House Bill 2662 drew attention during a hearing on February 21 that would require the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), in collaboration with Tri-Met and Portland & Western Railroad to study extending the Westside Express Service (WES) commuter line to Salem. Representative Courtney Neron (D-Wilsonville), bill sponsor, testified, “Southwest Portland Metro Regions are among the fastest growing communities in the state. As our region grows and changes, we know we need to be proactive and thoughtful about identifying and investing in public transportation solutions.”

Economist Stephen Moore, FreedomWorks, reports on Committee to Unleash Prosperity that Oregon’s liberal paradise, Portland, can now officially be labelled a basket case. Moore wrote, “Here is what we are learning from our spies in Portland and various recent news reports. They are now calling the city an ‘anarchic wonderland.’ But it turns out normal people don’t much like anarchy. Years of riots, lawlessness, tent cities, high taxes, woke government and homeless people everywhere is chasing residents away from this former mecca of progressive governance.”

One local media outlet in the city told Moore, “The city has switched from attracting new arrivals to repelling its current citizens. In Portland, many liberals are dodging stray bullets, losing catalytic converters to thieves and sidestepping tents. Then they open their tax bills.” And we’re not talking about the summer of the 2020 riots.

A recent analysis of the U.S. Postal Service by the National Association of Realtors data released shows that Seattle and Portland metro areas are leading the West Coast in net move-outs. Census Bureau data confirms that Portland has lost population three years in a row.

Miles Pengilly, TriMet State Government Affairs Manager, testimony raised concerns related to extending WES including increasing the frequency and hours of service. The frequency of WES service is limited because WES ridership is low and the operations and maintenance costs for heavy commuter rail are high.

Pengilly recommends creating a state-chartered public corporation or some form of rail authority to extend and operate the WES line between Wilsonville and Salem, as TriMet is not the appropriate entity to oversee that project or operate that service.

Last year TriMet struggled with driver shortage, and the year before they altered schedules for lack of riders during the pandemic.

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

A D V E R T I S E M E N T

Amtrak train from Salem to Portland costs $7 - $13 for a 1 hour and 30 minute ride, available four times a day. There is also a bus that runs the same route. To compete with drivers, the rates from Eugene to Portland were slashed 30 percent last December. Ridership dropped dramatically in April 2020 due to the pandemic closures. In 2021, the year ended regaining their 2020 ridership, but 2022 still ran 11 percent below pre-pandemic levels.

Amtrak’s experience trying to pry drivers from behind the wheel isn’t going to change with another train service, and if it divides ridership, it won't be sustainable for either. ODOT is also having conversations with Washington State Department of Transportation that would bring “ultra-high-speed ground transportation” (high speed rail or HSR). It is currently being discussed for a corridor between Portland and Vancouver, British Columbia. Representative Nancy Nathanson (D-Eugene) introduced HB 2691 that would extend high speed rail from Seattle all the way to Eugene.

Another sign of unsustainability by ridership, Senator Chris Gorsek (D-Troutdale) sponsored SB 13, which allows commercial buses operated for 5,000 miles or fewer from the required registration of certain model year diesel engines to owners located in Multnomah, Clackamas or Washington County.

The push to get drivers off the road seems to be driven by cost. Lower cost to rider, higher gas prices, and then add tolling costs.


--Donna Bleiler

Post Date: 2023-03-01 15:00:00

Last Update: 2023-03-02 16:48:00