2 • The Southwest Portland Post
March 2008
NEwS
City proposes new Interstate 5 access ramps
NEwS bRIEfS
By Lee Perlman
The Southwest Portland Post
The city is looking at new access
ramps to the South Waterfront and
Ross Island Bridge, transportation
planner Jody Yates told the South
Portland Neighborhood Association
last month.
At present northbound traffic ex-
iting the Interstate 5 freeway onto
Southwest Macadam Avenue must
weave across traffic already on the
street in order to gain access to the
South Waterfront to the east. Those
seeking to get onto the bridge must
pursue a convoluted path that in-
volves crossing the freeway, revers-
ing direction, and traveling through
part of residential South Portland.
Yates cautioned, “The reality is that
the roads will continue to get more
congested.” If nothing at all is done,
with the South Waterfront growing
and more vehicles using this part
of Macadam, the city estimates that
the street will reach a traffic level of
“failure” by the year 2015.
The Portland Office of Transporta-
tion (PDOT) is proposing a “fly-over”
ramp that would connect directly to
the bridge. A second option would
allow exiting traffic to cut under
Macadam and enter it in the east lane,
still leaving the journey to the bridge
tortuous but making it safer. Either
option would cost an estimated $40
million.
So far PDOT has secured a pledge
of $7 million from city Systems De-
velopment Charge funds, $3 million
from the city general fund, $2.367
million in “earmarks” from federal
transportation appropriations and $1
million from North Macadam District
Urban Renewal funds.
South Portland board member Con-
nie Crookham said, “I use that road
all the time, and the flyover makes
the most sense to me.”
Design Commission approves
Shriner’s Hospital addition
At its third hearing on the mat-
ter last month, the Portland Design
Commission approved the design
for a three-story, 66,000 square foot
addition to the Shriner’s Hospital
for Children that will extend over its
existing parking garage. The design
team met earlier Commission con-
cerns by providing for a new, more
prominent entrance reached by a
wider sidewalk with new street trees.
There will be a 2,000 square foot
lawn assigned to this building, part
of a larger open space separating it
from Oregon Health and Sciences
University’s Biomedical Research
Building.
Commission member Gwen Mil-
lius liked the lawn especially. “These
open spaces often surprise us with
how much they’re used by children,”
she said. “I appreciate how you re-
worked the entrance. There’s a value
to it for people who come by bus, foot
or tram.”
The one concern the Commission
retained was a tentative plan by the
hospital to add more stories in the fu-
ture. Commission member Tim Eddy
called this a “potential issue,” but
added, “A lot can happen between
now and then, and this is potentially
a good base.” He called the design
“quiet and understated.”
Commission chair Lloyd Lindley
apologized to the design team for
the lengthy review process. “We hold
the Shriner’s Hospital in the highest
regard,” he said. “Our criticism was
not meant in any way to reflect on
your mission or what you do.”
Southwest ped/bike open
houses scheduled
Two of the three Halo L.I.D. proj-
ects will have public open houses
this month for the public to con-
sider plans. The project on South-
west Hamilton Street between 39 th
Avenue and Scholls Ferry Road can
When you choose to spend your
dollars with locally owned,
independent businesses:
7825 SW 36th Ave Suite #203
Portland, OR 97219
Phone: (503) 244-6933; Fax: (866) 727-5336
general email: news@multnomahpost.com
web address: www.multnomahpost.com
Editor & Publisher: Don Snedecor
Reporters/Writers: Mark Ellis, Polina Olsen,
Lee Perlman, Don Snedecor
Retail Advertising Manager: Harry Blythe
Graphic Design: Leslie Baird Design
Printing: Oregon Lithoprint
© 2008 by The Southwest Portland Post. All rights reserved. The opinions of the artists
and authors contained herein are not necessarily shared by the publisher.
Deadline for news and advertising is generally the 15th of the month prior to
publication. Please call for current deadline information. Advertising rates are available
upon request.
The Post has a circulation of 10,000 in Multnomah Village and the surrounding
neighborhood business districts including Burlingame, Capitol Hill, Garden Home,
Glen Cullen, Hillsdale, South Portland, Raleigh Hills, West Portland and Vermont
Hills. The Post is published on or about the 1st of every month. Subscriptions are $24
per year. Back issues are $2.50 each when available. All major credit cards accepted.
The Post is printed on recycled
newsprint using soy-based inks.
Advertise in the April
edition of The Post!
Call Harry at
503-244-4442
Help Wanted
The Post is seeking freelance
writers to cover neighborhood
news, politics and culture.
•
Up to 3 times more
money re-circulates
in our local economy.
•
More local jobs are
maintained and created.
•
The character of our
neighborhoods is enhanced
and preserved.
•
You are making a REAL
difference in the quality of
life of our community.
www.sbnportland.org
be viewed, discussed and reacted
to at Bridlemile School on March 4.
The open house for Southwest 35 th
Avenue between Arnold and Steven-
son streets will be at Jackson Middle
School on March 6.
Both sessions will be from 7 to
9 p.m. The date for an open house
for the third project, on Southwest
Vermont Street between 30 th and 37 th
avenues, and 45 th and 65 th avenues,
was not available at press time.
The projects will add pedestrian
and bicycle facilities to these streets.
They will be paid for through Local
Improvement Districts, assessments
to nearby property owners. Unlike
conventional LIDs, the Halo assess-
ments will be spread over a wider
than normal area, assessing more
property owners but charging each
one less.
Experience required. Bonus points
for photography.
Beats include arts, schools, parks,
crime prevention, land use,
transportation, neighborhoods.
Please mail or e-mail resume,
cover letter with specific interest,
and three published clips to:
Don Snedecor
Editor and Publisher
The Southwest Portland Post
7825 SW 36th Ave Suite #203
Portland, OR 97219
don@multnomahpost.com
March
Special
$24.00
$14
$34.00
$24
$44.00
$34
7650 SW
SW
Capitol
Hwy.,
Portland
7825
36th
Ave #203,
Portland
97219
97219