I just moved into an apartment on couch on the eastside. The "burnside fix" has already turned my street into a giant traffic jam!

I'm happy to just tell people visiting who must see Powells every time they come in to Portland - "Don't plan on driving shop to shop in that neighborhood. Find parking when you to Portland, get out of your car, and plan to walk or bus it for the rest of the day." I don't need to see a reason to spend money and "fix" that advice.

When you look at all the sexually confused, drugged, tatooed and pireced kids in city hall you will find the answer to all Portland problems.

It seems to me that the couplet may be a good idea, but what I think is missing in this article is mention of the fact that a streetcar included in the couplet would effectively create a "transit square" around Powell's. Not even Pioneer Courthouse Square has this, with all sides surrounded by public transit, much less rail lines. Thus, I think it would be fair to say that Powell has an additional vested interest in seeing this project happen.

Burniside could use the work. The benefits to the city outweigh the inconvenience to some people on Couch. They may even *ahem* prefer the changes when they're done.

No one's denying that Burnside needs work, but the concept of curing Burnside's ills with a couplet is analogous to addressing an obesity problem by buying bigger clothes. A recent editorial in the Northwest Examiner regarding building a wider bridge across the Columbia River entitled “A Bridge Too Fat” summed it up well: “There is no way to provide greater speed and convenience for motorists without precipitating more driving. Portland was one of the first cities to see the folly in this approach, and we have a better city for it.”

Ian Lockwood, Principal and Senior Transportation Engineer at Glatting Jackson says “we should reward the short trip, not the long trip - reward bikers, pedestrians and transit for sustainability.” Statistics show the majority of Burnside’s traffic consists of commuters that find traveling Burnside faster than the freeway. They would be the main benefactors, yet a substantial portion of the funding (LID tax) would be put on the shoulders of the businesses (via triple net leases) along Burnside, Couch, Davis, Flanders, Stark, etc.. rather than those living in the West Hills who get home faster.

In regard to Powell’s hope that increased traffic on Couch in Old Town would bring “eyes to the street” and decrease drug dealing, if that theory were true, there would be no drug dealing presently on lower Burnside where traffic is twice what it would be on Couch if the west side couplet sees light of day.

Old Town has its challenges with its many social services. Cappuccino sippers are not going to feel comfortable sitting on sidewalks in view of the disadvantaged. Imagine what a difference could be made if the millions designated for the couplet were spent on managing the sidewalks in Old Town so pedestrians could flock without fear all hours of the day and night. Businesses would flourish all along Couch, from the river to NW 23rd.

Portland has a reputation for taking the high road in urban planning. Let’s not let private interests in favor of a couplet circumvent the values and goals that make this town great.

Smart urban planning is proving to pay dividends to all. Banks and landowners need to get on the bandwagon and get their share instead of hanging on to old thinking that says one must have lots of cars and parking to make money. Healthy people hang out and spend money where cars aren’t king. And they welcome the opportunity to walk when possible so they don’t have to buy bigger clothes.

Tony Columbo,are you confusing city hall with what appears to be half the folks in all of Portland and the Mercury itself?Just wondering.

@Candace - Funny. I see the role of government as enabling what people want to do, not instituting constraints that force the public to follow one person's vision. The majority of people want to drive over the I-5 bridge faster, and the minority wish everyone could ride bicycles and unicorns.