Lars Larson: Portland shuts streets for car-free day

(file photo)
By Lars Larson
NW and national radio host,

Of course Northwest cities celebrate “World car free day”.

Portlandia shuts down a goodly number of its streets for 2 wheelers and the Spandex Mafia gets to celebrate its “car freedom”.

But in their heart of hearts, they have to know it’s ridiculous and hypocritical.

More than 95 percent of daily commuters travel in private cars.

3 million vehicles in the state. 83-thousand electrics purchased with massive tax subsidies. 2.9 million gas and diesel rigs with no subsidies at all.

Per capita transit ridership has declined for the last 20 years despite literally billions spent on failing light rail lines and electric buses at twice the cost.

Oregon and Washington plan to build the single most expensive light rail line in the world…the Interstate Bridge choo choo will cost more than 1 billion a mile and has no ridership base to use it

Portland airport just spent two billion dollars on a big upgrade. Those planes burn fossil fuel, you know.

ODOT’s last big freeway, I-205 began in 1970 and was finished 41 years ago. Nothing much since then.

A car free world may be fun to celebrate…but so is Santa Claus, and just as real.