February 2014
EDITORIAL
The Southwest Portland Post • 3
Notes on the Multnomah Boulevard Bicycle and Pedestrian Project
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
By Don Snedecor
The Southwest Portland Post
In mid-January The Post inter-
viewed Rich Newlands with the
Portland Bureau of Transportation
(PBOT). Newlands is project man-
ager of the Multnomah Boulevard
Bicycle and Pedestrian Project.
Newlands is scheduled to give
an update on the project at this
month’s Multnomah Neighbor-
hood Association meeting, Tues-
day, Feb. 11, at 7:00 p.m. at the
Multnomah Center, Room 30, 7688
SW Capitol Hwy.
Newlands said the $4 million
(construction budget is approxi-
mately $2.2 million) project has
been limited to a six-block sec-
tion of Southwest Multnomah
Boulevard between 25th and 31st
avenues.
While originally to be a phased
in project heading west from 22nd
Avenue all the way to 40th Avenue,
apparently future planning and
construction aside from these six
blocks has been abandoned due to
lack of funding.
Jim Peterson, owner of near-
by Custom Woodworking, has
been corresponding with The Post
as well. Peterson said he asked
at each neighborhood meeting
(that Newlands gave progress
reports) if the project was on bud-
get and Newlands replied that
the project was under budget.
“I was at no meeting where it was
discussed that elements of the
plan were being pulled for budget
problems,” said Peterson. “When
and where was the meeting where
a reduced project was discussed?”
According to Newlands, the
north side will include a complete
build out of sidewalks, curbs, and
bike lanes. The south side will be
limited to a single multi-user track
as well as a “green gutter,” a three-
foot-wide grassy strip which will
act as a buffer between automo-
biles and the track for bicycles and
pedestrians.
A new signalized crosswalk with
a flashing beacon will be construct-
ed at Southwest 25th Avenue.
Eliminated have been sidewalk
widening and connectivity between
25th Avenue east past 22nd Avenue
to the new Safeway supermarket
(Southwest Barbur Boulevard and
Capitol Hill Road) along the north
side of Multnomah Boulevard.
According to Newlands, this was
due to the high cost of acquiring
right-of-way from the owner of the
existing apartments (which would
have reduced available parking).
Additionally, a stretch of the
multi-user lane on the south side
between 25th east to 22nd was
eliminated do to the high cost of
reconstructing the retaining walls.
Peterson, whose business lost out
in the cutbacks, argued that expen-
sive engineering and rebuilding of
some retaining walls on the south
side of Multnomah Boulevard was
expensive and unnecessary.
“Please remember that a project’s
budget is much more than the con-
struction contract (design engineer-
ing, right-of-way, and construction
management),” said Newlands.
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Great for semi-retired or college student.
Please send resume and cover letter to don@
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mail to Publisher, 4207 SE Woodstock Blvd.,
Box #509, Portland, OR 97206.
Office Space
Office Space
For Lease
Multnomah Village.
1000 square feet above
7832 SW Capitol Hwy.
503-295-7889 or 503-880-1408.
This photo of Oleson Road shows what the north side of Multnomah Boulevard may
look like with sidewalks, curbs and bike lanes. (Photo by Roger Averbeck)
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