Portland transit advocate wants billions spent on mass transit

PORTLAND, Ore. — A Portland man who's spent decades advocating for mass transit wants the billions of dollars being proposed in a state transportation bill to be used for mass transit to ease congestion instead of widening freeways.

"It doesn't work, it never has, and it won't," said Jim Howell when asked about widening freeways and highways.

Willamette Week has highlighted Howell's vision for Portland. It's an audacious plan that includes a $2 billion tunnel to carry the Blue and Red MAX lines under downtown.

"Right now the Steel Bridge is just about at capacity," said Howell. "There needs to be another way to get across the river and a tunnel is the fastest way to get across downtown."

Howell's other proposals include expanded bus service, commuter rail to Salem, a MAX line to Tualatin, and a shifting of the Yellow MAX line to the east side of the river.

While some call Howell's ideas a fantasy, he has helped lead the charge in other far-fetched ideas that became reality. He was part of the group that turned Portland's old Harbor Drive into Tom McCall Waterfront Park. That same group later defeated the proposed Mt. Hood freeway.

"That was a big deal," Howell said.