Category Archives: Land Use & Transportation

By Keith K. Daellenbach, Contributing Writer

The NE 42nd Ave. bridge that services ingress and egress from the eastern edge of Concordia is due for replacement and a new bridge will be completed in approximately two years.  It will provide safer transport for the 5,000 vehicles that cross over this span daily by taking bicyclists, pedestrians, large freight trucks, and seismic safety into account. Full closure to bridge access began August 11th, 2025 and detours are in place including NE Columbia Boulevard, NE Cully Boulevard, and NE 82nd Avenue.  

The existing bridge is a five-span, four-abutment bridge, which crosses over the key east-west transportation corridor of NE Lombard Street (Highway 30) and the Union Pacific railroad tracks. The design was approved on June 16, 1938 and the bridge was likely constructed between 1938 and 1939. The original bridge has lasted nearly 40 years beyond its original life expectancy of 50 years. 

Modern Concerns

While originally designed to accommodate H-15 trucks, which weigh 6,000 pounds on the front axle, 24,000 pounds on the rear axle, and have a 14-foot wheelbase; today’s H-20 trucks weigh 80,000 pounds and so the new bridge is designed to safely carry a suite of Oregon-specific over-dimensional truck configurations up to 258,000 pounds, spread over 13 axles.  

Other modern concerns will also be taken into account. In 1938, no consideration was made to establish a structure for safe bicycling and that will be remedied with the new bridge.  

Finally, the current span did not consider seismic design requirements and thus the current bridge is not seismically stable.  Since we know that our region will experience a major Cascadia subduction zone earthquake in the future, the design of the replacement bridge follows modern American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) Load and Resistance Factor Design (LRFD) seismic bridge design specifications which rely on Oregon’s Cascadia Subduction Zone hazard maps for collapse prevention and life-safety.  The “earthquake-ready” design removes weight restrictions along the north-south freight connection between Lombard and Columbia Boulevard. 

Costs

Design work was initiated in 2019 and completed in 2021.  The initial $18 million bid for bridge construction was originally received by PBOT in December 2023.  Following a schedule update that allowed more time for bridge demolition and new bridge erection, a second and final bid from Cascade Bridge LLC (Vancouver, Washington), with extensive experience in Pacific Northwest bridge construction, was received and accepted at $16 million a year later in December 2024.  

The total estimated project cost is $25 million dollars which includes additional “soft costs” such as design, construction engineering, and oversight.  These funds were assembled by PBOT (Portland Bureau of Transportation) with funding from City of Portland General Fund and its Heavy Vehicle Use Tax (HVUT), PBOT’s System Development Charges (SDC) and Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF).

The New Design

Today’s bridge has no bike lane and a single narrow sidewalk.  The new bridge, classified as a major emergency transportation route, will also have a 50-year minimum expected lifespan.  It will be constructed with drilled concrete shafts for support abutment foundations and two 145-foot, curved steel girders, one for each span with one abutment in the middle.  Across the bridge span, there will be a 7-foot wide elevated bike lane on the west side, two 13-foot wide travel lanes, and a 10-foot wide elevated multi-use path that accommodates pedestrian, ADA, and bicycle access on the east side.  An adjacent PBOT connector project is planned to establish a bike path from nearby NE 47th Avenue, at the northern terminus of the bridge, along NE Cornfoot Road for completion in January 2026.  Eventually, it will be possible to cycle on bike paths all the way to Portland International Airport via NE Alderwood Road and NE 82nd Avenue.  

While fourteen trees on the south side of NE Lombard Street will be removed to accommodate a contractor staging and storage area, these trees will be replanted following bridge completion.  Over 30 other mature trees immediately west of the approach to the bridge and south of NE Lombard Street will be spared.

The span will be 2-feet higher on the underside to accommodate today’s high-clearance freight trucks on NE Lombard Street.  It will remove the current “pinch point” under the bridge by widening the space adjacent to vehicular lanes and include a bike lane.  The upgrade package includes new signing, striping, illumination, and stormwater drainage.  

Project Implementation

Currently, Cascade Bridge is focused on site preparation and utility installation.  Eventually, up to four weekend closures to vehicular traffic on NE Lombard Street will be scheduled to execute bridge demolition and span placement.  To learn more, visit 

PBOT’s “NE 42nd Avenue Bridge Replacement (over Lombard Street)” at bit.ly/3JdefBd.

Following the structural upgrade of the NE 33rd Avenue bridge just nine blocks west, completed in July 2023, PBOT, with its partners, is again taking action in our neighborhood to build safe and efficient transport with bridge installation over a primary east-west vehicular and railroad transportation corridor at NE 42nd Avenue.  It will be finished in two year’s time and will serve our neighborhood for decades to come.

Keith Daellenbach is a mechanical engineer and outdoor enthusiast who loves mountain climbing, skiing, biking, canoeing, noeing, and and beekeeping with wife Amy and son Micah.

By Megan Gobble | CNA SW2 Rep

Recently, a news update from Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) caught my eye. PBOT’s E-Scooter Program teamed up with ride-share company Lyft and e-scooter rental company Lime to provide 3,500 rental e-scooters and e-bikes citywide. Micromobility infrastructure includes e-scooters, e-bikes, and other individual transport devices and, according to a Federal Highway Administration article, reduces traffic and pollution.

You can find Lime and Lyft (Nike Biketown) bikes and scooters to rent in Concordia near McMenamins, University of Oregon, and on NE Alberta St. They are also along the streets with bike lanes – NE Going St., NE Holman St., NE 32nd Ave., and NE 37th Ave., which are designated safe micromobility routes. Look up “Rules of the Road for e-scooters in Portland” on portland.gov. Wear a helmet, use bike lanes/streets/paths, and lock e-vehicles to racks or signposts.

Before leaving home, download the Lime or Lyft apps and set up your account. You need to be at least 18 years old and have a mobile phone. Enter your email address and a credit card or PayPal /Apple Pay. Once verified you can search for nearby e-transport. With the Lyft app, you can also hail a Lyft driver. Both fleets have seated scooters available for less nimble riders.

From the Lyft app’s map, I reserved a Lyft (Biketown) e-scooter at NE 32nd and Alberta. Once there, I scanned the scooter’s QR code, unlocking it and starting the timer. After positioning the scooter and securing my bike helmet, I stepped onto the scooter with both feet, pressed the right-hand throttle switch down and off I went.

After 25 minutes of sightseeing around Concordia, I locked the scooter to a bike rack, and clicked the app to “end my trip”. It asked for a photo, then ended my session. This enjoyable excursion cost $1.00 to unlock and $0.37 per minute, a total of $10.55. Not in your price range? Both Lyft and Lime have discount programs for eligible users. Then the per minute rate drops to $0.07 a minute.

Hope you have fun trying out the new micromobility options throughout our neighborhood, our city and the world. See you around.

Megan is the SW2 rep and a retired nurse and engineer. She travels, bikes and hikes, and swims along with her multigenerational family

By Lauren Falkner | Contributing Writer

Summer is biking season in Portland and with good reason. The weather is beautiful, infrastructure supports it, and it’s fun. For those who bike, it’s a virtuous cycle: reduce your carbon footprint, get in a low-impact workout, and never get stuck in traffic, whether you’re heading to work, meeting up with friends, or simply looking to explore. That said, there are some rules and best practices that cyclists should know about.

Did you know that there are designated bike routes all over Portland? Neighborhood Greenways are low-traffic, low-speed streets that give priority to pedestrians and bikers and they run parallel to many car routes. Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) provides free bike maps on its website, and both bike shops and the library hand out free information pamphlets.

Newer cyclists often bike the route they usually drive. This can be dangerous for the cyclist, and scary for drivers. Cyclists cannot always avoid major streets, but using bike routes reduces the need to bike on traffic-heavy streets except at intersections. Knowing bike routes or mapping out your ride ahead of time will make for a more safe and fun ride. Remember to bike on the right side of the road and observe traffic laws. It’s also good to know how to communicate when you’re on a bike. Learning the signals for turning and passing are important. Here are some basics of signaling:

Left turn: Fully extend your left arm out to the side.

Right turn: Bend your left arm up at a right angle and hold your hand flat, pointed up.

Passing: Pass cyclists and pedestrians on the left if possible. Practice saying “On your left” in a clear voice. Alternatively, you can ring a bell. It’s not rude! Not announcing your intention to pass can lead to accidents, so let folks know you’re coming!

Finally, invest in good gear. Wear a helmet that covers the whole of your head, and leave the AirPods in your bag. Being able to hear and see are good biking practices, for yourself and others. Have functional lights on the front and back of your bike. It’s easy to forget during these long summer days, but bikes are invisible in the dark. Make sure you are covered if you need to get home after dark. High visibility, reflective accessories are great too.

Portland is full of organizations and communities who want to help you enjoy riding safely. Take a look at the resources below, and happy riding!

Lauren Falkner is proud to be a Concordia resident and serves on the Concordia Neighborhood Association Board. When not biking around town she’s often puttering in her garden.

By Megan Gobble | Contributing Writer

Have you a walking style? Concordia suits everyone. There’s the early morning “coffee shuffle” to the various houses of caffeine. The mid-morning strut, taking a sack and gloves to pick up debris or sniff flowers. The late-afternoon walk-run wearing a heavy pack. The fast-paced trot to a restaurant for dinner and the lazy waddle home. Please travel in friend groups while on a nighttime bar stroll.

Portland’s street grid of 20 blocks per mile makes for quick walking around. The short blocks seem to pass fast and the scenery is diverse. The Concordia neighborhood runs from NE 22nd Ave. to NE 42nd Ave., and Columbia Blvd. to Alberta Court and Prescott, roughly 1 by 1.3 miles.

Oh, the people you will see. Babies and kiddos and old folks, oh my. Generations of neighbors evolving from strollers, to balance bikes, to pedal bikes, then eventually walkers and wheelchairs. Many humans walk doggy companions: Moxie the papillon, the corgi bunch, sweaterclad chihuahuas. All are eager to walk and meet others at Alberta or Fernhill Parks.

Concordia’s rather quirky. No two homes are the same: 110-year old Craftsman, 1950’s mid-century modern, 2020’s minimalist. Some gardens cater to bees, others artwork, still others to books and shared items. The streets and alleys that start paved, become gravel. The alleys between 25th and 33rd seem like a path through the country. There’s a nature trail at NE Going and 25/26th. Other alleys have chickens and tilled gardens amid blackberry brambles. As summer progresses, alleys transform into jungles, so take your boots and a stick.

A healthy habit I picked up in my teens is parking a distance away and walking to a store or restaurant. There are no conflicts over the closest parking spot, plus you have an excuse to exercise. Now in my late 60s, I leave my car at home and walk everywhere. There are several walkable hubs for food and shopping in Concordia: NE 42nd Avenue, Alberta Street, Killingsworth at NE 30th Ave, and NE 33rd Ave.

If you can walk five kilometers (three miles), there are further hubs to explore. I walk to NE Fremont and NE 42nd for sports shoes, to MLK for my dentist, and to Fremont and NE 15th to buy gently used clothes for my grandkids; all an easy 3 miles in a one- hour round trip.

Walking groups provide another healthy habit; social interaction. There is Concordia Walkers on Facebook, hiking/running groups on Meetup, and volkswalking through the Oregon Trails State Volkssport Association. Whether you walk on your own, with your dogs, or with your family and friends, say “Hi” to your neighbors and Mother Earth as you go by.

Megan is the SW2 rep and a retired nurse/ engineer. She travels, bikes, hikes, and swims along with her local multigenerational family. Stay active, be healthy.

By Richard Burton | LUTC Chair

In 2005, city ordinance 179462 was passed to encourage the future development of skateparks in the Portland area. Three years later, the City of Portland published a 58-page plan for constructing a citywide skatepark system (see the link below for the full document). The plan called for 19 variously sized skateparks to be built, including: 13 “skate spots” (skate areas 5,000–6,000 square feet), 5 district skateparks (10,000–12,000 square feet) and one regional skatepark. Fernhill Park was sited as one of the locations for a district skatepark and Alberta Park was sited as a location for a skate spot. Fast forward 16 years, and neither of these two parks has moved past the “sited” phase.

There is good news however; the city has started funding skateparks again. Portland Parks and Recreation recently invested $15 million in the plan for the regional skatepark (located near the Steel Bridge) and $5 million for the Creston Park skatepark and so it seems the city is, once again, interested in building skateparks. Links below show the plans for these two skateparks.

A new skatepark would be a place for community members, young and old, to gather together. Says Concordia resident Garrett Kelly, “a skatepark in Fernhill Park would make a lot of sense because it’s a big park with lots of other sports activities and facilities. A skatepark there would add a new element that young people would utilize.”

In the interest of getting our two neighborhood parks beyond the “sited” phase, I would like to propose the creation of a Land Use and Transportation (LUTC) sub-committee focused on making our neighborhood skateparks a reality. The Skatepark Committee, or whatever we officially decide to call it, will focus on education, outreach, strategies and engagement within our neighborhood and city so that we can get the skateparks we want.

For those interested in participating in this project, please plan on attending the April LUTC Committee meeting on Wednesday, April 17th from 7–8:30 pm, in the Kennedy School community room. This is a great opportunity for newer and younger community members who perhaps haven’t been involved before to have an impact. See you soon.

Rich Burton is the Chair of the Land Use and Transportation committee and serves as Member East 2 for the Concordia Neighborhood Association board. He is interested in building community.

By Kepper Petzing | Contributing Writer

What is a Public Street Plaza?

In response to Covid, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) allowed businesses to close off certain streets to create spaces for outdoor dining. As of late, PBOT has been transitioning some of these spaces into public street plazas where people can sit and read, friends and neighbors can gather, and communities can host events. Plazas help build community, increase pedestrian traffic near local shops, and make space for public events.

Concordia has its very own public street plaza at NE 30th and Killingsworth. Learn more about other plazas in town here.

Name the Plaza

Our plaza needs a name. You can enter the “Name Our Plaza” contest.

Design the Street Painting

After naming the plaza, keep your eyes open for our upcoming “Design the Street Painting” contest, as a mural will be painted on the street sometime between late May and mid-June. Help design the mural and the overall look of the plaza and suggest events we can hold there. The contest begins on March 15th.

Join Activities in the Plaza

The Concordia Neighborhood Association is working to plan two events each month at the plaza, beginning in March. Check the CNA website at ConcordiaPDX. org and find us on Facebook and Instagram to find out what is happening at the plaza. We hope to see you there.

Host Your Own Event at the Plaza

Think the Plaza is the perfect place for your knitting circle, book exchange, dance party, or doggy fashion show? PBOT makes it easy for you to put on free public events here in your neighborhood. Find out more information and fill out the application here.

Get Involved

The Concordia Neighborhood Association has a “Friends of the Plaza” committee focused on bringing community input to this space. If you have suggestions for plaza design or activities, or if you want to join our committee, contact Megan Gobble, CNA Board Member at SW2@ConcordiaPDX.org.

Kepper Petzing has lived in Concordia for 42 years. They are nonbinary. They love community and the public spaces where we can be together.

By Richard Burton | LUTC Committee Chair

Changes to Plaza at 30th and Killingsworth

The street plaza north of NE Killingsworth and NE 30th was previously designated a “healthy business plaza” during the pandemic but is now a “public street plaza” offering full access to the area. The city of Portland has created a system for this and other plazas to “remove barriers for small-scale neighborhood-based activities that build social and community connections.” The community may now use the plaza for “activations”; the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) term for plaza events and gatherings.

The plaza is a collaboration between PBOT and the neighborhood. NE 30th Street, north of Killingsworth will remain closed and now has an 11–foot emergency access lane. Some changes you can expect to see are new street planters (PBOT– supplied with plant content maintained by the community), existing seating painted with PBOT logos, periodic trash pickup and a community sandwich board for advertising plaza activations. Additionally in the first half of 2024, PBOT is interested in repainting the plaza surface with updated art.

For casual use of the plaza, any table with PBOT labeling is available for public use. Bring friends, books, food, crafts and enjoy the outdoors.

Holding Events and Gatherings at the Plaza

If you’d like to use the plaza for an activation, some rules apply:

• Small plaza activation events must be free and open to all members of the public. Excluding people from the plaza is prohibited unless an individual is violating the plaza rules as posted. Ticketed events require a permit. (See Additional Information below for more info.)
• Small Plaza Activation events designed for fewer than 100 attendees may occur at any time.
• If amplified music will take place, PBOT must be notified.
• Event organizers must demonstrate respectful behavior towards neighbors and ensure nearby residents are not disturbed.
• Events may not obstruct pedestrian and bicycle thoroughfare or access to the plaza.
• Events may not obstruct the designated 11’ emergency access lane. People are allowed in this area, but no tables, tents, or other objects may be placed in the emergency access lane.
• If food is offered, organizers must follow all Multnomah County Health Department rules and permitting guidelines for temporary food events.
• If alcohol is present, vendors must follow rules permitting guidelines set out by Oregon Liquor and Cannabis Commission (OLCC) for special events.
• Street plaza areas are car-free spaces. All vehicles must park only in designated parking areas and must pay all applicable fees. If vehicle access is required to deliver heavy equipment, the vehicle must immediately leave the plaza after the drop off or pick up of that equipment. Traffic control signs and objects found before the event must be put back in place after the event. These traffic signs and objects must be in place before, during, and after your activation.

Rich Burton is the Chair of the Land Use and Transportation committee and serves as Member at Large #4 for the Concordia Neighborhood Association board. He is interested in building community

By Megan Cecil-Gobble | Contributing Writer

Looking for a novel and inexpensive way to entertain the kids and save on fossil fuels? Want to see holiday lights and hear spiritual music along with getting some exercise? These adventures can be done by riding our area TriMet buses, MAX trains, and Portland Streetcars. Read on.

Family Adventure by #70 Bus and MAX Train

Getting your family to the Oregon Zoo in Washington Park is a bus ride followed by a train ride and it takes about an hour and 15 minutes from Concordia. There are lots of sights to see along the way. Catch the southbound #70 bus along NE 33rd. Get off the bus at Lloyd Center (NE 11th and NE Multnomah) and walk south to catch the red or blue line trains towards Beaverton or Hillsboro. Get off at the underground Washington Park station. Take the elevator up to the surface and walk to the zoo. Don’t forget to purchase tickets ahead of time online at OregonZoo.org.

You could also opt to hike part of the well-marked Wildwood Trail which starts north of the elevators. There’s even a part of it that is OK for strollers and wheelchairs. All buses and trains are equipped to carry them–and you. Other

Local Adventures Using Buses #17, #72 and #8 Bus

#17 runs along NE 27th and gets you to Downtown Portland for shopping or fairs, to the Convention Center for craft or car shows, or to see Fireworks on the 4th or Christmas Ships in December at Trillium Crossing.

Bus #72 is a commuter bus, but also gets you where you want to go for the sights. Around the holidays, The Grotto’s light and musical entertainment is a few blocks from the bus stop at NE 82nd and Sandy. The #72 bus goes to Clackamas Town Center, but a faster way to get there is switching to the yellow line MAX train going east at the NE 82nd and I-84 MAX Station. Catch the #72 on its route along Alberta to NE 30th, then Killingsworth past 42nd toward 82nd.

Bus #8 runs along NE 15th and runs by Lloyd Center, through downtown, and up to Pill Hill (OHSU, VA hospitals). For a round trip from OHSU, hike or bike across the Tilikum bridge, catch the streetcar back downtown, catch the Max back to Lloyd Center & take #8 or #17 back to Concordia.

Out Beyond the Neighborhood

Because my family is experienced taking the bus around Portland, we enjoy riding local buses wherever we go on vacation. It is a great way to see sights, meet people, and save money and carbon dioxide. Once you’ve practiced transit skills around our neighborhood, you too will be able to travel the world.

Be seeing you–by bus, by bike, or by legs.

Megan is the SW2 rep and a retired nurse/engineer. She travels, bikes, hikes, and swims along with her local multigenerational family. Stay active, be healthy.

By Rich Burton | LUTC Chair

In November 2024, Portlanders will vote for three representatives in each district, expanding the City Commission to 12 members. The districts are North / Northeast, East, Southeast, and West. There are three proposed maps for district boundaries and the Concordia neighborhood designation is in the North / Northeast district in all three proposals.

This is a result of Ballot Measure 26-228, which was approved in November 2022. Ballot Measure 26-228 directed the City of Portland to implement these three changes by January 1st, 2025:

• Establish four geographic districts, with three city council members elected to represent each district, expanding the city council to a total of 12 members
• Allow voters to rank candidates in order of preference, using ranked choice voting
• Establish a city council that focuses on setting policy and engaging with community, transitioning day-to-day oversight of bureaus to a mayor elected citywide and a professional city administrator

The Independent District Commission (IDC); tasked with implementing these changes, has been conducting in-person meetings and collecting feedback on the district proposals.

A meeting was held on July 13th in the North / Northeast district at Self Enhancement Inc., a nonprofit aimed at serving underserved youth. At the meeting, North / Northeast Portland community leaders urged to boost engagement efforts and hear all voices to improve equity. Community leaders testified on how the districting process might impact Black Portlanders. Speakers mentioned communities of color and renters as key voices that should be heard when determining the four geographic voting districts. Renters, they said, have traditionally not had a voice on the City Commission and urged the IDC to consider access issues so engagement is truly inclusive. Watch a video of their testimony here.

Feedback gleaned from these community engagements will be used in development of the district plan. Learn more at Portland.gov/transition/districtcommission.

Rich Burton is the Chair of the Land Use and Transportation committee and serves as Member at Large #4 for the Concordia Neighborhood Association board. He is interested in building community.

By Rich Burton | LUTC Committee Chair

Residents of Concordia and other inner NE neighborhoods might have noticed new construction that reflects Portland zoning changes known as Residential Infill Project (RIP). If you see two, four, six or eight-unit structures popping up where you once saw one home, that likely is the result of RIP.

RIP took effect in August 2021 and its second iteration, RIP2, took effect in June 2022. Both measures were intended to address housing shortages and affordability by allowing more density and flexibility on plots that previously allowed only single-family homes. People who aren’t familiar with zoning rules (particularly during the COVID pandemic) might be surprised to learn some of the specific impacts of RIP and RIP2:

• With the changes introduced, a developer could opt to put four to eight units on a lot on your street, depending on the lot size and their ability to divide the lot.
• No on-site parking is required for these new multi-household units.
• Required setback s; minimum distances from the property line to the structure, have been reduced to 10 feet.

Proponents hailed RIP as a way to bring much-needed affordable housing to Portland, but the effort also had critics. Andre Baugh, a Planning and Sustainability and Commission (PSC) member at the time, objected with concerns about displacing low-income and minority residents. Others worried about traffic congestion, strain on infrastructure and lack of true affordability. Check out this YouTube video of Baugh addressing the PSC in 2018.

Anticipating the impact of RIP/ RIP2, the Laurelhurst and Eastmoreland neighborhoods worked to be designated as historic districts, which reduced their being affected.

Here are a few links to learn more about this topic:

• Overview of RIP
• RIP reports and plans for specific areas 
• Resources for homeowners to protect against predatory behaviors.

For more information, email the CNA LUTC (Land Use and Transportation Committee) at landuse@concordiapdx. org or share your thoughts with us at the LUTC meeting held the 3rd Wednesday of each month, 7-8:30 PM at the Kennedy School Community Room.

Rich Burton is the Chair of the Land Use and Transportation committee and serves as Member at Large #4 for the Concordia Neighborhood Association board. He is interested in building community.