Chief
06-27-2008, 06:51 AM
http://www.clackamasreview.com/news/print_story.php?story_id=121432910055487400
By Matthew Graham
The Clackamas Review, Jun 24, 2008
The legal document is being called a “framework” for future agreements, but it’s non-binding
City Council passed a Memorandum of Understanding, to be adopted by TriMet as well, laying out a series of expectations the two jurisdictions have for each other.
Among the expectations Milwaukie has for TriMet are that the transit agency will establish a south transit police precinct before light rail comes to Milwaukie and will send “additional officers” to the precinct; that transit facilities in Milwaukie, such as light rail stations, bus stops and maintenance facilities, must comply with city design standards and face city review; that TriMet will design the Milwaukie light rail line in such a way as to maximize the likelihood that the Federal Transportation Administration will allow it as a quiet zone through downtown; and more.
The agreement also stipulates that Milwaukie will contribute funds for the light rail line if the project is approved – it doesn’t say how much, but the latest estimate was $5 million; that the city acknowledges that it needs more park-and-ride capacity; that Milwaukie and other parties “will be required to accommodate various competing interests and needs;” and more.
A previous version of the MOU said that TriMet would seek to dissolve the current transit center, distributing bus stops and having “the layover function preferably located outside the downtown core.”
But the version adopted last week only stipulates that any layover facility downtown will be designed in such a way as to reduce “visual and functional disruption” to the surrounding neighbors and businesses. The agreement says that Milwaukie will work with TriMet to find a suitable site, with no guarantee that site will be outside of downtown.
Councilor Greg Chaimov said the city will still push for it to be outside of downtown; the changes reflect the city’s expectations if TriMet can’t locate it anywhere else.
“Ideally TriMet will still go ahead and lay its buses over in a location other than in our downtown, but if it turns out that it’s not feasible to do that then our expectation will be that, rather than the current situation with multiple downtown blocks filled with buses, that they’ll be cabined in an area that will give us more space to use and will be a nicer a place for the people waiting for the buses,” he said.
TriMet has said that laying over elsewhere could require off-route travel, which costs time and money. The organization has agreed to reducing the number of bus lines that require a layover in Milwaukie, however, and expects that only two lines will need to do so by September 2009.
The city had been working on an agreement for months, but pushed hard for it after TriMet pulled out of a former agreement to develop a bus layover at the former Southgate theater site in May.
“There’s never been an MOU before a project started, so it’s an understanding with TriMet that these are our issues and that they will work through a series of Intergovernmental Agreements to move forward according to that understanding,” said Mayor Jim Bernard.
The document is non-binding and is described as a “framework for developing subsequent and more definitive agreements.” Much of the language is somewhat vague and even subjective. But Bernard said it lays the groundwork for ensuring Milwaukie’s desires are taken into account in future dealings with the regional transportation organization.
“The reason it’s vague is because there are so many different parts of the Locally Preferred Alternative and stations and how those stations are to be built that we’re not that far along on,” he said. “It just basically says this is kind of what we expect and [TriMet agrees] to work towards that.”
He said the city also has more leverage and clout in the current project, which allowed the city to set up this agreement. But he also said it sets a precedent for affected communities to have a larger say in regional transportation issues in the future.
“The $250 million [from the state] for light rail is tied to the fact that that has to go to Milwaukie,” he said. “If it doesn’t go to Milwaukie, it goes away, so that gives a lot of power, it gives us a higher standing in the discussions. It also says that they heard us, and they understand that security is an issue and those issues need to be addressed – that was the one thing that I said I would never accept unless the [police] chief feels comfortable … I think it gives us a new – it sets up future light rail projects, [in which] the demands of the community that it affects [will be given greater consideration].”
What?? Milwaukee doesn't trust Trimet??!!
Say it ain't so!!
ddrrii
By Matthew Graham
The Clackamas Review, Jun 24, 2008
The legal document is being called a “framework” for future agreements, but it’s non-binding
City Council passed a Memorandum of Understanding, to be adopted by TriMet as well, laying out a series of expectations the two jurisdictions have for each other.
Among the expectations Milwaukie has for TriMet are that the transit agency will establish a south transit police precinct before light rail comes to Milwaukie and will send “additional officers” to the precinct; that transit facilities in Milwaukie, such as light rail stations, bus stops and maintenance facilities, must comply with city design standards and face city review; that TriMet will design the Milwaukie light rail line in such a way as to maximize the likelihood that the Federal Transportation Administration will allow it as a quiet zone through downtown; and more.
The agreement also stipulates that Milwaukie will contribute funds for the light rail line if the project is approved – it doesn’t say how much, but the latest estimate was $5 million; that the city acknowledges that it needs more park-and-ride capacity; that Milwaukie and other parties “will be required to accommodate various competing interests and needs;” and more.
A previous version of the MOU said that TriMet would seek to dissolve the current transit center, distributing bus stops and having “the layover function preferably located outside the downtown core.”
But the version adopted last week only stipulates that any layover facility downtown will be designed in such a way as to reduce “visual and functional disruption” to the surrounding neighbors and businesses. The agreement says that Milwaukie will work with TriMet to find a suitable site, with no guarantee that site will be outside of downtown.
Councilor Greg Chaimov said the city will still push for it to be outside of downtown; the changes reflect the city’s expectations if TriMet can’t locate it anywhere else.
“Ideally TriMet will still go ahead and lay its buses over in a location other than in our downtown, but if it turns out that it’s not feasible to do that then our expectation will be that, rather than the current situation with multiple downtown blocks filled with buses, that they’ll be cabined in an area that will give us more space to use and will be a nicer a place for the people waiting for the buses,” he said.
TriMet has said that laying over elsewhere could require off-route travel, which costs time and money. The organization has agreed to reducing the number of bus lines that require a layover in Milwaukie, however, and expects that only two lines will need to do so by September 2009.
The city had been working on an agreement for months, but pushed hard for it after TriMet pulled out of a former agreement to develop a bus layover at the former Southgate theater site in May.
“There’s never been an MOU before a project started, so it’s an understanding with TriMet that these are our issues and that they will work through a series of Intergovernmental Agreements to move forward according to that understanding,” said Mayor Jim Bernard.
The document is non-binding and is described as a “framework for developing subsequent and more definitive agreements.” Much of the language is somewhat vague and even subjective. But Bernard said it lays the groundwork for ensuring Milwaukie’s desires are taken into account in future dealings with the regional transportation organization.
“The reason it’s vague is because there are so many different parts of the Locally Preferred Alternative and stations and how those stations are to be built that we’re not that far along on,” he said. “It just basically says this is kind of what we expect and [TriMet agrees] to work towards that.”
He said the city also has more leverage and clout in the current project, which allowed the city to set up this agreement. But he also said it sets a precedent for affected communities to have a larger say in regional transportation issues in the future.
“The $250 million [from the state] for light rail is tied to the fact that that has to go to Milwaukie,” he said. “If it doesn’t go to Milwaukie, it goes away, so that gives a lot of power, it gives us a higher standing in the discussions. It also says that they heard us, and they understand that security is an issue and those issues need to be addressed – that was the one thing that I said I would never accept unless the [police] chief feels comfortable … I think it gives us a new – it sets up future light rail projects, [in which] the demands of the community that it affects [will be given greater consideration].”
What?? Milwaukee doesn't trust Trimet??!!
Say it ain't so!!
ddrrii