Last Friday's transportation forum, titled "Transportation in Tacoma for the 21st Century", included the insights of Tacoma's and the Puget Sound Region's top decision makers in transportation - Eric Anderson, City Manager of Tacoma; Lynne Griffith, CEO of Pierce Transit; Ric Ilgenfritz, Executive Director of Planning for Sound Transit; and David Hiller, Advocacy Director for the Cascade Bicycle Club - gleaned through a rigorous 1.5 hour question-and-answer session.
Over sixty people packed the Simpson Room of the Tacoma Chamber, a co-host of the event, to hear the thoughts of these transportation leaders. Topics such as the future of the Tacoma streetcar system, the Pierce Transit redesign process, collaboration and integration with Olympia and Intercity Transit, and more were covered as the audience peppered the speakers with thoughtful and passionate questions.
Perhaps the key question of the event, and the one that wrapped it up, came from Ben Ferguson of BLRB architects. Ben questioned the speakers on the establishment and communication of a broader vision beyond that of each individual organization represented. When the speakers answered his question with more emphasis of their own organizations' visions as well as a mention of the Puget Sound Regional Council's Transportation 2040 (which is meant to be a vision for the region), Ben pushed back again, challenging the leaders to "inspire us" with a vision into which we all can buy.
As is often the case, the "heart" of an event's topic is gotten at not through the leaders/experts invited to speak, but by an audience member willing to speak up.
Because of the success of this and the October forums, Transportation Choices Coalition along with its regular co-hosts the Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber of Commerce and the City of Tacoma will continue to host Friday forums in 2010, hoping to facilitate a discussion about transportation topics that are inspiring. Further dates and topics will be announced on this blog and on Transportation Choices Coalition's website.
We hope that you'll continue to join us in bringing transportation to the forefront of public discussion!
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Transportation in Tacoma for the 21st Century
You're Invited to a Brown Bag Lunch & Interactive Discussion
on Friday, November 13th at 12:00pm
As we plan for the future of our transportation system, Tacoma and the South Sound face many tough decisions. How do parking policies affect the city’s goal to activate the streets with people and commerce? How do we extend the Tacoma Streetcar system? How do we reshape Pierce Transit’s bus system? How does the City best connect regionally? How can we plan for a multimodal future?
To get at these answers and more, The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber, the City of Tacoma, Transportation Choices Coalition, Cross District Association, Tacoma Wheelmen, and others will host a brown bag lunch and interactive discussion with Tacoma’s transportation policy-makers, including:
Eric Anderson, City Manager, City of Tacoma
Lynne Griffith, CEO, Pierce Transit
Ric Ilgenfritz, Planning Director, Sound Transit
David Hiller, Advocacy Director, Cascade Bicycle Club
Open to all—bring your lunch and your questions!
Event Details:
Friday, Nov. 13th, 2009 12:00pm Simpson Room Tacoma Chamber 950 Pacific Ave.
RSVP… andrew@transportationchoices.org
Friday, November 06, 2009
Downtown Officers to Rotate in January
Downtown Tacoma has been fortunate to have Jim Pincham and Marty Price as our downtown officers for the past eight years. Two years ago the BIA successful advocated to delay Marty and Jim’s six-year career rotation and the officers remained in downtown for an additional two years. Unfortunately, we’ve been notified by the Tacoma Police Department (TPD) that their time is up and downtown will get two new officers starting January. Jim and Marty have been true assets to the downtown community. During their tenure downtown has experienced a dramatic decrease in crime, a trend we hope to continue with their replacements.
Thank you, Marty and Jim for your service to downtown. We hope that your new assignments will keep you in the neighborhood!
The people are not the only thing that will change in this reassignment process. The new officers (yet to be named) will patrol downtown on bikes and work the swing shift from the afternoon into the night. Jim and Marty worked the day shift. This change was sparked by a recent analysis that indicated calls for police service in downtown are highest between 5pm and 11pm.
Additionally, two Community Liaison Officers (CLOs) will be assigned to downtown. Officer Wayne Beales and Officer Scott Newbold will cover downtown from 5am to 5pm. Between the new schedule for the downtown officers and the newly assigned CLOs, there will be more dedicated police coverage for downtown than we’ve had in years!
Thank you, Marty and Jim for your service to downtown. We hope that your new assignments will keep you in the neighborhood!
The people are not the only thing that will change in this reassignment process. The new officers (yet to be named) will patrol downtown on bikes and work the swing shift from the afternoon into the night. Jim and Marty worked the day shift. This change was sparked by a recent analysis that indicated calls for police service in downtown are highest between 5pm and 11pm.
Additionally, two Community Liaison Officers (CLOs) will be assigned to downtown. Officer Wayne Beales and Officer Scott Newbold will cover downtown from 5am to 5pm. Between the new schedule for the downtown officers and the newly assigned CLOs, there will be more dedicated police coverage for downtown than we’ve had in years!
White Lights Make Downtown Bright for the Holidays
Shorter and rainier days are a sure sign that the winter holidays are upon us. In an effort to create a festive atmosphere downtown this year, the BIA is encouraging businesses, property owners and managers to decorate their buildings and store fronts with white lights this holiday season. Lights are available from many outlets, here are two used in downtown in the past:
Silent Lights, Contact: Ben Norbe, (253) 732-9919
DiJulio Displays, Contact: Rita, 1(800) 321-9627, www.dijuliodisplays.com
The holiday stars that adore downtown light posts throughout the season will go up November 18-20. The star decorations are provided through collaboration between the BIA and the Downtown Merchants Group. We will need volunteers on the morning of November 18th to help replace burnt out bulbs. Please contact Jim Burgess, BIA Maintenance Supervisor if you are interested in volunteering, (253) 682-1731.
Happy Holidays!
Silent Lights, Contact: Ben Norbe, (253) 732-9919
DiJulio Displays, Contact: Rita, 1(800) 321-9627, www.dijuliodisplays.com
The holiday stars that adore downtown light posts throughout the season will go up November 18-20. The star decorations are provided through collaboration between the BIA and the Downtown Merchants Group. We will need volunteers on the morning of November 18th to help replace burnt out bulbs. Please contact Jim Burgess, BIA Maintenance Supervisor if you are interested in volunteering, (253) 682-1731.
Happy Holidays!
Tuesday, November 03, 2009
Friday Forum: Transportation in Tacoma for the 21st Century
You're Invited to a Brown Bag Lunch & Interactive Discussion on Friday, November 13th at 12:00pm
As we plan for the future of our transportation system, Tacoma and the South Sound face many tough decisions.
How do parking policies affect the city’s goal to activate the streets with people and commerce? How do we extend the Tacoma Streetcar system? How do we reshape Pierce Transit’s bus system? How does the City best connect regionally? How can we plan for a multimodal future?
To get at these answers and more, The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber, the City of Tacoma, Transportation Choices Coalition, Cross District Association, Tacoma Wheelmen, and others will host a brown bag lunch and interactive discussion with Tacoma’s transportation policy-makers, including:
Eric Anderson, City Manager, City of Tacoma
Lynn Griffith, CEO, Pierce Transit
Ric Ilgenfritz, Planning Director, Sound Transit
David Hiller, Advocacy Director, Cascade Bicycle Club
Open to all—bring your lunch and your questions!
Event Details:
Friday, Nov. 13th, 2009
12:00pm
Simpson Room
Tacoma Chamber
950 Pacific Ave.
RSVP… mailto:mandrew@transportationchoices.org
As we plan for the future of our transportation system, Tacoma and the South Sound face many tough decisions.
How do parking policies affect the city’s goal to activate the streets with people and commerce? How do we extend the Tacoma Streetcar system? How do we reshape Pierce Transit’s bus system? How does the City best connect regionally? How can we plan for a multimodal future?
To get at these answers and more, The Tacoma-Pierce County Chamber, the City of Tacoma, Transportation Choices Coalition, Cross District Association, Tacoma Wheelmen, and others will host a brown bag lunch and interactive discussion with Tacoma’s transportation policy-makers, including:
Eric Anderson, City Manager, City of Tacoma
Lynn Griffith, CEO, Pierce Transit
Ric Ilgenfritz, Planning Director, Sound Transit
David Hiller, Advocacy Director, Cascade Bicycle Club
Open to all—bring your lunch and your questions!
Event Details:
Friday, Nov. 13th, 2009
12:00pm
Simpson Room
Tacoma Chamber
950 Pacific Ave.
RSVP… mailto:mandrew@transportationchoices.org
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
City Council Endorses Parking Meters for Downtown
Last night the City Council unanimously passed an ordinance endorsing parking pay stations in downtown Tacoma. Pay stations are one piece of a parking strategy that strives to encourage long-term parkers (i.e. downtown workers and students) to park in garages and lots and leave the on-street stalls to shoppers, restaurant goers and business clients.
The ordinance dictates that
1. Parking rates will be market driven with the goal of achieving 15% on-street parking stall vacancy and start at $0.75 an hour.
2. All revenue from the pay stations will go into a Parking Enterprise Fund to be used for parking-related expenses.
3. A citizens taskforce will be established to oversee the functionality of the on-street parking system.
The pay stations will be similar to those in Seattle or Portland, in which the parker purchases a window sticker with a time stamp and can take their paid time with them throughout the metered area of downtown. The boundaries of the initial metered area are roughly the boundaries of the BIA, all streets between S. 7th and S. 21st, “A” Street and Market St.
The parking pay stations will be rolled out this spring in conjunction with an extensive public outreach process to educate the public about use of the pay stations as well as alternative transportation choices for drivers unable or unwilling to pay and for downtown users looking for an alternative to driving their cars.
The specific details of the system (length of stay, when and how rates are adjusted, etc) will be decided by the citizens committee, which reports regularly to the City Manager and annually to the Environment and Public Works Committee of the City Council. This ordinance was the outcome of more than 18 months worth of public input from a diverse group of downtown and neighborhood stakeholders.
The ordinance dictates that
1. Parking rates will be market driven with the goal of achieving 15% on-street parking stall vacancy and start at $0.75 an hour.
2. All revenue from the pay stations will go into a Parking Enterprise Fund to be used for parking-related expenses.
3. A citizens taskforce will be established to oversee the functionality of the on-street parking system.
The pay stations will be similar to those in Seattle or Portland, in which the parker purchases a window sticker with a time stamp and can take their paid time with them throughout the metered area of downtown. The boundaries of the initial metered area are roughly the boundaries of the BIA, all streets between S. 7th and S. 21st, “A” Street and Market St.The parking pay stations will be rolled out this spring in conjunction with an extensive public outreach process to educate the public about use of the pay stations as well as alternative transportation choices for drivers unable or unwilling to pay and for downtown users looking for an alternative to driving their cars.
The specific details of the system (length of stay, when and how rates are adjusted, etc) will be decided by the citizens committee, which reports regularly to the City Manager and annually to the Environment and Public Works Committee of the City Council. This ordinance was the outcome of more than 18 months worth of public input from a diverse group of downtown and neighborhood stakeholders.
Friday, October 23, 2009
Conversation Re: Tacoma Lecture Inspires Tacomans
At the New Frontier Lounge yesterday evening, Tacomans gathered for Part II of the three part lecture series Conversations Re: Tacoma. A crowd of 60+ listened intently to guest speakers Eric O. Jacobsen and Jim Diers, each offering his insight on the much needed change in town and neighborhood planning.
For his part, Mr. Jacobsen focused much on the history of why cities and towns are planned in a way that promotes disengagement and demotes town fabric. Mr. Diers offered his thoughts on bottom-up neighborhood planning, sharing examples of neighborhoods both near and far that have achieved the extraordinary through community activitism.
The only question that remained - "Will Tacoma do what it takes to enhance and improve "town fabric", and will its citizens lead the way in doing so?"
Interested in attending Part III of the lecture series? The event, which will focus on the new Urban Waters Building, will take place on November 12th at 6:30pm in the Carwein Auditorium of UWT's Keystone Building. Tickets can be purchased and more information found by clicking here.
For his part, Mr. Jacobsen focused much on the history of why cities and towns are planned in a way that promotes disengagement and demotes town fabric. Mr. Diers offered his thoughts on bottom-up neighborhood planning, sharing examples of neighborhoods both near and far that have achieved the extraordinary through community activitism.
The only question that remained - "Will Tacoma do what it takes to enhance and improve "town fabric", and will its citizens lead the way in doing so?"
Interested in attending Part III of the lecture series? The event, which will focus on the new Urban Waters Building, will take place on November 12th at 6:30pm in the Carwein Auditorium of UWT's Keystone Building. Tickets can be purchased and more information found by clicking here.
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