Goal 7, the MTP Process, and a new Policy Committee Member: At the MPO

With Councilor Lewis' resignation from Salem City Council, there is a chance for another new voice on the Policy Committee for our Metropolitan Planning Organization, SKATS.

Councilor Phillips had been the alternate for Councilor Lewis, and he would be a logical candidate to step in, having some familiarity with the MPO. Councilor Stapleton has also shown great interest in modernizing Salem's transportation system, and she would be good also. (She is already the alternate for MWACT. Maybe one of them should be on both, however, rather than splitting the duties.)

These are from February 2021, the most current

Though the public farewells have been kind, Councilor Lewis had not distinguished himself on transportation. A decade ago when he was President of the Planning Commission he was not very enthusiastic about Bike and Walk Salem, the update to the TSP for walking and biking. 

Later at the MPO, he free-lanced and undermined the City's position on a Goal 7 for stronger consideration of emissions and climate in the RTSP.

And of course he always boosted for the wasteful SRC.

Supporters might say he sometimes advocated for Safe Routes to Schools, but his other actions on larger and more structural transportation issues often stood in tension with any support for walking and rolling to schools.

Both the City and the MPO will be better served with someone who thinks about 21st century transportation needs.

Indeed, with the younger members of the PC associated with the new Boards for Cherriots and the School District, the tone of conversation looks to be changing. Even Marion County is no longer so dismissive. The replacement of Councilor Lewis can push that further.

Jan. minutes on new Federal funding

At January's meeting of the PC, there was a consistent and stronger theme of support for investing in Safe Routes to Schools and more explicit linkage between solving freight access and safety by giving people inviting reasons not to drive.

Maria Hinojos-Pressey supported Ms. Duncan’s comment that we could mitigate some of the issues – such as bottlenecks and hazardous driving – if more transportation options were available.

BikePortland also made an appearance in the footnotes. 

I think the tone of this conversation would have been rather different just a couple of years ago in a typical meeting of the PC. So this is nice to see, and hopefully a sign that it will be more than just talk.

As the MPO kicks off planning for the new Metropolitan Transportation Plan, there is again an opportunity to strengthen Goal 7 and to thread stronger climate analysis throughout.

Is it time to center climate more in Goal 7?

The Policy Committee zooms at noon on Tuesday the 22nd. The agenda and meeting packet can be downloaded here.

February meeting information