Westside Bypass: Genius or Madness? (Portland, Beaverton: live in, commuting, finance)

[UrbanAdventurer]

Originally Posted by Deezus

I can see a bypass going from Tualatin to Hillboro(from 205/I-5 to Highway 26) at some point in the future possibly becoming a reality. Unless Intel suddenly folds up shop that area is going to continue to grow for the near future. I think the urban growth boundaries on the edge of the existing metro boundaries will be marginally increased at some point to allow further development--they won't get rid of the entire idea of growth boundaries, but that area will keep growing as it is.

It's an interesting idea in theory but looking at a map I don't really see a feasible place to run an interstate-sized road like 205 from I-5 to 26. There's too much stuff in the way already between those two points to be politically viable regardless of what Intel wants. My guess is along AndyAMG's line: ain't happening in the foreseeable future.

However, if I were playing SimCity with Portland, I would probably use Brookwood Pkwy since it runs along the airport and takes a relatively straight shot to OR-8. How you'd run it to I-5 I have no idea. Probably fish is down along between the golf course and Aloha.

[UrbanAdventurer]

Originally Posted by AndyAMG

I'll bet you anything the CRC never gets built, and one of the spans of the current bridge collapses. Then they everyone will be outraged at the governments inaction.

CRC will happen way before any "Westside 205" or "217W" will. It's an existing structure and right-of-way that simply (in relative terms) needs replaced with a better one.

[Squidlo]

I am really surprised that the idea of tolling has not returned/caught on. Imagine a toll lane or toll way that zipped past 20 to 45 minutes of 217 parking lot. The people who use it PAY to use it. I would support tolling any new bridges over the Columbia or Willamette rivers. If you don't want to support/pay for it, do not use the route.

Everyone gets worked up over the cost of infrastructure. The region needs it. Let those that benefit most from it pay for it.

Pay as you go would be an eye opener for people on both sides. Think of it as having more control over your dollars, spending it as you choose instead of letting someone else decide.

There is no endless public trough. Sound fiscal decisions are best left in the hands of the individuals not groups of bureaucrats who "know whats best for you".

[Squidlo]

Originally Posted by hamellr

It's not just the road. The road itself doesn't take up that much land comparatively. About an acre wide and whatever the length of the road.

Acre = 4,840 square yards

To "quantify", used in this case to make comparable or measurable you must compare apples to apples.

Interstate Highway standards - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Using the information from the above link.

A 100 foot road width (includes shoulders and median) 4 lane highway consumes an acre every 435 feet.

This does not account for off ramps or over passes and is simply a way to allow someone to begin to understand the space requirement.

[Larry Caldwell]

Originally Posted by Squidlo

I am really surprised that the idea of tolling has not returned/caught on. Imagine a toll lane or toll way that zipped past 20 to 45 minutes of 217 parking lot. The people who use it PAY to use it. I would support tolling any new bridges over the Columbia or Willamette rivers. If you don't want to support/pay for it, do not use the route.

Everyone gets worked up over the cost of infrastructure. The region needs it. Let those that benefit most from it pay for it.

Pay as you go would be an eye opener for people on both sides. Think of it as having more control over your dollars, spending it as you choose instead of letting someone else decide.

There is no endless public trough. Sound fiscal decisions are best left in the hands of the individuals not groups of bureaucrats who "know whats best for you".

I grew up near the Wheatland Ferry, which is a toll ferry between Yamhill and Marion counties across the Willamette. It costs $2 to take a car across, more for larger vehicles. It's often full with a waiting line. It beats driving around through Salem or Newberg.

A $5 toll to use a bridge across the Columbia would be reasonable. Commuters could get a one month pass for $175. Trucks could pay a $50 toll.

[BayAreaHillbilly]

Even the liberal NE US cities understand that public transit cannot handle 100% of everything.

The West Coast cities' "freeway rebellion" may have been an interesting statement back in the days of them knocking down established urban hoods ala Detroit, but that is no longer how it's done. Time to give it a rest people, and join the 21st century.

[Deezus]

Originally Posted by UrbanAdventurer

CRC will happen way before any "Westside 205" or "217W" will. It's an existing structure and right-of-way that simply (in relative terms) needs replaced with a better one.

Yes, because the CRC has been in the planning stage a while now.

The thing about the CRC though, is that with current traffic patterns, it will do a little to alleviate traffic among I-5 N and I-205, but it's not going to solve the problem. Because with the amount of traffic just leading up to the bridges over the Columbia just adding a slightly wider bridge doesn't change the fact that you still have a bottleneck just getting to the bridges. People even use N Interstate or N Williams as a alternate commute route these days just to get to the bridge over the Columbia itself. I think in general people who want to live in Vancouver are just going to have to get used to the idea that's it's a very traffic-heavy commute. Everywhere you have just one or two bridges linking parts of a major metro are going to be a bottleneck.

In the end, I think an additional toll bridge somewhere is the way to go...

[pdxMIKEpdx]

It will be a moot point when flying cars show up.

[The Cactus Leaguer]

Hillsboro plans to lobby the Legislature for 'rigorous' look at west side bypass | OregonLive.com

With Hillsboro becoming the second hub of the metro region, the idea needs to be revisited again. My guess is that there won't be a bypass in the next 50 years but there will be a series of smaller solution aimed at creating a more feasible way to get from Wilsonville/Tualatin to Hillsboro, hopefully before Roy Rogers Road and the other rural connections are completely overrun.

[Deezus]

Originally Posted by pdxMIKEpdx

It will be a moot point when flying cars show up.

Stupid Back to the Future II got it all wrong. We don't even have hover-boards yet...