Today, Commissioners Saltzman, Leonard and Fish joined with Mayor Sam Adams in expressing their support for a proposal to kick-start funding for the city's new bicycle transportation plan.
The final vote on the funding proposal will take place at the second reading of the ordinance next week. Today's proposal follows Mayor Adams' commitment to bring a funding proposal back to City Council within thirty days of last month's adoption of the Portland Bicycle Plan for 2030.
The proposal leverages largely contract-bid savings that have become available within the Bureau of Environmental Services as a result of competitive contract bidding. These savings will be allocated toward Green Streets project that use curb extension “swales” to treat stormwater while simultaneously slowing or diverting traffic on identified bicycle boulevards. (To see a video describing Portland’s Green Streets work, follow this link: http://netgreennews.com/green-streets-dealing-with-stormwater-runoff/).
In 2007, then-Commissioner Adams shepherded passage through the Portland City Council of the nationally recognized Green Street Plan.
Green Streets reduce the amount of rain that goes into the combined sewer system. This is important because we need to keep down as much as possible rising sewer rates. Green Streets can more cheaply prevent basement sewer back ups than burying bigger pipes in the street and will extend the capacity of the $1.4 billion big pipe project.
The 'Tabor to the River' project is an example of how green street swales can save millions over the city's past grey pipe sewer fix practices.
Why combine funding for Green Streets with Bike Blvds? Swales and extended curbs also known as "bubble curbs" are almost the same thing.
"These investments not only provide the double benefit of traffic safety and stormwater treatment," said Mayor Adams, "they expand the existing capacity of our sewer system, making it economically and environmentally more sustainable."
Over the past two years, actual contract costs have come in much lower than the estimates on which rates were based. These significant savings mean the City can make these Green Streets investments without impacting rate payers or Council-approved Capital Investment Plans. As a result, millions of dollars in contract savings give Portland the opportunity to reprogram funding for Green Streets investments.
In recent years, Portland has emerged as a national leader on Green Streets efforts. These innovative treatments use sustainable strategies to manage stormwater runoff, reducing the flow into storm sewers – and reducing the need for expensive sewer expansions. When Green Streets are installed, they help prevent sewer backups. And Green Streets can be used to provide the infrastructure needed to calm traffic on quiet streets that serve as low-stress “bicycle boulevards.”
"If there's one thing we know about sustainability, it's that systemic problems require system-wide solutions, which in the City case means promoting cross-bureau problem solving," said Leslie Carlson, Chair of Portland's Sustainable Development Commission. "One of the benefits of doing cutting-edge Green Streets projects like this is that it builds expertise that the rest of the world is going to need, and soon. The more we can successfully develop the skills and solutions to make our city more sustainable, the more we'll be able to sell those skills and solutions to other cities and regions, building our economy and our reputation."
Sources of funding for Green Streets investment on Bicycle Boulevards to "kick-start" the Bicycle Plan for 2030
CONTACT:
Roy Kaufmann
Office of Mayor Sam Adams
503-823-4799
roy.kaufmann@ci.portland.or.us
