Happy Saturday everyone.
Since I’ve been covering this diverter thing so closely, I figured I might as well keep holding the thread until the very end. That means I have an update on the story that I will share now instead of waiting for Monday morning.
First, for my latest thinking on the topic, don’t miss my previous story and/or the seven-minute explainer video I shared on Instagram Friday afternoon. Once you’ve done that, scroll down for the big update…
Friday night just after 8:30 pm I received an email from Deputy City Administrator of Public Works Priya Dhanapal (Public Works is the service area that includes the Portland Bureau of Transportation, so Dhanapal is essentially the boss of PBOT). Here’s the text of that email:
“There are no plans to remove the diverters this weekend. The City is coordinating logistics to determine the timing of removal and updates will be provided as they are available.”
My first reaction to this was a text to Connor Lennon, who had been occupying the diverter intersection at NW 20th and Everett since Thursday morning. I wanted to let Connor know he could go home and get some rest because there was no longer an imminent threat of diverter removal.
The City of Portland said the diverters would be removed last week. So for folks who don’t like that plan, this is a win. It shows how an informed community cannot be run over by people in power. But the fight to reach a better solution that addresses concerns the diverters have raised at the Portland Solutions office and Portland Police Bureau, is not over.
The email from Dhanapal validated a tip I received Thursday night about a pause. It makes sense to me and it’s the outcome I’ve predicted for a few days. Why? Because the political optics around this decision to remove the diverters has been bad from the start. To be clear, anyone associated with the removals as initially planned would suffer a very negative political consequence. That’s just my opinion, but it’s one formed by a tremendous amount of perspective and experience based on years of working on this issue in this community. From the moment I heard about this plan it did not smell right, and the evasiveness I’ve experienced from the City of Portland (Portland Solutions and Mayor’s office specifically) in trying to gain more clarity about it has only cemented my views.
A pause is what has always made the most sense — especially because there will be three meetings coming next week where city councilors, city administrators, and Mayor Wilson will have an opportunity to speak to each other publicly and on the record about this issue.
If I was betting on this, I’d say that on Monday we’ll receive some sort of written memo from DCA Dhanapal and/or the Mayor’s Office that lays out their argument for removing the diverters. Either that, or they’ll lay out a new plan in partnership with PBOT for a brief public outreach process to help better inform their goals and to steer the politics in a more positive direction. We’ll see what happens.
Thanks for following along with all this. I highly recommend doing some background reading if you’re not up to speed on this story. See all my posts about it here. Enjoy your weekend!
UPDATE 11:19 am: In related news, the Friends of Couch Park President Kara Colley has issued a letter to her organization saying she supports the diverters. This is notable because Portland Solutions, the Portland Police Bureau, and Mayor Wilson’s office have said that crime at Couch Park is a key part of their rationale for removing the diverters. Colley has been outspoken about crime and open drug us in the park, but she believes the diverters are a good thing for her neighborhood.
Below are excerpts from Colley’s “From the President’s Desk” note sent to members this morning:
“I think calmer, slower car traffic makes our neighborhood safer and more livable… I want to be clear that I support the Portland Police Bureau and the Central Precinct Bike Patrol… I know that there is frequent shoplifting and other crime right outside the Stadium Fred Meyer. I just don’t think that removing the diverters will reduce crime. All diverters must pass police/fire regulations before they are installed, and police can drive around the diverters when necessary.
I heard an interesting idea from a neighbor: The city could leave the diverters in place and remove one parking space and allocate that space to emergency vehicles only. I am in a “yes, and” moment here. I want the PPB to keep our neighborhood safe and I want the traffic diverters to slow down traffic on NW 20th.”
