City Council Knows Best!

Another city temporarily puts a damper on WalMart's Aggressive expansion. Beaverton City Council votes unanimously to reject WalMart's Cedar Mill site plans claiming that the WalMart would endanger pedestrians, motorists and bicyclists! What the City Council is failing to realize, whether it is intentional or not, is that Portland is already one of the highest rated cities for Bicycle and Pedestrian safety. What makes them feel that the requirements, or site plan, would be any different for this location? If anything WalMart would actually improve the safety of Peds and Bicyclists, in the proposed area, using cutting edge design and improvements. What most people fail to realize is the current state of the intersection (Cedar Hills @ Barnes Rd) near the proposed site. If I had to walk or bike routinely from the newly added housing development (1000+ houses), just NW of the proposed site, to the Rail- I would be heavily in favor of the WalMart and the improvements that they would bring along. As it stands there is a strong need for pedestrian walkways and bicycle right-of-way lanes.
Check out these articles from OregonLive for yourself.....
Wal-Mart rejection should push Beaverton to rethink
Beaverton says no to Wal-Mart