A Starbucks over the I-405

[Paul J. Berg]

~

Portlanders already recycle bottles, phone books and cell
phones—so why not an entire bridge?

In response to a question after his City Club speech last Friday, City
Commissioner Sam Adams said he was mulling a plan to move the Sauvie
Island Bridge to span the smoggy gulch of I-405 at Northwest Flanders
Street.

"We'll probably have to put it in storage for a little while to raise
the money," Adams said during City Club's question-and-answer period.

The idea, first proposed in 2005 by ex-Portland Office of Transportation
director Vic Rhodes, is aimed at creating a new right-of-way for
cyclists and pedestrians.

The 35-feet-wide bridge, which must be replaced anyway because it can't
handle heavy truck traffic to and from Sauvie Island, would be cut up
and part of it barged to Flanders and I-405 for reassembly.

The transplanted 200-feet-long, 500-ton section would become part of
Flanders' transformation from a rush-hour parking lot for cars to a
cycling wonderland. And that, in turn, Adams says, would give cyclists a
new route from the Steel Bridge to Northwest 23rd Avenue, including a
bike-through coffee stand.

Certainly, Adams is not the first city official to propose alternatives
for the space above I-405. When Adams was Mayor Vera Katz's chief of
staff, Katz proposed covering I-405 entirely. That idea never advanced.
But Adams says using Flanders as a major cyclist route could be a viable
alternative to the proposed Burnside-Couch couplet. The controversial
couplet would create a pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly route down West
Burnside Street but has sparked opposition because it would load
Northwest Couch Street with most of the diverted car traffic.

Adams is trying to find the estimated $2 million to $3 million for the
bridge project, which faces another obstacle: The 57-year-old span is
covered in lead paint that must be carefully stripped before the bridge
can be moved.

~

[Paul J. Berg]

I posted earlier:
> ~
>
> Portlanders already recycle bottles, phone books and cell
> phones—so why not an entire bridge?
>
> In response to a question after his City Club speech last Friday, City
> Commissioner Sam Adams said he was mulling a plan to move the Sauvie
> Island Bridge to span the smoggy gulch of I-405 at Northwest Flanders
> Street.
>
> "We'll probably have to put it in storage for a little while to raise
> the money," Adams said during City Club's question-and-answer period.
>
> The idea, first proposed in 2005 by ex-Portland Office of Transportation
> director Vic Rhodes, is aimed at creating a new right-of-way for
> cyclists and pedestrians.
>
> The 35-feet-wide bridge, which must be replaced anyway because it can't
> handle heavy truck traffic to and from Sauvie Island, would be cut up
> and part of it barged to Flanders and I-405 for reassembly.
>
> The transplanted 200-feet-long, 500-ton section would become part of
> Flanders' transformation from a rush-hour parking lot for cars to a
> cycling wonderland. And that, in turn, Adams says, would give cyclists a
> new route from the Steel Bridge to Northwest 23rd Avenue, including a
> bike-through coffee stand.
>
> Certainly, Adams is not the first city official to propose alternatives
> for the space above I-405. When Adams was Mayor Vera Katz's chief of
> staff, Katz proposed covering I-405 entirely. That idea never advanced.
> But Adams says using Flanders as a major cyclist route could be a viable
> alternative to the proposed Burnside-Couch couplet. The controversial
> couplet would create a pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly route down West
> Burnside Street but has sparked opposition because it would load
> Northwest Couch Street with most of the diverted car traffic.
>
> Adams is trying to find the estimated $2 million to $3 million for the
> bridge project, which faces another obstacle: The 57-year-old span is
> covered in lead paint that must be carefully stripped before the bridge
> can be moved.
>
> ~

Since the Flanders overpass would be a cyclist/pedestrian bridge only,
you could have a toll charge to pay off the two to three million
dollars expense.

Also, if there is going to be a bike only route from the Steel Bridge
to 23rd Avenue, set up a Local Improvement District and have property
owners along the route pay off the costs.

Another idea, a city-wide cycle registration fee program.

Sell naming rights to the bridge to the highest bidder.

There are many ways to raise the needed revenue for the bridge without
going the city's general fund for the money.

~

[Don Homuth]

On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 14:36:08 -0700, "Paul J. Berg" <pjberg@webtv.net>
wrote:

>There are many ways to raise the needed revenue for the bridge without
>going the city's general fund for the money.

Nothing that Adams has suggested thus far seems to require going to
the GF for the money.

[Bill Shatzer]

Paul J. Berg wrote:

-snip-

> Since the Flanders overpass would be a cyclist/pedestrian bridge only,
> you could have a toll charge to pay off the two to three million
> dollars expense.

> Also, if there is going to be a bike only route from the Steel Bridge
> to 23rd Avenue, set up a Local Improvement District and have property
> owners along the route pay off the costs.

> Another idea, a city-wide cycle registration fee program.

> Sell naming rights to the bridge to the highest bidder.

> There are many ways to raise the needed revenue for the bridge without
> going the city's general fund for the money.

They seem to have already thought of that.

"[T]he city is in favor of recycling the 500 ton bridge, but only if the
neighborhood association can pay the extra $2.5 million dollars it will
cost to move, to build new foundations and to repaint the bridge. That's
twice the cost of building a new bridge.

"We have heard from the community that they're willing to dig into their
pockets to come up with that difference," said Roland Chlapowski, senior
policy director for city commissioner Sam Adams, who is in charge of the
city's transportation plans.

The Pearl District Neighborhood Association will use tax incremental
funding and help from the Portland Development Commission to foot the
bill for some of the the extra cost. The rest will come from private
donors."

http://www.kgw.com/business/stories/kgw_072307_business_sauvie_pearl_bridge.a4cd3a01.h tml

In any event, there doesn't seem to be any plan to go into the general
fund for the costs of moving the bridge.

Peace and justice,

[Steven]

On Jul 26, 3:43 pm, Don Homuth <dhomuthoneatcomcast.net> wrote:
> On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 14:36:08 -0700, "Paul J. Berg" <pjb...@webtv.net>
> wrote:
>
> >There are many ways to raise the needed revenue for the bridge without
> >going the city's general fund for the money.
>
> Nothing that Adams has suggested thus far seems to require going to
> the GF for the money.

I'd avoid it if I was going to ER.

[Bill Shatzer]

Don Homuth wrote:

> On Thu, 26 Jul 2007 14:36:08 -0700, "Paul J. Berg" <pjberg@webtv.net>
> wrote:
>
>
>>There are many ways to raise the needed revenue for the bridge without
>>going the city's general fund for the money.

> Nothing that Adams has suggested thus far seems to require going to
> the GF for the money.

Indeed, precisely the opposite.

http://www.kgw.com/business/stories/kgw_072307_business_sauvie_pearl_bridge.a4cd3a01.h tml

"[T]he city is in favor of recycling the 500 ton bridge, but only if the
neighborhood association can pay the extra $2.5 million dollars it will
cost to move, to build new foundations and to repaint the bridge."

Peace and justice,

[lein]

On Jul 26, 9:02 pm, Bill Shatzer <bshatze...@comcast.net> wrote:
> Paul J. Berg wrote:
>
> -snip-
>
> > Since the Flanders overpass would be a cyclist/pedestrian bridge only,
> > you could have a toll charge to pay off the two to three million
> > dollars expense.
> > Also, if there is going to be a bike only route from the Steel Bridge
> > to 23rd Avenue, set up a Local Improvement District and have property
> > owners along the route pay off the costs.
> > Another idea, a city-wide cycle registration fee program.
> > Sell naming rights to the bridge to the highest bidder.
> > There are many ways to raise the needed revenue for the bridge without
> > going the city's general fund for the money.
>
> They seem to have already thought of that.
>
> "[T]he city is in favor of recycling the 500 ton bridge, but only if the
> neighborhood association can pay the extra $2.5 million dollars it will
> cost to move, to build new foundations and to repaint the bridge. That's
> twice the cost of building a new bridge.

That last sentence says it all.

[SMS]

Bill Shatzer wrote:

> "[T]he city is in favor of recycling the 500 ton bridge, but only if the
> neighborhood association can pay the extra $2.5 million dollars it will
> cost to move, to build new foundations and to repaint the bridge. That's
> twice the cost of building a new bridge.

Are they saying that the new bridge only costs $1.25 million?

The city I live in has been planning a bicycle bridge over I-280 for
more than ten years. The bids came in at $12-13 million. Of course we
simply can't have a bicycle bridge, it needs to be a monument to the
politicians that have worked on it for more than a decade.

Here is the artist's rendering:
"http://www.cupertino.org/img/business/bridgeO.jpg"

[Bill Shatzer]

lein wrote:

> On Jul 26, 9:02 pm, Bill Shatzer <bshatze...@comcast.net> wrote:
>
>>Paul J. Berg wrote:
>>
>>-snip-
>>
>>
>>>Since the Flanders overpass would be a cyclist/pedestrian bridge only,
>>>you could have a toll charge to pay off the two to three million
>>>dollars expense.
>>>Also, if there is going to be a bike only route from the Steel Bridge
>>>to 23rd Avenue, set up a Local Improvement District and have property
>>>owners along the route pay off the costs.
>>>Another idea, a city-wide cycle registration fee program.
>>>Sell naming rights to the bridge to the highest bidder.
>>>There are many ways to raise the needed revenue for the bridge without
>>>going the city's general fund for the money.
>>
>>They seem to have already thought of that.
>>
>>"[T]he city is in favor of recycling the 500 ton bridge, but only if the
>>neighborhood association can pay the extra $2.5 million dollars it will
>>cost to move, to build new foundations and to repaint the bridge. That's
>>twice the cost of building a new bridge.

> That last sentence says it all.

And the entire extra cost will be paid by the neighborhood association.

Or the entire project will revert to Plan A and the Sauvie Island bridge
will be scrapped.

What's the problem with that?

peace and justice,

[Bill Shatzer]

SMS wrote:

> Bill Shatzer wrote:

>> "[T]he city is in favor of recycling the 500 ton bridge, but only if
>> the neighborhood association can pay the extra $2.5 million dollars it
>> will cost to move, to build new foundations and to repaint the bridge.
>> That's twice the cost of building a new bridge.

> Are they saying that the new bridge only costs $1.25 million?

No. Read for content.

> The city I live in has been planning a bicycle bridge over I-280 for
> more than ten years. The bids came in at $12-13 million. Of course we
> simply can't have a bicycle bridge, it needs to be a monument to the
> politicians that have worked on it for more than a decade.

Then rather obviously Portland's doing something right as its design
costs a fifth of of that and even relocating the Sauvie Island bridge is
less than half that cost.

> Here is the artist's rendering:
> "http://www.cupertino.org/img/business/bridgeO.jpg"

Purty. But that's there and what's here is here.

Our bridge won't look anything like that. It 'specially won't look
anything like that if the Sauvie Island bridge is relocated.

Peace and justice,

[Steven]

You live in Appleville. Of course it's a retarded mini-Golden Gate
where a simple roadway overpass like they buld for cars would be
sufficient!

I hope your citizens have enough food and shelter.

[SMS]

Steven wrote:
> You live in Appleville.

So maybe Jobs should pay for the bridge.

> Of course it's a retarded mini-Golden Gate where a simple roadway overpass like they buld for cars would be sufficient!

I agree.

> I hope your citizens have enough food and shelter.

We do, but we lack sane political leaders.

[Steven]

On Jul 31, 12:41 pm, SMS <scharf.ste...@geemail.com> wrote:
> Steven wrote:
> > You live in Appleville.
>
> So maybe Jobs should pay for the bridge.
>
> > Of course it's a retarded mini-Golden Gate where a simple roadway overpass like they buld for cars would be sufficient!
>
> I agree.
>
> > I hope your citizens have enough food and shelter.
>
> We do, but we lack sane political leaders.

Don't fret, it hasn't killed you for 157 years.