Attention, car parking policy aficionados. There are two opportunities for you to speak out about parking plans in Portland’s Boise and Central Eastside neighborhoods right now.
First, if you’re looking for something that involves some time commitment (and you live, work or frequently visit the Boise neighborhood): the Portland Bureau of Transportation is working on a “comprehensive parking management plan” for the Boise neighborhood and is seeking 11-15 volunteers for an advisory committee to oversee the plan. PBOT states this plan could “include a new kind of parking permit program, with new tools and techniques to try out and potentially parking meters.”
“Members will help advise on every aspect of the plan, including the process for outreach, planning, and decision-making; the boundaries of the study area; the boundaries, hours, and rules of a possible permit program; as well as ways to make any changes to parking more equitable and sustainable,” PBOT states in the application. “Members do not need parking expertise but should be familiar with their local area parking patterns and issues.”
PBOT is looking for a diversity of perspectives and interests on the committee, including from people who live and work in the Boise area and Black residents who were displaced from north and northeast Portland who frequently visit the Boise and Albina neighborhoods. Members will be expected to attend 10-15 two-hour meetings between April 2023 and June 2024. The meetings will be held virtually or in a hybrid in-person/virtual format. Applications are due February 28th, and you can apply here.
For something involving much less time commitment: the Central Eastside Industrial Council (CEIC) is asking people to fill out an online survey about their thoughts on transportation and parking options in and around the Central Eastside. This is part of the CEIC’s ongoing Parking Master Plan efforts.
“Do you regularly walk, bike, drive, ride, or roll into the Central Eastside? Do you have thoughts about how the CEIC, the City of Portland, and other organizations can shape the future of our District?” the survey asks. “As part of our ongoing effort to leverage the transportation and parking systems within the Central Eastside that supports employment, tourism, and business growth, we seek your input on how employees, residents, and visitors access the district.”
The CEIC survey includes several questions about where respondents live and work and their experience with parking and transportation in the Central Eastside. If you take the survey, you’ll have a chance to win a gift bag with products from Central Eastside businesses. You can find the survey here.