NOTE: This post was significantly updated at 5:01 pm.
First of all, this memo would not exist if not for BikePortland. This plan to remove the diverters and re-establish NW Johnson at 15th and NW 20th at Everett as two-way streets for drivers (they are currently one way for drivers and two-way for bicycle riders) was slated for implementation without any public notice. Since I intercepted an internal email on August 1st, the community’s resistance to these plans has forced the City of Portland to delay and think twice.
The memo, which was released publicly today at 12:00 noon, was written by City Administrator Michael Jordan (at right). I hoped it would add more clarity, but it has only created more questions. CA Jordan essentially doubles-down on the city’s positions and plans.
With that, here are my thoughts now that I’ve had more time to absorb the memo, followed by a few questions the community still deserves answers to…
Origin of concerns still unclear
CA Jordan did not provide any verifiable evidence about where the “community concerns” they heard about the diverters initially came from. This is a problem because if we can’t verify the origin of these concerns, what is to prevent the Portland Police Bureau, Portland Solutions (the city office that is leading this plan), the Public Environment Management Office (PEMO, a program under Portland Solutions), or any other city office or agency from simply claiming concerns about something in order to create a narrative that forces a certain outcome?
PEMO meetings in violation of public meeting laws?
One reason CA Jordan might not be able to provide this information is because PEMO (the office that hosts “Problem Solver” meetings where business owners, police officials, and residents reportedly shared concerns about the diverters) does not hold public meetings.
Despite being a city office that has influence on City policy and implements its recommendations, PEMO does not make their meetings public. I have confirmed with the City of Portland that PEMO does not keep meeting minutes, meeting agendas, or a list of attendees. I am currently aware of Portlanders who are considering legal action due to this possible violation of public meeting laws. (UPDATE, 8/13: I spoke about this concern with City Councilor Sameer Kanal Tuesday night and he said the Problem Solver meetings are not in violation of state public meeting laws but that their lack of public access is a concern that councilors are looking into.)
Emerson School, really?
The memo lists several business and organizations they claim have been negatively impacted by “public safety” in the corridor around NW 20th and Everett. One of them is the Emerson School, which the memo states, “relocated due to safety concerns.” But the Emerson School didn’t move primarily due to safety concerns. They were renting a temporary space and they moved into a larger space. This is just one example of how Portland Solutions and CA Jordan are trying to build a case with squishy evidence.
(Safety concerns at Couch Park are another stated rationale, but as I reported Saturday, the President of nonprofit Friends of Couch Park is against the diverter removal.)
PBOT didn’t support the plans initially
One of the most interesting things in the memo is how CA Jordan describes PBOT’s initial reaction to their concerns. The memo says that PBOT was approached with the plans and their first response was to do nothing and keep the diverters in place. “However, given the increased access needs and the broader awareness of the extent of the public safety-related issues,” the memo reads, “PBOT ultimately recommended the second option [to remove the diverters].”
The city’s plans make the road more dangerous for bicycle riders and pedestrians
Despite the memo’s claim that the plans, “preserve safe bike and pedestrian access,” it’s a fact that changing a street from a carfree lane to a sharrow-marked lane will make it less safe for bicycling and walking. Portland does not have any adopted city policy or goals that support a change that would make a street more dangerous for bicycling and walking.
What’s perverse about all this is the memo acknowledges that the diverter has reduced crashes. In the five year period prior to its installation there were nine crashes. In the four and-a-half years since they went in there have been three crashes.
About those new stop signs on NW Everett
The plan calls for a new set of stop signs on NW Everett at 20th. This will be the only stop on this stretch of Everett between NW 23rd and NW 19th. And given that Everett is a high-volume neighborhood collector and NW 20th a very minor, residential street, any traffic engineer will tell you there is likely to be very low compliance for these stop signs. In that context, the addition of stop signs and the false sense of security they might provide some road users, could actually add to safety problems at the intersection.
PEMO’s mission statement
PEMO is currently hiring three new staffers to implement plans like these. In that job listing, they state their mission as, “activating public spaces” and, “public space activation to promote economic vitality, community safety, and community use.” There is no precedent for trying to achieve those goals by adding more drivers and cars to a street. In fact, increasing car traffic volume has the opposite impact — which is why all of Portland’s adopted planning documents tell city planners to reduce car use as much as possible.
Some of my remaining questions:
- Will these changes be framed as temporary or a “pilot” from the get-go? If so, what will the metrics for success or failure be?
- Why are PEMO Problem Solver meetings not public? Are any changes planned to make sure they follow public meeting laws?
- If they’ve been working on this plan for 2-3 years, why did they never think to run the idea by City Council, PBOT, or the Bicycle Advisory Committee until now (which remember, is only happening because of public scrutiny)?
- Does CA Jordan and Portland Solutions think these changes will make the street safer for bicycle riders and walkers? If so, can they explain how?
- Did PEMO ever consider just keeping the one-way for drivers and training officers to go around it if/when necessary?
- Are there other neighborhood greenways around Portland that have come up at these Problem Solver meetings? If so, which ones and are they slated for changes too?
I’m off to the Bicycle Advisory Committee meeting. For more on this memo, I highly recommend perusing the amazing and insightful comments over on my previous story.