Regional projects awarded over $16 million in federal grants

The Tonquin Trail was awarded over $5 million.

Last week the Portland Bike Sharing Project stole the limelight as Metro’s Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (JPACT) voted on a package of projects to receive the 2014-15 allocation of federal “regional flexible funding“.

As per a hard-fought compromise, 75% of the $23 million in project funding was targeted for active transportation projects (freight got the other 25%) throughout the metro region.

The total amount was about $16.5 million. So, what other projects made the cut? Below is a breakdown:

Washington County

Hillsboro Regional Center: Oak and Baseline (Grant amount: $500,000 – Total: $557,227)
This project will put two key thoroughfares in downtown Hillsboro on a road diet. Oak and Baseline from 1st to 10th Avenue will be re-configured from two standard lanes in one direction to two lanes. The project will focus on calming traffic and improving access for people biking and walking. “A road diet on Baseline and Oak Streets would make these streets safer, multimodal, and pedestrian-oriented,” reads the project description. The grant is for planning and development of the project, not construction.

West Fork of the Tonquin Trail-Cedar Creek Greenway Trail (Grant: $5,112,000 – Total: $5,697,091)
This project will design and build a major portion of the west fork of the Tonquin Trail in Sherwood that will result in, “a major multi-modal travel corridor within Sherwood connecting sections of the City currently separated and without adequate pedestrian connections.” More info

City of Portland

East Portland Active Transportation to Transit (Grant: $3,373,000 million – Total: $3,759,055)
This grant will fund about nine miles of new bikeways in east Portland including bikeways on arterials like Division and Holgate as well as neighborhood greenways. More info.

Portland Bike Sharing Project (Grant: $2,000,000 – Total cost: $2,228,909)
This grant will fund the start-up costs of the Portland Bike Sharing system. PBOT is still hammering out final details — which we’ll learn more about once they’ve drafted a request for proposals — but Portland’s bike sharing system is likely to include around 750 bikes and 74 kiosks. The system will be focused mostly on the downtown core and the central city. More info.

SE Foster Road Safety Enhancement and Streetscape Project (50th-84th) (Grant: $1,250,000 – Total: $1,393,068)
This project will include a host of improvements aimed at making SE Foster Road (a major arterial) safer and more vibrant. The project includes money for new crossings, bus stop investments, bike parking, public art, signal upgrades and more.

East Multnomah County

Arata Road Improvements (Grant: $1,669,000 – Total: $1,860,025)
This project will construct, “sidewalks, bike lanes, lighting, landscaping and drainage improvements on the south side of Arata Road between NE Wood Village Boulevard and NE 238th Avenue. It will also enhance a 500-foot long multi-modal path within a portion of unimproved County right of way (ROW) that connects Arata Rd. with Halsey St. to the north.

Clackamas County

17th Avenue Multi-use Trail (Grant: $2,969,000 – Total: $3,308,815)
This exciting project will construct a multi-use trail on the west side of SE 17th Avenue in the City of Milwaukie between Harrison Street at Hwy 99E and Ochoco Street. The MUP will connect two major pathways — the Trolley Trail (nearly complete) and the Springwater Corridor.

We’ll share more about all these projects as they get closer to breaking ground. You can learn more about each of them in this Metro document (PDF).

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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q`Tzal
q`Tzal
12 years ago

Link at end of article is 404; so is the equivalent link on Oregonmetro.gov.
?!?
Shot them an email about it.

q`Tzal
q`Tzal
12 years ago
Reply to  q`Tzal
wsbob
wsbob
12 years ago
Reply to  q`Tzal

I still got a ‘Not Found’ when I clicked on the link for the PDF.

The following statement from the description of improvements to be made in Hillsboro…maybe someone can explain what it means, because I’m having difficulty making sense of it:

“Oak and Baseline from 1st to 10th Avenue will be re-configured from two standard lanes in one direction to two lanes.”

q`Tzal
q`Tzal
12 years ago
Reply to  wsbob

They changed the file name / link AGAIN.
I only just checked it because I got a reply to my email to Metro.
This is accurate for now: (20111214T1306)
http://library.oregonmetro.gov/files//rffa_project_program_descriptions.pdf

When I initially found the error I went rooting around their website like ol` timey whitehat. After a few minutes I noticed their “Regional flexible funding” page’s link to the “2014-15 RFFA project and program descriptions” had changed.

Unit
Unit
12 years ago
Reply to  wsbob

It should say from 3 to 2 in each direction.

Art Fuldodger
Art Fuldodger
12 years ago

Jonathan, the “around the horn” project on N Lombard west of Columbia Blvd. (which doesn’t show up on your list because it has a “freight” designation) should also provide a badly needed missing connexion for bicyclists (via bike lane) to the Kelley Point Park/Smith & Bybee area.

It makes for a great loop ride:

see ride #2 : http://www.portlandonline.com/transportation/index.cfm?c=36638&a=339920

but the bend in Lombard near St. Johns is short but really unpleasant (no shoulder) – especially at times when there’s a lot of traffic/trucks. Really happy this is going to be fixed!

Joe
Joe
12 years ago

Awesome the remote Island to aka Wilsonville will have connection?

K'Tesh
K'Tesh
12 years ago

Great to hear that Washington County got that $$ for the Tonquin Trail. I’ve seen a presentation on it, and it looks like a nice trail.

Paul H
Paul H
12 years ago

I ride that stretch of 17th every workday. I don’t think a multi-use trail there will benefit everyday bikers all that much — the bike lane there is pretty good — but it’ll do wonders for pedestrians and more tentative cyclists.

It’s the transition at the sound end of the Milwaukie waterfront that holds more interest for me. Right now, you can (a) take the longer and non-obvious path behind the water treatment plant, (b) take your chances on 99E itself under the railroad trestle, or (c) try one of the gravel paths alongside 99E under the trestle.

Choice (c) is largely a no-go if the ground is wet, and it’s not a great choice with 23C tires even when it’s dry. I usually choose (b), but I’ll be the first to admit that I wouldn’t want my children riding that route in traffic. Choice (a) isn’t bad for southbound riders, especially if they’re veering off onto River Rd., but it’s somewhat inconvenient for folks heading north.

Dave Thomson
Dave Thomson
12 years ago
Reply to  Paul H

Paul – the Trolley Trail project is putting in a MUP on the W side of 99E from the Jefferson St boat ramp to Park Ave, including under the railroad tracks. If they haven’t already broken ground it should be soon. I do agree this isn’t ideal for commuters, especially going northbound on 99E.

Paul Hanrahan
Paul Hanrahan
12 years ago

The piece of the trail at River Road won’t be upgraded until the Max line goes in.

Andrew Seger
Andrew Seger
12 years ago
Reply to  Paul Hanrahan

I thought none of this money is even available before 2013 though. The orange line should be pretty far along at that point.

GlowBoy
GlowBoy
12 years ago

Glad to hear about the Tonquin Trail. Sounds like that will be a real jewel when it’s done.

Agree with Paul H that the existing bike lanes on 17th aren’t too bad, but that a formal MUP connection between the Springwater and the Trolley will be a boon for more casual users. As for the connection to the Trolley Trail from the water treatment plant, I have wider cyclocross-ish tires and prefer option (c) myself, because (a) takes you in a direction away from the Trolley Trail and to a spot where getting back to it involves unnecessary steep climbing … but an improved connection sure would be welcome.

I do have to say I’m not often surprised at the cost of public works projects, but I am a bit surprised they need $3M to do the Milwaukie project. Is there land acquisition on (expensive) 17th involved, driving up the price?

matt picio
12 years ago
Reply to  GlowBoy

There’s no “unnecessary steep climbing” unless you turn onto River Road. Bluebird St takes you right back to 99E and drops you off on the bike lane, or the dirt trail which will eventually become the Trolley Trail. The trail next to the treatment plant takes you 3 blocks out of your way, but allows timid cyclists to skip both the incredible disappearing bike lane on 99E and the right-hook traffic trying to get onto River Road.

Paul H
Paul H
12 years ago
Reply to  matt picio

The construction crews were out on 99E this morning. To my eye, it looks as if the MUP is what’s getting the attention.

GlowBoy
GlowBoy
12 years ago
Reply to  matt picio

Guess I missed the Bluebird turn when I did it, and ended up doing the big hill instead rather than going that far out of my way…

Serena
Serena
12 years ago

Yay Foster! It really does need a lot of help. Anything will make a big difference in safety at this point.

Chris
Chris
12 years ago
Reply to  Serena

Ditto on Foster. This is one area in need of a lot of help. What a nightmare it is to ride in this area.

Kristen
Kristen
12 years ago

I’m excited about the Tonquin Trail project; looks like it will be an excellent regional transportation and recreation corridor for us. Fingers crossed we can get it built soon!

Joe
Joe
12 years ago

I have a dream one day riding from Wilsonville to Portland on a Trail built for bike transport. yup nice 40miles daily. 🙂 beats driving