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Hello Friends & Neighbors,
As many of you know, the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has recently come under scrutiny for plans that involve creating additional lanes in the Rose Quarter with the goal of easing traffic congestion. Issues that have arisen range from climate change to the fate of Harriet Tubman Middle School.
I understand the frustration for some members of the public who have had concerns especially with this plan’s process and development. I-5 at the Rose Quarter is the busiest traffic interchange in the state. Much of this congestion is due to daily commuters, but it is also due to the significant amount of freight transportation headed for the port and beyond. Portland welcomes around 30,000 new residents every year, so this problem will not subside on its own. And population projections for North and Northeast Portland continue to boom with no slowdown in sight. Physical changes to the traffic flow must be a part of this discussion along with congestion pricing and increased accessibility to public transportation.
HB 2017, the Transportation Package, was an attempt during the 2017 legislative session at implementing a multipronged approach to the issue of congestion. The bill dedicated resources to road improvements particularly for I-5 and I-205, as well as other roads and streets. It included funding for mass transit and bicycle infrastructure as part of the plan to recognize the different types of transportation Oregonians utilize. Revenue from throughout Oregon generated from the taxes in this bill is dedicated to these projects. Additionally, revenue derived from the gas tax is “exclusively for the construction, reconstruction, improvement, repair, maintenance, operation and use of public highways, roads, streets and roadside rest areas in this state” (Article IX Section 3a, Oregon Constitution).
I have concerns about the project. However, I also believe that structural improvements are necessary because the state has concerns about the bottleneck in this area. I join others who question the community impacts, wisdom, and engineering of the proposed caps on the freeway. I support an extension to the public comment period to give the community more time to review the data that was the basis for the environmental impact statement. But this study should not be confined to the Rose Quarter area. It needs to look at the airshed from the Marquam Bridge to the Columbia River.
Furthermore, I am concerned about the impact on Harriet Tubman Middle School. As a former educator and public information officer for Portland Public Schools, the integrity of Tubman’s structure and the impact of emissions on students and school employees need to be fully addressed by ODOT. We also need to look at the pilings that support the Eliot/Tubman building and how they would be strengthened, where the students will go during the construction and how future emissions can be dealt with near the school.
I continue to be a vocal advocate for high-speed rail extending from Vancouver, BC to Eugene, especially from Vancouver, WA to downtown Portland. In addition, I am a chief sponsor of HB 2007. With this legislation, I am hoping that we can finally tackle the issue of diesel emissions and the pollution caused by idling in the Rose Quarter interchange by setting strong standards that protect human health and the environment. I am grateful for the calls and emails that I have received with concerns about this issue. The concerns about this project remain a part of the conversation going forward.
Upcoming Events
Second Saturday Chat:
On April 13th, I'll be hosting my monthly chat at 9:00 AM at the Broadway Grill and Brewery, 1700 Northeast Broadway St. in Portland. I'll be sharing updates on bills that I have submitted and chatting about the other important issues that arise during this legislative session.
Oregon Legislative Information System
Ever wonder how you can find information about a bill? The Oregon Legislature has a very useful tool called the Oregon Legislative Information System (OLIS).
- Visit https://olis.leg.state.or.us
- In the top right corner, click “Bills”
- From here, you can navigate bills by number, text or sponsor.
- Once you’ve found a bill, select it and it will take you to the bill’s specific webpage. (Be sure that the bill is from the correct legislative session as bill numbers are recycled each session. To change the session year, click the calendar in the top right corner to choose the correct session.)
- Once you are on the specific page for a bill, you can read the text of the bill, view where the bill is in the legislative process and see any materials submitted to its assigned committee. You can “e-Subscribe” to the bill in the top right corner and receive email updates on the legislation.
Yours truly,
Senator Lew Frederick
Senate District 22
email: Sen.LewFrederick@oregonlegislature.gov I phone: 503-986-1722
address: 900 Court St NE, S-419, Salem, OR 97301
website: http://www.oregonlegislature.gov/frederick
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