Comments for Better Burnside Alliance

Comment on Cars and the Living City by JAG

JAG — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 20:33:35 +0000

Thanks for clarifying. It’s not only local “Business Bosses” but you might be surprised to know it’s also the local Neighborhood (PDNA) and Business (PDBA) Associations. Most people are shocked to learn that the very people who should be preserving the neighborhood are more concerned about creating traffic corridors to move cars. It’s seems ridiculously counterproductive to throw all the traffic from Burnside onto Couch (during rush hour that could top 1000 cars per hour— essentially ruining Couch in the Brewery Blocks and dashing any hopes of healthy retail development on Couch in Old Town China Town. Just look around PDX. All the most vibrant retail streets are two-way: NW Couch, NW 23rd, NW 21st, Hawthorne, Mississippi, SE Milwaukee, etc…

Comment on Cars and the Living City by littlealien7

littlealien7 — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 17:29:03 +0000

You are correct, JAG. JP Morgan is fully against. To clarify, I’m saying that local “Portland Business Bosses” are willing to throw JP Morgan (not headquartered here) under the bus by piling all those cars into the heaviest concentration of pedestrians in the city, the Brewery Blocks.

Comment on Cars and the Living City by JAG

JAG — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 15:09:14 +0000

LIttlealien7—You’re spot on with most of your comments but I must correct you on one important point: JP Morgan is full square AGAINST the West Burnside Couch Couplet. They do not see the couplet as a solution for fixing Burnside. They want to preserve the pedestrian friendly nature of NW Couch.

Comment on Cars and the Living City by littlealien7

littlealien7 — Thu, 17 Jun 2010 14:34:38 +0000

This is really a matter of politics. JP Morgan owns the Brewery Blocks so essentially big local land owners are conspiring to throw JP and the success of the Brewery Blocks under the bus in order to TRY to increase their own property values by running more cars past their buildings. Your site’s articles under “Couplets Kill Retail” as well the success of the Brewery Blocks proves that creating spaces where cars don’t want to go is by far the best way to attract pedestrian traffic. Plus, someone on foot is much more likely to walk into your business on impulse vs. someone in a car on a busy one-way street that may have to go around the block navigating through one-ways to get back to your door.