Downtown Portland's transit mall can be confusing for motorists (Oregonian file photo).

Portland’s powerful chamber of commerce is “not opposed” to a more robust protected bike lane network in downtown and the inner eastside, but the organization said it had heard “broad concern” from its members about reducing car and truck capacity on major streets in the city’s core.

Andrew Hoan, Portland Business Alliance's president, sent a letter on Oct. 22 to City Council offices and the transportation bureau commenting on the $30 million in proposed projects to speed up transit, improve pedestrian crossings and beef up bike infrastructure in the city center. Hoan said Portland could see "significant economic impacts to our downtown businesses" if travel lanes on major arterials are handed over to bikes.

“Careful consideration should be given to those trade-offs,” Hoan said, “especially considering that the percentage of Portlanders that commute by bicycle has plateaued in recent years.”

The letter represents the most-significant public comments from the business lobbying group yet as the city readies for a Nov. 14 hearing where the City Council is expected to decide how to prioritize the top projects to build in the next five years.

Don't Edit

Oregonian File Photo

While the alliance opposes a proposal to convert one lane on Fourth Avenue and Broadway to a north-south bike highway, it is instead endorsing removing all personal vehicles from the Fifth and Sixth Avenue transit mall.

“Supporting two adjacent car-free streets through the entirety of downtown Portland is likely not a concept the alliance would have supported in years past,” said Hoan, who came to Portland in March from the Brooklyn Chamber of Commerce. “However, we want to reinforce that supporting alternative transportation is indeed a top priority and we are eager wot work with PBOT to make this a reality for our city.”

Hoan said removing cars from the transit mall would still provide downtown with the north-south bike connection and comes with less effects for retail businesses in the city center. Drivers tend to avoid the transit mall anyway, he said, or they “misuse the designated lanes.”

Dylan Rivera, Portland Bureau of Transportation spokesman, said the city has continued to work with PBA on the project list and it appreciates “their sustained engagement as we work together to plan and build a dynamic city that can continue to grow and prosper as we add jobs and residents into the future.”

Don't Edit

The Steel Bridge is a key logjam for TriMet buses (Oregonian file photo)

He said the city was “happy to see the PBA raise the possibility of a car-free transit mall.”

“We look forward to continued conversations with the PBA and other business community stakeholders as we near the City Council hearing,” Rivera said in an email.

Hoan said the chamber, which represents 1,900 businesses in the metro area, supports all projects to improve pedestrian safety and the organization believes TriMet must be “faster and more accessible,” so it endorsed projects to give buses priority on Northwest Everett Street on the way to the Steel Bridge and a plan to convert a travel lane on the Burnside Bridge to bus only traffic on both sides of the Willamette River. The Burnside project includes protected bike lanes.

Don't Edit

The Central Eastside Industrial District's top business group has serious concerns about some projects in the neighborhood (Oregonian file photo)

But the chamber does not like the proposal to permanently convert one northbound travel lane on Naito Parkway to a cycletrack. The PBA is in favor of maintaining bike lanes on both sides of Naito and installing a protected cycletrack inside Tom McCall Waterfront Park. "We reject the finding that 40 trees would need to be removed to have a protected bike lane completely in the park," the chamber said, arguing the city has not explored a route that would zig around the trees. The chamber supports putting the bike project "in the center of the park," calling it the safest and most attractive option.

Hoan wrote the chamber would still support a temporary protected bike lane in the street to accommodate “multi-day summer festivals,” but the chamber of commerce did not support restricting car access on Naito either permanently or for several months of the year. “there is a chance to capitalize on common ground with this project,” he said.

Hoan declined to mention high-profile projects to give buses priority through the heart of the Central Eastside Industrial District or improve bike access there, opting to defer to that neighborhood’s business community and citing theirs and other groups’ “significant concerns” about projects largely on the eastside.

Don't Edit

-- Andrew Theen

atheen@oregonian.com

503-294-4026

@andrewtheen

Don't Edit