out over I-405 at the future location of a
Flanders Street overpass.
(Photos © J. Maus)
A group of citizens and advocates led by the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition and the Bicycle Transportation Alliance will host a rally and walking tours of the area around the proposed location of a new I-405 overpass at Flanders Street in Northwest Portland.
The event is scheduled for Thursday and organizers say they hope to raise awareness of the urgent need of a safe crossing between two of Portland’s densest neighborhoods. The event is intended to demonstrate public support for relocating the Sauvie Island Bridge span to Northwest Portland.
Transportation activist (and BikePortland.org contributor) Elly Blue helped plan the event. In a press release about the event she said, “It’s currently impossible to travel safely and directly between two halves of our city…The basic right to free mobility is at stake here. We intend to use this effort as a springboard to take on dangerous intersections all over the city, particularly around freeways.”
At the event, experts on traffic safety, transportation planning and local history will lead tours and answer questions about the bridge’s new site and the currently existing options.
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Flanders Street Bridge Walk and Rally
Walking tours of the proposed Sauvie Island Bridge relocation site
Thursday, 4/17
Press event at 5:00, tours leave at 5:15 and 5:30.
Location: NW 15th and Flanders
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Don\’t they know that intersection is dangerous? They should have the walking tour and rally at a safer location.
Think of the children.
Elly propagandized-
“It’s currently impossible to travel safely and directly between two halves of our city…\”
Nothing like fear mongering and distorting the truth to drive home your opinions, huh? I would show up but I am stuck on the other side of the city..
I live a few blocks southwest of this spot and use the Everett and Glisan overpasses regularly. They are, indeed, dangerous and intimidating as a pedestrian and a cyclist. That is not propaganda. I feel reasonably confident crossing both spans, but I\’d be very hesitant to suggest that a newer cyclist do so. A pedestrian/bicycle overpass is desperately needed at this spot as soon as possible. There have been a lot of valid arguments against the Sauvie span, but calling it a redundant crossing is not one of them.
Regardless of the option chosen, the project does need to be completed soon. If the Sauvie span is available now, but a cheaper alternative is years down the road, that alone is reason enough to go ahead with the re-use plan.
Steve,
Maybe it\’s possible for experienced riders like you and I to travel safely by bike between any two parts of the city, but Elly\’s point is spot on that there are many intersections and crossings around the city – and in the larger metro area – that are just plain unsafe for novice or inexperienced riders. The NW I-405 crossing at NW Glissan/Everett and the I-5 crossing on NE Broadway are two prime examples of that.
Ironically, the experienced riders are the ones who know that there is a safer detour 3 blocks north (via NW Johnson), but the more inexperienced riders often tend to cross at the arterials, by lack of knowing better.
I also agree with Elly that cyclists and pedestrians should be more vocal in demanding basic rights of free mobility across the city and in the suburbs. It always makes me scratch my head when I come across those narrow, busy arterials that have no sidewalks, no bike lakes or shoulders, and the only safe way for residents to get in and out of their houses is by car.
\”..the only safe way for residents to get in and out of their houses is by car.\”
These gems keep rolling in. Keep it up guys! It takes real work to turn off daily cyclists who share your cause.
This over the top stuff is not gonna get it done folks. Let\’s try and keep it real so we do not look like nutsy zealots. I suppose you can just keep preaching to the converted if you prefer.
steve, what was it you were saying about Vance? Yeah.
If the City were safe, people on bikes wouldn\’t be dying.
And you\’ve got a lot of nerve telling Elly Blue her efforts are not gonna get it done, considering she\’s done more for bicycling in this town in the last 6 months than you\’ve ever done.
Not only are you wrong, you\’re kinda being a jerk.
Nothing against bikes – I ride one regularly – but this project seems to be a tad expensive given that many necessary services in Portland are not being funded. Maybe the well-heeled residents of Northwest and the Pearl could mount a capital campaign to make it happen. Sorry folks, but there are other parts of the city too – remember?
I cross 405 using Everett and Glisan quite often both by foot and bicycle, and I\’ve never thought of it as risky. By bike, green means check for traffic and go. By foot, the little lighted man means check for traffic and go, just like any other crosswalk.
The amount of arguments for the safety of these intersections makes me wonder if I\’m missing something. Next time I\’m over there, I will have to look at the intersections more closely to see if I\’ve been overlooking some hazards.
I wouldn\’t say I\’m an experienced cyclist or pedestrian, but I do keep aware as a person. These are definitely busy intersections, but the only thing I\’m really watching out for is getting right hooked on Everett, and that is something I have to watch for on most intersections.
That said, I do support the reuse of the Sauvie bridge and do not think it is \” a redundant crossing\” either. It is a bit of a hassle to cross to either side of the road when making the leap over 405 using these bridges, but in my opinion, they feel safe, even if not ideal. (Everett now also has a bike box of its own if I\’m not mistaken, too, which lowers the right hook-yness for bicyclists.) The Sauvie Span Plan would undoubtedly be a much more preferable crossing to have.
I do actually really appreciate the critiques of the project (and of our press materials, thanks).
While I\’m still convinced that moving the Sauvie to this spot is a pretty straightforwardly good idea, I also agree with just about every point people have made about how other neighborhood needs the funding more.
As a result of some folks\’ critiques on previous posts, it looks like advocacy groups are going to be taking up eastside causes like the need for a bridge over the Sandy River. And, I hope, sidewalks.
By all means, keep making yourselves heard and keep the pressure on.
Also, come out Thursday night and take a good hard look at a really ugly intersection in action. This is just practice for taking on the next one. Steve and Gracie, where should that be? Let\’s hear it.
Oh, and a final point, this project does primarily serve two well-off neighborhoods — but the route serves people biking and walking to Forest Park, Washington Park, two movie theaters, lots of bars, the NW industrial area, at least 2 schools, several major homeless service providers that I can think of both in NW and Pearl, and etc…
I have suggested that folk who have generated a long previous thread on this topic show up for Elly\’s event on Thursday and see things for themselves. I visited the I 405 crossing already, also old Sauvie in its present place, and I\’d really like to talk this out with people from all sides.
Note that Amy Ruiz\’s candidates\’ question for the Mercury\’s Blogtown this week is on old Sauvie, so maybe Amy herself will show.
Thanks, Elly, for taking this on.
If we do not decide to move the bridge because of costs, what would happen if we were to drasticly change the timing of the traffic signals of the other two crossings so that the east / west traffic (which include the bikes) has more time and the north / south traffic (which has more cars) has the least time; would that be better than nothing? It would be cheap (just some adjustments on a computer)??
Mark
Gracie, I\’ll bet most people making up their minds about this particular crossing aren\’t ignoring the needs of parts of town such as you live. They, perhaps like me, are probably, through issues like this one, just now coming to some understanding of how planning and budgeting works for particular projects.
I never knew how this stuff works..not really. The funding for this project is complicated to the extent that I still haven\’t got it really straight in my head; where the money is coming from; why some of it can\’t be spent elsewhere, and so forth.
A little more effort on my part is going to be required it seems, before I have it down. It follows that people in the outlying neighborhoods are going to have to be more vocally active if they really want improvements where they live.
Side note: A pedestrian-bike prioritized boulevard for Flanders would contribute greatly to connectivity for NW. One of the things people should consider, is natural bike traffic characteristics for west bound riders. Between, I think it\’s 11th and 13th, there\’s quite a little hill.
Assuming use of that street by riders of a wide range of conditioning and physical ability, there will be a traffic slow-down at that point until the hill is crested. On Glisan, that could mean backing up cars, creating tension and dangerous conditions for road users. With Flanders prioritized for bikes and pedestrians, those conditions would be far less likely with fewer, slower cars in the mix.
During this \”event/walking tour/rally\” I will see how many times I can successfully cross 405 on Glisan and Everett. Wish me luck. I hear it\’s quite dangerous.
How do I spell a Flander\’s St. crossing?
R-E-D-U-N-D-A-N-T
Potestio and Ross for city council \’08.
Cross bikes are the new fixies!
If you think crossing the I-405 is scary, try crossing Grand and MLK to get to the eastside waterfront.
Of course, the Pearl isn\’t expanding onto the eastside yet.
Elly, I strongly support your action and the bridge, but give me a break – don\’t open yourself up so easily to attack with such silly statements. Even if one is unable to handle Everett/Glisan, how many streets are there just to the north of Flanders that go under the freeway – a dozen? Some of them are decent and safe connections. Yes, the bridge is better, but don\’t make the other options sound like scampering across the North Korean border under heavy gunfire.
\”It’s currently impossible to travel safely and directly between two halves of our city…The basic right to free mobility is at stake here.\”
While the connectivity issue is very important (there is a gap in safe crossings between NW Johnson to the north, and Alder (east) and Jefferson (west) to the south, I think the first and foremost reason to do this is environmental. One estimate suggests that the current Sauvie Island Bridge probably had something like 1.5 million pounds of CO2 released manufacturing its steel and concrete. Why generate more CO2 for new materials when we have this better piece of infrastructure available to drop in?
To answer Elly\’s question (and disregarding the remark about the Sandy River 🙂 ) I would like to see some changes made to the mess at E Burnside, Sandy, ad 12th. And then there\’s the Sellwood (Yes – I know – its a County function) Again, I have no problem with a bike overpass over the 405, but this Sauvie Island Bridge project reminds me of a group of spoiled children whining because they can\’t have what they want when they want it.
I often ride Kearney to get between the two neighborhoods. During off hours, it works out pretty well; its a straight shot, and I don\’t have to worry about freeway traffic. Of course using lights, reflective clothing, and a helmet helps too.
There have, on several occasions, been suggestions that the rich folks in the Pearl should pony up for this project. Well, in essence, they are. The System Development Charges (SDC) are fees charged to developers to pay for transportation improvements in the area of the development. The fees are passed along to the buyers. Historically, the vast amount of SDCs have been used to accommodate automobiles. This is a rare instance in which an exclusive bicycle and pedestrian project will receive these funds.
Furthermore, Urban Renewal money comes from property taxes and, contrary to popular opinion, not all the buildings in the Pearl received tax abatements. So this project is an opportunity for some of the taxes paid by Pearl District residents to go for a project that will encourage them to remain car free.
Lastly, there is an effort going on in the neighborhood to raise private funds to pay for some of this project. While it may be modest in comparison to the overall cost of the project, at least they’re trying.
This should not devolve into class warfare. Bicycle and pedestrian improvements are needed citywide. The perceived wealth of an area should not be used as a reason to deny it infrastructure improvements any more than suggesting that poor areas shouldn’t get anything because they don’t pay enough. Let’s get this project done AND fight for projects in other parts of the community.
\”…how many streets are there just to the north of Flanders that go under the freeway – a dozen? Some of them are decent and safe connections.\” Schrauf
That\’s kind of true Schrauf, but then, why make people on bikes have to pedal extra distance on their own power?
Gracie and Schrauf, if Kearney isn\’t so much further, why not close the Everett overpass to cars, dedicating it to pedestrian and cyclist travel as a bridge thereby saving money on a Flanders pedestrian-bike crossing, and have the cars drive the extra distance to Kearney?
Some thoughts:
1) Using the Sauvie Island Bridge would cost less than building a new bridge. The cost comparison that has been discussed answers the question \”How much would each bridge cost if you built it today?\”
In reality, if the Sauvie gets approved, it goes in and is operating by December of this year. A new bridge won\’t be funded for at least 5 years. During that time, the price of steel and asphalt will continue to rise. We\’d wind up spending more money for a narrower, concrete slab bridge.
In addition, the use of a 15-foot-wide bridge for comparison to the Sauvie is not a good comparison. A 15-foot-wide bridge would simply be too narrow. Think of your trips on the Hawthorne Bridge. That\’s 2-way bike and ped traffic on a total of 20-feet of facility. Add to that the fact that Flanders has a downgrade and eastbound cyclists will be traveling faster. The bridge will have to be wider to accommodate the level of traffic that our bike and ped facilities generate.
2) East Portland, in particular, needs a lot of service. There are a lot of high crash locations, a lot of families moving there, and some very important and expensive needs.
Thankfully, that part of the city has seen significant investments over the past 5 years. Take a look at what\’s happening on 102nd Ave right now — 15 foot wide sidewalks are going in. There are two active Urban Renewal Districts (Lents and Gateway), light rail is going in, Council just sent money from the Pearl\’s Urban Renewal District to build a school in East Portland, East Portland has had more funds than any part of the city allocated towards traffic safety in the past five years.
The scale of investment needed in East Portland is humongous. If we waited to bring East Portland to the service level of the rest of the city before doing anything else, we\’d be waiting decades.
To be clear, East Portland needs a lot of safety investment. Portland continues to work diligently to fund public process and engineering to identify and build those improvements. The current 82nd Ave safety project is a good example of that.
3) It\’s true that Everett and Glisan pose safety issues. 16th & Everett was the first location the Neighbors West Northwest (the neighborhood district coalition) took us when identifying their safety concerns. It plays out in reported crashes. There were zero reported crashes on Flanders between Broadway and 21st. There were multiple on the same segments of Everett and Glisan.
Freeway ramps do tend to become safety concerns for bicyclists and pedestrians. There\’s more red light running, more speeding, and more crashes around freeway ramps. I\’ve seen comments here that say \”Well, just get rid of the freeways ramps.\” That\’s a very long and challenging question. We can\’t wait that long to solve our safety problems that currently exist.
4) When the Burnside/Couch Couplet project went through the public process, two things happened related to bikes. First, it was concluded that Burnside and Couch could not support dedicated bicycle facilities. Second, it was decided that Flanders would serve as a bicycle boulevard to mobilize east-west bicycle traffic in the corridor.
If downtown, and northwest are to become places where all travelers can comfortably, safely, and conveniently choose to ride a bicycle for transportation, we\’re going to have to invest in some key crossings.
The next crossing of I-405 is at Johnson. It\’s just not practical to say that we can have real bicycle transportation if the next closest family friendly crossing of the river is 8 blocks out of direction.
Northwest Portland is a car free neighborhood. By that, I mean that it\’s a neighborhood where a person can easily choose to have a car free lifestyle. However, as of today, it\’s not a very supportive environment for bicycles.
It aspires to be a neighborhood at or near the top of the list in terms of bicycle use. As it stands, it\’s near the bottom. If we want to change that, we need to take action.
Thanks
Greg
Oops… in talking about the crashes, I was referring to 1997-2006.
In talking about the crossing, I was talking about crossing I-405, not the river — that\’s an entirely different conversation totally, isn\’t it?!
Steve,
The plan calls for installation of traffic lights and crosswalk on 16th at Flanders. Also, the traffic lights at Glisan and Everett will be reworked to make them safer. They aren\’t just dumping cyclists into the traffic on 16th. Its a good plan that is thought through.
Max #13, you\’re probably aware that the Hawthorne Bridge/Madison st. crossing are a mere few blocks away! MLK is way busier than Grand most of the time, and can take 10 minutes to cross- and probably 5 to get to Madison st.
Elly (#8) and previous posters – regarding a bridge over the Sandy, ODOT is going to have to repair / replace the I-84 bridges over the Sandy in the near future, and they\’re looking at a number of options. One of them is to just have wide shoulders on the freeway for bikes to get over the river. If you don\’t find that to be acceptable, email me at matt [dot] picio [at] gmail [dot] com and let\’s start getting organized to press for real bike/ped facilities out there!
I was part of a meeting with ODOT, Metro, Multnomah County, the Forest Service, State Parks, the Gorge Commission and others last week and we are working on a solution. The \”shoulders\” option is in essence off the table.
But we digress…
RE: Sandy Bridge…
i\’ve been in touch with Jason Tell (region one manager for ODOT) about this. He says it\’s not time to sound the advocacy alarm…but regardless of that, I\’m hoping to write a story ASAP to get it on everyone\’s radar.
stay tuned.
All this talk about how the rest of the city is neglected while spoiled residents of NW and the Pearl get all the attention – is just flat out wrong.
1. Vote Yes this November on the \”Safe, Sound, and Green\” proposal and you will fund tons of pedestrian and bicycle improvements citywide, with most of the money being spent outside the city core.
2. Just because there is work going on to improve the Flanders street bike boulevard and 405 crossing, does not mean there is not work going on elsewhere. I personally am involved in planning efforts in the central east side along MLK an grand, within the \”OMSI\” district, the Lloyd district, and other areas. All sorts of cooperating agencies are working hard to make things better for pedestrians and bicycles in these areas.
3. I am a citizen representative on the Metro TPAC, a technical committee which does the heavy lifting for the elected officials who serve on Metro\’s transportation committee JPACT. In all of the transportation plans, like the TIP, MTIP, RTP, and such – there are lots of pedestrian and bicycle projects all throughout the region. Bicycle and pedestrian access, safety, and ease of use are factors that are involved in every project evaluation from every jurisdiction.
So stop acting like the reuse of the Sauvie Island bridge as a pedestrian and bicycle crossing over 405 at Flanders is undercutting the other plans elsewhere in the city.
If anyone has a SPECIFIC spot that they would like addressed, get active and be a part of the solution. Don\’t hate on others who have already done that in their own neighborhoods.
I also highly recommend taking the PSU class that PDOT cosponsores called \”Portland traffic and transportation\”. It is offered a couple times a year and you can see how the process works and learn the history and the why things are what they are…
And make sure to let elected officials at all levels know what you want in your neighborhood. Maybe if they know there is demand they will respond faster…
P.S. – sorry about typing or grammar errors, I am posting with my phone and it makes it harder to \”preview\” my text.
Thanks Schrauf post #15,
That was exactly the point I was making. I am FOR this bridge. I just don\’t think we need to freak out and start spurting a bunch of overblown drama. It makes cyclists and our advocates appear naive at best and untrustworthy at worst.
At least the people speaking for the BTA face some accountability. Elly is speaking for herself, while posturing as speaking for us all. Sadly speaking a lot of nonsense to boot.
The truth is powerful enough. No need for outlandish and absurd statements.
John (#27) –
Thank you for your detailed comments. It\’s always good to hear from someone experienced in the process.
You wrote:
\”So stop acting like the reuse of the Sauvie Island bridge as a pedestrian and bicycle crossing over 405 at Flanders is undercutting the other plans elsewhere in the city.\”
I think Tom Potter is to blame for this attitude, at least in large part. His us-vs-them, Eastside vs. West comment at the emergency proposal vote (and in his later \”lifting the fog\” press release) have misled a lot of good folks on the reality of the funding for the Flanders bridge. The error is still out there despite notice by some reporters.
An apology and a clarification from the Mayor\’s office would go a long way towards clearing the air. I plan to write his office and the Oregonian to ask for one.
Quixotic? We\’ll find out.
Gracie (#17) – there **is** currently a plan to deal with the \”mess\” at E Burnside/Sandy/12th already. It\’s the Burnside/Couch couplet project. That entire messy triangle will be obliterated, and turned into a new square city block with bike & ped safety enhancements.
http://www.pdc.us/pubs/inv_detail.asp?id=701&ty=12
I second Steve\’s comments. Stick to the valid reasons for building this bridge and skip over the patently absurd statement that it\’s impossible to travel between these halves of the city.
Sensationalism like that does more harm than good for the just cause of improved biking facilities.
Thanks sasha.
Frequently on this site I hear people complaining about the image being presented by cyclists and how the actions of some, will be detrimental to the image of us all.
Usually this line is taken when chastising helmetless cyclists, silent, bell-less passers, stop sign scofflaws, and the like.
Elly\’s statements were in the form of a Press Release! Think of the ammunition given to our \’enemies\’ by her well intentioned, but outlandish words.
What was she thinking?
Why don\’t you get your own press release, steve?
You can tell everyone all about how it *is* possible to travel safely *and* directly between the two neighborhoods. We still haven\’t heard that argument, but I\’m sure it will be as good as the one about how cars don\’t cause air pollution.
Oh right, you never actually do anything to improve cycling in PDX.
Anyone can go out to Everett and Glisan and I-405 and see that there is are standard sidewalkss and ped X-ing with standard traffic control devices that any pedestrian can use without having special skills. The same goes for biking through here. I agree with Steve and others that the hyperbole should be dropped when advocating for the Flanders Street bridge. I also think it\’s a good idea, but a poor substitute for what will be given up if a Burnside-Couch couplet is built. Couch is currently a very attractive and friendly street for cyclists and pedestrians which will be turned into a major traffic street if the couple it built.
Yeah, \”special skills.\” What a joke. These are dangerous intersections that epitomize why most Portlanders won\’t get on a bike. Just because there is a ped x-ing or a bike lane doesn\’t mean they\’re safe. Or have you changed your entire view of bike lanes, BURR?
Again, if you don\’t like the rhetoric, get your own damn press release. Oh, that\’s right…
IMO, the current bike lanes designs at these intersections make these intersections more dangerous for cyclists, not less dangerous.
And yes, although there are valid reasons for building a Flanders St. Bike Ped bridge, the current rhetoric is pretty disengenuous and damages the credibility of the bike advocates dispensing it.
Frankly BURR, and steve et al, it would be much easier to take your objections seriously if you did anything for improving bike safety in PDX other than b*tching on the bike blog, and by that I mean something more than NOTHING.
@Moo #23 – I was actually including the hawthorne overpass. That crossing at grand and madison is a cluster. If I don\’t get a bus merging into the bike lane from teh shoulder, I get other cyclists flying past me then immediately losing speed on that hill. Not to mention the bus stop at the bottom after the initial ramp.
DJ hurricane-
\” …it would be much easier to take your objections seriously if you did anything for improving bike safety in PDX other than b*tching on the bike blog,…\”
Right back at ya.
You might want to look into some anger control classes before you burst a blood vessel or something.
Alright, hear y\’all loud and clear about the rhetoric detracting from the actual issue. I\’m definitely learning how to do this stuff, often the hard way.
Steve, I do take issue with you saying that I\’m pretending to speak for you or manipulate you or something. Actually, in that press release I\’m explicitly and openly writing on behalf of a variety of folks who have been getting together to try to figure out how to build and focus community support for this project. This is anything but a closed cartel, if you want to have actual input (which would be welcome) it would be easy for you to get involved in more concrete ways that might put a bit more authority behind what you say here. If you can\’t back it up, it\’s just propaganda.
\”If you can\’t back it up, it\’s just propaganda.\”
Actually Elly, that is the charge several people have leveled against you. Perhaps you should try owning up to your words before going on the defensive?
\”I\’m definitely learning how to do this stuff, often the hard way.\”
Perhaps try some schooling first?
Thanks the offer to join your fanclub. I do not join groups that I do not align with. I am sure you are the same. Changing a group dynamic from within is impossible when there is little shared dialogue/opinion to begin with.
Besides, I would have to spend the first day with ya\’ll detailing the many reasons you should not be allowed to speak for us any longer..
Keep up the good work Elly! You can speak for me.
DJ Hurricane – I have no idea who the f*ck you are, but I spent over a dozen years on the City\’s Bicycle Advisory Committee, starting in the early 90\’s, helping to set the stage for the current explosion of cycling in this city.
Wider sidewalks on the Hawthorne bridge? Bike lanes on the Hawthorne viaduct? That\’s right, you\’re welcome.
I\’m retired from that position now, but I will continue to call BS on any project the city claims will help cyclists, when the engineering design and implementation in fact ends up doing the exact opposite.
So what have you done lately except b*tch on bike blogs????
What is this, the Hillary Clinton versus Barack Obama website?
We\’re on the same team people. We ride bikes. We love bikes. We want to make bicycling safer and more accessible for everybody – our two year old nephew, our thirteen year old sister, our 78 year old grandma.
All this in-fighting does nothing.
I saw a 78 year old grandma crossing I-405 on Glisan on foot just this morning and it looked like she could handle it just fine.
My point is that we need both well designed arterial streets that work for cyclists and alternative low- or no-traffic routes for those who want them; it shouldn\’t be an either-or proposition.
Burr, what is your point again? Your last two comments are particularly contradictory. What are you gonna do? Clone the 78 year old lady or morph her travel resolve into a pill everyone can take so they\’ll brave the existing mess, just fine, too?
Those crossings, Everett and Glisan, are just not adequate to safely facilitate crossing of I-405 by considerable numbers of people on foot and bike, just as the Hawthorne Bridge sidewalks weren\’t adequate before they were widened. It doesn\’t take an engineer to figure that out.
The city is changing rapidly. Improvements have to be made to meet the demands of moving a larger population around. Putting off making a needed change 6 years, 10 or 20 years away from today, when the window of opportunity is here now, is not going to improve matters.
My point is that if you advocate only for separated facilities, that is all you will ever get.
The point further above is that it is disingenuous to claim that the Everett and Glisan crossings of I-405 are only safe for \’professional\’ cyclists and walkers, which is plainly a load of crap; \’ordinary\’ people can and do make these crossings many times a day.
You are all missing the point, but maybe it’s because this is a cycling web site.
Saving the Sauvie Island bridge is about much more than a ped/bike crossing, it is about history and sustainability.
As Bill Hoffman from the Office of Transportation testified, “The old bridge is eligible to be on the national register of historic places. It is quite charming, although it\’s not a work of art. But it is unique. The center truss is a parker style truss, which is unique in engineering. They\’re actually disappearing because they\’re becoming obsolete for modern freight. The steel components, the center steel truss and the companion steel side trusses are in fabulous shape.We\’ve mapped where the constraints are, and oddly enough, almost like a glass slipper, the bridge fits perfectly between the cubs and outside of retaining walls of the freeway. In fact, it will be the only bridge that meets the clearance that the feds now require on the freeway, which is ironic.
Sharon Wood-Woortman, an authority on historic bridges, testified,” Portland is a steel bridge city. And more than that, we are a portal steel bridge city. And those are the kind of bridges that you drive through. Very much like the Oregon coast bridges. I think it\’s wrong to scrap the Sauvie Island bridge, and I don\’t have to repeat anything, all the wonderful comments that have been said well before me. Why are bridges seen differently than buildings? Any one of our river bridges is used by more people every day than any single building in Portland. When we wrote the second edition of the book published in 2001, we noted there were a little bit more than 200 truss bridges remaining in the whole state of Oregon. When we published the third edition in December of 2006, we are down to 160 truss bridges. They\’re an endangered species. We are losing them every day. And I get emails every day from groups across United States working hard to save our truss bridges. So this goes way beyond Portland. People are looking at us to see what we\’re going to do with that Sauvie Island bridge. And once they\’re gone, they\’re gone. There are groups like the historic bridge alliance, the historic bridge foundation, and there\’s even a national historic bridge program I\’m sure you\’ve heard about, and Save America\’s Treasures funds. These are considered an American treasure. This isn\’t just the Portland treasure this, is an American treasure. It\’s an Oregon treasure.
Sustainable living refers to an individual or society’s lifestyle that can be sustained with limited exhaustion of natural resources. True sustainability is the goal and it requires making more environmentally-friendly choices to shift from a fossil fuel-based, automobile-centered, economy to a renewable energy-based, diversified transport, reuse and recycle economy.
If the above definition doesn’t define the Sauvie Island bridge project, I would be hard pressed to find a better one for this city.