It’s time for Portland to build more efficient streets downtown where walkers and bicycle riders can get around without fearing for their life. And to make it happen, more people need to stop driving cars.
That was the message newly-appointed Transportation Commissioner Chloe Eudaly shared at Thursday’s hearing for PBOT’s Central City in Motion plan. Commissioner Eudaly made activist hearts flutter when she opened things up with a strong speech that laid the gauntlet down on several key issues.
Recounting her experience being stuck in Hawthorne Bridge traffic next to a TriMet bus, Eudaly said Portland needs to encourage incentives and disincentives so people, “Change their deeply engrained behaviors and their cherished traditions — namely to not drive their single occupancy vehicles [into downtown].” She also promised that no public funds would be spent on auto parking garages and that the city is current “over-investing” in east Portland, pushing back against any claims that central city investment is not equitable.
Even without Mayor Ted Wheeler in attendance (he’s had a very rough 24 hours) Eudaly urged the council to vote on the plan today, saying it’s already taken six years to get to this point where 18 projects are vetted and ready-to-go. “We need to adopt this plan today,” she said, “to move forward with them.”
After a presentation by PBOT staff, other commissioners had the chance to ask questions
Commissioner Amanda Fritz, known for being a walking advocate, wanted assurances from PBOT that protected bikeways wouldn’t create stressful conditions for people on foot. Fritz also asked why PBOT chose SW Broadway and 4th for the marquee cycling couplet instead of 5th and 6th (a.k.a. the Transit Mall). It’s likely Fritz asked about this because taking drivers off the Transit Mall is something the Portland Business Alliance has advocated for (instead of Broadway and 4th).
PBOT Project Manager Gabe Graff was ready for the question.
He described engineering challenges like access to major hotels that open onto 5th and 6th and landlocked buildings that use the Transit Mall for garbage service and other deliveries. “And there are political challenges,” he shared, “The property owners that paid into the LID [local improvement district] that constructed the [transit] mall were promised continuous vehicluar access.” Then Commissioner Fritz interjected, “And we don’t want to break promises.”
The invited testimony echoed the need for quick action hinted at by Eudaly. A TriMet rep said they want the transit priority projects built, “As quick as we can.”
When it was time for public testimony, there was strong support for the plan — as well as major concerns from business owners and their advocates.
Many people pushed for all 18 projects to be completed in the first 1-5 years.
With Mayor Wheeler absent and Commissioner Nick Fish having left for some reason during the hearing, there were only three commissioners left for the final vote. Thankfully that’s enough for a quorum.
Eudaly, Fritz and Saltzman voted in favor of the plan.
It has passed! Great job everyone
=== MORE UPDATES TO COME == STORY WILL BE DONE BY FRIDAY MORNING ==
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
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