OpEd | State | TriMet angers many, requires oversight

Photo credit: KGW.com

Did you know that TriMet fares are now among the highest in the nation (Gianola, 2013)? That’s right, a monthly adult TriMet pass is $100, while in Philadelphia, its $83, $72 in Los Angeles and just $70 in Boston (Gianola, 2013). Yet all three cities have operation far more extensive than Portland’s. So why does public transit cost so much in Portland? TriMet General Manager Neil McFarlane wants you to blame the recession and the high cost of TriMet’s union health benefits (Gianola, 2013). He hoped you wouldn’t find out about the $910,000 in pay raises he approved for the highest echelon of TriMet management in 2012, even as he publicly stated that he had frozen their pay (Rose, 2013). “How could this happen right under our noses?” you may ask. This was able to happen because no one was watching. While TriMet management increased fairs, cut service, and gave themselves raises, no one was paying attention. To ensure this can’t happen again, Oregon lawmakers have called on Secretary of State Kate Brown to conduct an unprecedented audit of operations and finances at the state's largest public transit agency (Rose J. , 2013).

Vice-chair of the House Committee on Transportation and Economic Development, Rep. Chris Gorsek (D-Troutdale) is the chief sponsor of the proposal, an amendment to his House Bill 3316. HB3316 was intended to regulate TriMet’s governance, transferring operational and finical oversight from TriMet’s board of directors to Metro (Staff, 2013). However, Gorsek simultaneously realized he didn’t have wide support for restructuring and became aware of major management issues at TriMet. He took the opportunity to push for a large scale audit instead (Rose J. , 2013). While the audit will possibly take longer than the original plan - Brown's office plans to have the audit finished before the 2014 legislative session (Thompson, 2013) – it ensures a much more thorough understanding  of exactly what is going on inside the transit agency and why. This is an extremely prudent step, prior to taking any major action which could have unforeseen repercussions. While it’s obvious that things need to change inside TriMet, I believe it’s worth taking the time to do it right.

Equity for people with Disability

Did you know that people with disabilities in Oregon are 13 percent of Oregon's population, which is more than the U.S disabled population percentage of 12 percent (Benton County, 2011). It is so important for them to have a reliable, affordable and accessible transportation service to help them reach their work, school and community in their daily life. By 2030,elderly senior population will grew by 123% in Oregon and the current resources will need to be backed up to keep with this increase (Tri-County Metropolitan Transportation District of Oregon (TRIMET), 2012).

Op-Ed: East Portland Bus Stops Deserve Attention

Inequity manifests itself in many ways within the City of Portland. In a city that prides itself on its progressive policies and green transportation options, the disparities in TriMet’s bus stop accommodations are inexcusable. The contrast between the built environment and amenities at bus stops in Central Portland versus East Portland is abhorrent and needs to change. I implore TriMet to prioritize improvements to the “top three” worst bus stops, as identified by OPAL’s (Organizing People, Activating Leaders) East Portland Bus Project.

Gender Equity in Bicycle Planning

Separated bicycle facilities has been an increasingly tricky issue in the U.S. We can see the success stories in Europe, but there are also plenty of studies detailing the dangers of cycle tracks and the like (more on this in the Op-Ed). One thing that hasn't been talked about much, however, is the categorical lack of gender equity in deciding if the U.S. should adopt cycle tracks as a viable infrastructure option. This may be a key issue in the disparity in gender of cyclists in many cities trying to be more bike-friendly.

ADA Accessibility in the Urban Fabric

Tactile strips on MAX platforms.  Chirping birds at crosswalks.  Ramps.  Wide doors.  Low counters.  Flashing fire alarms.  Kneeling buses.  There seems to be accessible urban design everywhere.  I would think that, barring those old historic buildings or geographically steep locales, folks with disabilities would be able to get around most places.  Despite how much more accessible the urban fabric has become since the passing of the ADA Act in 1990 (only 1990!? That seems so recent!), cities all over the world still struggle to fully integrate the nation's largest minority.

Spatial mismatch or modal mismatch?

Car ownership may be one of the most effective tools for decreasing unemployment among families in poverty. Yet, as a policy solution, access to automobiles seems to be largely ignored. The crux of this issue is well-summarized in Blumenberg and Melville’s article: Beyond Spatial Mismatch. The authors challenge the notion that spatial factors are the primary obstacles to accessibility by re-framing the debate as modal mismatch. In many (but not all) American cities, poverty is not concentrated but dispersed across many regions of the city. Coupled with the dispersal of employment, it’s easy to imagine why public transit has a limited capacity to connect low-income individuals with jobs.

San Francisco's "Free Muni for Youth" Pilot Program

Youth Supporting the Pilot Program    Source: KQED.org

As of March 1, 2013, the San Francisco Municipal Transit Agency (SFMTA) began a 16-month pilot program to provide free youth passes to children from 5 to 17 years of age who live in San Francisco and come from low to moderate-income households. The push for free youth passes came about for many reasons. One reason is the high cost of living in San Francisco that has been pushing families out of the city.  Second, rising transit costs have made it hard for low-income households to pay fares. Finally, current budget cut to school funding has caused a lack of yellow school buses in the city, forcing kids to have to be driven or take public transit to school. 

The youth activist group called People Organized to win Employment Rights (POWER) and Board of Supervisor David Campos spearheaded the program. The pilot program is said to cost $8.7 million and will be funded by SFMTA, the Metropolitan Transportation Commission and the County Transportation Authority. This money will help provide free Muni service to 40,000 low-income youth. 

Transportation equity in Denver

Blumenberg and Melville's article Beyond Spatial Mismatch identifies Denver as one of example of a "postpedestrian urban form" created as a result of the majority of the city's growth occurring after the widespread adoption of the automobile. Denver, therefore, is not like many Northeastern and Midwestern cities that have major concentrations of low-income families in the inner city, where property values are lower and housing affordable. (Blumenberg and Melville 2004) As the non-profit Mile High Connects explains in their Denver Equity Atlas: "Poverty in Denver is a regional issue". (Mile High Connects 2012)

Transportation, Age, and Equity in Beijing

An equitable transportation system has been defined as one “whose costs are paid by those who benefit and does not disproportionately favor or deny transportation improvements to certain demographic populations.” [4]  However, in rapidly urbanizing areas such as Beijing, new infrastructure land use patterns tends to favor private auto travel at the expense of more affordable and accessible means such as walking, cycling, or public transit.

Transportation Equity on the Urban Periphery

Transportation equity issues take a much different form in much of Latin American than it does in the United States. Mexico City is a strong example of this. Unlike U.S. cities that have experienced significant decline in their centers while the suburbs have flourished, Mexico City’s periphery is a region of impoverished and underserved populations. This periphery has been growing much faster than the rest of the city as people from the city and the countryside drawn to Mexico City for its inherent economic opportunities, but cannot afford to live in the city itself.