CAN-DO Meets, Moots Parking; Oregon Bike Plan Advisory Committee also Meets

The downtown neighborhood association, CAN-DO, meets tonight and on the agenda is downtown parking.

Downtown Surface Parking Lots in Red
Parking Garages in Solid Brick Red
On-street parking stalls not included
click to enlarge (1 mb total, 1874 x 1114 px)

From the agenda:

Factors the City, residents and businesses should take into account in developing long-term solutions for downtown Salem's "parking problems" -- Jim Vu

CAN-DO meets Tuesday the 16th, at 6:00 p.m. at First Christian Church on 685 Marion Street NE.

(For all notes on downtown parking, see here.)

The Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan Policy Advisory Committee also meets today (agenda here).

The minutes from the last meeting are somewhat interesting. You can see the hints of some debate and resistance - no "mandates," freight is uncomfortable with non-auto mobility and general human capacity.  One promising sign? Maintenance and facility lifecycle issues are getting some discussion. You know how 1970s sidepaths from the first flush of the bike bill suffer from neglect now, or how "thin skin" pavement overlays don't always reach the shoulder or do create dangerous seams on the shoulder? That kind of thing. It's not clear how much the end product will be merely "advisory" and "aspirational" and how much it will effectively fund policy decisions enacted in concrete and asphalt.

This comment from the Portland area MPO, METRO, perhaps sums up the uncertainty best:

Consider updating strategy A.1.a from the 1995 Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan ("integrate bicycle and pedestrian facility needs into all planning, design, construction and maintenance activities of ODOT and local governments") with specific tools to achieve this strategy.

As in 1995, so today - is it walk or just talk?

Here's the start of some draft policy language.

(And here's more from the kick-off a year ago.)

The committee meets Tuesday, December 16th from 1:00 PM - 4:00 PM - Chemeketa Center for Business and Industry, 626 High St, Rm 115.