tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1614760608725061478.post3781174099996455078..comments2023-07-18T06:01:05.816-07:00Comments on Transportation Problems and Policy: “Flexing” the Ross Island Bridge for BRTUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1614760608725061478.post-90798395298974156602013-06-06T16:44:21.547-07:002013-06-06T16:44:21.547-07:00Just to be clear I myself did not find them confus...Just to be clear I myself did not find them confusing, however, I saw many drivers who were confused by signs. Remember common sense is not very common. <br /><br />Second I feel that most of problems with the Ross Island Bridge would be solved if they made the changes that have been recommended as part of a redesign of the west side of the bridge (I know costly but needed). This plan would make direct connections from I-5 to the bridge eliminating the strange paths you have to use to get between the two, and taking out the connections to Naito Parkway as part of revamping that street. <br /><br />Also how much of the traffic on Ross is being caused by people avoiding the construction on the Sellwood Bridge and once that is done will it help eliminate some of the problems. <br /><br />Once the PLMR is done, Sellwood is done, and if they revamped the west end of the bridge would this truly be needed. While the proposal is innovative are we falling into the trap of over engineering a problem and actually making conditions worse? John Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04925994987275736644noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1614760608725061478.post-4772858155825935202013-06-06T15:41:07.675-07:002013-06-06T15:41:07.675-07:00<< A bridge replacement or expansion on the ...<< A bridge replacement or expansion on the Ross Island Bridge would be costly and followed by years of design and construction. >><br /><br />You hit the nail on the head for a near immediate, cost-effective solution to congestion management, Max. The Ross Island bridge is a significant beast to tackle and obviously Flex lanes may not be an end all solution but it is a smart, quick fix that could have serious benefits. <br /><br />I have also driven on flex lanes before, but unlike John, I didn't find them confusing, they were perfectly clear so long as you were simply paying attention to what was going on. Like Tim Rose said, "All you really need to do is look above your head, and if you see a red 'X,' you're in the wrong lane and need to get to the right immediately and move along," It's not rocket science and I feel like the symbology used and color theory assigned to it is fairly clear for general traffic standards in the United States.<br /><br />Great post!<br />Josh_Cappshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14855269403023355468noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1614760608725061478.post-10922297121872806662013-06-06T11:51:26.323-07:002013-06-06T11:51:26.323-07:00This actually seems like a really good and cost-ef...This actually seems like a really good and cost-effective way to maintain the "rapid" part of BRT. Do you know if TriMet has considered this as an actual alternative if the PMLR bridge can't accommodate BRT service levels? Tom Shookhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00853271779046457562noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1614760608725061478.post-15691924996018769832013-06-06T11:29:17.212-07:002013-06-06T11:29:17.212-07:00I would hardly call the 5400 South project somethi...I would hardly call the 5400 South project something to emulate and is typical of how a department of transportation is so worried about moving traffic as fast as possible, everything else does not matter. <br /><br />A few years ago I was transferred down to Utah and in fact lived just a mile or two south of 5400 South on Redwood Road where this project starts. <br /><br />First of all, 5400 is not a suburban highway but a primary connecting road that runs through neighborhoods. What UDOT has done is turn this road into a superspeedway that is not safe for pedestrians to walk along or cross plus don't get near the thing on a bicycle. <br /><br />I took some pictures of this glorious UDOT project a few months ago. It is very confusing to drive for the average person and the signs are actually a distraction when driving it at night. <br /><br />In addition it is horrible urban design that has cut off several neighborhoods the same way a freeway would have and businesses although few in number are losing revenue because people will not shop along the corridor. <br /><br />On the other hand many of those problems would not be situation with the Ross Island bridge, but if moving buses faster is the point, since bus service is going to be moved to the new Tri-Met bridge in 2015, should we really go to this effort? John Dhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04925994987275736644noreply@blogger.com