Current and Future Projects
Updated February 18, 2005
Transportation Planning provides overall planning direction for
the Office of Transportation. This division recommends and ensures
the implementation of transportation policies approved by City
Council, the State and the Region. Transportation Planning
coordinates the city’s participation in regional transportation
issues, provides project development on priority capital projects
and prepares transportation studies for development areas. This
division is also responsible for ensuring that the needs of all
modes of transportation are integrated into planning and engineering
projects. These efforts provide a framework for transportation
improvements and support the city’s goals for housing and
employment growth in specific districts of the city as well as
maintaining established neighborhoods.
The planning program's major responsibilities are the
Transportation System Plan (TSP), major regional transportation
planning projects and the development of capital projects throughout
the city. Transportation Planning also assists other city bureaus
with the development of community, development and neighborhood land
use plans.
CURRENT PROJECTS
Lead Agency: Portland Development Commission
Project Description: Plan and implement a fixed,
pedestrian-oriented informational and directional signage program
for Portland’s Central City. The goals of the project are to
create a signage system that merges clear and concise functional
wayfinding information with creativity and visual innovation that
enhances pedestrian circulation throughout the Central City, and
lends a stronger identity to this part of Portland.
Current Status: Convening Technical Advisory Committee
and Project Advisory Committee. Will meet through fall 2003. .
PDC Project Manager: Sara King; 503/823-823-3261
PDOT Project Manager: Courtney Duke 503/823-7265; courtney.duke@pdxtrans.org
No Update.
Project Manager: Steve Iwata.
Convention Center Hotel Transportation Issues Analysis
The Portland Development Commission (PDC) is working with an
architectural firm to look at options for a Convention Center
hotel that could range from 400 to 800 rooms in size, and could
entail a two- to three-block site east of the Convention Center.
Martin Luther King, Jr. Boulevard (MLK) acts as a barrier for
pedestrian activity and pedestrian crossings of this facility. PDC
would like to study options that would better connect the hotel
site to the Convention Center and to the existing MAX Light Rail (LRT)
station. The PDC has requested The Portland Office of
Transportation(PDOT) conduct a transportation impact study of a
proposed Convention Center Hotel adjacent to the new Oregon
Convention Center. PDOT has contracted with David Evans and
Associates for transportation engineering and modeling services.
Project Manager(s): Art Pearce and Steve Iwata, art.pearce@pdxtrans.org
Division Green Street/Main Street TGM
Lead Agency:
Portland Bureau of Planning
Description:
The City of Portland Bureau of Planning (BOP) and Office of
Transportation (PDOT) initiated the Division Green Street/Main
Street project and was awarded a Transportation and Growth
Management (TGM) grant. Project boundaries are between SW 11th
and SE 60th Avenues. The project is a
collaborative effort with the community to improve its livability
and economic vitality over the next 20 years. The project will
develop policies and strategies to create pedestrian-friendly
commercial nodes that reflect and reinforce community values,
including a "green" emphasis. This is being done through a
transportation and land use planning process that includes extensive
community, business and interagency collaboration.
The transportation element of the project will consider
improvements that enhance access to transit, improve safety, and
enhance the streetscape. Project results will be used in follow-up
preliminary engineering/design development phases of a funded
street improvement project. The study will be used as the basis for
changes to the City zoning code and comprehensive plan as it
pertains to Division Street.
Current Status: Project is underway. Public workshop was held
January 22, 2005.
As a result of the community's input, two "preferred"
transportation alternatives will be forwarded to the next phase of
planning for the street. One alternative would remove the pro-time
(part-time) travel lanes completely between SE 11th and 28th Place,
and the other would remove the pro-time lanes between SE 13th and
18th and return them between 11th and 13th/14th and from 18th to
20th Place.
Other key components of both alternatives are a package of
"enhancements" at 7 Corners (Division/Ladd/20th/21st);
protected left turns from Division to 39th; a realigned roadway,
landscaped median, and pedestrian crossings at the 42nd curve; and
curb extensions at Division/50th. Additional curb extensions and
pedestrian crossings will be added along the rest of the corridor at
key transit stops and crossing locations. While the two alternatives
are similar, the key differences lie in how congested intersections
will operate and whether vehicles will divert onto parallel routes.
The next phase of streetscape planning is tentatively scheduled
to begin in Fall 2005 with construction between SE 6th and 39th
scheduled for 2007-08.
Upcoming Public Events:
Public Hearing
Tuesday, September 27, 2005
1900 Building
1900 SW 4th Avenue
7:00 pm
Project Manager for PDOT:
Jeanne Harrison; 503/823-7793
BOP Contact for the Division TGM:
Jay Sugnet; 503/823-5869
Project web information: www.planning.ci.portland.or.us/cp_div_over.html
Lead Agency: Portland Office of Transportation,
Transportation Planning.
Project Description: Initiated in January 2003, the
Freight Master Plan will provide and develop strategies to address the
relationship, conflicts, and needs for local delivery and freight movement
within the City of Portland. The master plan will emphasize freight mobility and
access to regional and state highways, industrial areas, intermodal and terminal
facilities, 2040 centers, main streets, and station communities and at the
interface of residential neighborhoods and freight districts. Research and
analysis will focus on the identification of system needs and deficiencies,
opportunities, street project design and project prioritization. The master plan
will also address:
- Truck street system efficiency in terms of access and mobility;
- Where or in what situations major delays occur;
- Where truck traffic and neighborhood conflicts are the greatest;
- Potential remedial actions for the identified system needs, deficiencies
or conflicts; and
- Ways to capitalize on existing advantages and opportunities for freight
and distribution in Portland.
The Freight Master Plan is being developed in two phases. The first phase of
the City’s freight planning effort focused on telling Portland’s freight
story – why we need to make a plan.
Phase 2 completes a recommended Freight Master Plan. During this phase, we
looks at freight needs and opportunities within our existing transportation
system. Solutions and strategies that can make the system more efficient for
freight movement will be identified. When adopted, the Freight Master Plan will
include:
- Revised Goal 6 and Goal 11b transportation policies including freight
street classifications and network maps
- Design guidelines for truck streets
- Operations/maintenance program recommendations
- List of infrastructure projects that benefit freight including intelligent
transportation system improvements
- Performance measures
Current Status: The Portland Freight Committee, Technical
Advisory Committee and consultants are working to complete phase two. For more
details about the Freight Master Plan including technical reports, please click here.
Upcoming Public Events: Freight Master Plan Workshop,
Thursday, January 27th 2005 5pm to 8pm @ Oregon Association of Minority Entrepreneurs
(4134 N. Vancouver Ave, Portland)
Project Manager: Deena Platman; (503) 823-7567; Deena.Platman@pdxtrans.org
Mission Statement: Support and enhance the economy of
the City of Portland by advancing a balanced and well-managed multi-modal
freight network.
Description: The Portland Freight Committee (PFC)
advises the Office of Transportation and the City on issues related to freight
policies and freight mobility. They review and comment on projects and policy
changes. The PFC was formed in February 2003 and includes both citizen
volunteers and public agency representatives.
Current Status: The PFC meets the first Thursday of
the month in City Hall - Lovejoy Room from 7:30am to 9:30am. Subcommittees
have their own meeting schedules depending on workload. Currently the PFC is
advising the Office of Transportation on the creation of the Portland Freight Master Plan.
Committee Coordinator: Deena Platman; (503) 823-7567; Deena.Platman@pdxtrans.org
Lead Agencies: Washington Department of Transportation
and Oregon Department of Transportation
Description: The Portland/Vancouver I-5 Transportation
and Trade Partnership brings together Washington and Oregon
citizens and leaders to respond to concerns about growing
congestion on I-5 between Portland and Vancouver. The purpose of
this project is to develop a long-range strategic plan to manage
and improve transportation in the I-5 corridor stretching from
I-84 in downtown Portland to I-205 north of Vancouver.
PDOT Role: Transportation Planning staff represent the
interests of the City if Portland in the design of the project on
a number of technical staff committees.
Current Status: The I-5 Task Force adopted "The
Strategic Plan Recommendations for the I-5 Corridor." On June
18, 2002.
The Plan was endorsed by the Bi-State Transportation Advisory
Committee and all other affected jurisdictions including JPACT,
the Oregon and Washington Transportation Commissions, Vancouver,
and Portland. The Portland City Council endorsed the I-5 Task
Force recommendations on January 29, 2003, including additional
endorsements for the Bi-State Coordination Accord, examination of
alternatives to avoid adverse impacts to private property and to
environmentally sensitive areas, and for Hayden Island land use
and circulation study. Also in January 2003, ODOT initiated
environmental review and project development for the Delta/Lombard
element of the I-5 Project.
Upcoming Public Events: http://www.i-5partnership.com/committees/cal.html
Project Manager: John Gillam; 503/823-7707; John.Gillam@pdxtrans.org
Project Staff: Steve Gerber; 503/823-7242; Steve.Gerber@pdxtrans.org
Other contact information: http://www.i-5partnership.com
Lead Agencies: Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT)
Description: Studies conducted by an Oregon and
Washington task force as part of the I-5 Transportation and
Trade Partnership recommended a series of multi-modal
improvements to address bi-state transportation issues. The
segment of I-5 in the vicinity of Delta Park (between the Victory
and Lombard interchanges) was found to have deficiencies that
required further analysis. I-5 currently has 3 travel lanes
northbound and 2 travel lanes southbound through this section.
This 2-lane section creates a traffic bottleneck, resulting in
congestion and safety problems. This section also has substandard
shoulders, medians and acceleration lanes. ODOT's proposed
improvement would provide a 3-lane section for both directions and
improved southbound on and off ramps. The design is intended to be
compatible with later improvements to provide northbound on and
off ramps in the vicinity of Columbia Blvd. Various alternatives
are being considered. Two public committees, a Citizen Advisory
Committee and an Environmental Justice Work Group are monitoring
project development activities.
Current Status: ODOT is in the preliminary design and
environmental analysis phase of project development. This project
has been classified needing an Environmental Assessment. This work
is being conducted in coordination with PDOT. The public process
for this phase of project development started in January 2003 and
is expected to continue through May 2005 when the EA is approved
by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA).
Upcoming Pubic events: The Citizen Advisory Committee
and Environmental Justice Work Group meetings are open to the
public and other public events will be scheduled. Contact the
project website for more details: www.i-5partnership.com
– click "go to the Delta Park-Lombard website".
Project Manager: John Gillam, 503-823-7707, john.gillam@pdxtrans.org
Project Staff: Stuart Gwin, 503-823-7788, stuart.gwin@pdxtrans.org
Description:
PDOT’s Intergovernmental Agreement (IGA) files were organized and are managed
in the Transportation Planning section. IGAs were entered into a database to
facilitate identification and access to the files. Staff is in the process of
making files available online.
Current Status:
Files are now available as hard copies to be checked out.
Project Manager:
Donna Beck; 503/823-7603; donna.beck@pdxtrans.org
No update.
Project Manager: Steve Iwata.
Lead Agency: Metro
PDOT Role: Coordination and communication of Metro
activities with PDOT, the Commissioner's office and City Council, as
appropriate.
Description: PDOT coordinates its transportation planning
with our regional partners through various committees and processes
managed by Metro. The City is an active participant in Regional
Transportation Plan implementation, development of the Metropolitan
Transportation Improvement Program and other regional policy,
planning and financing activities. Many activities are undertaken at
the program or project level, including examples like the Transit
Oriented Development Program, the Corridor Initiatives Program and
the Green Streets projects. Other activities are managed through
various standing technical and policy advisory committees.
Transportation Planning Division provides the primary overall
coordination role for PDOT with Metro in association with staff from
Transportation Options and Transportation Engineering who provide
lead roles on various specific programs and projects.
Current Status: The Transportation Policy Alternatives
Committee (TPAC) and the Joint Policy Advisory Committee on
Transportation (JPACT) each meet monthly. Laurel Wentworth and John
Gillam are the city representatives on TPAC and Commissioner Jim
Francesconi is the City representative on JPACT.
Upcoming Public Events: Contact Metro’s transportation
hotline at 503/797-1510, or e-mail to trans@metro.dst.or.us.
Project Manager: John Gillam; 503/823-7707; John.Gillam@pdxtrans.org
Related Links: Metro’s website is www.metro-region.org.
Current Projects
Loop Study – Assess traffic patterns on I405/I5 Loop
Project Mgr: Steve Iwata, PDOT/TRP
Freight Study – Effects of future congestion on truck traffic
Project Mgr: Steve Gerber, PDOT/TRP
Regional Growth Allocation – Review of Metro growth assumptions
for City of Portland.
Project Mgr: Gary Odenthal, BOP
Contact:
Ning Zhou, 503/823-7732
Lead Agency: Multnomah County
Description: The City and County are working cooperatively
to plan a bicycle and pedestrian shared path on the County-owned
Morrison Bridge. The County received a $100,000 federal
transportation grant to plan and design the path. Both the City and
County are matching this funding with $75,000 contributions.
Current Status: A January Open House clearly identified
the following four elements as the most important: a barrier between
the path and the roadway, improvements to the Water Avenue Ramp,
improvements to the Naito Parkway Ramp, improvements to the Alder
Street Ramp to allow bicycle and pedestrian access. Because the
project funding is not sufficient to build all four elements, the
project team is seeking alternative means of funding. One project
element, improvements to the Water Avenue Ramp, will be funded by
the City of Portland with federal funding. The construction phase of
the project is funded for 2005 with a $1.5 million federal grant.
Upcoming Public Events: No events currently planned. The
project team is preparing final recommendations for design and
funding and will communicate those with interested parties and all
attendees of the open house.
PDOT Project Manager: Roger Geller; 503/823-7671 Roger.Geller@pdxtrans.org
Lead Agency: Portland Office of Transportation
Description: City Council adopted the Northwest District
Plan on September 24th, 2003. City Council directed
Office of Transportation staff to prepare implementing code language
and administrative policy necessary to activate the Transportation
Fund bonus option created as part of the Northwest Plan District
amendments and Guild’s Lake Industrial Sanctuary Plan District
amendments. The amendments to Title 17 were needed to allow
collection of a Transportation Bonus fee. The Transportation Bonus
is available for non-residential development above a 1:1 floor area
ratio (FAR) in the portion of the Northwest Plan District north of
NW Pettygrove that will be zoned EXd and above a 1:1 FAR for office
uses in Subdistrict B of the Guild’s Lake Industrial Sanctuary
Plan District.
Transportation analysis of the Northwest District Plan revealed
that certain roadway segments and key intersections will experience
unacceptably high levels of congestion if recently rezoned areas
develop to their potential under new zoning regulations. In order to
provide transportation improvements to support planned growth in
Northwest Portland, floor area for non-residential development is
held to a 1:1 FAR unless a fee of $2.90 per each square foot is paid
into a Transportation Fund. The amendments to Title 17 authorizes
the Manager of the Bureau of Transportation Engineering and
Development (BTE&D) to collect these fees for the Transportation
Fund and expend them on transportation improvements in an area of
Northwest Portland between NW Pettygrove, NW 27th Avenue,
NW Nicholai Street, and the I-405 freeway.
Current Status: The amendments to Title 17 establishing
the NW Transportation Fund were adopted by City Council on October
22nd, 2003, effective date November 21st, 2003
(Ordinance No. 177993).
An Administrative Procedures Guide was filed with the City
Auditor on November 21st, 2003.
Project Manager: Jeanne Harrison; 503/823-7793; jeanne.harrison@pdxtrans.org
BOP contact for the Northwest District Plan: Debbie
Bischoff; 503/823-6946
Project website information: www.portlandtransportation.org/plans/AdminRules.doc
Lead Agency: City of Gresham & City of Portland
Description: The plan will identify the regulations and
actions needed to implement the Pleasant Valley Concept Plan – the
guide for creating a new 1,532 acre community east of Portland and
south of Gresham.
Current Status
: The final report is production and will
be available on the web sites for the cities
of Portland and Gresham when completed.
Other contact information: www.ci.gresham.or.us/departments/cedd/nca/pleasantvalley/pv_plan.htm
Gresham Project Manager: Jonathon Harker; 503-618-2502; harker@ci.gresham.or.us
Portland – BOP Project Manager: Jay Sugnet;
503-823-5869; jsugnet@ci.portland.or.us
PDOT Contact: Deena Platman; 503-823-7567; deena.platman@pdxtrans.org
Description: The PDOT Library evolved from the
Transportation Planning Section library. The Library contains
studies, reports and documents ranging from international to local,
relating to transportation planning and engineering, transit,
traffic management, safety, bicycling, and pedestrians.
Current Status: It is an ongoing project. Documents are
continually submitted for inclusion in the library.
Project Manager: Donna Beck; 503/823-7603; donna.beck@pdxtrans.org
Lead Agency: Metro
Description: This corridor refinement plan is intended to
identify the complimentary transit, roadway bicycle and pedestrian
networks and improvements needed to meet the corridor’s
anticipated transportation service requirements in a manner that
supports the region’s 2040 Concept Plan. This planning work covers
a broad study area including outer southeast Portland. Metro, ODOT,
Tri-Met, the City of Gresham and Clackamas County, as well as the
City of Portland, are all participating in this study.
Current Status: The final report is in production and will
be available on Metro's web site when complete.
Metro Project Manager: Bridget Wieghart; 503/797-1775; wieghartb@metro.dst.or.us
PDOT Project Manager: John Gillam; 503/823-7707; John.Gillam@pdxtrans.org
PDOT Project Staff: Deena Platman; 503/823-7567; Deena.Platman@pdxtrans.org
Other Project Information: www.metro-region.org/article.cfm?articleid=224
Lead Agency: Rail~Volution.
Description: Rail~Volution is the pre-eminent national
conference about building livable communities with transit. The
conference began in 1989 as a small regional meeting sponsored by
the City of Portland’s Regional Rail Program, and spearheaded by
Oregon Congressman Earl Blumenauer, a national spokesperson for
transit. It culminated in 1995 with the creation of a national
conference, and has grown to include more than 1,200 participants,
including a broad cross-section of attendees from across the nation,
and from several countries.
Rail~Volution’s mission is to provide a forum that engages the
public to build collaboratively a diverse coalition dedicated to
building livable communities through education, advocacy, and
increasing overall federal, state, and local funds available for
transit.
Current Status: Planning for the 2004 conference in Los
Angeles, California is currently underway. More information will be
posted on the Rail~Volution website as it becomes available. Issues:
Reauthorization, Transit Oriented Development, Funding and
Financing, Coalition-Building, Collaborative Partnerships,
Affordable Housing, and Public Health.
Upcoming Public Events:
Rail~Volution 2004
September 18-22, 2004
The Renaissance Hollywood Hotel, Los Angeles, California
Project Manager: Mary Simon, Executive Director;
503-823-6870; mary.simon@pdxtrans.org
Project Staff: Brandon Aguirre, Program Coordinator;
503-823-7737; brandon.aguirre@pdxtrans.org
Lead Agency: Portland Office of Transportation
Description: Transportation Planning, Development Review, and
Right of Way Acquisition of the Office of Transportation provide
administration of street vacation requests. Right-of-Way Acquisitions is
the lead agency within the Office of Transportation.
- As the lead agency, Right-of-Way Acquisition coordinates the
responses of all agencies, produces the street vacation report and
recommendation to the City Council, and processes the vacation to
completion.
- Transportation Planning provides for a Staff Report and
presentation of the vacation report and recommendation to the
Planning Commission.
- Development Review provides the technical assessment and analysis
and background information, coordinating with Transportation
Planning.
Other City agencies provide the following:
- The Bureau of Development Services will review for land locked
parcels and impacts to Title 33 regulations for proposed street
vacations.
- The Auditor’s Office provides application intake for the street
vacation process.
Portland Office of Transportation Contacts:
Development Review: Elizabeth Papadopoulos; (503) 823-7647; elizabeth.papadopoulos@pdxtrans.org
Right-of-Way Acquisitions: Heidi Ware; (503) 823-7166; heidi.ware@pdxtrans.org
Transportation Planning: Gabe Onyeador; (503) 823-7794; gabe.onyeador@pdxtrans.org
This study has been completed. It recommended that two light rail
alternatives be examined in the South Corridor Amended Supplemental
Draft Environmental Impact Statement. Alternative 1 was a light rail
alternative over the Hawthorne Bridge with service on SW First Ave. that
connected to the existing MAX line on SW First Ave. at Yamhill and
Morrison with transfers to the existing MAX line at the Oak St. station.
It also included a new station on SW First Ave. between Main and Salmon.
Alternative 2 used the existing MAX line out to the Gateway Transit
Center. At Gateway a new line would be build down I-205 to the Clackamas
Town Center.
The study also showed that a new alignment was needed downtown
because of over capacity on the existing cross mall alignment. In
response to this deficiency a light rail alignment was added to the
Transit Mall.
In late spring 2003 the Region selected the I-205 alignment coupled
with a mall alignment downtown and the Locally Preferred Alternative (LPA).
The Milwaukie alignment was also included in the LPA as a second phase
to begin after completion of the I-205 and downtown segments. The
Milwaukie alignment adopted as part of the LPA dropped the SW First Ave.
alignment and included a new river crossing of the Willamette connected
to a transit mall alignment at SW Lincoln St.
The Region and the City are currently completing the last details to
advance the project to the Final Environmental Impact Statement and
Preliminary Engineering. This work is slated to begin in October 03.
Metro Project Manager: Ross Roberts; (503) 797-1752; mailto:RossR@metro.dst.or.us
PDOT Project Manager: Stuart Gwin (PDOT); 503/823-7788; Stuart.gwin@pdxtrans.org
Project Staff: Gabe Onyeador; 503/823-7794; Gabe.Onyeador@pdxtrans.org
Transportation System Plan
for the Urban Pockets of Unicorporated Multnomah County
Lead Agency: Multnomah County
Description: Multnomah County and the Portland Office of
Transportation are developing a transportation system plan (TSP) for the
unincorporated urban pockets in the City of Portland.
These urban pockets are neighborhoods located within the City of Portland's
urban service area but not yet annexed to Portland. The pockets are found along
the edge of the city boundary in southwest, northwest and outer southeast
Portland. Please use the following link for more details: http://www.co.multnomah.or.us/dbcs/LUT/trans_plan/urban_pockets_plan_2004.shtml
Project Manager: Gabe Onyeador; (503) 823-7794 Gabe.Onyeador@pdxtrans.org
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