transit/BusVsCarTEDB.htm

Thanks
JK

Luckily you are near a hospital

I am curious as to why you can walk to the transit stop but cannot drive.

I ask this because I know two people who cannot walk, but drive just fine. One even commuted weekly from Vancouver BC to Portland.

Thanks
JK

Jim,

Ms. Matherson should be commended for her willingness not to drive. Far too many senior citizens refuse to acknowledge this truth and they are often a danger to all of us. Just yesterday, I was nearly hit by an older woman making a right hand turn from the left lane of a two lane road. Even when I yelled and looked directly at her, she still seemed to have no idea she was doing anything wrong. Unlike Ms. Matherson, this particular woman was clearly unwilling to admit that she should no longer be driving.

Whether Ms. Matherson's statement that she 'cannot drive' means that the DMV actually took her license away, or that she simply no longer feels it's safe for her to do so is completely irrelevant. She's not driving anymore, but she still needs a way to get around. This is a perfect example of why transit is a good idea. If people like this had no option at all, they'd keep driving until it became glaringly obvious that they should not. Even if you never use it, knowing that it helps to keep unsafe/unfit drivers off of the road is one more reason you should support transit options.

Jim, I have glaucoma and my eye sight in general is not well. While I can still walk and see traffic, I have no peripheral vision and driving would be extremely dangerous.

I am curious as to why you can walk to the transit stop but cannot drive.

I ask this because I know two people who cannot walk, but drive just fine. One even commuted weekly from Vancouver BC to Portland.

Thanks
JK

I am curious as to why you can walk to the transit stop and can walk into the various stores along the streetcar line, but cannot drive.

I ask this because I know two people who cannot walk, but drive just fine. One even commuted weekly from Vancouver BC to Portland.

Thanks
JK

JK,

And many are curious as to whether you receive funding from individuals or organizations who have an interest in planning, transportation, policy, etc. You will no doubt respond with a "use your own name" gambit. People have used their real names after you have demanded this. You still refuse to answer. It's a question you have put to many, so fair play for you to answer your own question.

You're welcome.

Why are you hiding your name?
Thanks
JK

So, if you refuse to answer someone who won't give their name, then I'll ask you.

Are you receiving funding or other resources from individuals or organizations with a vested intrest in Portland's transportation policy?

I'd also like to point out that it is none of your business why Ms. Matherson opts to use public transit instead of driving. It may be because she is physically unable or simply does not enjoy it.

I look forward to your hasty response regarding the funding question.

Thanks,
Grant

Is telling. Or not telling, which in his case seems to be the same.

Well if someone is paying him to pester these blogs, they sure aren't getting their moneys worth. Have you seen his website? It's a joke. There are screwed up numbers all over the place and it took me about an hour to get to the bottom of one of his ficticious claims about the cost of driving vis-a-vis transit. Needless to say, that too was crap.

I am curious as to why you can walk to the transit stop and can walk into the various stores along the streetcar line, but cannot drive.

I ask this because I know two people who cannot walk, but drive just fine. One even commuted weekly from Vancouver BC to Portland.

Thanks
JK

Glad you like the streetcar. Let me know when you are willing to pay for your nice new toy, instead of sponging off of others.

It costs $1.67 per passenger-mile, about SIX times what driving a car costs and over double the cost of an average bus.

See: DebunkingPortland.com/Transit/Cost-Cars-Transit(2005).htm

Thanks
JK

More made up numbers on his goofy website. Go there if you're into fiction.

A Lake Oswego streetcar extension is something that is being and has been actively looked at for some time now.

The mayor of Lake Oswego has been a great proponent of extending streetcar from South Waterfront to Lake O, and she is current at the helm of a process (including TriMet, Metro, and the City of Portland) that is looking at possibe streetcar routes.

Be sure they are willing to pay its outragous cost of over SIX times what driving costs and over twice what buses costs.

Thanks
JK

Let me guess JK, go to your debunking Portland website for the proof correct? No thanks, waste of time. Tried it and your numbers don't pan out. But by all means, keep trying! It's actually kind of fun to read your posts. You keep going! You'll eventually convince someone... then maybe you two can carpool (or better yet, drive separately!) to Metro meetings.

Tried it and your numbers don't pan out.

JK: Please let me know which numbers "don't pan out" & I'll correct any errors.

Thanks
JK