Previous Burnside Inprovement Plan Gets Scrutiny, then a Streetcar, and Now, Sam's Support

Map of Sam's Proposal (from the Oregonian)

When Sam was charged with the day-to-day responsibility of overseeing Transportation, he inherited many projects. Among them was the Burnside-Couch Couplet, which despite having gone through a lengthy planning process and being approved by (a previous) City Council, had produced some vocal critics who voiced significant concerns about the plan.

Wanting to review all of the options and study the concerns raised by some about the effect it would have on Couch Street's Brewery Block District, Sam hired private consultants to go over everything with a fine-toothed comb.

In addition to the work with consultants, Sam also held townhall meetings on the subject and met repeatedly with various groups, including neighborhood representatives, the Stakeholder Advisory Committee, multiple property owners, and others.

Perhaps most notable was the (cold and wet) winter Saturday on which Sam and I walked up and down both sides of Couch and Burnside between 2nd and 23rd to speak with all of the property and business owners (or managers, if the owner wasn't there) about the proposed plan.

After listening to the multiple opinions that existed about the Burnside Plan, Sam made a decision that he would go forward with the plan - with a few changes.

Instead of going 15th, the couplet would now go to 19th, its logical terminus. Also, the route would now have a streetcar line that would provide and east-west connection between NW 23rd, the Pearl, Old Town Chinatown, and inner Southeast Burnside.

Currently, Burnside has uncomfortably narrow and therefore uninviting sidewalks in many sections.This plan will stimulate development, increase safety for motorists and pedestrians, ease congestion on Burnside and Couch, create a vibrant urban district, and provide more travel options to people living, working, and shopping in the area.