TriMet fareless square public hearing January 16, 2008

TriMet Fareless Square
Public Hearing Locations

Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Liberty Center Auditorium
650 NE Holladay St, Portland
11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Plan your trip to the Liberty Center Auditorium

Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Portland Building Auditorium
1120 SW 5th Ave, Portland
5-7 p.m.

Background
Fareless Square was created in 1975 to address several policy objectives, primarily aimed at meeting federal Clean Air Act requirements. The policy objectives included reducing auto-generated carbon monoxide pollution, encouraging transit use and making travel within downtown easier for commerce, retail and recreational purposes. Thirty-two years later, the City of Portland no longer has a carbon monoxide pollution problem in downtown and TriMet’s ridership has greatly expanded.

TriMet's fareless zone is the only one of its kind in the country. Seattle has a much smaller fareless zone and for security reasons has hours limited to 6 a.m.-7 p.m.

TriMet’s General Manager Fred Hansen will propose to the TriMet Board of Directors (Board) at its January 23, 2008 meeting that they consider for a first reading, an ordinance to limit Fareless Square zone hours of free rides to 7 a.m.-7 p.m. A second reading and vote by the Board on adoption of the ordinance is scheduled for a Board meeting February 27, 2008.
Hearings/Public Comments

Public comments will be received at both January 16, 2008 public hearings. Public comments may also be submitted by 5 p.m. Thursday, February 21, 2008 by the following:

Mail: TriMet-MK2, 4012 SE 17th Ave, Portland, OR 97202
Email: [email protected]
Phone: 503-962-5806
Fax: 503-962-6469
TTY: 503-238-5811, 7:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. weekdays

Official Website: http://www.trimet.org/meetings/fareless/index.htm