See below for the April Land Use and Transportation update from committee chair, Stephenie Frederick. Questions? Email bdlanduse@gmail.com

TRANSPORTATION

PBOT Funding Hurt by Pandemic

Because the residents of the Portland metropolitan area are not driving as usual, the City of Portland’s Bureau of Transportation faces loss of parking and gas tax revenue that could total $7 million per months.  Other, related losses could add to this total.  This kind of revenue loss has serious implications for PBOT’s planned maintenance and projects.  For detail, click here.

Drivers are speeding on nearly empty streets . . .   Article here.

TriMet reduced bus service on April 5^th

Serving our area, Lines 19, 71, and 75 went to Saturday scheduling on weekdays, Sunday scheduling on weekends; Line 72 has gone to Sunday scheduling on weekends.  The Lift paratransit service has been reduced only slightly.  Buses are limited to 10-15 passengers at a given time.  Seats have been marked to keep passengers distanced from one another.  Cash payment is no longer accepted. For detail, click here.

LAND USE

No new reports for Brentwood-Darlington of official development proposals and official city land-use decisions.  BUT . . . an interesting notice has appeared in the Early Assistance Intakes of the Bureau of Development Services.  Inland Washington LLC of Spokane, which tried last year to obtain affordable housing money from the city for a large east B-D project, has given notice that it is still interested in building apartment housing in the same location –7909 SE Harney St, almost in the lap of Cartlandia.  I have reached out to the Inland representative asking whether Inland is planning affordable or standard apartment housing.  

PARKS

Parks & Rec to “educate” park visitors

Too many area residents are crowding into the city’s parks, heightening the risk of spreading the coronavirus.  Parks & Rec is deploying educators to explain the necessity for social distancing, and explaining which facilities are open and which are closed.  For detail, click here.

AIR QUALITY

Precision Castparts temporarily closes SE Portland plant

Loss of business due to the coronavirus and to Boeing’s malfeasance has led our local Precision Castparts plant to close temporarily and furlough most of its workers without pay.  Article here.

WATER QUALITY

Precision Castparts’ contaminated groundwater may be curable 

Perhaps the plume of contaminated water emanating from Precision Castparts can be cleaned up after all.  Researchers at Oregon State University have found a promising remedy for contaminated groundwater: contaminant-hungry bacteria living in beads that are dropped into the water and provide the bacteria a home while they get to work.  For detail, click here.