Another look at the ‘SE Corridor Project,’ Portland’s big TIGER II pitch

The “Clinton to the River” multi-use
path is part of the $10 million request.
Larger version here

A month ago I shared details of the big project TriMet planned to apply for (in close collaboration with Metro and other partners) in hopes of garnering a piece of the $600 million available from the Obama Administration’s TIGER II grant program.

The project is now known officially as the “SE Corridor Project.” With the application submitted last week, the project partners (TriMet, PDC, City of Portland, Metro, City of Milwaukie) have unveiled a new website and video to go along with it, making it clear that they’ve learned lessons from the first round of TIGER grants. Our region applied for four active transportation projects last year, but none of them were among the winners when the awards were announced last April.

Judging by what’s on the project website, Metro has gone down a checklist of things that helped Indianapolis win $20.5 million for their Cultural Trail. There’s mention of connecting communities, economic and job-producting benefits, local matching funds already lined up, and so on. And the most talked-about part of Indy’s application? The video. Now we’ve got one too…

SE Portland Corridor Project from Mayor Sam Adams on Vimeo.

TriMet, the City of Portland, the City of Milwaukie, the Portland Development Commission and Metro are all signed onto the project and are seeking a total of $10 million from TIGER II grant fund to complete the $12.8 million project.

Learn more about the project’s five main components — which include the “Clinton to the River” multi-use path and two new biking and walking bridges — at SECorridorProject.com.

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.

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BURR
BURR
13 years ago

Is there a bigger version of the map graphic to link to?

Yeah, Right here… just added a link to it in the story too — Jonathan

Paul Cone
Paul Cone
13 years ago

It looks like they have the old alignment for the viaduct on that graphic — not the new one that is currently under construction.

Hart
13 years ago

Am I reading that right, ‘two way cycle track on 7th’ ?!

Rob
Rob
13 years ago

The project documents don’t show enough detail to see if this is being done right or done CRC-style.

The bikeways should be separated by at least a curb from the roadways to keep debris out of them. Ideally a low wall. The City does not have enough money to sweep bikeways and bikes next to freight is fatal. Could you look into it and report back?

Anne Hawley
Anne Hawley
13 years ago

Ooh, I love the part at 1:19 where a streetcar noses into the SE Foster neighborhood and the Chevron station turns into a Whole Foods, while the New Copper Penny is reincarnated as a (presumably) “mixed income” residential villa with a penny logo on its side.

Streetcar Magic!

matt picio
13 years ago

So, what effect would a relocated Water Avenue have on the parcel the PRPA is purchasing for storage for the city’s locomotives? It looks like it would run right through that parcel.

BURR
BURR
13 years ago

IMO that’s overdesigned and overly restrictive for cyclists. It may work if you want to go up Clinton, but it looks like it sucks if you want to go up Division or north through the CEID or into Ladds Addition.

The roads that are already there now work just fine, although they do need some repaving.

Doug Klotz
Doug Klotz
13 years ago

The Clinton to the River Path will be a good connection, from 17th south of Powell, up to 9th and Division Place. From there to the OMSI Max station there is room for improvement. Some pedestrian advocates are concerned about the circuitous path it takes, jogging on Division Place, 7th, Caruthers and 4th. How much better it would be if the path simply followed the light rail tracks from 9th, clear to the OMSI Station, cutting diagonally as the tracks do.

Although there are some bus merging concerns at 7th and Caruthers, I don’t think they’re insurmountable with appropriate traffic control devices. The bike and the bus conflicts would still happen in their plan, as buses from SE Portland would travel west on Division Pl, north on 7th, and then onto the Max tracks at Caruthers. The signal that will allow westbound buses onto the paved Max tracks at that point could also control bikes and peds on a trackside path. Trimet needs to hear from advocates of a more direct path here.

sabernar
sabernar
13 years ago

Let the complaining begin!

Jessica Roberts
Jessica Roberts
13 years ago

Drinking game: take a drink every time he says “critical.”

Nice video, though. Too bad they couldn’t include finishing the off-street path gap to bypass Ross Island Sand & Gravel entirely…

BURR
BURR
13 years ago

Doug #8 makes a lot of sense when he says the path should follow the light rail tracks instead of the streets.

CaptainKarma
CaptainKarma
13 years ago

I think I saw my missing bike on the front of the bus @ the :29 mark….