CommissionerSam.com - North Portland

Tearing it up on Depaving Day

Guest Author — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 14:01:15 -0700

By Jenn Bildersee, BES

Depave at work

Bands played and concrete crumbled as the Towards Carfree Cities Conference kicked off last Monday with Depaving Day. With pry bars and shovels, 150 volunteers began the transformation of a 3000 square foot asphalt parking lot into a community greenspace.

The empty lot on the corner of N. Williams and Fargo Street is now on its way to becoming Fargo Gardens, a pilot project of the nonprofit Depave that will soon feature vegetables, fruit trees, native plants, and a patio. Depave’s mission is to inspire and promote the removal of unnecessary concrete and asphalt from urban areas.

In addition to providing a new community space, removal of the parking lot will reduce pollution and provide new bird and butterfly habitat. The completed site will also be used to educate the public about pavement removal and storm water management.

Two Bureau of Environmental Services programs helped to set the stage for Fargo Gardens. Planting materials, tools, rental equipment, and project coordination will be funded by a grant from the Community Watershed Stewardship Program, which supports community groups and citizens in their efforts to protect and enhance watersheds. The program recently won the Jimmy & Rosalynn Carter Partnership Award for Campus Community Collaboration.

To ensure that there was no soil contamination on the soon-to-be garden, the Portland Brownfield Program provided environmental assessment.Commercial properties across the city receive support from the Portland Brownfield Program to assess and clean up contamination.

Now that the asphalt is gone, Fargo Gardens volunteers will begin site preparation and planting. Up-to-date information on progress and opportunities can be found at www.depave.org, and a video of Depaving Day is online at www.streetfilms.org.

Thousands Stroll, Spin at Sunday Parkways

Shoshanah Oppenheim — Mon, 23 Jun 2008 13:57:32 -0700

As many as 15,000 Portlanders and neighbors to the region said farewell to foul car fumes a route through North Portland streets at Sunday Parkways, an event where six miles of city streets were closed to vehicles. Walkers, cyclists, joggers, and skaters all came out to enjoy the summer sun. Families were out too, free to enjoy some exercise with their little ones without having to worry about traffic.

Dance groups, DJs, food vendors, pick-up games, child health educators, and many more great activities and entertainers were dispersed throughout four local parks from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.. Sponsors and grants covered the cost of increased police supervision and intersection regulation. Many of those enjoying themselves at Sunday Parkways expressed optimism that there will be more events for their communities to get together in the future.

Media Mentions:

Oregonian June 23, 2008

Visit to Columbia Steel

Kimberly Schneider — Thu, 03 Jan 2008 15:59:53 -0800

Sam & Mr. H.M. Bird -- Owner and Chairman of the BoardSam visited Columbia Steel and had a chance to hear about the company's strengths and the challenges it faces. Located in North Portland, Columbia Steel is America's leading manufacturer of steel alloy and iron alloy impact and wear resistant replacement parts for basic industry.

Columbia Steel managers shared their experiences with workforce development and system efficiencies that help them to maintain the company's competitive edge. They also shared Sam's interests in improving the transportation system and workforce pipeline -- issues they cited as crucial to the continued success of their unique business.

1,130 Transportation-Related Citizen/Biz Requests Handled in 2007: Whew!

Cevero Gonzalez — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 19:12:52 -0800

As Sam's Public Advocate for transportation, the year 2007 continued to provide me with abundant opportunities to assist citizens with their questions and concerns regarding City services and projects. Specifically, the insightful and passionate inquiries we received challenged me, along with other bureaus throughout the City, to "think outside the box" and in turn to provide action-oriented responses to citizens seeking results.

Generally speaking, over 1,130 requests for assistance were received in our office this year [see table below]. In addition, but not included in the table below, we also received and responded to over 1,000 constituent inquiries relating to the proposed renaming of N. Interstate Avenue, as well as over 300 e-mails, letters and phone calls from citizens concerned about improving cyclist safety on Portland City streets. All tolled, we had a very busy but exciting year - addressing and resolving issues to the best of our ability. A brief listing of the types of concerns we addressed includes - but is not limited to:

• Parking enforcement, including suggestions regarding ways to improve parking access;
• General assistance and referral - to internal bureaus within the City, and other external partners throughout the city and county such as local non-profits and housing agencies;
• Motorist and pedestrian safety improvements;
• Paving and other street maintenance concerns;
• Street signage and street lighting issues;A break-down of the 1340 or so annual constituent contacts and requests, by month

* Requests for assistance through December 16, 2007.

Of course, every request for assistance or direction is unique. That being said, however, an in an effort to better highlight the types of concerns and issues addressed this year, following are a few brief examples of inquiries for assistance received in 2007.

OVERVIEW

Abandoned Autos: Priscilla in Northwest called the Public Advocate to request assistance with an abandoned auto that she indicated had remained parked on her residential street despite several attempts to contact the City's Abandoned Autos Program to have the vehicle removed. Not only was the vehicle an eyesore, Priscilla offered, but there was a potential that the debris surrounding the vehicle presented a safety and public health risk. Working on Priscilla's behalf, I contacted the Abandoned Autos Program and investigated the matter further. As a result, the vehicle in question was "tagged" for tow within four hours of Priscilla's call, and shortly after removed from her street altogether. Priscilla called back, once the vehicle had been removed, to thank me for working so diligently and speedily to address and resolve her concern.

Crosswalk Request: Tony in Northeast contacted Commissioner Adams to request his help with the installation of a crosswalk near his neighborhood. The challenge, as Tony indicated, was that the Office of Transportation (PDOT) continued to refuse his request for assistance specifically indicating that no safety improvement was warranted - however, Tony and others in his neighborhood believed otherwise. Working with PDOT engineers and managers, the original request for a crosswalk installation was reinvestigated and surprisingly a final determination was made to rethink the original decision. A crosswalk was eventually installed in the neighborhood. In acknowledgement of our efforts, Tony and others in the vicinity contacted our office to offer their thanks for all the work initiated on their behalf.

Garbage Pickup: Ken in Southwest called to ask for assistance in dealing with garbage collection services in his neighborhood, specifically indicating that his attempts to address and resolve the issue on his own had proven unsuccessful. On Ken's behalf, I contacted several departments within and outside of City bureaus and eventually identified the neighborhood's garbage hauler. Then, after consultation with Ken and his building's management staff, I contacted the garbage hauler and informed them that they might not be in compliance with City guidelines regarding refuse pickup times and other policies. Ken called back after two months time and informed me that the call on his behalf had "done the trick," since he had not experienced any further disruptions since my initial call.

Parking Control - Construction: Dan in Northeast called to request assistance with parking and construction issues in his neighborhood. Specifically, Dan indicated that PDOT had blocked off access to the street in front of his business resulting in a significant loss of parking and easy access to sidewalks. Further, Dan indicated that PDOT had not provided advance notice to affected businesses, in turn causing unneeded disruption to business operations. I spoke with PDOT staff about Dan's concerns and indicated that communication regarding any parking or construction disruptions was paramount to ensuring that alternative plans by affected parties could be considered. Additionally, I asked PDOT to reopen sections of the street - and more pointedly to restore parking - in areas not currently needing to be restricted. Dan called back, once the corrections had been made, and thanked me for working so quickly and thoroughly to resolve his complaint.

Parking Control - General: Michael M., a business owner from the Lloyd District, contacted me to request assistance with parking challenges his patrons were experiencing as a result of an abutting property owner removing parking without property City authorization. Working with PDOT staffers we were able to quickly identify the potentially offending parking removal and return it to its original state. Michael M. called me back once the correction had been made and thanked me for working so quickly - and thoroughly - to resolve his complaint.

Parking Control - Handicapped Access: Helen and her husband John, residents of the Hollywood District, called to request assistance with the installation of handicapped parking near their residence - indicating that they contacted me because they had received a denial of their request by PDOT. As senior citizens with disabilities, they offered, it was difficult to find available parking near their residence. I contacted PDOT staffers on Helen and John's behalf and challenged them to rethink their original assessment. Thankfully, and after much negotiation, PDOT reconsidered their initial decision and agreed to install handicapped parking near Helen and John's residence. Once the installation was completed, Helen sent a thank you letter - with pictures attached - acknowledging our offices efforts on her behalf.

Parking Enforcement: Robert called to voice his concerns about inappropriate treatment he believed he experienced at the hands of a Parking Enforcement Officer. Specifically, Robert indicated that while he did not dispute the validity of the parking citation he had received he did not believe that the citing officer needed to act in a matter unbecoming of a City employee. I investigated the matter further by contacting the Manager of the Parking Enforcement Office and we spoke at length about Robert's concerns, identifying strategies that might be used in the future to improve customer service for all. Once my investigation was completed I contacted Robert again and updated him on the status and result of my inquiry. Robert acknowledged his appreciation of my efforts on his behalf, again acknowledging that he did not dispute the issuance of the parking citation.

Paving: Paul from Southwest called to request that certain street and paving improvements be made on W. Burnside, leading from Tichner to the Multnomah County line. Further, Paul offered that previous attempts to get this matter addressed by City staff had proven fruitless. As a result, I called and e-mailed several staff within the City to find out the status of Paul's request. Surprisingly, I discovered that the street improvement Paul had identified was scheduled to be implemented later in the year. That being said, no one within the City had responded to Paul about his request. I informed Paul of the impending improvement and too, offered my apologies for the lack of response he had received from various City bureaus he had contacted, including PDOT. Paul thanked me for providing the requested information and indicated that it was nice to simply receive a response to his inquiry.

Permitting - Construction: John in Northwest contacted the Public Advocate to voice a concern he had about impending construction in his neighborhood. Specifically, John indicated he was concerned that a developer in the area would not fulfill his obligation to complete repairs to an unimproved street. Further, John indicated that attempts to secure a response from PDOT regarding this matter fell on deaf ears. On John's behalf I met with PDOT staffers to determine the status of the request. We determined, after reviewing contracts and permits, that the developer would be required to make the agreed upon improvements and to guarantee that such improvements were made the City had required that the developer sign a performance bond. John was grateful for my efforts on his behalf and the matter was closed with no further action.

Permitting- Sidewalk Vendors: Jeff in Southwest called to share a concern he was having with the City regarding his street vendor cart and the location of said cart on the City street as a result of downtown construction. Of note, Jeff indicated that attempts to secure a response from the City had not been successful. First, I met with PDOT staff to identify the lack of response Jeff was receiving regarding his original request. Second, I worked with staff to secure a proper location for the vending cart. The matter was resolved within four hours of receiving the complaint. Jeff contacted me to offer his thanks and praise for working so quickly on his behalf.

Pothole Repair - Commercial: Roy in Southeast called Sam to complain about the lack of response he had received from PDOT regarding his original request for a pothole improvement near his business. After investigating the matter further, I was able to send out a PDOT crew to make the requested improvement; all within 48 hours of Roy's direct request to Sam's office. Roy called back once the pothole had been repaired and thanked me for such a prompt reply.

Pothole Repair - Residential: John in Southwest called to request the repair of three potholes in his neighborhood. Too, John indicated that he had received no response from PDOT regarding his original request. That being said, John's request was investigated by me immediately and crews were sent out to the identified area within 24 hours. Days later I received a return call from John thanking me for working so quickly to resolve his citizen's complaint.

Referral - ODOT: Tina from Southeast called to request assistance with a few traffic calming concerns for her neighborhood, specifically at a street that intersected with Powell Blvd - a state owned highway. I contacted ODOT on Tina's behalf and shared her concerns with ODOT staff. ODOT in turn contacted Tina and to this day they continue to work with Tina on possible and future solutions to the traffic calming issue she brought to our collective attention. Tina e-mailed recently to thank me for working so diligently on her behalf to address her concerns, and further for helping to steer her in the right direction.

Revenue Bureau: Greg from downtown Portland called to request assistance from the Public Advocate with a situation he continued to experience with the Revenue Bureau. Specifically, Greg indicated that he continued to receive billing statements from the City for a business that he had no association with. I contacted the Revenue Bureau directly to discuss the matter further and after considerable review it was determined that the billing statements were being sent in error. As a result, the Revenue Bureau indicated that they would make the correction immediately and cease sending inaccurate billing statements to Greg. For his part, Greg called to thank me for working so quickly to address and resolve his issue - which he indicated had been going on for several months.

Sidewalk Access: Nick in SE contacted Commissioner Adams to request assistance with a business in the neighborhood that was blocking proper access to the public right of way. Additionally, Nick indicated that he had, in the past, contacted City staff on several occasions in hopes of addressing his concern but had been told "nothing could be done." On Nick's behalf, I worked quickly to find a reasonable solution to his complaint. City crews were called upon to notify the offending business of the need to ensure proper access to sidewalks and within days the business was in compliance. Nick called later to offer his appreciation for the quick results.

Street Cleaning: Emily in Southwest contacted me to voice her concern about street sweeping procedures in place within the City whereby businesses are often left with little, if any, parking access as a result of the sweeps. Working with PDOT crews I was able to get the street sweeping crew to better manage their efforts so that minimal parking was impacted. Emily called me back after the sweeping had occurred to thank me for making her issue a top priority.

Street Signs - Directional: John in Southeast called to request improved street signage on a couple of streets in the Hollywood District. His intention in making this request was to help motorists navigate and manage parking while shopping in the area. John also indicated that his original request to PDOT had been denied. I consulted with PDOT about John's request and after some additional conversations regarding the need to make any improvements PDOT reevaluated their original decision and improved street signage per John's request.

Street Signs - Safety: Jerry in Southwest contacted Sam to request assistance with a safety problem he believed existed on his residential street. Further, Jerry indicated that attempts to resolve this safety issue through PDOT channels had proven unsuccessful - specifically because PDOT did not consider the requested improvements were warranted. After considerable debate with PDOT staff and a plea to have them "think outside the box," Jerry's suggested improvements were finally made. Jerry contacted me once the improvements were implemented to thank me for continuing to work so diligently on his behalf.

Street Striping: Tom in Old Town e-mailed Commissioner Adams to request his help with much needed upgrading to street striping in the area. Specifically, Tom indicated that he and other businesses in the area were concerned that the striping in front of the Portland Police Precinct station needed to be improved and better identified so that motorists would be able to accurately determine available parking and not risk being towed. At my request, this matter was investigated immediately by PDOT staff and striping completed. I e-mailed Tom later to verify that he was satisfied with the work performed by the City. Tom indicated that "yes," the City had acted quickly. He also expressed his thanks to Sam for taking this concern so seriously.

Traffic Calming: Mary K. from Southeast called to request assistance with an issue she confronts on a daily basis as a commuter. Specifically, Mary indicated that when exiting from the Morrison Bridge and onto 3rd Avenue the streets are not clearly marked and because of this motorists experience confusion regarding appropriate travel lanes. According to Mary K., her efforts to address this issue in the past have proven unsuccessful. Working with PDOT staff the area was investigated immediately and PDOT eventually determined that lane improvements should be clarified. Mary K. called me after the improvements had been implemented to offer her thanks to me and Sam for working so quickly to resolve her traffic safety concern.

Traffic Signaling: Jill in Southwest called to complain about traffic lights not synching properly during her morning commute in Southwest. Working with the Street Systems group within PDOT we were able to address the synching concern immediately. I contacted Jill to let her know the final outcome of her request and she in turn contacted me to let me know that her morning commute had improved significantly.

SUMMARY

The role of Public Advocate continues to provide me with many rewards and opportunities for assisting and connecting with the public. Mind you, while not every issue can be resolved to the satisfaction of the citizen, I will continue to make it my goal to work on behalf of the public. I look forward to the challenges and blessings of 2008.

Cevero Gonzalez, Public Advocate for the Office of Commissioner Sam Adams

More transparency in government by reducing the threshold for lobbying registration

Shoshanah Oppenheim — Sat, 08 Dec 2007 14:11:00 -0800

On Wednesday August 8, Portland City Council unanimously voted to reduce the hourly threshold that triggers a lobbying entity's obligation to register with the auditors offices. The City Council believes that the threshold reduction will require more entities to disclose their lobbying activities. This action builds on Commissioner Adams' efforts to "daylight" political decision making and create a more accessible city government.

Under the changes, lobbying entities who spend more than eight hours "attempting to influence the official action of City officials" must register with the auditor. Under the original ordinance sponsored by Sam, elected officials and bureau directors must publish their official calendars. This is an effort to disclose who is meeting with city leaders and whose interests are being represented in the decisions of the council.

Sam is pleased with the threshold reduction and said that "Portland is a very engaged City. Residents deserve to know how their money is being spent, how decisions are made, and why."

Please give us your feedback on this issue and how we can make the city more accountable to you.

Related Documents

Copy of Ordinance

Media Mentions

Blogs

Council Unanimously Votes to Reduce Threshold for Lobbying Activities

Cesar Chavez Boulevard Deserves a Process to Unite Portland

Sam Adams — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 23:38:15 -0700

Cesar Chavez was an American hero whose life's work yielded important gains for all Americans.

Symbols, such as street names, send important signals about the community's values. And there is no question in my mind that Portland will be a better community when Cesar Chavez is duly honored with a major street renaming.

I support the renaming of a major arterial street for Cesar Chavez in Portland. But I cannot support renaming Interstate Avenue under the current circumstances.

I find the intentions of the committee seeking the name change to be entirely honorable. And I do not fault the advocates for the process that has been used. They have proceeded based on the early advice they got from City Hall. When they asked for my support I initially told them I would offer it. My inital support was based on their presumption of neighborhood support, which turned out to be incorrect.

Tragically, the lack of good Portland process in considering this matter has created a community conversation that has too often devolved into a screaming match. Often punctuated with comments wholly irrelevant to the proposed street renaming, the conversation has occasionally yielded racist epithets that are absolutely inexcusable.

As I said earlier, symbols do matter and very recently we renamed North Portland's Portland Boulevard to honor Rosa Parks. I believe it is unfair to ask North Portland to endure two significant street name changes in less than a year. City leaders need to be sensitive to how much change any one neighborhood can absorb at once.

I reiterate my unequivocal support for renaming a street of community significance, a major arterial, after Cesar Chavez. My fellow city commissioner Randy Leonard and I propose to do just that with a street naming process that will look citywide for the street most appropriate to rename for Cesar Chavez. With a better process, I have every confidence that more Portlanders will rise to the occasion and unite in support of this important opportunity.

See the resolution attached below.

Attachment	Size
Cesar E Chavez Street Renaming Resolution Final 10 18 07.txt	3.66 KB

The Community Advisory Committe has Spoken: Now it's your Turn to Talk!

Kimberly Schneider — Wed, 22 Aug 2007 13:08:40 -0700

Proposed changes to the City of Portland's Transportation System Development Charge (TSDC) program, as well as the list of improvement projects, reflect the direct involvement of several hundred stakeholders over the course of the TSDC Update study. The Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) -- representing a broad spectrum of Portland's residents, business community and interest groups -- oversaw the project from its inception.

The project to update the TSDC program is nearing its final destination: a public hearing before the Portland City Council on Sept. 5. Culminating a year-long study process, the CAC will present to Council its recommendations for TSDC program changes that will be effective through 2017. This includes a recommended list of "capacity-increasing" transportation improvements eligible to receive TSDC funding over the next 10 years.

You're Invited to voice your opinion online and/or at the Public Hearing:
Date: Wednesday, Sept. 5 Time: 2 p.m.
Location: Council Chambers, 1221 SW 4th Ave., Portland

The Council will consider the following CAC- endorsed TSDC program changes during the public hearing:

Phase out an existing Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) discount over four years.
Apply the principles of geographic equity - make sure projects are spread throughout the City - when determining a list of TSDC-qualified improvement projects, while also supporting projects that have identified leverage and/or are regional in nature.
Keep TSDC rates charged to new development comparable to current 2007 rates, recognizing that the phase-out of the TOD discount will generate additional TSDC revenue.

Proposed Project List:

The Council will also consider a list of 43 proposed capacity-increasing transportation projects. Besides 41 projects recommended by the Citizen Advisory Committee, the project list includes a Twenties (Avenue) Bikeway project and a proposed Flanders Bike/Pedestrian Bridge to serve areas with high potential for future non-motorized trips. (The full list can be viewed on the project's Web site.)

The TSDC project list was developed to maximize funding opportunities from local, state and federal sources in order to fund as many projects as possible. All TSDC projects require some amount of matching funds because none can be fully funded by TSDCs. Realistically, inclusion on the final TSDC project list is no guarantee of funding or construction.

Community Involvement:

Meeting 12 times over 16 months, the Citizen Advisory Committee worked with Portland Office of Transportation (PDOT) staff and the project team to evaluate rates, discounts and exemptions, geographical and modal equity, and prioritize a list of projects qualified to received TSDC funding.
To ensure affected citizens among Portland's business community, neighborhoods, and special interest groups had a voice in the process, interviews with 20 key stakeholders were conducted in September 2006. These included developers; property owners; business associations; bicycle, pedestrian and freight advocates; City staff and elected officials. These interviews were followed by presentations to 21 neighborhood and business groups. Information gathered during interviews and presentations provided important input to the Citizen Advisory Committee.

Finally, to involve other interested citizens, two public open houses were held in February and May, 2007. Those attending the first open house were asked to comment on project priorities and economic/equity issues, which later helped the Citizen Advisory Committee refine the TSDC project list. At the second open house, participants were asked to comment on TSDC rates, geographic equity and the TOD discount. Again, this feedback helped the Citizen Advisory Committee draft its final recommendation to Council.

The project team wishes to thank all those who participated in the TSDC Update Project.

If you have questions about the project, contact Kathryn Levine, PDOT Project Manager, (503) 823-7085, Kathryn.Levine@ pdxtrans.org. You can also learn many details about the project on its Web site: www.portlandonline.com/transportation/index.cfm?c=40692.

Porltand Tribune: Wanted More Butts on Bikes: Portland Looks at how to make cycling more attractive to all

Fri, 20 Jul 2007 11:21:18 -0700

Jennifer Anderson

The Portland Tribune

The unexpected downpour this week didn’t throw Eva Frazier for a loop at all.

The 24-year-old snapped on her bike fenders, zipped up her blue jacket and rode her bike over the Hawthorne Bridge into downtown, the route she takes nearly every day.

Thousands of cyclists throughout town also were unfazed by the weather, pedaling furiously in a bike lane or along with cars, trucks and buses in the rush of midmorning traffic.

This is Portland, after all, where there certainly is an abundance of fair-weather riders but also a serious collective of bike commuters who don’t let a little precipitation get in their way.

If the city has its way, that number of regular riders will grow exponentially, building on the momentum that already exists.

“We want to make Portland a world-class cycling city,” says the city’s bicycle coordinator, Roger Geller, who’s leading the effort to update Portland’s 11-year-old Bicycle Master Plan.

“If you look at what other cities have done – the investments they’ve made, the quality of their facilities and way they’ve integrated it into all forms of transportation and land-use planning – we still have a pretty good ways to go.”

A lot of people, however, feel excluded by this line of thought and think the city shouldn’t be in the business of funding bike infrastructure improvements.

“If people want special amenities for bikes, they need to find a way to fund them,” says Craig Flynn, a Parkrose resident who ran for Metro Council in 2002 and speaks around town on transportation and density issues. “If bikes are getting more than their fair share, they need to find a way to fund it through their user fees. We need money for cars.”

Flynn doesn’t support bike lanes or bike boulevards, which are low-traffic side streets marked with “sharrows” to indicate shared use between bikes and other vehicles. Stretches of Southeast Lincoln and Ankeny and Northeast Tillamook streets, for example, are designated as bike boulevards.

He thinks city transportation funds should go toward relieving congestion on freeways and other main roads, specifically adding lanes or building new freeways. Bike lanes, he says, make the vehicle lanes even narrower and take up more space on the crowded roadway.

When he does occasionally ride his bike for fun, Flynn says, he avoids bike lanes because he fears getting hit by car doors. He prefers to stay on neighborhood streets – yet he doesn’t see the point of creating bike boulevards since he says they don’t connect him to where he wants to go.

Surveys point to local streets

Flynn’s sentiments aren’t shared by anyone working on the city’s bike master plan update. Geller now is midway through the process of gathering information to update the plan, which includes holding monthly “bike master plan network rides” to solicit public input on existing conditions and desired routes.

The rides are held the first Tuesday of each month, starting at Terry Schrunk Plaza at 5:15 p.m. They span all parts of the city; next month’s ride heads to Southwest.

According to the Portland Office of Transportation, bike boulevards will go a long way toward attracting the 300,000 or so people (about 60 percent of the city’s population) who are dubbed “interested but concerned” about riding on the city streets.

They would ride more if there were more safe, quiet networks around town, the city has found through various surveys. Since funding sources are scarce, the expansions would take place little by little, over time, mostly through state or federal money with limited city investment.

Such initiatives would make a seasoned rider like Frazier worry a lot less about getting killed, she says.

“There’s definitely close calls, all the time,” she says. “It’s buses mostly – they’re so wide, they creep into the bike lane. I’ve had them brush my shoulder.”

Other groups plan rides

Another series of bike boulevard rides is being held in Southwest Portland, sponsored by a group called SWTrails – a volunteer pedestrian advocate committee that’s part of Southwest Neighborhoods Inc.

The group will hold its next ride Sunday to map out potential routes to recommend as part of the master plan update. It starts at 3 p.m. at the Gabriel Park Community Center parking lot.

Southwest has lagged behind Northeast and Southeast Portland in bike amenities because of its geographic challenges: sloped terrains, winding roads and blind curves, as well as more storm-water runoff due to the clay soil.

While there are bike lanes on some major roads in Southwest, the need for safer facilities is there, says Keith Liden, one of the organizers. “A lot of people are not comfortable on busy streets, and in a lot of cases not even busy streets with bike lanes,” he says. “If the local streets are available but you don’t know where they go, you just don’t do it.”

The nonprofit Bicycle Transportation Alliance sponsors a separate bike boulevard ride set for Wednesday. It will begin at 6 p.m. at Alberta Park and wind through identified gaps in North and Northeast Portland to see what street features riders like and don’t like.

The BTA also will get community feedback, advocate for the supported features in the city’s master plan process and help the city secure grant money for their construction.

Some question speed bumps

Scott Bricker, the BTA’s director of policy and education, said his group has an internal working list of 112 miles of potential bike boulevards which would cost about $20 million to implement.

“We already have low-traffic neighborhood streets,” he said. “We just need small improvements such as on-street pavement markings like the sharrows, speed traffic calming; they could even go through some neighborhood parks.”

Currently, low-traffic bike boulevards have no more than 3,000 cars per day, but that threshold might be lowered in the new bike master plan, Geller says.

The city also adds speed bumps and other devices to slow vehicle traffic, which seems like a waste to Flynn, the former Metro candidate.

“When you put them on one street, it pushes everyone else to the next street,” Flynn says. “I feel like honking my horn going over a speed bump to irritate the people who want them there. They’re just unintended consequences of not having more capacity on the roads – cars stay off main roads and cut through neighborhoods.”

Joshua Bass, a Portland State University instructor who commutes daily by bike, thinks everyone on the road will benefit more by slowing down a bit. To pit cars against bikes is “a false dichotomy,” he says. “It’s a problem between good travelers and bad travelers. It’s disrespectful of people of all types.”

jenniferanderson@portlandtribune.com

Portland’s Transportation System “In Trouble”

Guest Author — Tue, 10 Jul 2007 16:10:20 -0700

Peggy Anderson

On Sunday, June 17, Portland City Commissioner Sam Adams joined ten Nob Hill business owners and residents in a walk along NW 23rd Avenue to assess the street's proposed reconstruction and to hear the views and concerns of those who live and work in the area. Adams oversees Portland's transportation system - which Adams says is "in trouble." The commissioner's website www.commissionersam.com outlines the following facts about the city's transportation infrastructure:

• 157 (22%) of Portland bridges are in poor condition.*
• 992 (43%) of Portland traffic signals are in poor condition.*
• Each year of deferred maintenance adds an estimated $9 million to future maintenance costs.*

During Sunday's walk with merchants, Adams saw first-hand many sections of the heavily-traveled NW 23rd Avenue that have become crumbling hazards due to buried trolley rails and rotting rail ties that have compromised the streets cobblestone and asphalt layers. Clearly, much more work than continued patching has been needed, but area residents and business owners have opposed reconstruction efforts that would shut down large sections of the street for months at a time, jeopardizing many businesses' very existence.

Adams has asked city engineers to develop multiple alternatives for tearing up and reconstructing NW 23rd Avenue that would last no more than two weeks along any block and that work be done at times that are best for businesses struggling to stay open during the project. These new approaches would condense the NW 23rd Avenue Reconstruction Project from its original 10-11 month timeframe to 2-3 months.

While Adams admitted there is no good time for businesses to be so impacted by a major construction project, he is currently exploring a schedule to last late-winter '07 to early spring next '08.

Adams has been hosting a series of town hall meetings on the Portland transportation crisis. Upcoming meetings include:

• Tuesday, June 26, 7-9 p.m., North and Northeast Portland King Neighborhood Facility (4815 NE 7th Avenue)
• Wednesday, June 27, 7-9 p.m., Northwest Portland Friendly House Conference Room (1737 NW 26th Avenue )
• Monday, July 2, 7-9 p.m., Central Northeast and East Portland Firehouse #12 (4415 NE 87th Avenue)

Since the earliest days of the NW 23rd Avenue Reconstruction Project, the Nob Hill Business Association has worked directly with Commissioner Adams, PDOT, area residents, and business owners to ensure that the reconstruction project has the most minimal impact possible on those whose livelihoods rely on the primary arteries of NW 21st and NW 23rd avenues.

(*Source: City of Portland Transportation System Status and Condition Report, July 2006)

Attachment	Size
23rd1.jpeg	65.87 KB

Mississippi Avenue Streetscape

Jesse Beason — Wed, 23 May 2007 15:30:59 -0700

Recent attention to the N Mississippi Avenue streetscape has raised a lot of interest and questions about City policy on streets & sidewalks, the street itself, and how, when and why street improvements are made.

What follows is hopefully a comprehensive look at the N. Mississippi Avenue streetscape. Feel free to submit your questions below and I or someone with more knowledge than I will post answers.

Contents

The basics
Street Classifications
How are sidewalks defined in City Code?
What are Portland's Pedestrian Guidelines?
What are the recommended sidewalk widths for Mississippi?
But the sidewalks are currently 10 feet!?
What's the difference?
Funding sidewalk/street improvements
What is a streetscape plan?
Does Mississippi have a streetscape plan?
Informational Meeting Materials

The Basics

In terms of width, Mississippi has 60 feet of public right-of-way: 40 feet of roadway with 12 foot travel lanes and 8 foot parking strips on both sides, and 10 foot sidewalks.

Street Classifications

There are numerous classifications that a street receives in Portland's Transportation System Plan. (The Transportation System Plan (TSP) is the long-range plan to guide transportation investments in Portland.)

Streets are classified for six types of movement: motor vehicle
traffic, trucks, transit vehicles, emergency vehicles, pedestrians, and
bicycles.

In the TSP, Mississippi is a:

Local Service Traffic Street
Transit Access Street
Local Service Bikeway
Local Service Walkway in a Pedestrian district
Local Service Truck Street
Minor Emergency Response
Community Main Street

Alberta is a:

Neighborhood Collector
Community Transit Street
Local Service Bikeway
City Walkway
Truck Access Street
Minor Emergency Response
Community Main Street

SE Milwaukie at Bybee is a:

Neighborhood Collector
Transit Access Street
Local Service Bikeway
City Walkway
Truck Access Street
Major Emergency Response
Community Main Street

What do these classifications mean? For a detailed definition, see the TSP Chapter 2, beginning on pages 2.6. Basically, Alberta and SE Milwaukie are designated (and designed) to carry more traffic, more transit and more trucks, but the same amount of bikes as Mississippi.

How are sidewalks defined in City Code?

Sidewalk is defined in Titles 16 and 17 of the City's Code, and
the definitions are slightly different. In Title 16, the term refers
to the area between the curb or roadway edge and the property
line, whether or not it is improved. In Title 17, the term is used
to refer to the sidewalk improvement itself.
Under Chapter 17.28.020, responsibility for the construction,
reconstruction, and repair of the sidewalk, as well as liability for
any damages or injuries resulting from defective conditions, is
assigned to the adjacent property owner.
Authority is delegated to the City Engineer to require the repair or construction of the sidewalk where it is needed, as well as determining the width of improved sidewalks.(See Title 17.28.060)
In Title 18, Chapter 18.03, Nuisance Abatement, notes the adjacent property owner's responsibility for ensuring that the sidewalk is kept clear of debris and projecting bushes and limbs.
Chapters 17.25 and 17.26 spell out the regulations for sidewalk
cafes and sidewalk vendors. Such uses must leave a 1.8 m (6'-
0") clear width for the Through Pedestrian Zone.

What are Portland's Pedestrian Guidelines?

The Pedestrian Design Guide (PDF) integrates the wide range of pedestrian design criteria and practices into a coherent set of new standards that promote an environment conducive to walking.

From the Portland Pedestrian Guide, page3:

The Portland Pedestrian Design Guide is issued by the City Engineer. Every project that is designed and built in the City of Portland should conform to these guidelines.

Site conditions and circumstances often make applying a specific solution difficult. The Pedestrian Design Guide should reduce the need for ad hoc decisions by providing a published set of guidelines that are applicable to most situations.

Throughout the guidelines, however, care has been taken to provide flexibility to the designer so that she or he can tailor the standards to unique circumstances. Even when the specific guideline cannot be met, the designer should attempt to find the solution that best meets pedestrian design principles.

What are the recommended sidewalk widths for Mississippi?

According to the Pedestrian Design Guide (table A1), the recommended sidewalk width for Mississippi, which is a local street in a Pedestrian District with 60 feet of right-of-way, is 12 feet.

But the sidewalks are currently 10 feet!?

The historic width of sidewalks on Mississippi is 10 feet. According to the Pedestrian Design Guide (section A2.2), when the existing right-of-way is too narrow to accommodate both street and sidewalk improvements, the following steps to allow room for a sidewalk improvement should be pursued:

acquire additional Right-of-Way or Public Walkway Easement
narrow existing roadway in accord with established minimum roadway standards

What's the difference?

Acquiring the additional right-of-way when new buildings are built would provide 12 foot sidewalks in front of new buildings, but not necessarily along the full block or pedestrian corridor.

Narrowing the existing roadway would provide 12 foot sidewalks throughout the pedestrian corridor. This would reduce the travel lane width throughout the corridor as well.

Funding sidewalk/street improvements

The City of Portland does not generally pay for the construction of streets and sidewalks. These improvements are paid for by adjacent property owners.

There are three ways for adjacent property owners to go about building a street or sidewalk:

Street Improvement Permits - the public street improvement permit program supports new development / re-development projects. The city requires that developers make certain public street improvements in conjunction with construction projects on private property.
Local Improvement Districts (LID) - The LID is a method that allows a group of property owners to share the cost of street improvements. In addition, the City provides a long-term, low-interest financing to help property owners pay for improvements in a manner that they can afford.
Substandard Street Improvements - The substandard street improvement permit allows residents of an existing neighborhood to grade and/or pave their street. This doesn't really apply to Mississippi, as it is not a substandard street.

What is a streetscape plan?

A streetscape plan is a plan for street improvements that can include pedestrian crossing improvements, enhanced transit stops, bicycle route improvements, sidewalk improvements, street trees, stormwater management solutions, and signal and intersection improvements. Upon adoption by City Council, streetscape plans guide transportation investments triggered by new development, local improvement districts and other public and private funding sources.

Some examples of streetscape plans:

Does Mississippi have a streetscape plan?

No. In 2001, the City of Portland worked with residents and consultants to produce the Mississippi Historic District Target Area Main Street Design Project. While the project explored various street treatments and improvements there was no formal recommendation or adoption of identified improvements. However, pages 33-45 are a great summary of issues explored by the community at the time.

Informational Meeting Materials

On May 19 & 22nd, PDOT provided a presentation for the neighborhood and business association on the elements of a streetscape plan process. You can download the presentation, the meeting notes for the 19th and the feedback the neighborhood & business associations received on the 19th & 22nd.

BLOG: It was a blast at the 45th St. annual Johns Parade

Sam Adams — Mon, 14 May 2007 00:15:52 -0700

Our heroes back from Iraq.The weather was warm without being too hot, bright but not too sunny (if that is possible this time of year!); I had a great time again participating in the 45th St. Johns Parade.

2007 St. Johns ParadeThe parade route started at Roosevelt High School at noon and ended at the St. Johns Community Center.

Not impressed with the politicians in the paradeThe St. Johns parade is the first time the Rose Festival Rose Princesses representing each of the city's high schools appear together in a parade.

I get a high score from some friendly judgesThe theme of the St. Johns Parade this year was, "Celebrate Community Volunteers." My thanks to all the volunteers who pull off the St. Johns parade in such an upbeat and organized fashion: another reason it makes me proud to be from North Portland.

Picking the best spot to watch the paradeIt was a grassroots event and drew a couple thousand spectators, more than last year.

Raffle tickets to win quiltI wore my, "Enjoy St. Johns," t-shirt (which you can pick up for yourself at The Man Shop, across from the St. Johns Plaza).

The Royal RosariansConcurrently with the parade, our neighborhood newspaper The St. Johns Sentinel hosted the St. Johns Bizarre. Local merchants sold crafts and gifts, live music and performances, as well as food and beer flowed.

Taking a little nap while waiting for parade to startSt. Johns is experiencing a major revitalization. New residents are moving in, longtime businesses that had languished are coming back and entrepreneurs are taking over vacant spaces.

Jimmy Johns, the founder of St. Johns neighborhoodTwo projects in St. Johns attracting a lot of interest these days are the potential redevelopment of the so-called Diamond Block that includes the city-owned St. Johns Racquet Club, 2131 N.E. Thompson St., and the completion of the North Portland Greenway Trail between Cathedral Park and Swan Island.

Oregon State Senator Margaret CarterSt. Johns was named after a reclusive hermit by the name of James "Jimmy" John (1809 - 1886) who started a Willamette River ferry between Linnton and St. Johns with a single small boat in 1852. John was a small, quiet man, with a keen, but dry, sense of humor. A man educated far beyond the average person of his day.

Some royality of our own.Where is the candy!John was 77 when he died at his home on May 27, 1886. John's Last Will and Testament, dated March 14, 1883 was prepared by John Catlin. He decreed that all proceeds from his estate be used to establish free schools for the children of the area and that the money should never be used to Kell's Irish bagpipespromote in those schools any one doctrine or religion "one more than another". He was buried in a pauper's grave at the Columbia Cemetery, which was not marked until 1909.

Parade watcher with festive hatPeople who knew him were divided in their opinions. Some called him friend, but others saw him as an 'eccentric', a 'recluse' and a 'demijohn'.

Boy Scout Troop 538Seeing a need to establish it's own local government the community incorporated on February 19, 1903. It survived on it's own for 12 year until requesting Snow cones for saleannexation to the City of Portland. Merger ballots for the City of St. Johns and the town of Linnton were held June 7, 1915. Both were approved and each became part of the City of Portland on July 8, 1915.