Also it’s ironic to note that the gas tax doesn’t come close to cover the full cost of road building AND maintenance. Structures on the interstate system are crumbling and states can barely afford pavement maintenance.

The last point of irony I’ll point out is that the much of the Interstate system was built before the federal laws that sought to protect businesses and residents forced to relocate. So TriMet is being asked to be much more generous in its relocation benefits than highway projects had to. Also, Interstates were built with 90% federal contribution and just 10% match, where light rail projects only have 60% federal contribution.

Imagine if the Interstate system had to be built with all local money and had to be accountable to the impacts forced on properties in the way and ongoing impacts of noise, visual blight, air quality, etc.. Funny that someone would suggest that transit riders pay for everything themselves..

Finally, I’m going on a limb here, but I don’t think “light rail taddler” knows the first thing about light rail operations. Let me begin by educating you on the fact that the trains don’t have the same traffic signals as cars. There are no “red” lights for the trains. To do so would be confusing for other traffic, so they have a separate train signal with amber bars. In fact, the trains have automated train stopping equipment if they ever run their past a “no go” signal – (Trust me, I’ve been on one that tripped the ATS once). The trains collide with cars when cars run red lights, which is frequent and devastating, with or without a light rail present. Comprende?

It is clear that MAX to Milwaukie will cost taxpayers a huge amount of money that will go towards doing not one bit to improve or maintain transit service; but to inflate the egos of the light rail planners at Metro and TriMet. And TriMet will simply get the money from cutting more bus service, rather than acting in a fiscally prudent manner and asking themselves: “Are we in the business of relocating successful businesses for no real reason?”

Since I, as a Tigard resident, don’t benefit from this MAX line (and frankly I’ll be happy the second WES is shut down, it is a project that should have never been built), maybe we should ask the residents of Milwaukie – are you willing to pay for this yourselves? We should ask the riders – are you willing to pay a fare that covers the capital cost of construction? If the answer is “no”, then maybe the existing bus service is sufficient for their needs.