Wash. But the following year Washington voters rejected the plan, putting it in limbo. There's plenty of criticism of this measure, and much of it is valid. More worrisome is criticism from die-hard transit boosters. These citizen activists say the project takes a wrong turn when it goes east of Milwaukie to Clackamas Town Center. There are few riders in that area, these critics say, and low ridership will give light-rail opponents ammunition to pound future transit projects.
Critics also argue that it's a mistake to run the new light-rail line on the bus mall.
To navigate Portland streets, a train can be no longer than two cars, whereas subways in Boston can be six cars long. We're not willing to take that risk. First, it's near impossible to please everyone on a project this massive. And we see several reasons this line ought to be built. While it's pricey, so are the alternatives, such as more roads or new lanes dedicated to buses and car pooling.