The Springwater Corridor, an example of a regional flexible fund project. Cities and counties from across the Portland metropolitan area are gearing up to decide which transportation projects to nominate for Metro's regional flexible fund program. In the next few weeks, the public can help decide which projects are considered.
The flexible fund program has $22.5 million to spend over the next two years, a relatively small amount in the transportation industry, but the program has a high profile because flexible funds can be spent in a greater variety of ways than most federal transportation dollars. The program has been crucial to construction of regional trails such as the Springwater Corridor in Multnomah County, the Trolley Trail in Clackamas County and the Westside Powerline Trail in Washington County.
The program has also rebuilt many major roads across the region, including the freight bottlenecks of 82nd Avenue and Columbia Boulevard interchange, and the Lombard Avenue bridge over the Columbia Slough in the Rivergate Industrial area. Other road reconstruction projects include the recently completed Cully Boulevard reconstruction in Northeast Portland, Adair Avenue (Highway 8) in Cornelius, and McLoughlin Boulevard in the downtowns of Milwaukie and Oregon City.
The flexible fund program also provides resources to make the region's existing transportation system more efficient, with projects that reduce motor vehicle travel during congested periods and allow greater capacity in existing facilities through signal improvements and other efficiencies. It has also been used to plan and help construct the region's light rail system.
The money is controlled by the Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation, a 17-member body comprised of elected officials and agency leaders from across the region, and the Metro Council. Last year, they decided that the next two-year round of funds should be spent on Active Transportation/Complete Streets - which includes trails, bike and public transit access - and Green Economy/Freight projects. About 75 percent will be for active transportation, and 25 percent for freight.
“The Flexible Fund program is a great example of how this region is working to give people choices about how they get around,” said Metro Councilor Carlotta Collette, who also chairs JPACT. “We need communities to be engaged so Metro and our partners are making the most creative use of these limited dollars.”
Local communities have until June 17 to identify candidate projects for technical feedback and until Aug. 29 to nominate projects to be considered for funding. After a regional public comment period, a final list of projects is expected to be approved by JPACT in December.
Metro planners have divided the money into four subregions within the three-county metropolitan area: the City of Portland, East Multnomah County, Clackamas County and Washington County. This will allow each area to discuss which local projects to nominate with help from the Metro planners who have designed the program.
Upcoming comment opportunities
City of Portland
The Portland Bureau of Transportation will hold a public meeting on Wednesday, June 1, 6 to 8 p.m. in room B, second floor, Portland Building, 1120 SW Fifth Ave., Portland, to gather public comment on potential bicycle and pedestrian projects. A list of potential projects can be viewed on the bureau's web site.
The Portland Freight Committee and the transportation bureau will hold a public meeting on Thursday, June 2, 9:30 to 10:30 a.m. in the Lovejoy Room, second floor, Portland City Hall, 1221 SW Fourth Ave., to gather public comment on potential freight projects. The freight committee's regular monthly meeting will be held from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. The committee will discuss projects beginning at about 9 a.m., before the comment period.
For more information on Portland projects, contact Paul Smith, transportation planning manager, [email protected].
Eastern Multnomah County
The East Multnomah County Transportation Committee will convene a public meeting to receive input on potential active transportation and freight projects for Metro's regional flexible fund program. The meeting is scheduled for June 6 from 5 to 7:30 p.m. in the Oregon Trail Room, Gresham City Hall, 1333 NW Eastman Parkway, Gresham. A list of potential projects is available on the county's website.
For more information, contact Joanna Valencia, transportation planner, at 503-988-3043 ext. 29637 or [email protected].
Washington County
The Washington County Coordinating Committee will hold a 10-minute public comment period at the beginning of its monthly meeting for June 6 at noon in the conference room, Beaverton Library, 12375 SW Fifth St., Beaverton. The committee will also take comments during its regular meetings on July 11, when it expects to endorse draft project nominations and Aug. 8, when it approves final nominations.
For more information, contact Clark Berry, senior planner, at 503-846-3876 or [email protected].
Clackamas County
Technical staff for the Clackamas County Coordinating Committee will present a list of proposed active transportation and freight projects for flexible funding to Metro by June 17. A list of the projects that received positive input from Metro will be presented to the coordinating committee and available for comment at a public meeting in July. A subcommittee of the coordinating committee that includes metropolitan area cities and the county will meet Aug. 4 to discuss and recommend a final project list to forward to Metro.
For more information, contact Karen Buehrig, transportation planning supervisor, at 503-742-4683 or [email protected].
In the past, agencies nominated two to three times the number of projects that could expect to be funded. Metro staff then rated and ranked the projects, and finally policymakers on the committee would add or subtract projects. Public input was sought on a list of projects that had already been nominated and evaluated, before final approval of the project list.
This year, Metro is working collaboratively with local agencies to identify which projects best address the active transportation or freight program criteria and should be considered for funding. Cities and counties are expected to submit summaries of projects that could be eligible for funding June 17. Then, a citizen task force will meet with local agency staff to review the projects and discuss which ones best meet the new funding criteria.
This approach has incorporated citizen input early and often: a citizen task force and a working group on environmental justice helped design the program in fall 2010. Public meetings will solicit input on project selection this summer, and once a final list of candidate projects are nominated, Metro will offer opportunities for input on refinements.
A final list of projects is expected by Aug. 29. A public comment period hosted by Metro is expected Sept. 9 to Oct. 10, followed by final adoption by the policy committee and Metro Council.