CommissionerSam.com - Southeast Portland (inner)

From Mount Tabor to the Willamette River... on Two Wheels

Lisa Libby — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 11:16:49 -0700

Bike & Swale

Take a ride through the Brooklyn Creek Basin on Saturday, September 6, 2008. Portland's Bureau of Environmental Services and Office of Transportation will lead a southeast Portland bicycle tour of sustainable stormwater management facilities, new bike boulevards, and related art projects.

What: Tabor to the River Bike Ride

When: Saturday, September 6
1:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Where: Participants will gather at SE 55th and Belmont and bike west

Why: To see how Portland will use rain gardens, swales and ecoroofs in the Tabor to the River-Brooklyn Creek Basin Program, and to learn about new bicycle transportation programs for more livable neighborhoods and healthier watersheds

Making Division Street a Main Street for Southeast

Shoshanah Oppenheim — Thu, 19 Jun 2008 11:58:12 -0700

Division Street Storefront: Open for BusinesssA new phase is beginning in the life of one of Southeast Portland's most storied streets. The Green Street / Main Street Project will continue to examine ways of increasing the livability and economic vitality of the SE Division corridor. Between SE Sixth and SE 39th Avenues, a consortium made up of interests from the Office of Transportation, the Bureau of Planning, private industry, and members of the community. This grup will look at ways of improving the quality of Division Street itself, and of the surrounding neighborhood, in order to make it feel more like a main street, and not just another busy road.

Some of the significant benefits of the second phase of design include: repaving those sections of Division that are in disrepair, improved stormwater management and creation of green streetscapes, design development of the Seven Corners intersection, and looking at ways of better integrating Division with transportation choices made on nearby Clinton and Lincoln Streets.

Please attend the next public meeting:

Phase II Begins Kick-off Meeting
Thursday, June 26, 2008
7:00 to 8:30 p.m.
Carvlin Hall, St. Philip Neri Church
(SE 16th and Division)

Celebrating Green Streets for St. Patrick's Day

Lisa Libby — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 11:50:27 -0700

Clay Street Flyer

Join the City of Portland in celebrating our newest Green Street. The festivities begin with YOU. Help Portland kick off the design phase for the Green Street project on SE Clay Street from the Willamette River to SE 12th Avenue. It's St. Patrick's Day, so wear green and celebrate the greening of our city.

What: SE Clay Green Street Project Open House
When: Monday, March 17 from 5 p.m. to 6:30 p.m.
Where: SE 12th and SE Clay Street, in the Burgerville parking lot
Why: Green Streets make Portland more beautiful, more liveable, and more environmentally and economically sustainable.
Why else: Free food!

The SE Clay Green Street Project will sustainably manage stormwater and includes design elements to ehance pedestrian, bicycle and motorist safety. As with other Green Street Projects around the city, the SE Clay proposal adds these needed street features while continuing to serve the business and freight traffic needs of the Central Eastside Industrial District.

Green streets are swales along roadways that capture stormwater runoff and allow it to soak into the ground rather than filling up the storm drains and polluting our rivers. Swales give relief to our city sewer system while refreshing groundwater supplies and adding green space!

The Clay Green Street Project will be an urban greenway to connect neighborhoods to the business district and the river and improve livability for all Portland residents.

We hope to see you on St. Patricks Day while we celebrate one of the features that helps make Portland the most liveable and green city in the United States!

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

Eastside Streetcar Loop Project Moves Down the Track

Roland Chlapowski — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 13:41:45 -0800

On September 6, 2007, Sam and the City Council committed to provide $27 million in tax increment funds to match $75 million in Federal Transit Administration resources to fund the cstreetcar is packing up and moving eastonstruction of the Portland Streetcar Loop Project, which will connect the east and the west side of the Willamette River. On the same day, Council approved the formation of a Local Improvement District, through which property owners will contribute $15 million to the Project. This action followed a Council work session where Sam presented the financial risks and benefits of proceeding with the Project.

Also, Sam and Mayor Potter asked for a third party review of the cost estimate for the Loop Project to be conducted by the Portland Development Commission. PDC has engaged consultant services to do so and an initerim report is due in February, to be updated after preliminary engineering is completed.

Currently, construction is expected to begin in Fall 2008 and last for 24 months.

Related Documents

Community Partners

Media Mentions

"Some eastside boosters see money in streetcar," The Oregonian, April 21, 2007

Our Blog

"City Council Concludes Work Session on Eastside Streetcar Loop Funding" August 14, 2007

Milestones

September 6, 2007 - Council Approves Funding, Moves Streetcar Forward

Hawthorne Improvement Project Completed

Roland Chlapowski — Mon, 17 Dec 2007 12:09:24 -0800

Sam accepts a medallion that will later be installed in the sidewalk.

The Hawthorne Improvement Project was first developed by the community with PDOT planners back in 1996. Council adopted the plan in 2007. But then, it languished.

Without any funding and with escalating construction costs, the project plans sat on a shelf. That is, until Sam secured the adequate for the project by asking for additional funds and shifting around some of PDOT's other projects and priorities.

The project finally broke ground in August of 2006, and was completed in November 2007.

Related Documents

Community Partners

The five neighborhoods that are united along Hawthorne: HAND (Hawthorne Abernethy), Buckman, Richmond, Sunnyside, and Mt. Tabor
Bicycle Transportation Alliance
Willamette Pedestrian Coalition
Hawthorne Boulevard Business Association
TriMet

Media Mentions

"City begins Hawthorne Boulevard Project" Bikeportland.org, July 10, 2007

Our Blog

"Hawthorne Blvd Improvement Project Breaks Ground, FINALLY!" August 3, 2006

Milestones

Groundbreaking in August 2006
Project Completed in November 2007

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

And the Winner is....

Lisa Libby — Mon, 22 Oct 2007 14:08:19 -0700

Mt Tabor Rain Garden Receives National Honors

Sam presents a certificate of appreciation to Portland Public Schools Superintendent Carole Smith for a successful partnership.

Commissioner Sam Adams gathered with Portland Public School Superintendent Carole Smith, Mt Tabor Middle School students and staff, and community supporters today to celebrate the national award winning Mt Tabor Rain Garden.

Last week the American Society of Landscape Architects gave national awards to two City of Portland sustainable stormwater projects, including the Mt Tabor Middle School Rain Garden. The project, a partnership between Environmental Services and Portland Public Schools, replaced 4,000 square feet of asphalt with a garden that treats stormwater runoff from roofs and parking areas.

"This is an example of partnership at its best," said Superintendent Smith. "The school district worked with the city to gain a beautiful, functional asset that improves the teaching and leaning environment. The students gain an appreciation and understanding of watersheds and their importance, and we save money."

The school district expects to save $2,500 in annual stormwater fees as a result of the Tabor Rain garden. The facility also keeps stormwater out of the combined sewer system, improves water quality, and reduces residential basement flooding.

Environmental Services started building the Mt. Tabor Rain Garden in summer 2006, and completed the project in September 2007.

In addition to the rain garden, the city also installed a stormwater curb extension on SE Ankeny Street at SE 56th Avenue, and a stormwater curb extension at the intersection of SE 57th and Pine. The facilities collect street runoff and slow it down to allow water to soak into the ground while vegetation and soil filter out pollutants.

Labor Day at Oaks Amusement Park, 2007

Jane Ames — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 17:28:26 -0700

"It's Labor Day, so instead of everyone going to work, we are all going to a picnic."

This was the very clear explanation the woman walking behind me to Oaks Amusement Park told her son, who was wondering why so many of us were walking along this trail.Picnicing with FriendsSam and Felicia at SEIUMulti-tasking MomVisiting at the Picnic

The Labor Day Picnic is a union tradition, and a great one. Thousands of people show up each year to share the day. Barbecues are sizzling and smoking all over the place, balloons float on air setting the festive feel and signaling people to their own union's section of the grounds. Several languages float together and laborers from all over our region break bread together. And chow down on burgers, and chicken, salads, chips, and desserts.

The same young man I spoke of earlier assured his mom he was tall enough to go on a certain amusement park ride, and she replied in the age-old parental rejoinder: "We'll see."

Ole FriendsSam and I made our way from picnic to picnic saying hello to old friends and laughing as "how's life" chat mixed with work talk: "thanks for your efforts on this, Important Workand please look into that." But the warm air, the carnival rides, the clatter, and the many visiting voices blending in with the music from the stage added up to a great picnic. While the history of labor and of Labor Day is complex and important, this day was one for everyone to relax and enjoy the fruits of their labor as a community.

People who usually labor today, were taking the day off, and having a picnic together.

Sam and the Senators

Mary has known Sam since the DeFazio Days

It was a real nice picnic, and we all had a real good time.

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.

City Council Concludes Work Session on Eastside Streetcar Loop Funding

Roland Chlapowski — Tue, 14 Aug 2007 18:40:04 -0700

Sam's comments to Council during today's work session:

Thank you for participating in this work session, where we will have the opportunity to discuss at length the status of the city, state, regional and federal efforts to secure capital and operating funds for the Portland Streetcar Loop Project.

This discussion is extremely important for many reasons, not the least of which is the fact that we have assembled more outside matching funds for this project than any previous Portland streetcar project. A big thank you is in order to U.S. Representatives Earl Blumenauer and Peter DeFazio for their efforts on the federal level and to the Oregon State Legislature for helping us get to where we are today.

If we can come up with an additional $18 million in tax increment funds, we have the potential of leveraging $128 million in matching federal, regional, state and local resources to build Portland's first eastside streetcar line from River District to OMSI.

This new streetcar line would move us towards meeting our Peak Oil and global warming goals and provide more Portlanders with a new cost effective transportation choice. Based on current zoning, this project will also help Portland meet its regional growth management targets by leveraging 2.4 million square feet of new development including opportunities for a large workforce housing component. It is estimated that this new streetcar line would incent an estimated $700 million in increased private development along its corridor.

While we do not have to finalize the details of exactly how we will fund our commitment to the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) until December, 2007, in order to seize this opportunity, Portland City Council must to be ready to make a commitment to FTA for a total of $33 million by September 7, 2007. That said, I know I speak for all involved when I state that it is preferable that we are as clear as possible right now with how we plan to make good on our commitment to the FTA in the future.

In light of my ongoing conversation with Portlanders about the need for more resources to pay for basic street maintenance and safety requirements, as part of this discussion I want to emphasize that the proposed resources for this eastside streetcar expansion will not come from funds that could be devoted to basic street or bridge maintenance: lottery; tax increment; MTIP transit funds and FTA resources by law cannot be used for basic street and bridge maintenance.

The cost estimates you will hear about today should be treated as low confidence estimates. To date, we have built streetcars on-time and on-budget. However, this proposed streetcar line has two unique challenges: we have to put tracks on an existing draw bridge, the Broadway Bridge, and construct a new bridge over the Union Pacific railroad tracks from Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. and Grand to OMSI. We will have 50% preliminary engineering work done by January, 2008, at which point we can generate cost estimates that can be treated with higher confidence for accuracy.

If the 50% preliminary engineering design work shows that the project cannot be built with the $146 million in resources on hand, I will return to the Portland Development Commission and the Portland City Council with budget balancing options to increase resources or to reduce the project's scope, including the possibility of reducing the length of the alignment.

The Portland City Council will have the ultimate say on whether or not to approve the construction contract in Spring. To ensure the reliability and stability of project cost estimates, I anticipate that this project will be built with an incentive-based or guaranteed maximum price contracting approach.

The proposal before you today is not without risks but I want to compliment Ken Rust, Bruce Warner, Greg Jones, Vicki Diede and Rick Gustafson for helping to draft a proposal that appears to be prudent, workable and a good investment for PDC, City government and the businesses and citizens of Portland.

I now want to highlight a few key issues pertaining to the proposal being discussed today:

River District Urban Renewal District

The $17 million request from River District Urban Renewal District ($2.5 million of which is currently in the River District Urban Renewal District Plan) would be used for rail alignment construction and a needed expansion of the streetcar storage and maintenance facilities under the I-405 bridge.

This would be the River District Urban Renewal District's first streetcar contribution. The River District Urban Renewal District did not exist when the first streetcar through the River District was constructed. With $38 million in parking garage bond and system development charge (SDC) proceeds, the Westside streetcar has helped leverage the Pearl District's portion of the $2.5 billion in private investment leveraged.

The current $17 million streetcar request of the River District Urban Renewal District can be achieved without impacting other budgeted tax increment projects and programs by raising the debt limit of the district when we consider expanding its boundaries.

Oregon Convention Center Urban Renewal District

The $4 million request from Oregon Convention Center Urban Renewal District ($2.5 million of which is currently in the Oregon Convention Center Urban Renewal District Plan). The request to the Oregon Convention Center Urban Renewal District is limited due to its looming expiration date.

Central Eastside Urban Renewal District

The $6.2 million request from Central Eastside Urban Renewal District ($4 million of which is currently in the Central Eastside District Urban Renewal District Plan). The streetcar request of Central Eastside Urban Renewal District is limited to reduce short-term impacts to other budgeted projects in the District.

The overall value of the proposed projects within Central Eastside Urban Renewal District currently exceeds the increment projected to be created within the district. Because of this, the timing and cash-flow issues that already exist within the district will likely be further complicated by the funding needs of the streetcar project. On the other hand, however, it is important to note, that unlike other projects currently slated for the area, the streetcar is projected to generate a net positive amount in tax increment proceeds.

The Office of Management and Finance (OMF) has worked with Eric Hovee to prepare financial projections of future tax increment revenues in the Central Eastside Urban Renewal District based on investments in the Streetcar Loop Project. Based on Hovee's analysis, the one-time $6.184 million investment from Central Eastside TIF for the proposed streetcar project will induce, conservatively, a $54 million increase in the area's assessed property values by FY 2019-20. This translates into a minimum of $840,000 a year in additional property taxes collected in the area by year 2020. In today's dollars (using a total net present value analysis calculation) the investment in the Central Eastside streetcar line will create a roughly $7.3 million return to the public coffers. In other words, investing in an eastside streetcar line will pay for itself and then generate an additional $1.165 million for other public priority projects within the Central Eastside that would not otherwise be available.

Operating Costs

In terms of operations, the Portland Streetcar Loop Project service between OMSI and NW Hoyt Street is projected to cost $3.6m annually. The City and TriMet have agreed to pay for this annual operation from the following sources:

- $1 million from TriMet general fund
- $430,000 from savings from changes to the line 6 bus enabled by the new streetcar
- $945,315 from net new streetcar revenue
- $1 million from City of Portland -- likely source will be parking revenues
- $175,000 in sponsorship

Funding Idea for Future Rail Transit Projects

The discussion of funding this project, the Milwaukie to Portland lightrail line, and my vision to more rapidly expand Portland's streetcar system begs the question of how will we fund future transit rail projects.

While I am still early in my thought process, I am working with staff on a possible new rail transit funding tool. My idea is to create a funding tool conceptually similar to the existing tax increment mechanism but unique in that it would take only 30% of the annual increment created in a district, leaving the rest to be collected by the school districts, the City, and the County. I would also include a modest ongoing amount to pay for continued operations in the future.

For the City, County and school districts it would mean they would immediately start receiving their annual portion of the 70% of the increased property taxes leveraged by the streetcar or lightrail line investments. There is still much to flesh out, but want you to know I am working on the challenge and that I look forward to discussing potential solutions with you further in the future.

___________________________________________

The Council identified the following questions and necessary follow-up items for staff for the unfolding streetcar project:

Bicycle Facilities - Commissioner Leonard made clear that he wanted to explore adding bicycle facilities on all of the bridges that are a part of this project. There are two new bridges slated for this project: one to cross railroad tracks near OMSI, and one that will cross the Willamette and connect OMSI with the SouthWaterfront. The Willamette bridge is already being designed with the expectation that it will have bike and ped facilities, but that was in doubt for the OMSI rail crossing.
Project Management Clarification - Mayor Potter asked that a line-item on the submitted budget be further broken down. On page 14 of the PowerPoint (document attached below), a chart identifies $10.66 million for design engineering and project management. Project management is overseen by Portland Streetcar, Inc. (PSI), which in turn subcontracts with another company for day-to-day management. Mayor Potter was interested in seeing the breakdown of design engineering and project management costs, as well as PSI's subcontract.
Creation and Expansion of an East-West URA- Commissioner Leonard questioned PDC staff on the city's ability to extend the River District from NW Portland across the river into east portland - in order to have the flexibility to use funds collected in one area for project needs that exist in other areas.
Beef up accounting oversight - PDC recommended that the project manager be required to engage the services of a project accountant who would in turn ensure that all of the funding sources being used are spent in accordance with the various conditions and legal restrictions that exist for each funding source.
Unused Financial Cost - Since OMF uses conservative figures and assumptions in its financial analyses, the question arose of what would happen should it turn out that the actual financing costs for the project ened up being less than is currently estimated and budgeted. What would happen with those excess funds if this were the case? Similarly, if the contigency funding currently included in the project cost goes unspent, where would that money go?
Fareless Square Reevaluation - Fred Hansen of TriMet discussed with council his desire to have a seamless fare system between TriMet and Streetcar, but explained that a conversation about the role of fareless square would have to be part of the discussion. Fare revenues are very low for the existing streetcar line because it is almost entirely inside of fareless square. Discussions about the operation costs of a growing streetcar system would need to revisit this issue.
Light Rail Funding - Mayor Potter raised the question of where the funding would come from for the city's expected contribution to the construction of the new MAX line to Milwaukie. Sam explained that since it doesn't substantially go through any urban renewal districts, the traditional methods of tax increment financing would not be possible for this project. There is no easy answer to the mayor's question at this time, but Sam reiterated that he and staff are working vigorously on finding a solution.

To view the PowerPoint presentation given at the council work session earlier today, it is attached below as a pdf file.

Attachment	Size
Streetcar Loop Presentation 8.09.071.pdf	1.55 MB

RiverEast Center - From Demo Building to Demonstration Building

Kimberly Schneider — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 17:44:09 -0700

Sam and I took a tour yesterday of the new RiverEast Center. Just off the East bank of the Willamette River, the building is the workplace to 250 employees from seven businesses and two non-profit organizations.

Jay Haladay, CEO of Coaxis, and Jeffery Reaves, President of Group Mackenzie, showed us the building's beautiful new design as well as some of the building's many environmentally-friendly features. These features include the reuse of the building's concrete for unique art features, on-site storm water management, and an innovative solar heating system.

We also saw an on-site fitness gym and learned about the public boat house on the building's bottom floor. The Center's close proximity to the Eastbank Esplanade makes for an inviting building open to all forms of transit.

With its former life as an art deco warehouse for C&H Sugar and Quaker Oats, the building was once slated for demolition to the proposed Mt. Hood Freeway. After the freeway failed to be built, however, the building sat vacant for 40 years.

Tucked partly underneath Interstate 5, the radically revamped building now sits as a gem of promise for an industrial area poised for future redevelopment and restoration.

In addition to the promising environmental features of the new RiverEast Center, the recent development of a once-vacant building emphasizes innovative efforts to support successful, sustainable development within the city core.

Coaxis provides unique vertical-market software development and management services throughout the country. You can learn more about their company as well as their new headquarters on their website.

Group Mackenzie is a firm that specializes in creating sustainable, cost effective and innovative designs through architectural, engineering, and planning services. Visit their website.

Be sure to take a trip to the new RiverEast Center. You will be amazed by what you see!

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