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TIM CURRAN
THE MID-COUNTY MEMO
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| Mark Lear, Portland Office of Transportation director of special projects, answers questions from Mid-county resident Jessica Aiona at the Office of Transportation open house held last month in east Portland. |
| MEMO PHOTOS: TIM CURRAN |
Neighbors were briefed about traffic challenges in Mid-county as well as the funding available and also had the chance to review specific transportation needs and possible solutions through a series of meticulously drawn maps, charts and graphs. Mark Lear, special projects director, led the review that promises safer streets, improved crosswalks — especially at major intersections — additional sidewalks to busy streets, improved major arterials and reduced congestion throughout East Portland by maintaining area bridges and improving traffic signal timing and operation.
How will that happen with a million new residents predicted to arrive in the Portland area over the next 25 years?
It’s a challenge. All those new people mean more cars. The city knows it has to do more than just add buses and light rail lines. The city knows it has to upgrade, improve, build, maintain and fix existing roads and bridges.
Lear said, “The safe and sound street project is focused on maintaining Portland’s streets and bridges and improving traffic safety for all of Portland.”
The Stakeholders Committee was recently formed to come up with a funding package for a list of specific projects across the city, as the city says in writing, “with benefits in every neighborhood.” It’s composed of business leaders, bicycle advocates, elected officials, citizens, neighborhood activists and representatives from the transit community.
“Over the next month the city is engaged in discussions with business and neighborhood associations to identify transportation priorities and potential funding solutions,” said Lear.
Do you want paved sidewalks where you live? Do you know where some potholes are that need to be fixed? Think your street needs speed bumps installed? Do you want to see Sandy Boulevard, Prescott Street, and Northeast 122nd Avenue improved? Tired of waiting for ill-timed traffic lights? Do you want more bike paths and pedestrian-friendly streets? You can make a difference — but you have to try. If you don’t, next time you’re stuck in that half-mile backup on Glisan Street, waiting to get on I-205 headed south, keep your frustration to yourself.
There’s more than one thing you can do to make your voice heard and be a part of the process.
You can pick up the phone or go online to register, fill out an online survey or go to the next open house to tell city leaders, planners and bureaucrats what you think and want. You could write a letter to the Memo with traffic concerns, and tell us how your family’s life would be easier with safer, more efficient streets.
The next open house is Monday, Oct. 22 from 7 to 9 p.m. at Menlo Park Elementary School, 12900 N.E. Glisan St. City Commissioner Sam Adams invites you to attend as he will preside over the meeting. He will review transportation needs and solutions specific to Mid-county. For more information or to fill out that online survey, please visit www.portlandonline.com or call the Office of Transportation at 503-823-1394.
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