ODOT proposes fees for Gorge waterfall corridor

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bushwhacker
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ODOT proposes fees for Gorge waterfall corridor

Post by bushwhacker » December 20th, 2018, 7:03 am

Not sure if everyone has been following this Oregon Dept of Transportation (ODOT) plan for the corridor from Women's Forum through Ainsworth but the end time to send in your comments is Friday 12/21.

Basically it implements priced parking (plus some other stuff) at every conceivable parking spot from WF through Ainsworth, including Angels Rest, Wahkeena, Multnomah Falls, Oneonta, Horsetail.

It looks to me like this is a done deal with just the date to implement and how much to charge to be decided on.

Here's the link: https://www.oregon.gov/odot/projects/pa ... oject=HHCP

The link to send in comments is at the top.
There is a whole bunch of PDF's at the page bottom. The one of most interest is the last one for the implementation plan.

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Guy
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Re: Permits coming to the Gorge? Mt Hood?

Post by Guy » December 20th, 2018, 7:39 am

I had completely missed this.

"High-level assessment of fee revenue within the project study area indicates potential revenue
range of $4.8 million to $14.5 million per year. These estimates assume a fee of $5 and $15 per
vehicle, respectively, representing the average assumed daily revenue per parking vehicle (assuming 11
locations)."


the old "everything can be solved with a fee" mentality their eyes must be green with dollar signs! Year round fees even though the problem is not year round. Totally sucks, I'll send in feedback but so often public comment is selectively used, comment they agree with is sighted, comments they disagree with is ignored.
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Bosterson
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Re: Permits coming to the Gorge? Mt Hood?

Post by Bosterson » December 20th, 2018, 9:56 am

Thanks for letting us know about this - I'd had no idea. Unbelievable!! :x
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Guy
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Re: Permits coming to the Gorge? Mt Hood?

Post by Guy » December 20th, 2018, 10:09 am

Hey Nat, any chance this could be moved into a new thread otherwise a lot of interested people are not going to see it.
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Bosterson
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Re: ODOT proposes fees for Gorge waterfall corridor

Post by Bosterson » December 20th, 2018, 10:35 am

Yep! Done. :)

Guy, the part of that quote above that's really outrageous:
These estimates assume a fee of $5 and $15 per vehicle, respectively, representing the average assumed daily revenue per parking vehicle (assuming 11 locations).
Can you imagine having to pay $15 just to park at one of the waterfalls down there?!? This is like Uber surge pricing. It's not a solution to overcrowding (or in this case just car congestion), it's the creation of socioeconomic tiered access. :x
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Limey
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Re: Permits coming to the Gorge? Mt Hood?

Post by Limey » December 20th, 2018, 10:43 am

This is just nuts. The amount of money they are willing to spend on this stupid project is ridiculous. They weren't interested in putting up parking lot cameras to help with the car break in situation, that would have been too expensive. Looks like they're hell bent on destroying the "scenic" Columbia River Gorge.
I'd better shut up now or I'll be ranting for days.

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Re: ODOT proposes fees for Gorge waterfall corridor

Post by Aimless » December 20th, 2018, 11:13 am

If they're going to do this, then all the new revenue should be dedicated to running a free shuttle bus service with frequent stops at all of the 11 parking locations, and plenty of free parking at the terminus. This, of course, will never happen. The only point of this proposal is to hold public assets for ransom in order to raise money that should be allocated out of federal tax revenue. :x

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Bosterson
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Re: ODOT proposes fees for Gorge waterfall corridor

Post by Bosterson » December 20th, 2018, 11:21 am

Still reading the proposal. Like the Central Cascades project, there are "alternatives."

Alternative #1
  • parking enforcement
  • signage
  • conditions app
Subsequent alternatives are in addition to #1:

Alternative #2:
  • time limit at the Historic Hwy lot in front of Multnomah Falls Lodge, traffic flaggers
  • parking fees at Vista House, Women's Forum, all waterfall THs up to Horsetail
  • parking fees at the I-84 lot for Multnomah Falls!!!
Alternative #3
  • parking "reservations"
  • 1-way traffic
  • shuttles
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Guy
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Re: ODOT proposes fees for Gorge waterfall corridor

Post by Guy » December 20th, 2018, 11:22 am

If we pay for parking and get our car clouted will we get refund ;)

This is all about revenue generation under the guise of fixing a problem that is not year round and could easily be solved in many other ways.

What Bosterson said too
Can you imagine having to pay $15 just to park at one of the waterfalls down there?!? This is like Uber surge pricing. It's not a solution to overcrowding (or in this case just car congestion), it's the creation of socioeconomic tiered access.
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Guy
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Re: ODOT proposes fees for Gorge waterfall corridor

Post by Guy » December 20th, 2018, 11:24 am

Bosterson wrote:
December 20th, 2018, 11:21 am

Alternative #2:

[*]parking fees at the I-84 lot for Multnomah Falls!!!
Of course that's where the real easy money is!
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