(Sept. 16, 2013) – On Wednesday, the City Council will vote on sending a request to Metro for $24 million worth of transportation projects, including a multifaceted $9 million East Portland project that could bring the total amount of transportation grants approved for East Portland to $47 million in the last year and a half, City Commissioner Steve Novick said.

The projects will come before the City Council for public comment and a vote at the regularly scheduled council meeting, which begins at 9:30 a.m. at City Hall,1221 SW   Fourth Ave.

“Wednesday’s vote is the culmination of a year of community involvement that helped identify these projects,” said Novick, who oversees the Portland Bureau of Transportation. “These seven projects have survived rigorous vetting with stakeholders across Portland. They will make our streets safer and make it easier for goods to reach markets as well.”

Five of the projects would improve active transportation corridors, making it safer for people to walk, bike or take public transit to reach schools, work and housing. Two of the projects would improve access to industrial areas, either with road adjustments or high tech solutions.

The largest project would be located in East Portland. The $9 million East Portland in Motion – Access to Employment and Education Project would make a variety of improvements, including:

• $3 million in sidewalks and improved crossings onSE Powell Boulevard, eastof Interstate 205;
• $2 million in building safer crossings, bus stops and shelters;
• $1.5 million in building neighborhood greenways that provide quiet, safe routes for bicyclists and pedestrians to access 10 business districts, 11 schools and 10 parks;
• $1.5 million for sidewalk connections that provide access to public transit;

“East Portland has been neglected for far too long,” Novick said. “People in East Portland have told me they want safer routes to schools and public transit. While this project won’t solve all the problems there, it would be the city’s largest active transportation grant award in many years – and the city would invest it in East Portland.”

Since April 2012, the City of Portland has built, planned or secured funding for $38 million in transportation safety projects in East Portland, including $8 million in sidewalks from the City's general transportation revenue; $5 million from the state Legislature targeted to Powell Boulevard and $3.6 million for sidewalks on SE 136th Avenue.

Final Council approval of the $9 million East Portland in Motion project would bring the total committed or built inEast Portlandto $47 million.

The projects have been through two separate public comment periods and were the subject of a public hearing hosted by the City ofPortlandon August 15, 2013. After the council vote, the projects will be considered by the Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation and the Metro Council.

Additional East Portland projects were recently approved by a regional committee for STIP funding. The Oregon Transportation Commission will make a final decision on those and other projects from around the state.

Exhibit A: Projects to Nominate for Regional Flexible Funds Allocation (RFFA) and Regional EconomicOpportunityFund: FY 16-18

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