create.communicate.connect

Neighborhood Notes

Lower Burnside

...our website for information.
...to receive our newsletter.

Lower Burnside news...

Nov 3,2008

15 Mashup Tools for Your Local Neighborhood

by dariusmonsef
Want a donut? Want to know if you'll need an umbrella today? Trying to avoid traffic? Want to know if it's safe for your kids to play in the front yard? We'll look a dozen-ish mashups that provide useful, helpful, interesting and fun information about the local area that you you live in. For those asking what a mashup is? The web 2.0 world spawned thousands of social networks and user contributed content sites... The same world has connected even more sites and people with the ability for developers to take the APIs from a couple different sites and mash them together to create new and interesting ways to share information and data.   WalkScore | Find What's In a Walkable Distance
"Walk Score shows you a map of what is nearby and calculates a Walk Score for any property. Buying a house in a walkable neighborhood is good for your health and good for the environment." Portland rates in their top 10 cities. You can even see their directory of Portl
Read More...
Oct 7,2008

Amber, Aqua, and the Streetcar?

by shooter
streecar named desire No, it's not porno version of " A Streetcar Named Desire ".  These will be the names for the streetcar lines once the eastside alignment is operating.  The existing South Waterfront to NW 23rd alignment will be named "Amber", and the new eastside alignment will be named "Aqua", according to PortlandTransport . 

Supposedly, the general family of colors is based on the colors of precious stones.  I'm more of a primary color man myself.

PortlandTransport also reports that summer weekday ridership on the "Amber" line was up about 25% over last year.  Saturday and Sunday also had record ridership.  It amazing what people will do when fuel prices are so high.  They'll even take Amber for a ride... Related links: PDOT Extends the Streetcar Survey PDC to Spend $5M for Streetcar Engineering City Council Approves Final Engineering for Eastside Streetcar Loop
Read More...
Aug 29,2008

Take the Streetcar Survey

by Trace
streetcar The Portland Office of Transportation (PDOT) is currently drafting a Streetcar System Plan, with the intent of creating a citywide network. The purpose of the Streetcar System Plan (SSP) District Working Group process that is currently underway is to engage the public in the beginning of a long-range planning effort that will identify future streetcar corridors with the highest potential in a long-term implementation strategy. Specifically, the goal of the NE District Working Group process is to identify where community support for potential streetcar corridors is located in NE Portland. Currently, volunteers like us are doing community outreach to gauge the level of support in Northeast Portland along various corridors such as Broadway/Weidler, MLK Blvd, Alberta St, and 82nd Ave. The city has stated that new streetcar corridors will be prioritized in areas where community support exists.

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s.aspx?sm=7QjGufQZvkQ5cFawdRA6CA_3d_3d
Read More...
Aug 27,2008

PDC to spend $5M for Streetcar Engineering

by shooter
streetcar-on-11th The PDC is expected to approve $5M for final engineering of the eastside streetcar extension, even though the Federal government hasn't approved the money to build it.

This article from the Oregonian gives some details of the politics involved in getting the Feds to approve $75M for the project. At present, it's held up because the Bush Administration favors buses. In February , the Administration gave tentative approval for $50M, but its uncertain when delivery will occur, possibly after the new administration takes office.

The reason for moving forward without receiving the federal money is to prevent cost increase due to automatic inflation adjustments in the contract. At present, every month of delay costs the city $500K in automatic inflation adjustments.

The project is expected to be completed in 2011.


Read More...
posted at 07:53 AM 0 comments comments
categories: transportation
tags: streetcar
Aug 21,2008

City Council Approves Final Engineering for Eastside Streetcar Loop

by shooter
streetcar night The Daily Journal of Commerce reports that the City Council approved $6.3M for project management, design, and civil engineering on the 3.3-mile east side streetcar loop. The extension will cross the Broadway Bridge and run south to OMSI.

Federal financing has been delayed, and may not be approved, until after the November elections. Due to construction contingency requirements that rise with inflation, every month of delay costs the City $500,000. The City hopes to recoup the money once federal financing is approved.

Read more...

posted at 12:53 PM 1 comments comments
categories: transportation
tags: streetcar
Aug 19,2008

TriMet Fares Increase September 1

by pearlgirl
boarding Just a reminder that TriMet will increase fares on September 1. Adult single fares will increase 25 cents One month pass will increase $10 dollars Youth/Student, Honored Citizen and LIFT single fares will increase 10 cents. 1-Month Passes will increase $2. TriMet is also introducing a 14-day pass—valid 14 consecutive days from date of purchase. Learn more .
Aug 7,2008

Traffic Plan for Bridge Pedal

by pearlgirl
pbp-poster The 13th annual Providence Bridge Pedal on Sunday morning, August 10, will involve nine Willamette River bridges in Portland. The event includes three different cycle routes and one for walkers. As usual, the event will require some changes in how motorists get around the city, especially when crossing the Willamette River. Several bridges - including the Burnside, Morrison, and St. Johns - will remain open to vehicular traffic in both directions, despite the presence of cyclists and walkers. Here is the traffic plan for Bridge Pedal, starting with bridges from south to north: The Sellwood Bridge will be closed westbound from 6 am to 9 am. The Ross Island Bridge will be closed westbound at 5 am and will reopen by noon. The Marquam Bridge/Interstate 5 will be closed northbound (upper deck) from 2 a.m. to noon. The Hawthorne Bridge will be closed eastbound from 6 am to 10:15 am, with TriMet bus service operating in both directions. The outside eastbound lane will be closed be
Read More...
Aug 4,2008

TriMet - Bridge Pedal will affect service Sunday morning, Aug 10

by shooter
bridge pedal 2008 Expect 15-minute delays downtown The 13th annual Providence Bridge Pedal on Sunday morning, August 10, will involve nine Willamette River bridges in Portland. The event includes three different cycle routes and one for walkers. As usual, the event will require some changes in how motorists get around the city, especially when crossing the Willamette River. Several bridges—including the Burnside, Morrison and St. Johns—will remain open to vehicular traffic in both directions, despite the presence of cyclists and walkers. TriMet buses and MAX trains may experience delays up to 15 minutes in downtown during the event. Buses are being routed off the Broadway Bridge for the event and the Steel Bridge is closed to all vehicular traffic because of construction. Buses that regularly use these bridges are being rerouted to the Burnside, Morrison and Hawthorne bridges. Read TriMet's full press release .
Read More...
Jul 30,2008

New plan to help Portland Office of Transportation

by shooter
Sam Adams may have shelved the idea of Safe, Sound and Green Streets, but at least he's recommending a way to deal with the Transportation Office budget shortfall.  His idea is to dedicate the $4 million a year in unanticipated Utility License Fee revenue increase to the Portland Office of Transportation.  While it will not address the backlog of basic service maintenance that is needed, it will prevent the Transportation Office from further cutting services.

Read more about this at the Portland Tribune .

Jul 27,2008

Steel Bridge work to disrupt MAX trains

by shooter
This promises to be fun for commuters. At least the disruptions are for a relatively short term and the work that's being done will create a better system. Read the Portland Tribune's story .
rss

aboutLower Burnside