05/10/1978 Meeting - Laserfiche WebLink

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- of the city as far as a whole series of issues are concerned. There are other places for retail development outside the downtown area. It is hoped the plan will encourage placement of the shopping and employ- ment centers closer to where people live. However, it does recognize the downtown area as a unique part of the city which has something for everyone. However, that is not to say satellite communities are not important. He cautioned Council could not just isolate one area, but had to look at all areas in making transportation decisions. Mr. Delay did not like the idea of facility tolls. He felt Mr. Bernhard said the Planning Commission was not happy with the idea of diversion of traffic as a goal, and requested a comment from Mr. Bernhard on that. Mr. Bernhard said the Commission took the example of establishing tolls on the Ferry Street Bridge at peak hours, and examined how it would affect the transportation corridors, and how it would affect the transit ridership. Regarding the transportation corridors, it would overload them; regarding transit ridership, it would increase. He said tolls should not be used to force people to use buses. Regarding the diversion aspect, Mr. Delay said he was not sure that was not a good goal as it would spread the capacity across existing facili- ties. Mr. Bernhard said the diversion was one thing; however, he wondered if it was necessary to go with a toll facility. It was the Commission's feeling that diversion was already in existence (i.e., 30th and Hilyard). e Mr. Delay asked, forgetting the toll as a vehicle, why was the diversion policy in the plan? He wondered if there was better mechanism to accom- modate the projected increased capacity. Mr. Farah said the diversion policy was an attempt to encourage transit ridership, carpooling, etc. It was not intended to be a dispersal tool. The intent of the whole plan was not to disperse traffic but to try to accommodate traffic projections on arterial facilities as opposed to having them use residential areas. Mr. Porter said the problem with the proposal regarding tolls was that everyone had a different version as to how tolls would work. Staff had not adequate research and information when it was presented to the Planning Commission. Personally, he felt it could work as a positive tool if it were worked out properly. He felt it was something that should be looked at at a later time. Regarding diversion, Mr. Snowdon said there would be diversion occur- ring from Ferry Street Bridge to 1-105, based on increasing congestion on the bridge. In terms of the traffic growth, there was no way to handle the traffic and avoid service level E without adding capacity to Ferry Street Bridge. Regarding the toll, Mr. Williams wondered, rather than viewing it as a policy system, how much consideration had been given to using it as a financing system. Mr. Bernhard said it was discussed at great length. Questions that arose if it were used were: What kind of land use would exist, how would it affect land use, and would the toll be equal for e 5/10/78--9 ~8