Category Archives: Community Involvement

CRC Update

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From the Columbia River Crossing:

Portland Working Group recommends elevated Hayden Island light rail station

The Portland Working Group (PWG) has recommended an elevated station for the new light rail stop on Hayden Island.

PWG members and CRC staff discussed both elevated and street level options late last year at an open house with 85 attendees. An online survey was also used to gather input on the design of the Hayden Island station.

The PWG and project staff are now moving forward with discussion and design detail of the elevated station, connections to local businesses and the local street network. Check the CRC website for future meeting materials and agendas. PWG next meets Jan. 12 at the Jantzen Beach SuperCenter from 4 to 6 p.m..

Project Sponsors Council receives update on Bridge Expert Review Panel work

CRC Bridge Expert Review Panel chair, Tom Warne provided an overview of the panel’s work at the Dec. 10 meeting of the Project Sponsors Council. The panel was convened by the Oregon and Washington departments of transportation to re-evaluate river bridge types and configurations for the CRC in response to a recommendation made by the CRC Independent Review Panel.

The panel will analyze all applicable river crossing options, including those that may have been dropped from consideration in the past and re-evaluate project constraints. The panel is expected to have a final report in January 2011. Additional information on the bridge panel is available online.

In-water soil study concludes in North Portland Harbor and Columbia River

The Columbia River Crossing project recently finished drilling work in North Portland Harbor and the Columbia River to gather additional information on soil type and stability to help advance bridge foundation designs.

Since beginning in November, drilling work was conducted at about 20 sites. The CRC project includes a replacement crossing for the Interstate Bridge over the Columbia River and new bridge structures between Hayden Island and Marine Drive. Supports for the structures are being designed to extend through the sandy river bed to solid ground or rock.

Additional information is available online.

Columbia River Crossing contact information

Email: feedback@columbiarivercrossing.orgMail: 700 Washington St., Suite 300
Vancouver, WA 98660
Phone: 360-737-2726 or 503-256-2726
Fax: 360-737-0294

www.ColumbiaRiverCrossing.org

Village Building Convergence Seeks Proposals

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From City Repair:

Dear Portland community and beyond,

The City Repair Project is proud to announce that we are now accepting proposals for community building projects for the 11th annual 10-day Village Building Convergence (VBC) held from May 27th -June 5th 2011!

Every year City Repair helps many communities around the greater Portland area gather their community together to collectively transform the uncultivated spaces that surround them into rich vibrant gathering places that strengthen the community. City Repair facilitates this “place-making” activity of transforming “spaces” into “places” year-round, but it is during the annual Village Building Convergence that most of the place-making activity takes place. Whether it’s an intersection repair project, an outdoor classroom, or just a neighborhood bench, we welcome all ideas and would love to help turn your vision into reality.

Anyone interested in doing some form of community-oriented place-making project during the VBC is welcomed and encouraged to submit a Request For Proposal (RFP). Everyone that submits a RFP by the January 28th 2011 deadline will automatically be accepted to join our planning process in which the place-making team will provide in-depth, weekly training and support to help your project succeed with flying colors. Even if you have no idea what you’d like to see happen in your neighborhood or community, please feel free to peruse and fill out the RFP form and we will be more than happy to help you get the ball rolling, the sparks flying, and the under-utilized space transforming into a vibrant welcoming place!!!

http://vbc.cityrepair.org/assets/docs/VBC11RFP.pdf

Fill out and email the above linked form to us by January 28th, 2011! Please share this with anyone that you think might be interested! If you have any questions at all, ask away, we’re here for you!

Meet your neighbors, build your dreams!

Contact:
vbcplacemaking@cityrepair.org
Placemaking Coordinator:
Sebastian Collet – 707.548.7113

Senators Wyden, Merkley to Hold Town Hall Meetings in Portland

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U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley will host town hall meetings on Friday, January 14 and Thursday, January 20th respectively.

Senator Wyden
Friday, January 14, 2011
5 p.m.
Portland Community College, Cascade Campus
Moriarty Arts & Humanities Auditorium
705 North Killingsworth Street (Albina & Killingsworth)
http://wyden.senate.gov/

Senator Merkley
Multnomah County Town Hall
Thursday, January 20, 2011
6:00 P.M.
James Madison High School Cafeteria
2735 Northeast 82nd Avenue
Bring your issues, questions, and suggestions.
www.merkley.senate.gov

PPS holds forum on Grant-area K-8 boundaries

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Meeting Flyer
From Portland Public Schools:

Northeast Portland families and neighbors are invited to a meeting Thursday, Jan. 13, to weigh in on two possible options — including potential boundary changes or grade reconfigurations — to address both low enrollment and overcrowding in several Grant neighborhood schools. The two-hour meeting will start at 6 p.m. at Beaumont Middle School, 4043 N.E. Fremont St.
The school district is focusing on:

•Low enrollment in grades 6-8 at Sabin PK-8 School (where the ACCESS Program also is located)
•Low neighborhood enrollment at Beaumont Middle School
•Overcrowding at Alameda Elementary School
A boundary advisory committee — including two parents from each of the schools (chosen by school principals and/or site councils), neighborhood association members and district personnel — has met three times since early December to consider solutions.

After reviewing a number of possibilities, the committee is forwarding two options for community consideration and feedback at the Jan. 13 meeting.
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Letter from Representative Frederick

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From Lew Frederick:

Dear Friends and Neighbors,

First, I want to wish everyone a safe, happy, prosperous and productive New Year.Our community faces daunting challenges, but they are human-made challenges, and putting our heads together we can create human-made solutions. I am looking forward to a Legislative session with unique challenges and unique opportunities. I also look
forward to seeing friends and neighbors in Salem. Please stop by if you are in the Capitol.

Over 3,000 bills have already been filed for the upcoming session. For every one, I will seek answers to: How will this make life better, and for whom? Will it make life worse for anyone? If so, for whom, and in what way? The proverbial win/win is nice, but these fundamental questions have to be answered.
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