- Alternatives Summary (block by block and general overview)
- Overview of Alternatives
- Alternatives Summary by Block – draft
- Alternatives Legend

The concepts identify possible streetscape improvements under the two street cross-section scenarios discussed in the 2005 Division Green Street / Main Street Plan.

Please note that although we are showing two alternatives (based on where we left off in 2005), we are moving forward with removing pro-time lanes where possible along Division to either return vehicle parking, create pedestrian crossings with curb extensions, enhance bus stops, or create bike parking.

We are working with Kittelson to determine what capacity is needed at the major intersections along SE Division (11th/12th, Seven Corners, 26th). We’ll discuss their findings at CAC #4 in July. At that time, we’ll work together as a committee to finalize the cross-section design and discuss what is needed at the various intersections.

Please review the streetscape options above and provide feedback to CAC members by noon on Monday, June 1st. We’ll compile the comments and present these at our meeting on June 3rd.

Our June CAC meeting will focus on establishing the design goals and vision for the streetscape improvements. The goals will be presented to the community at the June open house.

Staff will develop a draft list of design goals based upon what we’ve heard from the CAC to date (in addition to anything you submit by June 1st). We’ll review and refine the list as a group at our next meeting.

Please email me if you have any questions. I look forward to hearing back from everyone.

Elizabeth Mahon
Portland Office of Transportation
1120 SW 5th Ave, Suite 800
Portland Oregon 97204
503-823-0396

Concept: 21st Ave. Corridor

The 7 Corners Urban Design Strategy identified three options for transforming the 7 Corners intersection. However, the community discussion did not result in a clear preference and raised a number of questions and issues that are best addressed in the context of the larger Division Streetscape and Reconstruction Project. Therefore, the final report captures the ideas, issues, opportunities and challenges that were identified through this process and is intended to be a launching point for the streetscape design project.

The Division Streetscape and Street Reconstruction Project Citizen Advisory Committee (CAC) is currently working with the City on streetscape design alternatives for Division Street from SE 11th to 39th Avenue (which includes the Seven Corners intersection). A public open house will be held in June to allow the community to review the design alternatives and provide feedback. Stay tuned for additional information regarding the June open house. The Division Streetscape Project website is: http://www.portlandonline.com/transportation/index.cfm?c=41107

For questions regarding the Division Streetscape and Street Reconstruction Project, please contact Elizabeth Mahon with the Bureau of Transportation (503-823-0396, elizabeth.mahon@pdxtrans.org)

pedestrian crossing improvements
bicycle parking
transit amenities such as curb extensions, benches and shelters
green street solutions such as porous pavement, storm water mitigation and street trees
pedestrian-scale street amenities such as lighting, kiosks, benches and public art
signal enhancements to increase safety for motorists and pedestrians and to improve signal communications for transit priority technology and
opportunities for creating a sense of place that supports the mixed-use, multi-modal character of the neighborhood.

Guiding the the Division Streetscape and Reconstruction Project will be the Divison Green Street/Main Street Plan adopted by City Council in 2006. Developed by a coalition of citizens, businesses, City of Portland Staff (many areas represented) and many others, it focuses on the area between SE 11th and SE 60th. The plan contains goals, objectives and implementation strategies to create a pedstrian-friendly commercial district that reflects and reinforces community values, including a focus on sustainable and ‘green’ development. This project is also coordinating with The City of Portland’s Tabor to the River Brooklyn Creek Basin Program for sewer, green stormwater and watershed health improvements.

While much input has been gathered, now we are moving into the decisionmaking mode of what actual improvements will be made to our public right-of-way on Division. We need lots of community input to ensure that the improvements are valuable, effective and worthwhile. Some of you may be aware that community input was already solicited last summer regarding the Seven Corners Intersection. (You can now download the results of the that input: the 7 Corners Urban Design report here: http://www.portland online.com/ planning/ index.cfm? c=48623).

The CAC meets monthly through November and expects to present it’s recommendation to City Council in December 2009.

Train Horn Noise
The Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Project is exploring how horn requirements may apply to light rail trains that share a freight rail right-of-way. Please join TriMet, train horn noise specialists Rail Control Limited and the cities of Milwaukie and Portland to learn more about options for minimizing train horn noise.

Tuesday, April 7
6-7:30 p.m.

Llewellyn Elementary School Cafetorium
6301 SE 14th Avenue
Portland, OR 97202

This location is served by bus lines 19-Woodstock and 70-12th Ave. Plan your trip on TriMet.

TRIMET’s GET INVOLVED – HOW TO (see link)

From: “Wong, Nancy”

Throughout the month of May, the Bicycle Master Plan Update project and the Portland Streetcar System Plan will be presenting their plans for public review and comment at the series of open houses listed below.

Below is the information regarding the Open House in (our) area:
Southeast Portland Open House
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
4-7 PM
Franklin High School Cafeteria
5405 SE Woodward St, Portland 97206

(Find out more here.)

This will be a great forum to learn about both projects and provide your feedback. You are cordially invited to come and weigh in on the future of transportation in Portland.

Olympic Mills Conference Center (formerly the B&O Building)
First Floor Common Areas
107 SE Washington Avenue
Portland, OR 97214

The City of Portland has completed concept designs of the SE Clay Green Street Project. Get information about how this project will manage stormwater along SE Clay Street between Water Avenue and SE 12th Avenue, and how these improvements will enhance pedestrian, bicycle, and motorist safety, creating a route to the river, while maintaining the business and freight needs of the Central Eastside Industrial District.

Come by to review final Route to the River concept designs, talk with project staff, and enjoy refreshments. This project is a collaborative effort between several city bureaus and members of the community.

Get more information at www.portlandonline.com/sustainablestormwater or call Alice Meyers at 503-823-7914.

Hosford-Abernethy Neighborhood Development Association (HAND)
Community/ Board Meeting
Tuesday, March 17, 2009, 7:00 PM

(Land Use meeting at 6:00)
St. Philip Neri Church Paulist Center
2408 SE 16th Avenue (and Division)

General Meeting Agenda 7:00 – 8:45
Introductions
Crime Prevention Officer
Announcements
(1) Sustainability meeting – 5th Tuesday of March

Community Issues
(1) Portland Streetcar update – Julie Gustafson and Kay Dannen
(2) Clinton Street Max Station – Tri-Met
(3) Speed bumps on 20th and Hawthorne – Will Stevens
(4) Clearwire pole at 26th and Division (to replace a PGE pole) – Steven Topp

Updates
(1) Pedestrian Safety Issue – Sue Pearce

Internal Board Issues
(1) Approval of minutes
(2) Approval of Portland Triathlon’s use of the Eastside Esplanade

For more information please contact HAND chair Alex Bassos at: chair@handpdx.org

*** 7 Corners design project details and report are being completed by Stuart Emmons and the Planning Bureau and should be available for review shortly. While there were limitations as to what could creatively happen at the Ladd Ave corner because of historic preservation issues and other concerns, there were some great ideas that have been captured in the summary and will help inform the design of the overall street as well as 7 Corners. Which leads to…

*** Proposals are currently being reviewed from design firms for the Division Streetscape and Reconstruction Project. The winning firm will oversee the design and citizen involvement portions of the project. The consultant(s) should be in place by the end of this month and ready for the first Citizens Advisory Group meetings starting in April …

***A Citizens Working Group and Technical Advisory Group are currently being put together with Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT). Membership on these groups should be confirmed this month with the first of monthly meetings beginning within a few weeks. This will be the group that oversees the Design and talks through the pro-time lane decision etc. Anyone is welcome to come to these meetings while remembering that committee members are the only ones who vote…

*** Pro-time lanes and other roadway issues are being studied by Kittleson traffic engineers. They have concluded the first part of their study, and it indicates traffic flows are down a bit. Their report on existing conditions will lay the groundwork for all future discussions on roadwork and streetscape etc.

*** Funding for the project continues to evolve. According to PBOT the combined funding sources for the project (General Transportation Revenue and the 2004 MTIP award) total $5.8 million. Paving estimates (as of the end of 2008) total $8.2 million. Costs for the streetscape will be established once the conceptual streetscape design has been identified. Total budget is projected at $9 million. We did not get the additional funds requested through Metro so that leaves a deficit. However, some of the material costs for this project have gone down recently with the overall economic slump. There is no way to know if that will continue to be the case, but it is hopeful, since cost escalation has been one of the stumbling blocks to moving this project forward in satisfying way. The other good news is there is a chance that we can coordinate some of the work to happen on Division with the Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) Tabor to the River (Taggart D) Project. BES and transportation are working to align their design and construction schedules and BES will be on hand to answer questions at upcoming CWG and Community Meetings.

*** There is a small case study going on around the Urban Development Partners multiuse project scheduled for 38th and Division. The goal of the study is to try and learn from the relationships between the Division Street Plan, place, neighborhood association, business association and local neighbors. Learnings from reflecting on both the process and the design may help inform some of the work to come along the Division Street.

*** We are continuing to be strong advocates with PBOT and other agency stakeholders to ensure that the next phase of the project will embody the collaborative approach we have been modeling since the start of this vision 7 years ago. We have been promised that regular updates and communications will be coming from PBOT on this project. In the meantime, while we look forward to that happening, after a couple months of delays, we want to pick up responsibility for providing this update so we can all have a better sense of what is going on and where you can get involved or provide input.

Cheers,
Charles and Linda

March 23, 6:00-9:00: Grand (Location: Metro Regional Center, 600 NE Grand)
March 30, 6:00-9:00: Broadway (Location: Metro Regional Center, 600 NE Grand)
April 6, 6:00-9:00: 39th (Location: Hollywood Theater, 4122 NE Sandy)

HISTORICAL INFORMATION ON GRAND AVENUEFrom: ballestrem@gmail.com
Val Ballestrem points out that ….” even though it isn’t tied to a person, the name Grand Avenue does have historic significance, otherwise the historic district that bears the name Grand, wouldn’t be so named.”

Grand Avenue Historic Information – most of this information comes from the 1990 National Register Historic District nomination for the East Portland Grand Avenue Historic District.
* Grand Avenue, along with Union (now MLK) were the main thoroughfares through the separate city of East Portland .
* Grand Avenue was a primary north-south streetcar route
* 1990 National Register Historic District nomination refers to Grand Avenue as “the commercial spine” of the district.
* The significance of the East Portland Grand Avenue Historic District is its history and the theme behind the district nomination is commerce. Grand Avenue was one of the two major streets in the district; the other Union Avenue has already been renamed.
* The district can be defined by the historic commercial and community activities of Grand Avenue.
* “The East Portland Grand Avenue Historic District is significant for its historical origins as the commercial center of what was once the City of East Portland.”
* “Between 1883 and 1915ŠGrand Avenue and adjacent streets developed into a fully articulated community business centerŠGrand Avenue emerged as the major north-south streetcar artery linking the Madison, Morrison, and Burnside bridges.”
* Construction of the Weatherly Building (1928) points out the continued role of Grand Avenue as a community business center.
* “Grand Avenue was the first north-south street that was high enough to avoid problems of bridging and trestlingŠGrand Avenue quickly became the artery used by horse cars and then by electric streetcars”
* The heart of the district is clearly defined by the commercial buildings erected in the 1880s-90s along Grand Avenue from Morrison to Oak Street.
* Grand Avenue was the location of the annual Rose Festival Children’s parade.
* “It [5th] was changed to Grand Avenue in 1893 at the request of aspiring East Siders who wanted their main commercial artery to have more imposing name.” From Eugene Snyder’s Portland Names and Neighborhoods: Their Historic Origins Binford & Mort, 1979.
Val

City of Portland
Update on Street Renaming
The City of Portland’s Office of Transportation advises that the City Auditor has verified enough signatures to validate the application of the Cesar E. Chavez Committee. The committee has nominated Broadway, 39th, or Grand as candidates for renaming. A formal process will begin soon. This process is described in Portland City Code Chapter 17.93.
Though it was adopted almost 20 years ago, this process has never been used to rename a city street. The code creates a Historian Panel to consider the appropriateness of the nominee and the historical significance of the current street names.This panel will hold a series of public hearings:
March 23, 6:00-9:00: Grand (Location: Metro Regional Center, 600 NE Grand)
March 30, 6:00-9:00: Broadway (Location: Metro Regional Center, 600 NE Grand)
April 6, 6:00-9:00: 39th (Location: Hollywood Theater, 4122 NE Sandy)

In addition, the City Engineer will formally notify neighborhood and business associations that they have 45 days to submit written comments (in addition to their testimony to the Historian Panel) and the City Auditor will send a postcard survey to owners and occupants of property along the three streets.

You can get more information on the City’s website at www.portlandonline.com. To get to the Street
Renaming page, go to “Government”, then “Special Projects,” then “Cesar Chavez Street Renaming Process.”

Will there be an increase in SE Clinton/Division Train Horn noise?
Neighborhood residents have been dismayed to learn that train horn noise in SE Portland could increase significantly as a result of the new light rail line through our area. Because the new route will parallel existing train tracks from OMSI to the Brooklyn Yard, light rail trains will be required to follow federal rules and sound four 110-decibel blasts before each intersection. In addition to the 35 Union Pacific and Amtrak trains each day, which already disturb many SE neighbors, TriMet would bring an additional 170 trains a day through the area. Many believe that much noise would be intolerable.

At the January 20th HAND Board meeting, TriMet’s South Corridor Project Manager Dave Unsworth acknowledged the concerns about this issue. He said TriMet will work with the City of Portland to attempt to get a federally-approved Quiet Zone for the area. Additional safety measures would be required, such as “quad-gates” that would block all lanes of traffic at the tracks. If approved by the Federal Railroad Administration and the Oregon Rails Division, trains would not need to routinely sound their horns, or would be able to sound the horn at a lower-decibel level. We anticipate that Dave will return to the March HAND Board meeting with an update on feasibility of this plan.

Neighbors will need to be diligent to assure that planning for the Quiet Zone remains a priority. Please see related fact sheets for more information. To add your name to an interest list, email: dkbre@aol.com

- Handout: Health & Safety Effects
- Handout: QZfact sheet