An important concern regarding the Rose Quarter I-5 widening proposal ignored by proponents and opponents alike is public safety. Comprehensive studies conclude the widened freeway will worsen traffic hazards, accident ratings and severity (more fatalities) particularly for entrance ramp traffic in both directions. Entrance ramp traffic in both directions must reach faster speeds and merge Left to access I-5 where traffic on I-5 must merge Right to access I-405 and I-84.

The southbound exit ramp is likewise a safety hazard in that motorists cannot see stopped traffic past the proposed Hancock Overpass, a rear end collision pileup by design. The Hancock Overpass should be stricken from the project and an alternative overpass considered at (Tillamook to Gantenbein to Dixon) which would not impair visibility for motorists at the southbound exit nor the northbound entrance ramp.

That lying racist misanthrope SOB Kris Strickler disregards the notion of "Induced Demand" because he is counting on more traffic to claim the accident rating will go down even though (he knows) there will be worse accidents and more of them. ODOT's official studies will state, roughly, "If traffic volume increases by 10% while the number of accidents increases by only 5%, the "percentage" of accidents will be reduced."

The proposed environmental review is based on proposed development of freeway caps. Who in the hell wants to live next to a freeway especially at its on/off ramps? Strickler's answer: Low income poor and people of color. The city is pandering to the Albina community, making promises they cannot keep (per the norm) nor should they. To further reduce air pollution at Tubman, the barrier of tall trees on the site could be planted to extend south. Instead, those trees are probably slated to be cut down. Fucking Kris Strickler should face criminal charges alleging "misdirection of project studies" and "willful concealment of pertinent information from the public" on this freeway widening project and others like the CRC Bridge and widening Hwy 217 and I-205 between Beaverton-Tualatin-Oregon City.

It's really too bad that the Mercury doesn't have loyal readers nor columnists who are willing to challenge the status quo. Charges of "Kris Strickler is a murderer!" are met with "Oh well, that's your opinion. He's pretty and has the support of business." Fascism: a form of Government controlled by Business, with a tertiary 3rd element of racist vigilante individuals and within local police and state militia. The USA is fascist.