GOOD ideas: Alie, Ruben, and Gavin

I. Portland has a lot of great things happening with public transportation, but there is always room for improvement. What can be done to encourage greater public transport ridership, so that we can decrease the overall number of cars in the downtown area? Are there ways to increase the “cool” factor in public transport?

II. The Trimet free rail zone might be ending as soon as September 2012. Here’s a brief summary of the challenges that Trimet is facing. If this free service ends, what kind of alternate systems can fill the void? 

III. As mentioned previously, Trimet is facing severe budget cuts. It’s time to think outside the box. What solutions can be found to create new revenue to try and turn things around for Trimet and the people of Portland?

IV. Parking. A lot of people use it, many people rely on it, yet there never seems to be enough to go around. Here at PSU, parking passes can be prohibitively expensive, and not everyone has access. Downtown lots are no better, and street parking is a gamble at the best of times, especially in dense neighborhoods with little street space, like the NW 23rd area. What can be done to alter the system that we currently have in place? Is it time to look at this issue from a completely different point of view? What would happen if we reduced parking instead of increasing it? That may not be a solution, but it’s time for some fresh ideas.

V. So many people drive into the city alone, and while there are designated parking spaces for carpools, the visibility of this program is not high. What could be done to increase the number of people participating in ride sharing and carpool programs? Is there a way to make them “the thing to do?”