Don Baack, founder of the Southwest Trails Committee, has long felt that city government specifications are stupid, pointless, wasteful and counter-productive. Thus last month’s Pedestrian Summit (September 10, 2005) was a particularly sweet triumph for him. Not only did he get to say such things as keynote speaker addressing more than 100 people at Multnomah Center, but he had city staff people agreeing with him.
Since the group was organized, Baack said, he and his fellow volunteers have created 40 miles of trails traversing southwest. They utilize low-volume streets, public spaces and, with the owner’s permission, private lands.
They use gravel as a surface, which Baack says is far superior to the bark dust the city recommends. They have made stairways out of old railroad ties, scorning official concern that it is environmentally unfriendly.
They do not make the trails eight feet wide as the Park Bureau recommends, since they feel this invites motorists to drive on them. “We don’t talk to the city about these things,” Baack said. “It wastes a lot of time. Just do it and apologize later. If you have a base of support, there’s no basis for argument.”
Moderator Linda Ginenthal of the Portland Office of Transportation agreed. “He’s right, building these things to city standards would cost a galactic sum of money. Considering the volume of people on Barbur, surely that has to be our priority. On smaller projects…we’ll eyeball it, then turn our heads. If everyone involved is very, very happy, why would we want to come in and mess things up?”
Despite this cocksure attitude, Baack said that it is important to get a buy-in at all levels for your project. He suggested early contacts with community leaders and “influential people,” the media, and politicians – “do it when they’re running for office. Tie into other efforts like the Southwest Community Plan. Take on the easiest projects first. Invite them to the site – walking the ground is really an educational experience, and it’s easier to talk on your own turf.” It is important to contact immediate neighbors early, he said. “You won’t get everyone to agree, but listen to their concerns, accommodate them as best you can with the resources you have. If you follow that procedure, who are they going to complain to? The principle is, the greatest good for the greatest number.”
At one point one participant found Baack’s attitude toward disability access requirements cavalier. “I would hope you would have a more welcoming attitude,” she said.
Baack replied, “We include people in wheelchairs in our discussions. I basically believe in the concept (of handicapped access to trails), but we just don’t have the money to do it. These are very steep areas and it would be very difficult.”
Ginenthal said, “There are issues of access for a community that relies on six-foot sidewalks. If we get significant complaints that we have cowboys or lone rangers putting strange things in the public right of way, we have to address them.” Such a situation occurred last year concerning the placement of A-frame signs on sidewalks on Southwest Capitol Highway in Multnomah Village.
A participant, Keturah Pennington of Hillsdale, said she was gratified that handicapped people were not only physically active, but motivated to take part in such an event.
One woman complained that the pedestrian facilities on Capitol Highway between Multnomah and Hillsdale are sadly lacking in places. “I hold my breath every time I go to Wild Oats or the bakery,” she said. I take my life in my hands every time I go that way. So do women with baby carriages.”
Baack and SWNI chair Glenn Bridger said they are seeking money for Capitol Highway improvements. “While we’re waiting, trails give us an alternative,” Baack said.
Officer Scott Westerman of the Portland Police Bureau defended the trails committee’s work. “If you do a haphazard job, you’ll have some problems,” he said. “Here there are specific standards, it’s well thought-out, well built. There are people who will not take the trails because they’re not suitable for them, but without the trails they couldn’t traverse the area anyway.”
Baack said work is needed on many other southwest streets. Only 15 percent of them have sidewalks, he said, and only 43 percent of arterials meet city standards. “Local property owners will need to fix local streets, but arterials are the city’s responsibility, and we really need to hold their feet to the fire,” he said.
Baack acknowledged other pedestrian “champions” such as volunteers Lillie Fitzpatrick, Phil Hamilton and Phil Pennington, Ellen Vanderslice of the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition, and the Southwest Neighborhood Office staff.
The trails committee joined SWNI to avoid having to create their own bylaws (“I have no patience for that kind of thing”) and to take advantage of the coalition’s liability insurance (“we really need it, and without their help it would be just about impossible.”)
Beyond this, Baack said, the staff provides “fantastic support. If you want to stage an event in southwest, (SWNI executive director) Sylvia (Bogert) makes things just fly.”
Hamilton delivered a brief talk about organizing work parties, and stressed the need for them to be well-organized. Make sure that equipment and supplies are on hand when they need to be, explain what you hope to accomplish both at the end of the day and in the long term, and make sure each volunteer is given something to do, he said.
“The most important thing, other than getting your project done, is to have your volunteers satisfied that they’ve spent their time wisely,” he said. “Otherwise, you’re not likely to get them back.” Volunteer recognition and a celebration at the project’s end “gives more people a chance to feel part of the project and part of the result,” he said.
Another speaker, Wendy Baumgardner of the American Volkssport Association, touted the health benefits of walking regularly. These can be realized in just 30 minutes of walking a day, five days a week, she said.
“You don’t have to sweat to have fantastic health benefits,” she said. Organized walking tours have the added advantage of allowing you to “show people what’s in their own city, their own neighborhood.”
Several government officials in the crowd responded to criticisms of regulations. Vanderslice, a former PDOT employee, said she had written some of the code on pedestrian access standards, and that it was “really a challenge to get it in.”
The fact that there are no definite standards regarding pedestrian access for detours “is partly my fault; we ran out of time and money,” she said. “There is some movement (toward improvement) now.” Transportation planner Will Stevens agreed, “I think the tide is changing. There’s more focus on pedestrian safety.”
Other attendees included Commissioner Dan Saltzman and Mayor Tom Potter, who delivered the opening remarks. Referring to the Hurricane Katrina crisis, and community response to it, he said, “It’s good to come together as a community when there isn’t a crisis.” He said he was impressed that so many people had come out to attend the session.
About half of those in attendance came from neighborhoods outside the southwest. Keturah Penninton said she was impressed that “there was such widespread interest, and that people came prepared with such intelligent questions.”
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