Portland traffic is getting worse by the month. (Hillsboro, Tigard: transplants, homes)

[jertheber]

Here's another thread on what could be called, "I'm surprised over the presence of so many people". Look around any big American city and you'll find the same traffic woes, some worse than others but it's all bad. When these kinds of comments are brought to the fore we can see the lack of understanding with regard to those things that suggest a much bigger problem looming ahead. The human race is way overpopulated, that's a fact, and we have to consider the impact of all these folks on the available resources not to mention the impact they have on us as individuals. We feel the presence of this huge populace on our streets, parking lots, busses, trains, and of course those pesky eighty thousand pounders that travel our freeways bringing more things to ever more people are increasing their presence also.


For those who are concerned about traffic in these times it should be noted that our clogged freeways are a mere annoyance compared to the days ahead when fuel will be less available and water and food may become scarce as well. Overpopulation was a concern way back when Paul Erlich was writing about it (The Population Bomb) in 1967, in 2004 Erlich felt that he may have overstated the possibility of total societal failure but nonetheless he remained convinced of the real problems we will experience as a result of having too many people using too few resources. More freeways aren't the answer, different driving strategies, better traffic engineering, and other measures won't address the problem either, they just encourage more people to come to a particular area because the local infrastructure isn't bogged down, YET...


Finding a way to live outside the to and fro of a modern city can be a real challenge, but many people are beginning to see the problems brought about by overpopulation as being something we as a collective can't/won't fix. Traveling through the midwest this summer I couldn't help but notice the difference that a lesser populace affords. Easy driving conditions, relaxed business transactions, less smog, less noise, and seemingly friendlier people. Of course there is the obvious difficulties faced by those who inhabit these rather isolated environs, less work, less housing, less cultural doings, and a whole lot less of everything that draws us to those overcrowded places that make us wonder why we stay..............

[Beenhere4ever]

Does Oregon make any attempt to encourage carpooling? It is no magic bullet, but a car pool COULD take maybe three cars off the highway at heavy traffic times. Van pools are even better. Save money by the ton. Cut driving obligation down, even to zero. Give time for texting, reading, music, etc. Maybe (in some cases) enlarge your social circle. You'd think Oregon, esp. the Portland area, would be the Mecca of carpooling. You could even open a lot of two ONLY for vans and cars of poolers. Of course, this could easily be preaching to a choir. In fact, I hope so. America is not really so overpopulated. But we manage to organize our lives to make it seem like we are. I think there are industries that profit bigtime from this cultural pattern. They make big bucks from the common misery.

[hamellr]

Originally Posted by Beenhere4ever

Does Oregon make any attempt to encourage carpooling?

Oregon - no. Individual municipalities, and third parties yes. Many large companies have a car pool board of some sort. My previous employer ran three vans from various points in Portland out to Hillsboro.

Metro: VanPool

Portland, Oregon Carpool / Rideshare: 84 car pool / ride share listings

Carpool Portland (OR) Rideshare Oregon

[Beenhere4ever]

My employer had a large van fleet to run its people between two main banks. 3M also owned and assigned to employees a lot of vans. But somehow the 80's derailed the whole idea. Haven't even heard of a renaissance, though nothing seems a quicker method of reducing oil dependence with low capital startup costs than pools. I think one countervailing trend is the tendency of employers to slash costs by all sorts of adaptations that make pooling less and less practical. Might even be considered another collateral damage of globalization. Seems like tax breaks for these things would produce more good than simple tax cuts for the rich.

[Minervah]

My previous employer tried to set up car pool situations. Very few people signed up even though many came from the same areas.

[Mr. Opinionated]

Originally Posted by Leisesturm

There is no agenda. Other than the usual one: get yours and get out. People at the top of Portland's food chain are getting theirs and that means that a lot more entities, people, infrastructure and social services are getting less or nothing. The result of that is what you see and feel as "things going to hell in a handbasket". The mistake is in thinking that anyone is actively directing this. Rich people are directing revenue into their pork project, their own pockets, their friends pockets, etc. etc. etc. I mean... can you really imagine that the state of mass transit in Portland makes it an attractive option to a disgruntled driver??? Ditto, cycling... every single one of my male friends is under orders from their spouses to not even think about cycling as a means of transportation or else! Most of them don't even need that deterrent, cycling in traffic isn't something most of them would do... ever. Just some perspective.

H

Thank you. But this is kind of disappointing to read. Makes me wonder if so many favorable reviews nationally, if Portland is attracting more people and the population might be exploding? I have always wanted to move there someday when I can afford to. But if it is becoming another San Francisco or worse, another L.A; then the beauty of Oregon might not be enough to justify relocation.

[Minervah]

Originally Posted by Mr. Opinionated

Thank you. But this is kind of disappointing to read. Makes me wonder if so many favorable reviews nationally, if Portland is attracting more people and the population might be exploding? I have always wanted to move there someday when I can afford to. But if it is becoming another San Francisco or worse, another L.A; then the beauty of Oregon might not be enough to justify relocation.

No reason not to move to Oregon when you are ready, you can just bypass Portland if you don't want the type of city Leisesturm is describing. There many other great places in this state that are not overcrowded and are still beautiful.

[Beenhere4ever]

If transit and biking is truly not an option, then the "disgruntled driver" isn't really that disgruntled. They make a choice and don't think it should involve any sacrifice. Really, the country and state are full of places with almost no traffic at all. Nothing stopping anyone who hates the traffic from moving there. To me, anyone who is in traffic has chosen to be there.

[ccjarider]

Originally Posted by jertheber

Here's another thread on what could be called, "I'm surprised over the presence of so many people". Look around any big American city and you'll find the same traffic woes, some worse than others but it's all bad. When these kinds of comments are brought to the fore we can see the lack of understanding with regard to those things that suggest a much bigger problem looming ahead. The human race is way overpopulated, that's a fact, and we have to consider the impact of all these folks on the available resources not to mention the impact they have on us as individuals. We feel the presence of this huge populace on our streets, parking lots, busses, trains, and of course those pesky eighty thousand pounders that travel our freeways bringing more things to ever more people are increasing their presence also.


For those who are concerned about traffic in these times it should be noted that our clogged freeways are a mere annoyance compared to the days ahead when fuel will be less available and water and food may become scarce as well. Overpopulation was a concern way back when Paul Erlich was writing about it (The Population Bomb) in 1967, in 2004 Erlich felt that he may have overstated the possibility of total societal failure but nonetheless he remained convinced of the real problems we will experience as a result of having too many people using too few resources. More freeways aren't the answer, different driving strategies, better traffic engineering, and other measures won't address the problem either, they just encourage more people to come to a particular area because the local infrastructure isn't bogged down, YET...


Finding a way to live outside the to and fro of a modern city can be a real challenge, but many people are beginning to see the problems brought about by overpopulation as being something we as a collective can't/won't fix. Traveling through the midwest this summer I couldn't help but notice the difference that a lesser populace affords. Easy driving conditions, relaxed business transactions, less smog, less noise, and seemingly friendlier people. Of course there is the obvious difficulties faced by those who inhabit these rather isolated environs, less work, less housing, less cultural doings, and a whole lot less of everything that draws us to those overcrowded places that make us wonder why we stay..............

Geez what an overblown, ridiculous comment troll-like comment to throw out there when the dialogue is about traffic in a medium sized city like Portland OR.
Yea, world overpopulation is the primary cause of city traffic.

Travel outside much??

[VTHokieFan]

I lived in what's usually considered the worst (Washington DC) for 2 years, and I can tell you that Portland's traffic is worse than DCs, at least on the interestates. Definitely the one negative "shock" I've had since moving here.