Posted on: Tuesday, June 29, 2004

ISLAND VOICES
Portland's light-rail system is flourishing

I read with interest Cliff Slater's impressions about Portland, Ore., which he calls the Land of TOD because of that region's commitment to transit-oriented development (Second Opinion, June 7).

I just returned from a trip to Portland where my two Hawai'i-raised children now live. After reading Cliff's article, I thought at first he must have been referring to a different TOD.

Over the past two decades, Portland has developed three light-rail lines. The MAX system now has 64 stations along 44 miles of light rail. More than 96,000 daily riders now use MAX. The total capital cost for the entire system to date is $1.65 billion spread over 25 years. The federal government contributed $1.1 billion or about 70 percent of the capital cost. The state and local share has been $450 million paid out over 25 years — an average annual contribution of about $20 million. Private developer interests contributed $57 million toward the airport line.

Cliff criticizes the Portland light-rail system because "light rail only carries 1.9 percent of Portland's commuters." This is grossly misleading. This would be like saying, "H-3 only serves about 1.2 percent of O'ahu trips." It makes more sense to look at ridership in the area served. H-3 serves about 30,500 autos per day or 27 percent of Windward commuters. In Beaverton, where my son lives, 26 percent of rush-hour commuters use light rail to downtown Portland.

Cliff also complains that he doesn't like the "feel" of the transit-oriented developments around MAX. He is, of course, entitled to his opinion but he neglects to point out that many people in Portland have voted with their feet and wallets in favor of these developments. A recent study found that houses within a walking distance to MAX stations were, on average, about 10.6 percent higher priced than similar houses farther away. The Pearl District, a close-in redevelopment of old warehouses, is well known as a transit and pedestrian friendly area. More than 3,600 housing units have been added to the area, where half-million-dollar lofts are hot sellers.

Cliff pooh-poohs the empty spaces around the CascadeStation on the airport line but he neglects to tell you the rest of the story. First, the airport light-rail line was 25 percent financed by Bechtel, a private company, in return for 120 acres of industrial land around the CascadeStation. The airport operator provided another 25 percent of the light-rail line capital cost.

Second, no housing is allowed around this airport-area station, and a retail-commercial development is envisioned. The build-out was planned to be over a 20-year period. Development in Oregon has been slow for the past few years because of a regional recession but Bechtel remains at risk for the development, which will ultimately occur. When it does, transit will already be in place. Meanwhile, Portland got a very inexpensive rail link to the Portland International Airport.

While there still is traffic congestion in Portland, it is much less than Honolulu's and is concentrated around the commute periods.

Cliff would have you believe that no one but politicians like the current development pattern in Portland. In fact, almost 90 percent of Portland residents approve of MAX. However, most convincing to me is my children's reaction to Portland's MAX system. In Honolulu, they were reluctant to ride TheBus. In Portland, they chose housing close to light rail and ride the system regularly.

Roger Morton is senior vice president and director of operations for O'ahu Transit Services Inc., the private, nonprofit firm that operates TheBus for the city.