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About The Southwest Portland Post. (Portland, Oregon) 2007-current | View Entire Issue (July 1, 2015)
Hillsdale celebrates with 39th annual Blueberry Pancake Breakfast Will there be a light rail tunnel to Portland Community College Sylvania? OnPoint Community Credit Union opens new branch in Hillsdale – Page 8 – Page 3 – Page 4 Neighborhood House considers building affordable housing in Multnomah Village – Page 4 The Southwest Portland Post Volume No. 23 Issue No. 9 www.swportlandpost.com Portland, Oregon Complimentary July 2015 Developer defends proposed four-story apartment building in Multnomah Village By KC Cowan The Southwest Portland Post One sign of the interest in a proposed 71-unit apartment building in Multnomah Village came when the regular meeting of the Multnomah Developer Tim O'Brien answers questions about his proposed four-story apartment building at the Multnomah Neighborhood Association meeting on June 9. (Post photo by KC Cowan) Neighborhood Association Proposed: moved from Multnomah Village Room 30 of the Apartments Multnomah Existing: Center to the Starbucks & Annastasia auditorium. Salon Smart move, as nearly 150 people came to hear the developer and architect explain the project and unveil the Capitol Highway venue first artistic 33rd A Proposed: 4 stories, 71 units renderings. (mostly studio, with some 1 & 2 bedroom), As proposed, 2 retail spaces, 43-60 parking spaces the building will offer studio, one and two bedroom An artist's concept of the proposed four-story apartment building at Southwest 33rd and Capitol Highway rental units, with (Urban Asset Advisors) ground-floor retail on Southwest Capitol Highway. Starbucks coffee shop. It will stand Despite petitions to stop the project It would replace the Children’s four stories tall, higher than any other set out on the sign-in table, Sucec Program at Southwest 33rd Avenue building in the village. stressed that neighbors are not against and Capitol Highway, and a small Former neighborhood chair Martie development. “But we want to be at the house located next door to the building Sucec opened with an explanation of table with everybody else, not just city housing Annastasia Salon and the zoning issues and density. (Continued on Page 6) Bicyclists conduct road safety audit on Vermont, Newbury bridges BARBUR BRIDGE PEDAL By Erik Vidstrand The Southwest Portland Post It’s not news that Southwest Barbur Boulevard is unsafe for all users whether one walks, bikes, or drives, especially from Multnomah Boulevard to Hamilton Street. Six motorists and one pedestrian have died in recent years from unsafe conditions. To bring this point to the public, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance has been putting pressure on the Oregon Department of Transportation to make drastic changes to this stretch of Oregon 99W. ODOT is responsible for state highways. The BTA is a nonprofit organization promoting bicycling and improving bicycling conditions in Oregon. They just celebrated 25 years of service. According to the BTA, recent structural improvements on the Vermont and Newbury bridges have made them no safer for bicyclists than they were before construction began. The bridges lack legal sidewalks and bike lanes. Bicycle riders must merge with speeding traffic. “While this process may be necessary for designing engineering solutions,” said Carl Larson, BTA engagement manager, “we already know that Barbur is unsafe.” So, on June 15, one of the warmest evenings of the year, ten cyclists conducted a mock safety audit of Barbur Boulevard. The group, sponsored by the BTA, rode from ODOT’s Old Town headquarters (123 NW Flanders St.) south to the Vermont and Newbury bridges. The ride was aimed at building awareness about the highway’s deficiencies and encouraging quick action to correct them. In order to capture the essence of the problem, this reporter decided to tag along with the two-wheeled activists, underinflated tires and all. “Barbur serves mass transit, pedestrians, vehicles and freight traffic, as well as cyclists,” explained Don Hamilton, ODOT’s public information Don’t forget to renew your subscription. Form on Page 2. The Southwest Portland Post 4207 SE Woodstock Blvd #509 Portland, OR 97206 kill, glass, gravel, and even pedestrians officer. “We have additional priorities texting while walking. from downtown all the way to One of the riders, Damian Miller, Sherwood.” said he commutes every day from It also becomes a relief valve for Southeast to Lewis & Clark College. Interstate 5 when things go wrong on He said he has been pretty frustrated at the freeway. ODOT ever since he attended the bridge “We had to repair the old bridges,” construction open house years ago. said Hamilton, “but widening them “ODOT didn’t do a thing for cyclists,” was way too expensive.” Only flashing Miller yelled while navigating numerous beacons were installed to alert motorists flares and large rocks once the group that bicyclists were sharing the roadway passed Hamilton Street “All they did on the bridges. was put up flashing lights which are Hamilton commented that ODOT too close to the bridge for motorists to will be facilitating an independent respond to in adequate time.” study of the bridges by the end of the As the group got closer to the first summer. It will include engineers, law bridge (where Beaverton-Hillsdale enforcement, neighborhood leaders, (Continued on Page 4) and bicyclists. The study will also serve as a guide to the Southwest Corridor Plan which is in its planning stages. Larson led the ride which f i r s t h e a d e d a c ro s s t h e Burnside Bridge to pay respect to the pedestrian that was killed on June 14 by an out of control vehicle. W h i l e t h i s re p o r t e r i s somewhat out of shape and does not have bike legs or lungs, the ride went reasonably well. The sights and smells of downtown restaurants, diesel trucks, and wafts of marijuana permeated the warm evening air and were more evident than by just driving home in a car. But one has to be very aware. Car doors can catapult a cyclist. Inpatient drivers navigate their cars sometimes with one Bicyclists measure and take notes on the thin bike finger in the air. And road ledge on the Newbury Bridge along Barbur Boulevard. obstacles are everywhere: road (Post photo by Erik Vidstrand)