Category Archives: Land Use & Transportation

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.

By Kepper Petzing | LUTC Member

The Land Use and Transportation Committee (LUTC) of the Concordia Neighborhood Association (CNA) has been reestablished after being inactive for about a year.

The purpose of the committee, chaired by Rich Burton, is to get together, discuss and take actions on issues that affect land use and transportation within the Concordia neighborhood. These issues include zoning and comprehensive plan maps, construction and development, demolition, bicycle and pedestrian issues, speed limit, greenhouse gas emissions, and sustainability, among others.

This is the first installment of a new monthly column for Concordia News. Below is an overview of the issues that are currently being discussed at the LUTC meetings.

New speed safety cameras

Approximate locations

1. Eastbound: 2800 NE Columbia Blvd.
2. Westbound: 3000 NE Columbia Blvd. The cameras are installed and functioning. They are preceded with a sign that reads “Traffic Laws Photo Enforced,” a speed limit sign, and a speed reader board displaying the driver’s current rate of speed. Speeding tickets are automatically generated.

New bridges under construction

1. 33rd Ave. over Lombard St. Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is now hoping for an Aug. 25 opening date, subject to delays. Check the PBOT website for updates (plus find cool details about construction).
2. 42nd Ave Bridge over NE Lombard PBOT is constructing a new earthquake-ready bridge that will also provide better access for freight, walking and biking. Construction will begin shortly after the 33rd bridge opens. Check the PBOT website for updates updates.

Safety concerns

1. Intersection at 36th Ave. and Lombard St. LUTC supports neighbors’ concerns about safety at this intersection – especially with left hand turns on to and off of 36th Ave. We are recommending this intersection allow right hand turns only from Lombard or from 36th. Because Lombard is a highway (U.S. Highway 30 Bypass), control over it falls under Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) jurisdiction. LUTC is beginning inquiries to ODOT.
2. Prescott Street speeding and volume of traffic LUTC is coordinating with other impacted neighborhoods to encourage PBOT to conduct a safety analysis of Prescott Street and consider what abatements and/or traffic calming measures might improve the issue. We encourage neighbors to write letters in support.
3. Building at 2734 NE Alberta St. This building sheds bricks and has been labeled “dangerous” by city officials. We remain concerned about this hazard and are questioning the city about enforcement of building regulations.

Housing needs

LUTC understands the need for infill housing in our neighborhood but would like our community to have a say in how development occurs. We are hoping for more transparency from the city regarding planned developments. If you know about building plans, have questions or concerns, please reach out.

Help us help you!

Consider attending our monthly meetings which are held in-person at 7:00 pm on the third Wednesday of each month in the Community Room at McMenamins Kennedy School, 5736 NE 33rd Ave. Everyone who lives or works in Concordia is invited.

Email us with ideas, information, or concerns at LandUse@ConcordiaPDX.org. Find us on the Concordia Neighborhood association website at ConcordiaPDX.org/lutc.

Kepper Petzing has lived in Concordia for 40 years, where, with their partner Lowen, they raised two children. They are nonbinary. They love community and are grateful for Concordia News.

By Rob Cullivan and Kepper Petzing

Neighbors living along Northeast Prescott Street have one message for drivers: SLOW DOWN!!

Fed up with hundreds of vehicles daily speeding – and sometimes crashing on their street, residents are working together to ask the city of Portland to address traffic safety issues.

Traffic safety advocates will discuss their concerns at the General Membership Meeting of the Concordia Neighborhood Association at 7 p.m. Wednesday, June 7, in the Community Room at McMenamins Kennedy School, 5736 N.E. 33 rd Ave. The Prescott issue is planned to be addressed at 7:30 p.m.

Sabin leader
Kathleen McConnell, chair of the Sabin Community Association’s Land Use and Transportation Committee, said she wants to rally residents of five neighborhoods through which Prescott runs to put an end to vehicular speeding on her street. McConnell said residents of the Concordia, Sabin, King, Vernon and Alameda neighborhoods need to raise their voices about the issue.

“Visually, Prescott looks like a speedway,” she says, noting its posted limit is 25 mph, but hundreds of cars daily exceed the limit. “It invites people to speed through it.”

She and other residents would like to see the Portland Bureau of Transportation install speed bumps aka cushions as well as more stop signs on Prescott. She noted that one concerned resident has even started an Instagram page, “@slowdownonprescott” to collect photos and data on crashes.

Tiffany Allmandinger lives near the intersection of Prescott and 24 th streets. Had she known Prescott would be overrun by speeders, she would have never bought her house there five years ago, she says.

An astronautics engineer who’s also an amateur auto racer and semi-pro cyclist, Allmandinger says she’s familiar with how vehicles sound when they speed and estimates that only 10 percent of drivers on Prescott observe the 25-mph speed limit.

Every night, vehicle after vehicle drives anywhere from 45 to 90 mph past her house, she says. Her corner was the site of a fatal accident in 2020 when a speeding drunk driver was killed after crashing into a tree at 90 mph.

“At night it’s basically a racetrack,” Allmandinger says, adding that cars routinely recklessly pass each other. A cat she owned was killed by a driver, she says, and a neighbor’s dog was injured after a hit and run. There are almost no stop signs or signals for much of Prescott in her area, she adds.

“I want the city to make it physically impossible for people to speed on Prescott,” she said. “You can’t get people to change their behavior, you have to encourage them to change behavior. I would be happy to see a stop sign on every other block.”

PBOT response
Since learning of the residents’ concerns in 2018, PBOT has responded with some measures over the past few years to mitigate the traffic issues. Prescott’s speed limit was reduced from 30 mph to 25, and the city pruned tree limbs as well as prohibited parking within 20 feet of intersections to increase pedestrian visibility, among other measures.

However, in a Jan. letter PBOT sent to the Sabin LUTC, an official noted that, as bad as Prescott is when it comes to crashes, it’s not as bad as other Portland streets. Due to budget constraints, among other factors, PBOT prioritizes addressing traffic safety issues in what is called the High Crash Network. The HCN is made up of 30 streets with the highest number of serious crashes in Portland. The HCN makes up 8% of Portland’s streets, and yet they account for 60% of fatal crashes.

“NE Prescott Street is not part of Portland’s High Crash Network,” PBOT told the Sabin LUTC.

PBOT has stated it plans to install at least two Speed Reader Boards, electronic signs that use radar to detect the speed of an approaching vehicle and display them, on Prescott. Dylan Rivera, PBOT public information officer, said his bureau is gathering information to further address neighbors’ concerns.

“We plan to take a closer look at the area later this year to see what we might be able to do to address safety concerns with signs and markings,” he says.