SW Third Avenue in Old Town. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
(Source: Mayor Wheeler’s Office)
Starting tonight, a 12-block section of downtown Portland will be off-limits to cars two nights a week.
It’s part of an effort from Mayor Ted Wheeler’s office to improve safety and reduce gun violence in Old Town Chinatown’s entertainment district. Wheeler hosted a press conference Tuesday at Kells Irish Pub to announce the plan. “As we emerge out from the pandemic, the crowds in Old Town have returned by the tens-of-thousands. The streets are jamming up — particularly on weekends — and people need more room to spread out,” Wheeler said. “We need bigger sidewalks. We need more room for pedestrians. In lieu of that, we’re going to close lanes and streets to give people the elbow room they need to move around more freely and enjoy themselves.”
If this sounds like deja-vu, that’s because the City of Portland first made the connection between crime and cars in this area in 2009 and then expanded it further in 2012 at the behest of former Mayor Sam Adams. Last summer, Adams found himself working on the issue again as a top Wheeler advisor. According to The Oregonian, when the carfree zone and added security detail lapsed during the pandemic, safety in Old Town plummeted. After a back-and-forth with the transportation bureau and local business owners over permitting of barricades to prevent the violence, a temporary solution was found.
Wheeler’s announcement this week marks a more permanent solution to the ongoing concerns.
The new entertainment district will be twice the size of the previous version. Wheeler has given authority to the Portland Police Bureau to ban vehicles between NW 1st Avenue and NW 5th Avenue and West Burnside to NW Everett on Friday and Saturday evenings. The carfree zone will likely be in effect from around 9:00 pm to 3:00 am (I haven’t heard back on requests to clarify the exact times).
In addition to not allowing vehicles into this 12-block area, Wheeler said the PPB will deploy a “small” team of officers to patrol the area and will install additional lighting. It also “builds upon work to remove problematic encampments that block the right-of-way,” Wheeler said Tuesday. They also hope the new carfree zone will encourage people to ride transit into the area instead of driving.
Previous iterations of the entertainment district did not allow bicycle riders through the zone. Now that it’s twice as large, and would impact major cycling routes like SW 3rd and 4th avenues, we’re curious if bike traffic will be permitted. We’ve reached out to Hardesty and Wheeler’s office to find out more and have yet to hear back.
Corkers blocking drivers on NE Grand Avenue during a ride on June 4th, 2020. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
Who’s ready for the weekend? Here’s our hand-picked selection of the best rides and events coming your way. For more suggestions, see the BikePortland Calendar.
Friday, September 23rd
Corker Appreciation Ride – 6:30 pm at Ladd Circle Park (SE) Corkers (people who stop cross traffic during large group rides) put their lives on the line for us. This ride is your chance to say “thanks” (and get a cool sticker). More info here.
Saturday, September 24th
Sorella Forte Women’s Group Road Ride – 9:00 am at River City Bicycles (SE) The Sorellas are one of Portland’s largest cycling clubs and they welcome all female-identifying riders on this long-running weekly ride. More info here.
Free Basic Bike Repairs – 11:00 am to 3:00 pm at Main City Park in Gresham Nonprofit Bikes for Humanity will do free basic bike fixes. All you’ve got to do is show up to the park. If you have a bike to donate, you can also drop it off with them at this event. More info here.
Rocky Point Trails Ride – 4:30 pm at Rocky Point (Scappoose) Join NW Trail Alliance for this beginner-intermediate group ride on the fun singletrack out at beautiful Rocky Point riding area. Must be NWTA member and register to take part. More info here.
Alice Awards – 5:00 to 7:30 pm at Lloyd Center (NE) Help raise money for The Street Trust and cheer on local transportation leaders at this annual gala event. Stay late for a special edition of Secret Roller Disco on the smooth floors of the old Marshalls store! More info here.
Sunday, September 25th
Harvest Century – All day at McMenamins Grand Lodge (Forest Grove) Choose from 25, 30, 35, 40, 55-mile looped routes from Washington County Fairgrounds in Hillsboro. Registration includes breakfast, lunch & dinner, tasty rest stops every 15 miles, custom rider bib, maps + well-marked courses, medical and mechanical support, SAG vans, live music and 2 McMenamins beers, ciders or wines! More info here.
NE 7th & Tillamook Block Party – 4:00 pm The neighbors who are fighting for a safer lower NE 7th want to bask in the calm vibe of their temporarily carfree street and talk about how to make it permanent. More info here.
Ride Leader & Volunteer Appreciation Soirée – 6:00 pm at Peninsula Park (N) If you led one of the 800 or so (!) Pedalpalooaza rides this year or helped make Bike Summer happen, show up and be treated to a wonderful night of friends, food, drinks, and other surprises. More info here.
Promoting an event? Know about something we should boost? Please let us know and we’ll get it on the calendar.
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This would probably be considered “innovative mobility.” (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
Interested in using federal infrastructure funds for a cool active transportation project? You’re in luck, because the Oregon Department of Transportation’s Innovative Mobility Program (IMP) is now accepting grant applications, and organizations across the state can get up to $5,000 for project ideas that align with the IMP’s goals.
The IMP is a new statewide initiative funded by the President Biden’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) that “aims to improve access to public transportation, reduce the number of trips Oregonians make by car, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” Applicants can include local governments, public transportation providers, Tribes and certified nonprofits who can demonstrate their project idea will “support historically excluded groups and increases social equity.”
“The IMP has a special focus on equity and helping historically excluded groups to get to where they need to go more quickly, cheaply and safely,” ODOT states.
An ODOT slide explaining the IMP.
ODOT says these IMP grants could fund projects like bike/scooter lending libraries and share programs, community events like Sunday Parkways, safety education and awareness programs and more.
The IMP is the last big contribution to Oregon’s transportation department from outgoing transportation commissioner Alando Simpson, who came up with the idea for the program when the OTC was deciding how to divvy up IIJA money. Simpson was able to negotiate $10 million in federal funds for the IMP, and thanks to state contributions, they’ll have $20 million for the program for 2022-2025.
Transportation and climate advocates wanted to use the rare influx of flexible funding the IIJA offered to fund programs that would reduce Oregonians’ reliance on fossil fuels. Policymakers and activists pushed the OTC to avoid using IIJA funds for freeway expansion projects or other car-oriented projects. But ultimately the Commission allocated about an eighth ($50 million) of the flexible federal money to “complete a number of highway and interchange improvements to streamline the movement of goods,” a.k.a. freeway expansions, which Simpson was supportive of.
“I just need to come up with something more creative and trigger a new market opportunity for us to get into cleaner forms of transportation,” he said at a meeting back in March. “Like alternative forms of transportation that can address our climate and social challenges.”
The existence of this program shows how important just one member of the OTC can be in shaping Oregon’s transportation system, and why there’s so much attention on Governor Kate Brown’s most recent pick.
There’s no deadline for the applications, as grants will be awarded on a rolling basis over the next three years. You can find the application and more information on the IMP program website.
Senator Lee Beyer (bottom right) at the virtual Rules Committee meeting on Wednesday. Committee Chair Rob Wagner (D-Lake Oswego) is in the upper left and Senator Kathleen Taylor (D-Milwaukie) is on bottom left.
“I’m concerned about the roads for Oregon’s economy… I like to say that Oregon’s economy moves on wheels and those wheels need something to roll on.”
-Lee Beyer
Yesterday afternoon, the Oregon Senate Interim Committee On Rules and Executive Appointments heard from the more than 60 of Governor Kate Brown’s nominees to various state boards and commissions. Among those nominees was outgoing state Senator Lee Beyer, who Brown has nominated to one of the five spots on the Oregon Transportation Commission much to the chagrin of many concerned Oregonians.
The OTC is a powerful body that oversees the Oregon Department of Transportation and their $5 billion budget.
Some leaders from prominent transportation and environmental groups see Beyer’s appointment as a step in the wrong direction, with some opponents saying Beyer’s appointment will “double down on the past” instead of looking to the future with “more inclusive, representative transportation decision-making.”
“In these divisive times, it is imperative that we continue to support and celebrate leaders like Senator Beyer.”
– Andrew Hoan, Portland Business Alliance
Beyer will replace Alando Simpson, a much younger, Black member of the commission. In the Portland Mercury yesterday, Beyer brushed off those concerns. “Transportation is transportation,” Beyer told the Mercury. He also said opposition to the I-5 Rose Quarter freeway expansion is “baffling” and “noted he is ‘not a complete believer’ in induced demand.”
Despite this surge of opposition, no senators on the Rules Committee took up concerns with Beyer’s appointment, and nobody spoke up in opposition to him at the meeting’s public comment period. After Beyer had a chance to introduce himself to the committee, they moved forward with his nomination as standard procedure.
One group did show support for Beyer in response to community backlash over his nomination: the Portland Business Alliance (an organization activists have deemed one of Portland’s ‘climate villains’). President and CEO Andrew Hoan submitted a letter of support for Beyer’s nomination, stating the senator is “perhaps the most prepared Oregonian to serve on the OTC,” having “proven to possess a deep knowledge of the transportation needs of the entire state and will collaborate with his colleagues and stakeholders to advance the balanced transportation solutions we will need in the 21st century.”
“Senator Beyer has unquestionably been one of Oregon’s most effective leaders advancing multi-modal transportation infrastructure, and modernization policy and funding proposals in Oregon. He has successfully worked to find the right balance between expanding transportation access, supporting the movement of goods, maintaining our infrastructure, and reducing carbon emissions,” Hoan writes. “In these divisive times, it is imperative that we continue to support and celebrate leaders like Senator Beyer.”
Advocates say Beyer’s “balance” between transportation objectives has been heavily weighted toward driving-centric infrastructure. Over his time in the Oregon senate, Beyer supported projects like the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program plan to expand I-5 from Portland to Vancouver and its failed predecessor, the Columbia River Crossing. He also shot down a bill to increase state funding for biking and walking infrastructure.
When speaking at yesterday’s Rules Committee meeting, Beyer addressed community apprehensions that he’s “only concerned about roads,” saying that claim is not true.
“I would draw people’s attention back to what we did in 2017,” Beyer said, referring to the transportation legislature House Bill 2017, which he was a primary champion of. Beyer said this bill included the “largest infusion in the state’s history in expanding transit,” a “solid commitment” to Safe Routes to Schools infrastructure and “dedicated funding to off-road bicycle paths.”
In his remarks (read them in full below), Beyer said he thinks roads are important for the state’s economy.
“One point that I would make – I am concerned about the roads and I’m concerned about the roads for Oregon’s economy. Oregon is an exporting state. A lot of the products that we use and find in our stores get there on a truck,” he said. “I like to say that Oregon’s economy moves on wheels and those wheels need something to roll on.”
That push was led by The Street Trust Executive Director Sarah Iannarone who posted her reaction to Twitter this morning. “Governor Brown dismissing out-of-hand concerns from 30+ leading advocacy orgs and coalitions on this matter is really disheartening,” she wrote. “If she’s not listening to us, who’s she listening to?”
Sam Balto, a PE teacher at Alameda Elementary School, captains this morning’s bike bus down NE Klickitat Street. (Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland – Full Gallery Below)
“Every school should have this.”
– Danny Cage, Oregon Environmental Justice Council
We were impressed by how many kids and parents showed up to the Alameda Elementary School bike bus when we covered it back in April. But now it’s more than twice that size!
This morning Taylor and I rode with Alameda Physical Education Teacher Bike Bus Leader Sam Balto and we’re happy to report that it’s alive and well. Balto estimates about 170 people now take part each week. He’s even heard about some kids who’ve dusted off bikes and practiced their pedaling just so they could join the bike bus. “That to me is the best compliment to this whole thing,” he said. “This thing has really taken off. And it just kind of goes to show the joy that bikes create and the importance of being consistent, doing this every week, and promoting it.”
We met near Wilshire Park on NE 37th. The group was big at the start, but it grew bigger as we absorbed more kids and their parents with each block we passed. Two huge groups came together at NE Alameda and Klickitat and by the time we made the final descent west to the school on NE 27th, the bike bus took over several blocks with curb-to-curb kids.
(Left to right: Danny Cage, Sam Balto, Bryonie McMahon)
“The bike bus is climate action. If you were to do this every day and fund it properly, you’d see really incredible environmental benefits.”
– Sam Balto, Alameda Elementary School bike bus leader
Riding with the group this week were two high school seniors who I think we’ll be hearing a lot about in the coming years. Danny Cage, fresh off his appointment to the board of the Oregon Environmental Justice Council; and Portland Public Schools Board Student Rep Byronie McMahon both loved what they saw. “This is such an awesome way to get to school. I know there are many other schools that can use something like this,” McMahon said. “I’m going to fight at the state to make this happen.”
“Every school should have this,” Cage added.
And that’s what will happen if Balto’s plan comes together. He’s already working on a bill this coming legislative session that would significantly raise the bike bus profile. “Right now, school districts can only spend student transportation funds on school buses, and we want to give school districts the choice and give them more options to be able to fund things like walking school buses or bike buses,” Balto said.
McMahon said with the legislative session coming up, she’s starting to think about what priorities PPS should focus on. “Let’s make it happen!” she said with enthusiasm. “The joy in the kids is so great to see. Sometimes as a high schooler you kind of lose sight of that. That’s why this is so awesome.”
It’s also awesome for the environment. Balto surveyed parents of bike bus riders at the beginning of summer and asked how they got to school on non-bike bus days (it only happens once per week currently). Over 35% of the parents surveyed said they normally drive their kid to school. “That really goes to show that the bike bus is climate action and that we’re removing car trips from the road. If you were to extrapolate that out and do this every day and fund it properly, you’d see really incredible environmental benefits.”
Balto’s viral TikTok video is inspiring people around the world to start bike buses at their own schools. He says if you want to get started, just find another family to ride with, make a map with meeting times, then share it with everyone you can. “Be inclusive and be consistent,” Balto added. “People are going to come. Bikes sell themselves.”
The North Portland Greenway project will get $4.8 million to build a paved path through “Baltimore Woods” north of Cathedral Park.
“We believe the needs of our marginalized voices are being ignored. The disparity of funding that is coming out to Washington County is stark.”
– Steve Callaway, Mayor of Hillsboro
Last spring, we looked atsome of the projects transportation agencies in the Portland metro area asked Metro to fund through their 2025-2027 Regional Flexible Funds Allocation (RFFA) cycle. Now, Metro’s Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (JPACT) has selected 11 of these projects to recommend Metro fund, split up between various jurisdictions in the region.
Regional flexible funds – deemed “flexible” because local jurisdictions have discretion over how the money is spent, unlike with many other prescribed federal funding programs – consists of federal transportation money distributed to transportation agencies via Metro. This flexibility “allows for greater focus on local priorities and innovative solutions to transportation challenges”– a.k.a. not car-oriented highway projects.
Metro received public comment for the projects and the Metro Transportation Policy Alternatives Committee (TPAC) took several months to decide which were the right picks to receive funding. Some of the projects not approved for funding through the RFFA process will receive money through the Parks Bond measure, which Metro Council will sign off on at the end of this month.
Some policymakers outside Portland are disappointed about projects left unfunded in their areas and are using this process as an opportunity to start a larger conversation about fairness in regional investment fairness.
“Washington County is the most diverse county in the state. But we believe that a lot of the needs of our marginalized voices are being ignored. The disparity of funding that is coming out to Washington County is stark,” Hillsboro Mayor Steve Callaway said at the September 15th JPACT meeting. “It is also worth noting that there are cities in Washington County that did not even bring projects forward because they knew that they would not receive any votes that would increase their standing.”
One project in Washington County that TPAC did not initially approve funding for is the Allen Blvd Complete Streets project in Beaverton. But during last week’s JPACT meeting, policymakers opted to move some of their allocated money around to ensure they could begin work on the project.
“We can’t leave Allen Blvd unfunded. We have the most diversity in Beaverton concentrated in Allen Blvd. It’s a corridor in a community that has been historically underfunded when it comes to transportation improvement,” Washington County Commissioner Nafisa Fai said. “We’re going to fight among our small crumbs and make an amendment to move $500,000 of the Fanno Creek funding to Allen Blvd. Then we’ll make up the difference and figure out how we can get both projects up and ready in Washington County.”
Washington County received about $9 million in RFFA funds compared to the more than $33 million designated for Multnomah County/City of Portland projects. That left about $4.5 million for two projects in Clackamas County. Representatives from Washington and Clackamas Counties asked to have a discussion about regional parity in funding allocation in the next RFFA cycle, which won’t begin talks until 2024.
Since Metro plans how to spend this funding so early, we’ll have to wait until at least 2025 to see any real action on these projects. But after they sign off on them on October 13th, at least the first step will be done.
Below are the projects JPACT has approved for Metro Council to sign off on. Since not all of these received the full funding they requested, their descriptions may be subject to change.
City of Portland
The City of Portland applied for funding for nine projects and received funding for three, leaving six unfunded. The biggest are the SE 7th Ave Complete Street Project and the SW Taylors Ferry Walkway & Bikeway project, which Portland wanted about $11 and $10 million for respectively. Now the city will need to come up with a new source of funding if they want to build those projects. Portland received funding for three projects, outlined below:
148th Ave Safety and Access to Transit ($7,100,335)
NE/SE 148th Ave (Halsey – Powell). Improve existing bike lanes, add enhanced crossings and support planned new TriMet bus line. Addresses high priority PedPDX crossing needs throughout the corridor.
NE Cully Blvd / NE 57th Ave Complete Street Project ($7,643,201)
NE Cully Blvd / 57th Ave (Prescott – Klickitat) Fill sidewalk gap on west side of 57th and widen narrow sidewalk on east side of 57th from Fremont to Failing.Provide protected bike lanes from Klickitat to Prescott. Add transit islands at Mason and new crossings at Failing and Skidmore.
North Portland Greenway – Columbia Bl to Cathedral Pk ($4,860,647)
N Columbia Blvd, N Bruce Ave, N Reno Ave, and N Catlin Ave. Bike and pedestrian bridge at N Columbia Blvd at Chimney Park, paved multi-use path at Baltimore Woods, and connections to and improvements throughout N Portland greenways in St Johns area.
Regional
NE 162nd Avenue Complete Street plan – City of Gresham ($7,575,882)
The project will construct continuous and ADA-compliant sidewalks, curbs, curb ramps, and buffered bicycle lanes from NE Glisan Street to NE Halsey Street. Improvements at the NE 162nd Avenue and NE Holladay Street intersection will include construction of sidewalks, ADA-compliant curb ramps, signal backer plates and more protection for bicyclists at the intersection. To support access to transit, the project will construct a Rectangular Rapid Flash Beacon crossing at NE Holladay Street to access the bus stops adjacent to the new affordable housing constructed on the Albertina Kerr campus.
Beaverton Creek Trail – Tualatin Hills Parks & Rec ($2,055,647)
The project will include final engineering, permitting and construction of a 1.5‐mile, 12-foot wide regional trail segment which will provide a critical and direct connection to transit, employment, commercial centers, and existing THPRD facilities.
Council Creek Trail – Washington County ($5,511,000)
The proposed project would design and implement 20 street and driveway crossings along the Council Creek Regional Trail corridor between Adams Avenue in Hillsboro and Douglas Street in Forest Grove. These crossings would facilitate safe, convenient, and comfortable connections for people walking, biking or rolling between the centers of Forest Grove, Cornelius and Hillsboro. The project includes enhanced crossings at 13 arterial and collector roadways, and minor investments at 7 additional local street and driveway crossings, including associated traffic calming elements.
Fanno Creek Trail – City of Tigard ($1,106,705
The proposed project would provide critical site analysis to prepare for funding, easement acquisition, design, and construction of the most technically challenging trail gap between SW Bonita Road to SW Durham Road. The trail alignment moves users south from SW Bonita Road, along the east bank of Fanno Creek, through the Bonita Natural Area, and connects to existing bike lane and sidewalk on SW Durham Road. The trail will be 12 feet wide with shoulders (as shown in the cross section). Bridges and boardwalks will be 14 feet wide.
I-205 Multi-Use Path – Clackamas County ($1,094,858)
The I-205 Multiuse Path (205 MUP) provides a near continuous off-street facility from Vancouver, Washington to Gladstone with the exception of a one-mile gap between Hwy. 212 and Hwy. 224 in Clackamas County. This project will develop a community-backed design solution for a preferred route within the one-mile gap in order to facilitate non-vehicle transportation and improve safety and accessibility.
NE Sandy Boulevard Complete Street: Gresham City Limits to NE 230th Avenue – Multnomah County ($6,500,000)
The purpose of this project is to transform NE Sandy Boulevard from Gresham City Limits to NE 230th Avenue into a complete street. This designated active transportation and freight corridor will be improved to increase the safety, comfort, and connectivity for multimodal users by filling in critical network gaps and implementing proven safety countermeasures to reduce fatal and serious injury crashes. The project is aligned with the regional investment priorities, including safety, equity, climate, and congestion relief.
The proposed design maintains two (2) through lanes, adds a center turn lane/turn lane at strategic locations, and fills the pedestrian and bicycle and facility gap(s) along NE Sandy Boulevard between Gresham City Limits and 230th Avenue. In most locations, sidewalks will be buffered with a landscape strip and bicycle facilities will be buffered to provide additional separation.
Willamette Falls Drive Multimodal Project – City of West Linn ($3,497,580)
This regionally significant multimodal and safety improvements project will greatly enhance bike, pedestrian, and transit mobility along Willamette Falls Drive between 16th St. and Ostman Rd. The proposed project will result in the continuation of uninterrupted, grade-separated protected bicycle paths and sidewalks with a consistent two lane vehicle cross section. The project is focused on multimodal safety and largely fills a gap in this regional bike corridor that parallels I-205. In addition to safety improvements, the project will improve equitable access to dedicated bike and pedestrian facilities providing a direct connection to the City’s Historic Main Street business center.
Allen Blvd Complete Street Plan – City of Beaverton ($500,000)
The Allen Boulevard Complete Street Plan project will undertake a planning process to identify transportation investments with community input and engagement in alignment with the City’s adopted Context Sensitive Design policy. The project will develop a plan to create a multimodal corridor that prioritizes mobility and access for people with a range of needs and physical abilities.Design alternatives will consider wider sidewalks with street trees, pedestrian crossing treatments, protected bike lanes, improved transit stops, and street lighting. The project will also consider new traffic signals, signal timing changes and transit signal priority to help keep buses on schedule. The roadway’s existing constrained right of way will prompt the project to explore right of way acquisition, as well as narrowing travel lanes and a three-lane cross-section.
All racers took part in a ceremonial “Lap for Luciano”. (Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
The Portland Trophy Cup cyclocross race series is always a special event. It’s held at a venue so close to where many folks live (Portland International Raceway, just north of downtown Kenton), that it draws just as many spectators as racers. That gives it more of a community hang-out vibe than most other races. And there’s just something about an after-work, weekday race that hits the spot (same goes for Mt. Tabor Circuit Race, MTB Short Track, and others great local events). Add in the darkness that shrouds the final races and a course that goes right through the team tent area and you’ve got a great recipe for fun.
But last night there was something more than just copious amounts of dust hanging in the air. The death of local racing fan and devoted announcer Luciano Bailey was made public earlier in the day and his presence was dearly missed. Many Portlanders can easily conjure the image of Luciano perched somewhere near the start/finish line, serenading the crowd and racers with his signature heartfelt banter. He was a regular at PIR and it wasn’t the same without him.
“As you ride, talk about him. Talk about bikes. Talk about bike racing. Just celebrate Luciano and enjoy what he gave to OBRA and to all of us. We just want to remember him.”
– Dave Roth, OBRA
OBRA official Dave Roth addressed the crowd.A photo of Luciano at the registration table.
Midway through last night’s races, the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association held a ceremonial lap around the course to honor Luciano. OBRA official Dave Roth addressed hundreds of riders before the lap. “As you ride, talk about him. Talk about bikes. Talk about bike racing,” Roth said, fighting back tears. “Just celebrate Luciano and enjoy what he gave to OBRA and to all of us. We just want to remember him.”
And remember him, they did!
The lap for Luciano was part of a wonderful night of racing. There were so many smiles and even more hugs and high-fives than usual.
Trophy Cup has seen huge field sizes this year as Portland’s racing scene springs back to life after the lean Covid years. Our local bike racing scene has always had a strong, close-knit community vibe, and being separated by the pandemic and losing people we love has reminded us all how lucky we are to share these experiences together.
I cannot think of a better way to honor Luciano than to keep building a fun, competitive, inclusive racing scene. Thanks to organizer Clint Culpepper, all the teams and all the sponsors that make Trophy Cup possible! Stay tuned for a video of the action. For now, check out more images below.
I-5 northbound through the Rose Quarter. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
Now that the City of Portland and the Albina Vision Trust have both signed onto Oregon Department of Transportation plans to expand I-5 at the Rose Quarter it may seem like smooth sailing for the controversial project. And if Governor Kate Brown gets her wish, pro-freeway candidate Lee Beyer will be the next member of the Oregon Transportation Commission (OTC), which would give the project even more institutional support within the state legislature.
But it’s not exactly a well-paved road ahead. People who oppose the project aren’t going to back down, and there are some thorny issues left to navigate. Here’s a rundown of recent developments:
The Tubman Middle School dilemma
Youth vs ODOT protesters during a demonstration held in the Harriet Tubman Middle School parking lot in March. (Photo: Taylor Griggs/BikePortland)
Last week, the Oregonian reported Portland Public Schools (PPS) has narrowed down its choices for where to relocate Harriet Tubman Middle School. The school currently sits adjacent to I-5 and ODOT’s project will bring lanes even closer to students’ lungs. Tubman Middle School (and its students and staff) has been a pawn in the freeway expansion plan and previous proposals for relocation have drawn a lot of ire.
PPS promised to keep the middle school within the current community boundaries, but it’s been difficult for them to find a suitable site. The two locations the district has its eye on now are: the Jefferson High School campus on NE Killingsworth Street and the current PPS headquarters located right across I-5 from Tubman’s current location.
According to The Oregonian, both of these potential sites have downsides. Adding a middle school to the Jefferson High School campus could result in problems for both middle and high schoolers, who would have to share a limited amount of athletic space. The Jefferson High School campus, located in the Humboldt neighborhood in north Portland, is also a mile and a half walk from Tubman’s current site. The PPS headquarters are much closer, but the location is surrounded by busy roads with equally toxic emissions with few pedestrian accommodations – plus this move would mean the PPS main offices would have to be relocated as well. Either way, the move may trigger another set of difficult and potentially unpopular decisions that ODOT will have to answer for.
Environmental review pressure
Meanwhile, anti-freeway activists continue to push ODOT to complete an Environmental Assessment for the project, which ODOT has attempted to avoid in the past. No More Freeways (NMF) is pushing the transportation department to complete a thorough Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) which includes a 90-day public comment period and public hearing as well as specific information omitted in previous environmental reviews. Last week, NMF and the Eliot Neighborhood Association sent ODOT a letter (PDF) asking them to share an update on their plans for the EIS.
“We are proactively reaching out to you now to ask for this full 90-day public comment period because the 45-day public comment period the agency provided in 2019 during the original Environmental Assessment (EA) was wholly inadequate. We wish to make explicit our desire that the full community, and not just ODOT’s hand-picked boosters, are given a fair and equal opportunity to weigh in about their concerns,” NMF wrote to ODOT.
The group posed several questions to ODOT about the EIS, including:
● Will ODOT commit to releasing all of the traffic modeling data used to produce traffic projections? If so, will ODOT commit to making the data promptly available in an electronic format?
● Will ODOT release detailed plans showing the actual dimensions of the proposed roadway and structures?
● Will ODOT provide a complete and detailed financial plan for the project showing the sources and uses of all funds, including potential toll revenues?
● Will ODOT’s traffic modeling include the impact of the Regional Mobility Pricing Program?
● Will ODOT’s traffic modeling rely on any assumptions, such as the existence of other yet to be constructed or approved projects (including but not limited to the Interstate Bridge)?
As far as we know, ODOT hasn’t yet responded to this email. According to the Rose Quarter project website, the supplemental environmental review process is nearing completion, but the department hasn’t provided an update on their progress since the federal government ordered them to complete a review last year.
ODOT: Everything’s fine!
An I-5 Rose Quarter project booth at the TriMet celebration. (Photo: Adah Crandall)
Yesterday afternoon, ODOT’s Urban Mobility office sent a press release sharing results from a public opinion survey conducted over the summer (PDF), saying that more than 75% of 624 respondents across Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas counties support the project, with 30% “strongly” supporting the project. According to ODOT, survey respondents believe it’s a good idea to include shoulders and auxiliary lanes as a way to relieve traffic congestion.
ODOT shared supporter and opponent talking points with survey respondents, citing opponents as believing the project will “increase demand and bring more cars to the area increasing greenhouse gas emissions and worsening air quality in the area…freeways are also massively expensive, and rob our city, region and state of the funding necessary to build better bus lanes, fix up potholed roads, and invest in more dangerous sections of highways that frequently harm and kill Oregonians biking, walking and driving.”
This argument was evidently impactful, as support for the project dipped by seven points after respondents heard it.
A chart outlining “change in attitudes” before and after hearing from Rose Quarter proponents and opponents. (Source: ODOT)
ODOT explained this lost support by saying the people who changed their mind after hearing the opposing perspective were “persuadable targets” and are unfamiliar with the area and travel through it less often. After Rose Quarter project leaders told them about “specific components and goals” from ODOT’s point of view, support rebounded. Survey respondents indicated strong support for ODOT’s stated project goals to increase mobility and reduce greenhouse gas emissions through expanding the highway, and they also showed support for ODOT’s explanation of auxiliary lanes.
But freeway expansion opponents say ODOT lied about the projects to survey respondents, made unsubstantiated claims (like how lane expansions solve traffic congestion), and defined their plans for the project in a misleading way.
Critics want to make sure the community is aware of all the facts – as well as other ways to mitigate congestion – before ODOT moves forward.
ODOT will present their survey results to the Historic Albina Advisory Board Tuesday afternoon, and you can watch that meeting here. Stay tuned for more as the political situation surrounding this project continues to unfold.
Bridge City CX, 2019Twilight Criterium, 2010Short Track MTB, 2016Monday Night PIR, 2017(Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
“This cycling community meant the world to him and he meant the world to us.”
– Mielle Blomberg
“Sometimes someone is such a big part of a community that they become a symbol of that community.” That’s how River City Bicycles owner Dave Guettler described Luciano Bailey for a GoFundMe campaign earlier this year after he was diagnosed with cancer back in March.
This morning Luciano’s family announced on Facebook that he has passed away. He was 62 years old.
“It is with a heavy heart that we share that Luciano passed early this morning. He was surrounded by love and we are so grateful that he is no longer suffering. Holding those who knew and loved him close to our hearts,” his family wrote.
Luciano was considered “The voice of OBRA” — the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association, our statewide sanctioning body of competitive racing. He was a dedicated enthusiast of all forms of bike racing — and all forms of bike racers. It didn’t matter if it was elites racing on the track at Alpenrose, beginners racing a cyclocross slog in the wind and rain, or racing mountain bikes at Short Track, Luciano and his voice were there. For many of us, his voice and constant presence was a huge comfort.
Bridge City CX, 2019Bridge City CX, 2019Monday Night PIR, 2017
In an immediate sense, Luciano offered a brief shot of warmth when he’d say your name or make a supportive remark as you tried to show composure during a grueling race where you could barely breathe or see through the pain in your legs and lungs. And in a broader sense, he represented stability by his many years of service to the community. Our lives can change so much from race season to race season, but there was always Luciano in his trademark cycling cap, holding the mic, and making each one of us feel special.
Condolences and memories about Luciano are pouring in on his Facebook page from racers he touched from all over Oregon. Here are just a few of them:
“I can’t even begin to fathom a world without Luci, a bike race without his unparalleled commentating, jokes, and insight, and that epic playlist that always kept everyone’s spirits high. I know we all have our own unique relationship with him, and that’s what he did – he always made you feel so special and was never too busy for a quick hug or catch-up.”
“We first got to know him when our son and Luciano’s son Clyde were 10 year old juniors. Then I got to spend years hanging out with Luc at finish lines. My absolute favorite time was riding together to work Ski Bowl at Government Camp. Uninterrupted time with Luciano in the car. He had me laughing so hard telling me stories about his own childhood that I was afraid I was going to run us off the road.”
“He was truly one of a kind with so much positive energy to share. His love for the sport and people that surrounded him just radiated. His passion, voice and influence will be missed.”
The last time I bumped into Luciano was at the 2021 Mt. Tabor Circuit Race. He loved that event. And while I didn’t talk with him as much as I would have liked to (the event was cut short due to a bad fall on the hill), I share the clip below so you can hear his voice:
One of the people who knew him very well and shared his deep love of racing and the community around it was Mielle Blomberg. Over the weekend she was asked to be the announcer at the Corn Cross race in Sandy. She posted to Instagram that she became emotional thinking about how Luciano couldn’t be there. I asked Mielle to share a few thoughts after hearing the news about this death:
“Luciano was a true professional. He brought his A game to every race, regardless of how he was feeling or discomfort he had due to injuries. We carpooled to races together over the last 12 years and that is how we became friends. I would drive and he would just start talking, telling me stories of his family, his time building sets for Stevie Wonder videos in the 80’s, his dream to one day have a plot of farm land where he could grow a garden and enjoy the quiet, and we would catch up on OBRA racer news. Many times after cold, wet cyclocross races, he would crawl into my backseat and fall asleep on the drive home. Tired but happy from a long day of calling the plays.
This cycling community meant the world to him and he meant the world to us.”
Rest easy Luciano.
Atop his familiar perch at Blind Date at the Dairy in 2009.
Drivers can no longer (legally) do what that Subaru is doing.
This week the City of Portland made a change to a complex, 5-way intersection by prohibiting drivers from going eastbound on NE Alameda at 56th.
As we reported in April 2021, the move comes as part of a larger effort to speed up bus service on TriMet lines 12 and 71. By removing the traffic signal phase from the Alameda leg of the intersection, the Portland Bureau of Transportation can now give more “green time” to NE Sandy and 57th.
“Right now 57th gets a [signal] phase, Sandy gets a phase, the west leg of Alameda gets a vehicle and bike phase, and the east leg of Alameda gets a bike-only phase. So that’s a lot of phases,” was how PBOT Planner Zef Wagner explained the change at a presentation to the Bicycle Advisory Committee last year.
The intersection has a lot of non-car traffic.View looking west toward NE Alameda. Bike riders won’t have to worry about that oncoming car any longer.(Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
While this is being done under the umbrella of the Rose Lane Project as a way to improve bus service, the change also has an impact on bicycle traffic. NE Alameda is a popular greenway route and fewer cars at this intersection will make it less stressful. I use this route a lot and the signal phases never seem to accomodate me very well. Now that PBOT doesn’t need a signal phase for drivers on Alameda, they can program it exclusively for bike users, which should make things work better.
An added bonus is that the change will result in fewer drivers using Alameda as a cut-through route. PBOT noted in a statement Friday afternoon that the Alameda Neighborhood Greenway, “currently has too much cut-through traffic for a safe route to school.”
PBOT has used temporary materials on this project and they will study changes in traffic volume. In six months, they’ll analyze the data and consider other strategies to mitigate traffic issues if necessary. This is supposedly already on the ground. If you’ve experienced it already, let us know how it’s going.
An unprecedented level of opposition has formed against Oregon Governor Kate Brown’s nomination for a seat on the Oregon Transportation Commission.
The powerful, unelected, five-member body oversees the Oregon Department of Transportation and decides how to spend the state’s $5.1 billion transportation budget.
Brown nominated outgoing State Senator Lee Beyer to a four-year term that would start this coming January. The Senate Committee in charge of commission appointments meets tomorrow (Wednesday, 9/21) and advocates leading the charge against the nomination have kicked their effort up a notch.
A new statement and letter released today by The Street Trust includes a list of 31 organizations and over 175 individuals from across the state who’ve signed onto the opposition effort.
Here’s the list of organizations and their leaders:
1000 Friends of Oregon, Brett Morgan Better Eugene-Springfield Transportation (BEST), Rob Zako Climate Solutions, Vee Paykar Oregon Environmental Council, Sara Wright Oregon Just Transition Alliance, Joel Iboa Oregon Walks, Ashton Simpson Rogue Action Center, Dana Greenblatt The Street Trust and The Street Trust Action Fund, Sarah Iannarone Verde, Vivian Satterfield Coalition of Communities of Color, Taren Evans Getting There Together Coalition, Ariadna Falcon Gonzalez
Ardelis Inc., Brian Roddy Bend Bikes, LeeAnn O’Neill Bikabout, Megan Ramey Bike Loud PDX, Kiel Johnson Gorge Pedal, Armando Zelada Lithic Technology, Robert Galanakis Mt. Scott-Arleta Neighborhood Association, Matchu Williams Onward Oregon, Lenny Dee OPAL Environmental Justice, Lee Helfend Oregon and SW Washington Families for Safe Streets, Michelle DuBarry
Oregon Physicians for Social Responsibility, David De La Torre Pedal Bike Tours, Todd Roll Plugstart, Thor Hinckley Portland: Neighbors Welcome, Aaron Brown Portland Youth Climate Strike, Adah Crandall Safe Routes to Schools, Valerie Rosenberg Sunrise Beaverton, Amy Johnson Sunrise PDX, Danny Cage Sunrise Rural Oregon, Cassie Wilson
Those who oppose the Governor’s nomination say she failed to solicit recommendation and did not consult with stakeholders statewide. “They are also concerned that it does not address climate change or maintain racial diversity on the influential OTC. They note that outgoing Commissioner Alando Simpson is a younger Black business owner from Portland (ODOT Region 1); Brown’s proposed replacement is a retiree from Springfield (ODOT Region 2),” the statement reads.
The Street Trust Executive Director Sarah Iannarone is spearheading the campaign against Beyer’s appointment. “In addition to implementing congestion pricing and tolling, the OTC will be overseeing billions of dollars of investment here in the coming decade,” she said in today’s statement. “To see these major projects implemented effectively and equitably, we need leaders who are connected to our region and representative of its increasing diversity.”
They’re asking for a pause on the process so the next administration can make this important appointment.
