CommissionerSam.com - Southwest Portland

A Creek Runs Through It

The Office — Thu, 26 Jun 2008 12:45:07 -0700

Now that the non-native species have been removed, the Sylvan Area Natural Park is ready for some locals. PCC Sylvania students and teachers uncovered the hidden treasures of this park by removing invasive plants over the last several years. Enjoy the creek that runs through it and a new interpretive sign while showing some support for the volunteers who are continuing to work to restore natuarl areas.

The greenspace will be shown on an upcoming tour by one of its most esteemed admirers. This Saturday, June 28 at 10 a.m., meet PCC biology teacher April Fong for a public introduction to the park near taped-off Parking Lot 10 at PCC Sylvania (Parking Lot 10 is the most northeastern parking lot on campus).

This guided walk is free and appropriate for adults and families. No pre-registration is necessary. Call Sue at 503-823-6303 for more information.

PCC Sylvania

12000 SW 49th Ave.

Portland, OR 97219

Saturday, June 28 at 10 a.m

Parking Lot 10

SW Community Connection: Halos start to shine

The Office — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 15:04:54 -0800

Officials begin collecting information on how residents aim to share the cost of pedestrian improvements

By Shasta Kearns Moore

The Southwest Community Connection, Feb 1, 2008

SOUTHWEST PORTLAND – City Transportation Commissioner Sam Adams’ proposal to pay for pedestrian pathways on three major roads through Southwest Portland is beginning to gain steam as Southwest Neighborhoods Inc. begins to plan surveys, open houses and mass mailings to residents within a half-mile of the roads.

SWNI’s efforts are part of a campaign to get residents involved in the push for pedestrian safety, which is likely to include a local improvement district that charges properties within a certain radius of 35th Avenue, Hamilton and Vermont streets.

Called a “halo” LID, the proposal is designed to soften the impact on the relatively few property owners who abut the roads by distributing the cost among surrounding properties who might also benefit.

Don Gardner, project manager for the Portland Department of Transportation, said many of the details on the project are still fuzzy. Everything from how much the project will cost to where a resident will put his or her garbage when the street is pushed back are all questions that still need to be worked out during the coming months, Gardner said.

To encourage citizen input in the process, SWNI officials are developing a letter and a survey that they will mail in February to about 3,000 property owners within a half-mile of the proposed developments.

The transportation committee then plans three open houses in March, one for each of the three projects. Details on the open houses were not available at press time.

Andrew Aebi, the transportation department’s LID coordinator, said he favors a graded approach to assessing the fees so that a property owner isn’t charged a much higher rate than her neighbor. For example, there could be a certain percentage assessed to those who live 3/10 of a mile away and a slightly lower percentage for those 4/10 of a mile away. But Kriger cautioned against extending the halo much farther than a half-mile as it has the potential to add too many voices to the decision-making process.

“There’s a fine line between getting the costs low and just having an unmanageable number of people to deal with,” he said.

For now, city officials shied away from estimating any figures for how much money the project would cost and how much property owners might be assessed.

Senior Project Manager Jerry Maresino of OTAK, the engineering firm for the project, said he wants the community (and each neighborhood’s halo LID project teams) to agree on the design before he can determine a price.

This has caused some delay in scheduling open houses as not enough details on the project have been available.

“Without a price I don’t want to start talking to people saying, ‘I’m going to assess you’ because my first question would be ‘How much?’ Well, I don’t know yet,” Gardner said.

Gardner did say he thought the soonest the project can go to contract would be the summer of 2009.

Marianne Fitzgerald, chair of the SWNI transportation committee, said residents should look in their mailboxes, the SWNI newsletter, and The Connection, for more information on the open houses as they are scheduled.

Reach Out!

Visit http://swni.org/bridlemile/hspi for more information, or contact Leonard Gard, SWNI’s Program Manager, at 503-823-4592 or leonard@swni.org.

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

From Gravel to Green: The SW Texas Street Improvement Project

Lisa Libby — Mon, 05 Nov 2007 16:35:01 -0800

Before

Commissioner Sam Adams joined staff from both the Bureau of Environmental Services and Portland Office of Transportation, as well as community stakeholders in recognizing the newest green streets in Portland, SW Texas Street and its intersecting streets from SW 26th to 29th Avenue.

After

The SW Texas Green Street Local Improvement District project greatly enhances the safety, access and livability of the neighborhood by improving the gravel streets to sustainable, paved streets with new curbs, sidewalks and green stormwater management infrastructure.

"This project has turned a problem into an asset," said nearby property owner Rick Meigs. The slope of the streets and gravel surface had previously led to increased erosion and forced stormwater into residents' yards and basements. The new green streets prevent excess water from pooling on residents' property and guides overflow into swales and a restored wetland at the bottom of the hill.

Celebrating Portland's Newest Green StreetThe recently restored wetland provides a natural filtering system for Stephens Creek, an education tool for local classrooms and a wildlife sanctuary. Laura Eckstein, a student at the Portland Jewish Academy recalled seeing a Blue Heron in the wetland. "It showed me that even in a neighborhood there can be an ecosystem."

The new sustainable streets were possible due to a great partnership between property owners, Bureau of Environmental Services and the Portland Office of Transportation; they worked together to create a design that fits in with the neighborhood and addresses the larger community infrastructure needs.

A Wet Weather Grant from the Environmental Protection Agency also helped to fund the project. Commissioner Sam Adams extended a special thanks today to all of the property owners, recognizing their dedication to the project over the last 13 years, which helped to ensure the streets would be an asset to the community.

Commissioner Adams & Senator Brad Avakian Lead Discussion on Sustainable Communities

Shoshanah Oppenheim — Thu, 20 Sep 2007 14:20:27 -0700

GreenStreet on Division"Sustainable Communities" will be the theme of the community town hall hosted by Portland City Commissioner Sam Adams and State Senator Brad Avakian (District 17). The town hall, slated for Tuesday, October 2nd from 7 to 9 P.M. will be held at the Friendly House in northwest Portland, which is located at 2617 NW Savier St.

The town hall follows on the heels of 2007 legislative session, which was easily one of the ‘greenest' in recent memory. During the past session, Senator Avakian chaired the Senate Environment and Natural Resources Committee and worked to pass bills that promoted the development of Oregon's renewable energy and biofuels industries, expanded electronics recycling, and laid the groundwork for addressing global climate change.

Green Street on SiskiyouCommissioner Adams is a vigorous advocate of alternative transit options at the city level, sponsoring initiatives to increase bike ridership and create an expanded network of streetcars. Commissioner Adams has expanded the green streets program, placing Portland on the map as a leader in ways that city's can protect watersheds from harmful storm water runoff.

The October 2nd town hall will begin with a short presentation by both Sen. Avakian and Commissioner Adams focusing on strategies to develop and maintain healthy, sustainable communities. Following the presentation, Adams and Avakian will answer questions and facilitate a discussion with community members. Both officials look forward to engaging with citizens and hearing from community members about the direction they hope that sustainable planning will head in the future.

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)

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Expand the Green Dream: more green streets

Lisa Libby — Mon, 16 Apr 2007 13:50:06 -0700

Commissioner Adams and Congressman Wu at PSU Green StreetCommissioner Adams and Congressman David Wu recently took a tour of some of Portland's innovative green street projects. Sam took the opportunity to discuss the numerous benefits of sustainable stormwater practices. Congressman Wu appreciated the success that Portland has achieved in this area, and Sam urged the support of federal policies and funding for green technologies.

Congressman Wu is the new chair of the Subcommittee on Technology and Innovation for the House Science Committee and supports expanding green strategies throughout Portland and the rest of the country. Sam has been invited by congress to testify at a subcommittee hearing in May about Portland's success with stormwater practices.

Portland is a national leader in innovative stormwater management. This is no surprise, when you consider that we average over 37 inches of rain over 150 days of the year. This year's stretch of rain should be eDaylighted Creek at the Village at Headwatersnding soon, but before we dust off our sunglasses, members of our local and federal government will be working to expand green solution throughout the city, and share Portland's pioneering efforts with the rest of the country.

Green solutions offer environmental, economic and social benefits, and include green streets, ecoroofs, swales and stormwater planters that treat the rain that falls on our urban rooftops and streets, and keep it out of the City's sewer system. The Village at Headwaters and the award winning green street at SW 12th and Montgomery are exciting examples of these practices.

Stay tuned to this blog for more information about Portland first Green Streets Policy, which will be unveiled at city council on April 18, 2007. This resolution aims to integrate green street efforts into the planning and design of Portland streets.

Tripling Affordable Housing Funding in South Waterfront

Jesse Beason — Thu, 08 Feb 2007 17:27:24 -0800

At Sam's urging, the Mayor and City Council directed PDC in December of 2005 to negotiate a new funding package with South Waterfront property owners that included a significant increase in affordable housing. As a result, in April City Council approved $18 million in new dollars for affordable housing in South Waterfront, bringing the total allocation to $25.7 million, which will fund 3-5 projects and funds completion of the first 200-unit project by 2009.

Thanks to this new funding agreement, South Waterfront will be a neighborhood not only for lawyers and doctors that serve OHSU and elsewhere, but also nurses, support staff, and most anybody who chooses to live there. This will be a real neighborhood, with housing options for a breadth of income levels, parks, a streetcar line, and a tram for all Portlanders.

Relevant Documents

City Council Memo to PDC regarding funding negotiations

Proposed Modified Tram Fare Structure

Sam Adams — Mon, 22 Jan 2007 12:57:17 -0800

I want to thank everyone who voted (over 750) or left comments (240) on my blog to share your perspectives on the ideal tram fare. Thanks, in part, to your input, I have been able to look at this issue from most all angles and develop a new propsed tram fare structure.

The Tram Executive Management Committee (TEMC) will meet at 7:30 am, Wednesday, January 24th in the Rose Room in Portland City Hall (1221 SW 4th Ave) to take public testimony and consider the following recommendation.

Rolled out for public comment in November 2006, the initial tram fare proposal was set at $4.00 per rider, per round trip, for all public riders. OHSU will be paying a separate estimated $1.2 million annualy to cover the fares of its employees, patients, students, and other customers who ride the tram.

Today, we propose a modification of this proposed tram fare to include the following provisions:

Tram rides will be free to Annual and Monthly TriMet and Streetcar transit pass holders
The Tram will sell Annual Passes for $100. Annual Tram Passes will be valid fare on the Streetcar System, but not TriMet buses or lightrail
For those without transit or tram passes, the fare will be $4.00 per rider for a round-trip pass. This fare will be valid for one round trip for the entire day on which it was purchased.
Daily tickets from TriMet and Streetcar will not be valid as fare to ride the Tram
Tram rides will be free to the public all day Saturday (9 am- 5 pm) and from 6:00 pm to 10:00 pm on Friday evenings for every weekend through the month of February

This is a more seamless approach than originally proposed, but not a totally seamless one.

The proposed modified tram structure benefits riders who will be using the tram as part of their usual transit. There are an estimated 110,000 TriMet annual and/or monthly pass holders. It also provides local residents with the option of purchasing an annual Tram pass that costs roughly $8.00 per month. Also, it will discourage automobile drivers from driving to the tram.

This has been made possible because OHSU has agreed to modify its existing agreement with the City of Portland and will pay 85% of the operating costs for the next five years, as opposed to the next two years as originally proposed, after which costs will apportioned between the City of Portland and OHSU based on actual OHSU and public ridership. The change limits the City's cost to approximately $240,000 annually (in today's dollars) for the next five years. Under this modified proposal, any fare revenue generated that exceeds the city's share of the operating costs will be split between OHSU and the city.

By 2010, on-street parking meters in South Waterfront are estimated to generate enough revenue to pay the City's portion of the tram not covered by fare revenues.

Why this proposal? Why not a totally seamless approach that also allows daily TriMet and Streetcar tickets to be used as fare on the tram as well?

While I agree with the original vision to make the Tram a completely seamless part of the region's transit system, the history of this project makes a good argument for a careful and conservative approach. There were cost projections that proved wildly inaccurate, and I do not intend to repeat those mistakes.

We need experience under our belt before we can know if we can afford to go to a completely seamless tram/transit fare structure. Since there hasn't been an urban aerial tram built in the U.S. since the 1960's, we simply don't know what ridership to expect. There are no comparable trams to help us forecast the ridership trends with sufficient accuracy. It is prudent to make long-term decisions based on actual experience.

And, we cannot afford to make a mistake and drain money away from other transportation needs. Portland already lacks the dollars necessary to maintain its existing transportation infrastructure, to say nothing of the need to make strategic investments in new infrastructure for our future. That's because the traditional funding mechanisms upon which we have relied to fund transportation no longer keep pace with the increasing cost of providing and maintaining the infrastructure. By example, in the next five years, due to flat revenues and rising costs, I will be required to cut over $60 million from PDOT's budget, on top of millions in cuts prior to these.

So, in considering how to pay for the Tram's annual operating costs, fares must cover the City's $240,000 share of the $1.76 million total annual Tram costs, while keeping the fares as seamless, equitable, and affordable as possible.

Portland, Meet Walt and Jean

Michael Oakes — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 16:29:07 -0800

Jean Richardson was the first woman in Oregon to earn a Civil Engineering degreeIt was a ceremonious scene on the second floor of City Hall: Two pioneers of their respective fields stood proud and smiled as Sam announced the new tram cars would be named in their honor.

So, Portland, we give you Jean and Walt.

Jean Richardson, the first woman to graduate with a Civil Engineering degree in Oregon, and whose tram car will be named "Jean," said she hoped that her name on the tram would remind women how far they've come in the last half-century and encourage them to continue to infiltrate the engineering world.

Walt Reynolds was first African American to earn a medical degree from OHSUThe car dubbed "Walt" was named for Walter Reynolds, the first African American to graduate from the University of Oregon Medical School, now called Oregon Health and Science University. Walt said he wasn't so excited about being recognized for his individual acheivement. Rather, he hoped the tram car would represent progress in minority hiring practices and remind people it wasn't so long ago there were little-to-no medical professionals of color.

The press conference also highlighted the names given to the two tram stations. Chameffu (pronounced: tcham-EH-foo), meaning "on the mountain," is derived from the Tualatin/Yamhill/Kalapuya native language and will represent the upper station. The same language was used to name the lower station, dubbed Chamanchal (tcha-mAHn-tchal), which means "on the river." Nichole Maher, Executive Director of the Native American Youth and Family Center, said it has been decades since the city named anything using a local Native American language, and that the names represent a great honor.

Stephen Leflar, spokesperson for the Tram Naming Committee, spoke about the significance of using real pioneers who have bridged racial and gender-related divides, much like the tram serves as a bridge between South Waterfront and OHSU. He added: "To see a path where others don't, is visionary. To make that path into a bridge for others, is revolutionary, for it crosses the unseen chasm. The committe agreed these names would inspire all of us -- that we can improve our world."

Fourth-grader Jules Renaud, the youngest member of the naming Fourth-grader and tram naming committee member Jules Renaudcommittee, and who suggested we name the stations using words meaning mountain and river, also spoke. He thanked Sam for inviting him onto the committe, and encouraged more committees to bring in kids because "kids have good ideas." He said he knew plenty of kids, if we need them.

Sam, Walt and Jean will officially christen the tram cars Thursday, January 25 at 9:00 a.m. at the South Waterfront, or Chamanchal station.

This is the Oregonian article Tram twins: Meet two who soar
This is the Portland Tribune article Say hi to Jean and Walt
This is the KGW TV article City chooses names for new aerial tramcars

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