Student representatives from Harriet Tubman Middle School's environmental justice club and several dozen climate activists gathered Tuesday night outside the state transportation department's Northwest Portland offices to demand a more extensive study into a proposed $450 million project to widen Interstate 5 through the Rose Quarter.

Two of the middle school students, Malina Yuen and Adah Crandall, both 13, took turns speaking at the event.

Both students urged elected officials to reconsider the proposed plan, which they say would negatively impact the school population.

"This is an especially important issue for us because our school sits right next to the busiest part of the I-5 corridor," said Yuen.

"We need ODOT and our other local governments to invest in green new policies, public transportation and green energy jobs," Crandall said.

Crandall also mentioned three Tubman students injured while walking or biking to school since it opened in 2018.

“For the cost of this freeway we could build crosswalks and sidewalks at every school in the city of Portland twice over,” she said.

Members of the Sunrise Movement, a nationwide climate organization led by young people with a significant Portland branch, had said they would rally outside the Old Town Chinatown headquarters from 3:15 to 6 p.m. Tuesday.

They planned to illuminate the state building with a “public art demonstration” and write postcards to Bob Van Brocklin, the chair of the state’s top transportation body, to call for further environmental study.

According to a news release, organizers say the rally would direct more attention to the state’s proposed project to add shoulders and merging lanes on I-5 for a roughly one-mile stretch between I-84 and I-405. The freeway abuts Harriet Tubman Middle School and students, staff and parents dispute the state’s assertion that the freeway project wouldn’t meaningfully increase air pollution for students there.

Anna Kemper, a Sunrise Movement PDX organizer, said 40% of the state’s carbon emissions come from the transportation sector. “I will be 33 in 2030 when my climate fate is sealed,” she said in a statement. “My future depends on Oregon choosing to invest in public transportation, biking and walking instead of spending billions on roads. Climate leaders don’t widen freeways.”

The Rose Quarter project was specifically included in the 2017 statewide transportation package approved by the Legislature.

Oregon’s Transportation Commission is scheduled to meet Dec. 16 and 17 in Lebanon.

The board, which is comprised of volunteers appointed by the governor, is expected to discuss the Rose Quarter, though the agenda has not been officially posted.

Just last week, hundreds of Portland-area teens walked out of school to draw attention to climate change, one of several walkouts and rallies held this year around the nation.

The state released an Environmental Assessment of the project in February, which stated that the project would reduce travel times, air pollution and carbon emissions.

Climate advocates and the group known as the No More Freeways Coalition blasted that report and called for a more extensive analysis of the project’s effects. A more rigorous Environmental Impact Statement would take considerably longer to complete.

Support from elected officials has eroded in recent months, as influential lawmakers and politicians have said they would favor a more extensive environmental analysis. Commissioner Chloe Eudaly, Metro leaders and Portland Public Schools have called for such a study. Just last week, Willamette Week reported that House Speak Tina Kotek favored a broader analysis.

-- Andrew Theen

Oregonian/OregonLive photojournalist Beth Nakamura contributed to this report.

atheen@oregonian.com

503-294-4026

@andrewtheen

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