Most interesting here is the small one, "bike share," a public bike rental system. (As with "ride share," there's not really much sharing going on, and it's a ride rental. It is interesting that ride-hailing and ride-booking have become standard for the TNCs, but "bike share" is hanging around. The term also seems inaccurate.)
After word came out in the Bicycling Magazine rating from 2016, and then the SJ wrote a feature later in the year, it's been a winding road. But here we are finally.
Three park sites, one at the transit center |
Two would be in Riverfront Park, near the playground and Carousel as well as at the Union Street Bridge. A third would be in Bush Park near the Winter Street parking lot, and a fourth at the downtown Transit Center.
Exclusive franchise for Riverfront Park |
So this is likely where they see the main market opportunity, for recreation and sight-seeing, not short-hop transportation.
The section on "lost" bicycles is clear that the system is meant for point-to-point trips or for loops. Again, this will limit the bike system's usefulness for short trips and errands. it will be interesting to see, also, how they handle the balancing when one station is empty, and others are over-flowing.
Tethered to the docking stations |
Enough reporting? |
Last month, chart and comment added |
Council will consider whether to support a ROAR grant application. Roaring seems like a good metaphor. Salem wants to seem bigger than it is, resents the shadows of airports in Portland and Eugene, even tiny Aurora, and wants to roar.
Members of the Salem business community have independently funded and conducted a passenger demand analysis to determine the market demand for commercial air service. On October 17, 2018, the Salem Area Chamber of Commerce’s Board of Directors (Chamber) voted unanimously to function as the fiduciary agent and applicant for aviation grants to support commercial air service development at McNary Field. The Chamber will also be responsible for the financial management of private-sector funding commitments and donations to develop commercial air service.If we are serious at all about greenhouse gases, we will not continue to invest in air travel and especially in its expansion and with subsidies. Really, that's it.
City consent is required for the Chamber to apply for and accept ROAR grant funds. By consenting to the Chamber’s application, the City is agreeing to partner with the Chamber and prospective airlines to accommodate future commercial service at McNary Field. The City will not be contributing City funds, nor providing any grant match. City participation will be limited to staff time and facility and operational support.
It will be nice to see this redeveloped, Center and Commercial |
Just a block down, there are a couple of items on the 245 Court Street project. The Urban Renewal Agency proposes to extend the deadline on its $740,000 grant, and then the City proposes to authorize a property tax exemption worth up to about $70,000/year for ten years - so doubling the total value of the grant, approximately. We need more housing downtown, this is the system we have, and this is good housing and good design. It's hard to quibble with this. (See previous notes here. And see update below.)
Bullets for the rest:
- The Riverfront Park Master Plan looks to be adopted. There's a 300pp+ plan, but the appendices start at page 20! So there's not a whole lot new in it. (See previous notes here.)
- The Plastic Bag Ordinance will have a second reading for enactment.
- There is notice of two appeals on the Costco development on Battle Creek & Kuebler. Salem Reporter has a piece on that already.
- Councilor Andersen has a proposal to pay Councilors a stipend. It's a hell of a lot of work and grief for volunteer positions, and on the surface this is reasonable. But the SJ is going in on the timing of it, since the City's looking at needing new revenue, "Salem councilor proposes $2,000 stipends as city faces $6M budget shortfall." That's clickbaity framing!
- And there's the always disappointing quarterly economic development report. It never tries to assess the effectiveness of anything.
There's a funny front page article in the paper today about delay on the 245 Court Street project.
The mere fact of delay isn't exactly newsworthy |
4 comments:
What about the proposed increase to our "highest in the state" (in Marion Co.) garbage rates? The City staff wants to rush the increase through with only a public hearing. The City Council needs to insist on a work session to begin to answer a whole host of questions about the wisdom of paying a multinational corporation to burn our garbage. This is another no brainer for anyone who cares about climate change, I think. The Covanta/Marion incinerator produces over 160,000 metric tons of CO2 per year. It ranks #18 among all the CO2 polluting facilities in the state and #1 (by far) in Marion County. West Salem gets to send its garbage to the Coffin Butte landfill that only emits about 28,000 metric tons of CO2 per year, and it costs significantly less, so West Salem garbage rates are lower. If the Legislature passes a Clean Energy Jobs bill that makes CO2 polluters begin to pay, our garbage rates will increase even more. The Council should not rush to judgement, but instead schedule a work session to educate themselves about the solid waste issue before making any decisions.
Really....so you are saying you never take a flight somewhere? What make more sense, one jet taking off from Salem, or 50 or more cars on I-5 and 205 trying to get to PDX.
We have to reduce air travel period.
We also have to reduce drive-alone car trips period.
We need a better combo of rail and bus to connect with PDX for when air travel is necessary.
But in general, as we decarbonize, we will have to get used to traveling less. This is a renunciation we are going to have to make - or else, you know, it will be made for us as we cook our world.
Updated with clip from paper on 245 Court Street project's delay.
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