It’s no secret that PBOT faces historic budget cuts. But there’s a big part of the conversation that hasn’t really gotten the attention it deserves: With gas tax and other motor vehicle-related revenues (like parking meters and registration fees) decreasing, more people choosing bikes and electric cars, and federal funding as unstable as ever, we … Read more
PBOT’s SmartTrips program is among the cuts.(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland) The City of Portland’s Transportation Options Division — the group behind such popular programs as Sunday Parkways and SmartTrips — no longer exists as a stand-alone section of PBOT. The consolidation of Options into a new “Active Transportation” group within PBOT’s org chart — and … Read more
Sunday Parkways is not a core city service says Saltzman.(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland) Portland City Commissioner Dan Saltzman has fired the first shot across the bow in what is likely just a preview of what’s to come in bruising fight over next year’s budget. On the agenda at the City Council meeting this morning was … Read more
With budget cuts to bike lane cleaning, you might want to carry a broom.(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland) The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) has unveiled a list of proposed cuts intended to slash their discretionary budget by $15-16 million. The unprecedented cuts — which amount to about 20% of $70 million in discretionary revenue — … Read more
Map shows PBOT’s new “streets of citywide significance”.– Download PDF- The Portland Bureau of Transportation has released an update on their 2012-2013 budget situation. As we suspected, a major shrinking of their budget has resulted in a restructuring of how the bureau will prioritize spending. In other big news, PBOT Director Tom Miller has unveiled … Read more
Maintenance workers say potholes will get worse, and people on bikes will pay the price.(Photo: Heather Andews) With massive cuts coming from the Bureau of Transportation, there’s one group that is ready to stand up and defend their piece of the pie: maintenance workers. And people who bike should support them, says organizer Erica Askin. … Read more
Adams says sidewalk spending commitment is rock-solid.(Photo © J. Maus) A story in The Oregonian published Friday (and an irresponsible Tweet by BikePortland) might have you thinking that Mayor Sam Adams — grappling with a tight budget at the Bureau of Transportation — has broken a promise to invest in sidewalks in East and Southwest … Read more
Severe cuts will force us to make bold decisions on how we prioritize funding.(Photos © J. Maus) The Portland Bureau of Transportation made an historic announcement on Monday. In order to balance their budget, the agency needs to make $16 million in ongoing cuts. Not one-time cuts to patch a lean year, but ongoing and … Read more
PBOT Director Tom Miller says “tough decisions” lie ahead for his agency.(Photo © J. Maus) The Portland Bureau of Transportation has projected $16 million in cuts to balance their 2012-2013 fiscal year budget. As we reported earlier this month, the cuts are necessary due to a variety of local, regional, and national issues and Portland … Read more
Budget cuts could force hard decisionson popular programs like Sunday Parkways.(Photo © J. Maus) As reported last week by The Oregonian, the City of Portland faces steep cuts in its 2012-2013 budget. “As a result of global, national, and local factors that may impact the City and the uncertainty surrounding the economic outlook,” reads a … Read more
Bike traffic on NE Wheeler Avenuenear the Rose Quarter.(Photo © J. Maus). The City of Portland is moving forward with a slate of projects that will have a huge impact on the quality of our bikeway network. Tomorrow, City Council is expected to approve a $214,900 contract with Alta Planning + Design to begin the … Read more
PBOT might have to look elsewhere to pay for five Sunday Parkways this year.(Photo © J. Maus) [Hat tip to the Willamette Week] The City’s Financial Planning Division is recommending that the Bureau of Transportation scale back their planned five Sunday Parkways to just three, the same number held last year. According to the City’s … Read more