Rex for Metro

As he heads north to the school he help start, Rex talks about how effective Metro has been over the last eight years he’s been a Metro Councilor, out-competing other cities to implement visionary projects. And that’s a good thing, because the stakes are high: climate change could significantly affect our region — from water shortages for the people who grow our food, to populations moving here when their regions are affected. There’s simply no time for on-the-job training for the next Metro President: we need someone like Rex, who knows Metro inside and out but also understands the real-world consequences of the work it does:

… I’m a father, with two young sons in their early 20s. They’ll have families not too long from now, and climate change could really affect their quality of life — and maybe even their lives. So, we have to do something about it: we are the generation that needs to act on this issue.

Watch the Fifth Episode and then share it with your friends. We’ve also collected the entire series so far right here.

It’s all about building bridges in Episode 4 of “A Ride with Rex.” First, Rex crosses over the Hawthorne Bridge on the widened sidewalk that marks his first public policy victory, soon after he helped found the Bicycle Transportation Alliance. On the way back north, Rex shows a keen eye for how the natural world is woven into the Esplanade, and talks about the bridges we build between one another — and a Metro President builds with the public he or she serves. Then we ask Rex about the I-5 Columbia River Crossing, and he talks about the opportunity the project presents, but only if it’s done right:

Built right — and that’s the key, building it right — you’re replacing an existing bridge that’s old and needs to be replaced, and in a new way that gets you transit, biking and walking across, and in a way that’s more environmentally conscious … But again, the key is the right size. You gotta right-size things.

These 4-minute mini-docs are a great, quick way to introduce friends and co-workers to the Rex we know and love. Share them far and wide! To catch up on previous episodes, we’ve got them all collected for you here.

Thanks to everyone who joined us for a picture-perfect ride this afternoon. On the way through three cities and two counties, we saw a bald eagle presiding over Oaks Bottom, a sun-dappled Johnson Creek babbling through the Springwater Corridor, and spring flowers everywhere. And in excellent company!

Check out more pictures here, then consider shining a little sunshine of your own on Rex’s ride to make even more of Metro like what we saw today.