To accomodate all forms of travel, isn't it important that we stress the fact that each mode will have to be prioritized on the street?

Since pedestrians are more vulnerable(and some would argue the principal mode,) than cars, cyclists, and those on mass transit, should their be some tier system with pedestrians taken into better consideration with regard to safety features and ammentities?

Does Oregon need complete streets legislation? Is anyone working on a model bill?

In the link to the extended article from USA today says:

'Some states, such as Oregon and Florida, have had the equivalent of complete streets policies for years, but the "overarching concept jelled just in the last few years," coalition coordinator Barbara McCann says.'

Complete streets, or a combination of streets with individual priorities need a complete taxing system with all modes of transport directly taxed to pay for their proportionate share of the infrastructure.

How do you tax pedestrians?

How do you tax pedestrians?

Terry has already proposed license plates and stiff fines for bikes, as well as charging for non-locker bicycle parking, tolls for bikeways, and fare surcharges for people with bikes on the aerial tram.

We already have the technology for shoes which know how far you've walked. All we have to do is serialize them and make the wearing of them compulsory. The homeless would have to stand in one place all day until they had panhandled enough money to walk to food, but I imagine that they're used to it by now. Parents could pay a birth tax on every newborn to cover those "first steps" in advance, because you cannot expect children to pony up for the walking tax, those lousy tiny deadbeats...

Thoughts, Terry?

- Bob R.

I think it is time for a stroller tax. Those folks aren't paying for the extra wear and tear.

I think we have the technology now to implant GPS transponders in everyone. Simply monitor their positions and movements via satellite and tax them according to how far they move each day. You can calculate their transport mode by their speed and divide the taxes and apportion revenue accordingly.

(Anyone who takes this as a serious proposal is deeply stupid.)

There's generally no reason to tax pedestrians.

Sidewalks in front of private property are already the responsibility of the property owner - I have to maintain the sidewalk fronting my home, for example.

Since homeowners pay property taxes towards parks (which include pedestrian amenities) there would be duplicate taxation. Parks measures typically have no problem passing at the ballot box.

A minority of sidewalks are actually owned by the various government entites. If you don't believe me, allow a tree root to damage your sidewalk, tell the city to fix it, and don't be surprised if you get a bill in the mail for it. (As well as a letter from an attorney for someone who tripped and fell over the uprooted sidewalk.)