and plants coexist.
(Photo © J. Maus)
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.