Regional transit rolling forward in the Gorge: MCEDD prepares for second planning phase

“Our intention was to stitch together all the existing transportation plans in the region, pulling them all together, looking for conflicts, themes and goals, then pulling everyone together who has expressed a real interest,” Fitzpatric said.

Participants included state, federal and local agencies and entities, from city manager to state park department leaders.

“The conversation focused on challenges they had with public transit, and what are their visions and goals,” Fitzpatric explained.

The first phase was to create a collective vision and goals, and is now complete and was presented to the board. The focus was building partnerships, public and private, with a consensus on vision and goals.

The resulting vision statement reads, “Public transit supports thriving Columbia River Gorge communities by providing access to critical services, higher education, jobs, and outdoor recreation while protecting the natural wonders of the Gorge.”

Buried in the short statement are objectives that will move the community toward economic viability, Fitzpatric said. According to the report, a key finding was that “the goals and strategies of each (transit agency) plan support the goals identified by the working group with no conflicts.”

The study also identified five “goal areas:” Community and economic vitality; high-quality service and experience; environmental stewardship and financial sustainability.

A second phase of the project will consider the “nuts and bolts” of accomplishing those goals, Fitzpatric said. “We have this vision, now how do we get there? What are the strategies to get from where we are to where we want to be?”

The plan now needs to get from “pie in the sky to boots on the ground,” she said. “We’ve been running toward to future and breakneck speed the past three years.”

She noted a $30 annual Gorge pass is already in place. “We are already working on making progress, but we still need a regional plan.”

Commissioner Scott Hege agreed remarkable progress had already been made. “Years ago, it was really hard to get from here to Hood River,” he noted. “Kudos to MCEDD for making this happen.”

Commissioner Kathy Schultz said, “You can see the results in the community, with more routes and buses and lots of things are happening. It’s only going to get better from here.”

All three commissioners supported continuing the process, and agreed to sign a letter of support. Wasco County Manager Tyler Stone noted he would continue staffing the MCEDD meetings through the next phase of planning.