Today, Mayor Sam Adams and his colleagues on City Council will vote on whether or not to allow $20 million from the Bureau of Environmental Services budget to be funneled into the City's Green Streets program and be specifically tagged for use on bike boulevard projects.

The money would bolster a program that has been a part of the City's planning goals since 2004 and it would be a shot in the arm to the Bureau of Transportation's efforts to create a citywide network of safe streets. The proposal is expected to pass, but the road to the vote has been anything but speed-bump free.

A conceptual drawing of one possible green street/bike boulevard project.
(Graphic: PBOT)

At the core of Adams' idea is a plan to use $15 million, out of a total of over $40 million, which has been saved by BES due to projects that have come in under budget over the past two years. In a statement released yesterday, Adams said, "These significant savings mean the City can make these Green Streets investments without impacting rate payers or Council-approved Capital Investment Plans."

Despite these assurances from the Mayor, using money from a bureau that ostensibly provides "environmental services," and is the home bureau of our sewer system, to pay for projects that will make biking more pleasant has been a bit of a logical leap for some.

The local media have likened this to a "swap" from sewers to bike lanes, and not surprisingly, the sentiment of many Portlanders has not been positive.

The Oregonian letters section on
March 14th. All seven letters were against
Adams' idea.

Much of the early criticisms of the plan stemmed from a memo written by BES (not Mayor Adams or PBOT staff) about where the $20 million would come from. A big chunk of the money, BES wrote, would come directly from sewer projects.

When Adams released his plan of where the money would come from -- making it clear that it would not impact rate payers or projects -- some were still skeptical.

Even commenters here on BikePortland are wary. When I reported on details of Adams' plan on March 9th, commenter Gil Johnson wrote:

"As a home owner, landlord and daily bike commuter, I definitely have mixed feelings about the diversion of sewer fees to bicycle projects. It may be a small victory for biking in the short run but result in a nasty backlash that scuttles the bike plan in the future."

Portland Mercury news editor Matt Davis, who gets around town on a bike and who has always been supportive of bike-related policies, didn't mince his words when he wrote a story with the headline, I'm Uncomfortable With Bikes Plan Kickstart.

The same day, Anna Griffin, a sensible and respected columnist for The Oregonian, likened Adams' actions around this proposal as "on the fly budgeting" that "doesn't serve taxpayer interests." Griffin criticized Adams not for the merits of his idea, but rather his approach to seeing it through. She wrote that, instead of the usual process involved with these types of proposals, Adams' actions are illustrative of what happens when city leaders, "chuck the process, declare an emergency and do whatever they want."

I share some of Griffin and Davis' discomfort with all this.

While I think the idea is solid (read why below), it's a shame that the PR around it has been so mishandled. Once again, some people feel that Mayor Adams is pushing a hastily formed idea on them at the last minute just to appease the "bike community." This isn't good for Adams or for people that care about bikes and it's reminiscent of his handling of the Sauvie Island/Flanders Street Bridge proposal.

That idea was nowhere near as solid as this one, but it also seemed rushed, it was heavily criticized, and it raised anti-bike sentiment in the City. Like the proposal they're voting on today, the Flanders Bridge project was put to vote as an "emergency" ordinance, and, despite the project's merits, it turned into a PR debacle that was ultimately shelved by Adams at the last minute.

Hopefully, this proposal won't see the same fate. Despite what all the letters to the editor and headlines say, there is a clear connection between sewer pipes, stormwater runoff, green streets and bike boulevards. And it's not just Adams and bike and environmental advocates who see the connection. The City of Portland has officially embraced the concept since 2004.

The City adopted its Stormwater Management Plan in 2004. That plan required green street features on many public works projects and it identified the connection between infrastructure that meets environmental and transportation benefits.

Three years later, the City adopted their Green Street policy, which solidified the role of transportation infrastructure projects in reducing the stormwater runoff. It directed City staff to “Seek opportunities to leverage the work and associated funding of projects in the same geographic areas across Bureaus to create Green Street opportunities." And for all the detractors who see this as some sort of hare-brained idea, Green Streets are officially defined in that document as streets that meet, "Broader community goals by providing pedestrian and where appropriate bicycle access."

Integrating stormwater treatment into bike boulevard features is also referenced several times in the City's 2030 Bike Plan, which passed City Council by a unanimous vote just last month.

Some have also argued that the $15.4 million in BES "contract savings" that Adams wants to direct into bike boulevard treatments should go back into ratepayer's pockets. Commissioner Fritz asked Mayor Adams to clarify this at the Council meeting last week.

According to an analysis by BES, the impact of not spending $15 million on capital projects would cut next year's expected sewer bill increase by 0.15% (from 6.99% to 6.84%). Based on that calculation, the Office of Management and Finance estimates the savings to ratepayers would be about 7 cents per month.

If this idea of re-greening our streets and simultaneously making them safer and more accessible for everyone is fully embraced (and judging from the internal politics going on between Mayor Adams and BES, that remains to be seen), it could have a transformative effect on our city.

Stay tuned for updates on today's vote from City Hall.

"Over the past two years, actual contract costs have come in much lower than the estimates on which rates were based. These significant savings mean we can make these Green Streets investments without impacting rate payers."
-- Mayor Sam Adams

Last week, the City released the ordinance language behind Mayor Sam Adams' plans to find $20 million to "kickstart" funding of the 2030 Bike Master Plan. According to the ordinance, the $20 million would be allocated from the capital project budget of the Bureau of Environmental Services and directed into bike boulevards via BES's Green Streets program.

Also released last week was a memo from BES stating where the $20 million would come from. That memo grabbed a lot of headlines because it said the $20 million would come, in large part, from funds set aside to fix old, leaky sewer pipelines. As you can imagine, that idea rankled some Portlanders.

But, as Adams pointed out via Twitter yesterday, that memo was from BES, not the Mayor's office. In response to an update I posted that linked to an article in the Tribune titled, Swap sewers for bikes?, Adams tweeted, "this is Saltzman's bike funding $ list not mine. Mine tomorrow."

So, just where will Adams' promised $20 million come from? According to a statement from Adams' office, he'll bring a proposal to council Wednesday (3/10) that will "re-allocate a portion of the unused contingency and contract savings that have become available within the Bureau of Environmental Services as a result of the recession."

That idea is not new. Adams mentioned it at the Council hearing on the Bike Plan back in February 11th. What is new are the specific details behind the idea.

In his statement today, Adams calls Green Streets funding a "double-win" for Portlanders because of how they treat stormwater and calm traffic (learn more about Green Streets in this video).

Here's how Adams explains the contract savings:

"Over the past two years, actual contract costs have come in much lower than the estimates on which rates were based. These significant savings mean we can make these Green Streets investments without impacting rate payers. As a result, millions of dollars in contract savings give us the opportunity to reprogram funding for Green Streets investments."

And here is Adams' detailed list of funding sources that account for the $20 million for each of the next three years (through FY 2014):

Grey to Green - $3.0 million
This funding is already slated for city-wide green street projects. It would be redirected to Green Streets projects to enhance prioritized bicycle boulevards through 2014.

Recession-related contractor bid/contingency savings - $15.4 million
As analysis from the City’s Office of Management and Finance shows, BES has experienced millions of dollars of contract savings over the past two years, providing the opportunity to reprogram funding for Green Street investments.

1% for Green - $0.8 million
Water, BES and PBOT pay 1% of construction costs for projects in the public right of way which do not trigger the Stormwater Management Manual requirements. Some of this money currently funds green streets. This would redirect all of it through 2014.

Innovative Wet Weather Grant $0.8 million
This is money received as a grant from EPA to build innovative stormwater facilities. Green Streets projects are an allowable use of these grant funds.

Total - $20 million

Adams also released a matrix of BES and PBOT projects prepared by the Office of Management and Finance that detailed contract savings amounts.

This proposal will go in front of Council on Wednesday. More coverage in the Portland Tribune.

Portland Mayor Sam Adams has released details of his promise to find $20 million to "kickstart" funding of the 2030 Bike Plan. As expected, the money will come from the Bureau of Environmental Services budget and will be allocated toward "Green Streets projects on prioritized boulevards."

As we pointed out last month, "Green Streets" is the name of a BES program that manages stormwater runoff through street designs that incorporate things like permeable pavers, vegetation, and bioswales. The Bureau of Transportation has worked in partnership with this program for years because some green street features -- like curb extensions -- are also used on bicycle boulevards.

The ordinance to be voted on this Wednesday will be considered as an "emergency ordinance" and will take effect immediately. According to language in the ordinance, an emergency exists because "the timeframe for completion necessitates beginning project development and outreach immediately."

The projects prioritized for this funding have already been identified in the 2030 Bike Plan.

Here's another blurb from the ordinance that explains Adams' justification for using BES Green Streets money for bike projects:

"Investing in green street features and bicycle transportation has the potential to achieve the most cost-effective and rapid implementation of the concurrent goals of the Green Streets Policy, the Bicycle Plan for 2030, the Climate Action Plan and other City objectives."

The $20 million would be available for projects to be completed by June 2013. After that date, the ordinance states that BES will work with the Bureau of Transportation to "identify $2 million per year in additional project opportunities" that would also be funded by BES beginning in July 2014 "and beyond."

For more coverage, and to download a document that explains how the BES budget will be impacted by this reallocation of funds, read this story by The Portland Mercury.

It has been a long road to get here, and without the dedication of our advo-crats in the Portland Building it would not be as stellar as it is. There are obviously many, many more people that helped make this plan great. To everyone who was a part of this effort: Thank you.

Mia Birk

Dan Bower

Ellen Vanderslice

Roger Geller

Linda Ginenthal

Mark Lear

Paul Smith

Robert Pickett

Greg Raisman

Jay Graves

Robert Burchfield

Denver Igarta

For anyone interested in going back down the road, browse the 66 articles of Bike Plan coverage in my archives dating back to February '07. From the rides Roger Geller led to gather public input, to the policies in the plan, to the infamous funding cut by Mayor Potter and much more.

I hope the stories and photos serve as a monument to this effort. And remember, while the relationship between BikePortland and PBOT has changed a lot since my coverage of this plan began, one thing has not changed -- my deep respect and appreciation for the work you all do on our behalf.

Thank you.

According to the City Council resolution passed yesterday, the official name of the group with be the "Sustainable Transportation Finance Task Force." The group will be corralled by the Bureaus of Transportation, Planning and Sustainability, Environmental Services, Parks & Recreation and the Portland Development Commission. Their aim will be to:

"... form a finance task force to identify and pursue multiple strategies to increase funding for sustainable transportation and bicycle transportation; and promote the implementation of the Portland Bicycle Plan for 2030..."

In addition to the City bureaus mentioned above, a tentative membership list also includes: representatives from business and neighborhoods; Metro, ODOT, and TriMet; the City's Freight, Bicycle, and Pedestrian Advisory Committees; and the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition and Bicycle Transportation Alliance.

More specifically, the "tentative goals" of the group will be to:

• Develop a summary of existing resource dedicated to implement the Bicycle Plan
• Develop a summary of future resources that could be directed toward Bicycle Plan implementation
• Develop strategic funding scenarios for consideration by City Council in the budget process

This new task force is mandated to report back to City Council with their findings by November 2010.

Willamette Week - Bike Plan: City Council Exacts Revenge on Saltzman. Cyclists Win. Did Saltzman, Too?

Bojack.org - Your sewer bill dollars at work -- for bicyclists

Portland Business Journal - City Council OKs $613 million bike plan

KGW-TV (NBC) - PDX bike plan approved with a $20 million kick-start

Portland Mercury - Portland Bike Plan: Round Two! Updated: Details on 5-0 Vote & Adams' Surprise $20 Million "Kickstart" Fund

KATU-TV (ABC) - Bike plan approved; funding still up in the air

The Oregonian - Portland's 2030 bicycle plan coasts to approval

"It shows our support for getting going with a bang."
-- Mayor Adams on his $20 million commitment

The Portland Bicycle Plan for 2030 passed with unanimous support by City Council this afternoon and the vote came with a $20 million commitment from Mayor Adams.

Commissioner Dan Saltzman, who created quite a dust storm with a funding proposal last week, decided to heed advice from the City's Bicycle Advisory Committee and fold his idea into the plan (which calls for a Funding Task Force where ideas like his can be fleshed out).

After dispatching with Saltzman's amendment, saying "I think this plan deserves better in terms of a funding source," Adams proposed a new funding concept that will commit $20 million to bike projects. Adams said he'll return to council in 30 days with more details on the "kickstart funding option," but for now he said, "It shows our support for getting going with a bang."

A green street built by BES.

According to Adams' transportation policy advisor Catherine Ciarlo, the Mayor's idea commits $2 million per year to bike projects for the next 10 years (the money will also be "bonded against," a process which I still don't completely understand).

Adams' office is yet to figure out every detail of where the $2 million per year will come from. The main source will be the Bureau of Environmental Services' (BES) Green Streets program. BES and PBOT have worked together via the Green Streets program for years. In a nutshell, the program re-constructs roads to better handle stormwater runoff. The big bike-related component of Green Streets are curb extensions with bioswales (see photo at right).

Adams' concept is to work with Saltzman and BES to find money in the BES budget, devote it to the Green Streets program, and then build curb extensions with the money. Curb extensions (also known as "neckdowns") are a popular -- and expensive -- tool in PBOT's bike boulevard tool kit.

It's important to note that Adams' $20 million, if it comes mostly from BES, will not be a blank check to build cycle tracks, buffered bike lanes, etc... The funds will only go toward curb extensions and other street features that are part of the Green Streets program. While that constraint might disappoint some (especially those who despise curb extensions in general), it also means other funds available for bike projects can go toward other things.

Another place in the BES budget Adams said he'd look for funds is "administrative savings" from the bureau's Big Pipe project, which he said is "winding down."

The other Commissioners had nothing but praise for Adams and the plan.

Commissioner Amanda Fritz said "This is a plan that is not going to sit on the shelf; it will get daily use." Addressing concerns she's heard about the "$600 million price tag" of the plan, she said she is still focused on her mantra of "providing basic services" to Portlanders and that "walking and bicycling are basic services." "All of us want all of our citizens to be safe as they move around our city."

Commissioner Nick Fish prefaced his remarks by turning to Mayor Adams and saying, "This is your moment, so I'll be brief." He gave Adams and PBOT staff a lot of credit for seeing the plan through. "I can't think of a process that has been more inclusive... credit goes to the Mayor." Fish also remarked that, "This will make bicycling a cornerstone of Portland's sustainable transportation system.... As a father of a 6 year old, this is particularly exciting for me." (Fish also used his time to mention his work on creating more off-road trail opportunities in Portland.)

Before voting in support of the plan, Commissioner Dan Saltzman said, "If we waited for funding before we did something we wouldn't have streetcars!... You have to be ambitious and shoot for the stars. This is a plan that does that."

Saltzman also addressed Adams' "kickstart" funding concept, saying, "It's a concept I'm fully prepared to embrace, but I need to think about how it might impact ratepayers and... I need to see the details..."

Commissioner Randy Leonard called Adams' funding idea, "Ingenious." "It ties our desire to build smarter streets and sidewalks and bikeways with the impact it has on our streams and rivers."

Michelle Poyourow of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, an advocate who has contributed immensely to the development of the Bike Plan, said, "I can't think of a better way to end my second-to-last day on the job." (She resigned from the BTA last week).

The vote was 5-0. There were big smiles from the PBOT staff on hand. They have worked extremely hard on this plan and I'm sure they are all going to celebrate tonight. Here's a photo of some of the PBOT staff who worked on the plan taken just after the vote:

L to R: Denver Igarta, Lesley Barewin, Ellen Vanderslice, Roger Geller, Todd Borkowitz, Mark Lear, Sarah Figliozzi, Greg Raisman.
Congratulations!

Think of the Bike Plan as a business plan. Everyone knows what those are right (if not, check Wikipedia).

So here's the analogy: PBOT has this amazing product (a bike network) that they know will revolutionize Portland -- but without a plan, they're just like every other entrepreneur with a big, crazy dream. Before they can even approach investors, start hiring employees, expand the product line, reach out to new customers, and so on -- they must have a plan.

PBOT is the company, a connected and safe bike network is the product, members of City Council (and Metro and the U.S. Congress, and so on) are the investors, and the stockholders are regular citizens like you and me.

Heck, we can even do a S.W.O.T. analysis:

• Strengths: Tremendous ROI, we have the best and brightest bike researchers on staff, there is already a significant and loyal market ready to consume it, and the product has been thoroughly tested in real-life conditions.
• Weaknesses: It requires difficult cultural and behavioral changes to both our society and the existing bureaucratic status quo.
• Opportunities: To create a city where it's easier and safer for everyone to get from A to B.
• Threats: Complacency, politics, lack of funding.

The more I think about it, the more I like it: The 2030 Bike Plan is the City of Portland's business plan for an exciting new product that will transform our city and soon spread to markets nationwide.

Great! Now let's pass this thing and get down to business. After all, PBOT and their investors will not want to disappoint their stockholders.

The City of Portland's Bicycle Advisory Committee -- a 13 member group that advises the City on "bicycle-related matters" -- has released their letter in response to Commissioner Dan Saltzman's Bike Plan funding proposal.

The BAC initially intended to draft a letter in support of Saltzman's idea (after he pitched it to them in person at their monthly meeting on Tuesday), but now they have put some conditions on that support.

The letter states that the BAC will only back Saltzman's proposal if it could, "... on its merits, enjoy the full support of the entire council."

Given that I've heard from Commissioner Randy Leonard that he won't vote for the proposal, it seems as though Saltzman no longer has support from the BAC.

Here's how the BAC explains their two specific "reservations" about the proposal:

• This is a big moment for bicycling in Portland. The Portland Bicycle Plan for 2030 is bold, visionary, far- reaching, and enjoys broad support. Our concern is that if this funding measure does not have the full support of all five commissioners, it may unnecessarily detract from the plan and its power at this crucial juncture.
• There is no rush on this particular amendment. While the BAC would love to see adequate funding dedicated to the plan’s implementation immediately, we recognize that some careful strategizing has yet to be done....

  ....So while we recognize the symbolic value of having funding attached to the plan on the day of its adoption, and while we stress that there is an urgent need to provide bike funding generally, we feel that the City has the time to develop a more prudent, comprehensive approach to funding the Bike Plan for 2030.

This letter by the BAC is significant beyond its face value. The Committee has been going through an internal discussion of late about what type of role it should play in local bike issues. Historically, they have not questioned local electeds (the term rubber-stamp committee comes to mind) and have tended to be more reactive in their positions. By saying essentially, "Thanks, but no thanks," to a Commissioner who wants to raise money for bike projects, the BAC is showing that they aren't simply going to sign-off on every pro-bike idea that comes their way.

Read more analysis and reactions to Saltzman's amendment in the story I published last night. For more on the Bike Plan, browse all previous coverage here.

"... While we support the objectives of the Portland Bicycle Plan for 2030 that goes before the City Council today, adopting such a plan is far from enough."
-- Opinion from Portland Tribune

With the 2030 Bike Plan up for adoption at City Council this afternoon, there is a fresh crop of stories about it in the local media. Below are links and thoughts to how it's being covered.

The Oregonian's Joseph Rose must be breathing a sigh of relief this morning because the Portland Business Journal has successfully wrestled away his trophy for most misleading coverage of the plan so far. Their weekly "Business Pulse" survey asks: "Should the city of Portland spend $600M to build bike lanes?"

Not only is that question a highly inaccurate characterization of the contents of the plan (bike lanes are so 1996), but it misleads readers into thinking that the City of Portland is about to spend that much money on bikes (which they should know by now is far from the case).

Of course, when nearly every other media outlet has pretty much said the same thing, I suppose all the blame can't fall on the PBJ's editors. I'm not sure what bums me out more about this poll -- the question itself, or the fact that everyone in the local bikeosphere is feverishly sharing the link and encouraging "yes" votes!

On other side of the bike plan coverage intelligence spectrum is an Opinion piece that appears in today's Portland Tribune. The article, Bike plan needs more specifics, combines strong words of support for the plan with thoughtful criticisms. The article's main criticism is that the plan lacks details for how it will impact the larger transportation ecosystem. Specifically, it challenges the plan's authors to identify funding sources and to clarify how bikes might impact our regional economy and other transportation modes.

These are all valid and important questions and it's great to see a local paper using its stump to constructively further the civic dialogue about this important issue.

Today's Tribune also includes a guest article by Mayor Adams titled, City can’t afford not to invest in biking. In it, he echoes the feelings he shared about the plan in his recent State of the City address and further fleshes out his case for bikes.

And finally today comes an article in this week's Portland Mercury by Sarah Mirk. In Gearing Up: How Will the City Fund its $600 Million Bike Plan?", Mirk outlines how PBOT is already increasing it's bike funding budget (compared to recent years), but that it's still not nearly enough to reach the Bike Plan's lofty visions. I think using "$600 Million Bike Plan" in the headline is a bit sensational, but the article itself is reasoned and full of interesting information.

It's great to have so much coverage for the 2030 Bike Plan. I don't think the City's other master plans garner nearly as much attention. I just hope the scrutiny continues after the plan is adopted.