Portland transit/walkability?

[happyhedgehog]

Hello! Thank you for your post. I have visited Portland for over 20 years in the summertime, and I would like to retire there. (Yes, I know the weather is very different in the winter, but I like rain.) You wrote this message 6 years ago. I am wondering what you would consider walkable neighborhoods now in 2012. I know that I can go on-line to Get Your Walk Score - Find Walkable Apartments and Rentals, but I am interested in what you might think about nice and safe walkable neighborhoods if you still live in Portland. Your response is appreciated.

[the12ronin]

Dredging up this old but very decent thread to ask you all, personally speaking, how walkable is Portland in 2013 compared to 2007 when this thread started?

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by the12ronin

Dredging up this old but very decent thread to ask you all, personally speaking, how walkable is Portland in 2013 compared to 2007 when this thread started?

My opinion, walkable is about the same. Bicycle is much better, transit is both ways depending on the area you're looking at.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by the12ronin

Dredging up this old but very decent thread to ask you all, personally speaking, how walkable is Portland in 2013 compared to 2007 when this thread started?

I have purposely highlighted "personally speaking" because speaking for myself, as one who has depended solely on public transportation for getting around Portland, I will say it has deteriorated quite a bit since 2007. As far walking goes, goes, the availability of amenities of things in my neighborhood is still here but some things to which I could take the bus in 2007 and then walk to aren't I longer can. So the walkability is still very good for me in my immediate neighborhood but others not so much.

[oldtintype]

Originally Posted by lilypad

It is true Portland has good public transport, but is not a pleasant experience. I would not use it as I feel is too dangerous for a female alone, especially the ride to downtown. The homeless are allowed to wander around at will, and can cause trouble. On the other hand, trying to get downtown and around town is miserable in a car, especially if you are not familiar with all the one way streets. So you are caught either way, not a good situation.

Hmm...as a female who rides it alone all the time I'm not sure what bus you were on. Sometimes there are homeless people on the bus but as someone who only has part time car use I have been riding transit a lot for the last few years and there are only a few times I felt unsafe, but when I did, I think everyone on the bus did. There is definitely a difference on some lines between who rides the bus during commute times and who rides the bus during off hours, but I wouldn't call it unsafe, apart from a few lines are less friendly than others. If an occasional homeless or weird looking person (or someone talking to themselves) makes you feel unsafe then you might feel unsafe from time to time on transit but that's pretty much anywhere.

****oops, didn't realize how old this thread was! I am more dependent on the bus now than I was in 2007 and I find it mostly good, but I've always lived where it's easy to get around by transit. On purpose, so...

[oldtintype]

Originally Posted by OREGONRAIN

Yes they are right during rush hour the transit especially the train has alot of working people on their way to work, The rest of the day, you see way too much, and it can scare a person to the point they do not want to ride it. What bothers me most on it,is paying full fare, and knowing so many ride free day after day, while trimet raises the fares more and more frequently. I also will vouch for the fact, you can get to most of the metro area by transit. You cannot do that in the rest of the country at least in cities of equal size, even some that are alot bigger than portland.

I don't think many people are riding free. Transit police are pretty hardcore these days, even on the streetcar now. Sounds like you're riding max though not the bus? I don't think anyone rides free on buses.