Congratulations Oregonian editorial board for your Johnny-Come-Lately arrival at the obvious and inevitable outcome on the efficacy of the Lake Oswego Street Car Boondoggle.
Instead of advancing the Lake Oswego Streetcar or letting it keep wobbling forward, leaders of the metro region should just acknowledge what’s increasingly clear to everyone now. It’s time to slam on the brakes.
You did, however, avoid three very germane points:
1. Mayor Hoffman and the other city councilor proponents have been misrepresenting every conceivable element in their push to impose their agenda.2. There is well founded overwhelming public opposition to both the Streetcar & Foothills development plan.3. The public outrage was going to stop this project. It has become inevitable.
However, with the exact same battle underway across the Willamette the same argument can also easily be applied to the similar Milwaukie Light Rail & McLoughlin development plans where there is even bigger public opposition. Possibly as high as 3 to 1, or more, against it all.
In addition to cancelling the LO Streetcar the PMLR should be rolled back to the new transit bridge only. Saving another $1.2 billion from a variety of sources that cannot afford it. Including $100 million at TriMet and $200 million in Metro federal gas tax flex funds needed for infrastructure elsewhere throughout the tri-county region.
Cancelling the CRC/Light Rail is also a no brainer. It’s foolish on a grand scale and also unwanted.
The obvious is screaming in all directions.
Lake Oswego, Clackamas County, Clark County and even the communities along Barbur/99 want nothing the Portland agencies of TriMet & Metro are trying to force upon them.
Public officials pretending otherwise while insulting the public will only delay the inevitable and needlessly waste countless millions.
Tell ’em where you saw it. Http://www.victoriataft.com