In a previous post, I'd mentioned the success that the Brentwood-Darlington Neighborhood Association had in securing resources for much-needed improvements to Errol Heights Park, highlighting the role of patience and perseverance when working on change-making projects in the community. In this post, I wanted to quickly highlight the critical role that leadership and teamwork play in supporting community transformation as well.
Case in point: For decades the Brentwood-Darlington neighborhood has been under-served by the city when it comes to many things, including safe bicycle and pedestrian transportation options. These gaps were highlighted in the 1992 neighborhood plan, but much of that plan was not implemented. But, decades later, a new wave of enthusiastic and committed people streamed into the neighborhood association, inspired by their own vision and some key wins that showed residents community-led change is possible.
With a vision for complete sidewalks on our main streets and safe routes for youth to school, a new cohort of community leaders took on one of the neighborhood's most ambitious projects to date: acquiring the resources from the city to implement this vision. A small group of talented and committed women set off to work with the Portland Bureau of Transportation to put a project proposal together, and then intelligently advocated for the project over a more than year-long process. They worked hand-in-hand with one another, co-developing a strategy to advocate for the project, and mobilizing the community at key moments throughout the process. I played but a small role in the larger project, reaching out to key stakeholders to obtain letters of support and advocating for the project with some elected officials that I know.
All in all, the teams was so effective that our project—which was originally #11 on a list of 10 projects to get funded—was selected for funding because of the immense amount of community support that they were able to demonstrate for the project. Now, with $2.2 million of grant funding allocated for the $6.6 million Brentwood-Darlington Safe Routes to School project, the work is being celebrated by the bicycling community and neighborhood leaders. I have been deeply inspired by the leadership this team has demonstrated, and am excited to see what they might try and do next. Thanks for letting me be a member of the team! Below is an announcement from Metro about the funding awards.
This article originally appeared at Metro News.
Metro Council unanimously awards $30 million to 12 walking, biking, and freight projects around greater Portland
Sidewalks, bikeways, trails and freight connections in communities around greater Portland will receive funding they need after the Metro Council unanimously approved $30 million in grants for 12 projects Thursday.
The decision comes after a process lasting more than year. Thousands of area residents provided comments, local jurisdictions weighed in with priorities and close technical analysis weighed proposed projects’ benefits with key regional priorities.
The grants will be paid by a collection of federal transportation dollars known in greater Portland as regional flexible funds, because regional leaders have some flexibility for how to allocate them. The funds are intended to improve air quality, relieve congestion, create more transportation options and improve transportation system performance.
Generally, Metro leads a process for determining how to spend these dollars every three years. This round of funds is expected to be available beginning in 2019.
Needs exceed funds
Roughly $33 million was available for local projects this cycle, with 75 percent reserved by JPACT and the Metro Council for projects that make walking, biking and getting to transit safer, and the remainder reserved for projects that improve freight movement. Each project is partially funded by local dollars, as well.
Although Metro councilors had a lot of praise for the projects they approved for funding Thursday, they noted that communities applied for many other worthy projects that could not be funded.
Communities around the region submitted more than two dozen applications seeking a total of almost $92 million for walking and biking projects, and five applications totaling nearly $9 million for freight projects – about three times the total available funding.
Technical staff and community members on the Transportation Policy Alternatives Committee and regional elected leaders on the Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation selected which projects to recommend for funding based on a number of factors, including technical analysis and thousands of public comments.
Even then, several communities adjusted their project plans, budgets or funding strategies to get more funding to more projects.
Councilors expressed their appreciation for the hard work put in by TPAC, JPACT and local communities.
"A lot of collaboration went into rightsizing the projects submittals in order to fit the available budget, because as always, needs exceeded capacity," said Metro Councilor Kathryn Harrington.
Metro Councilor Craig Dirksen, who also chairs JPACT, noted how some local jurisdictions had been willing to make changes to their projects or increase their local contributions to help others get funded.
"It's very impressive to me that everyone in the region has really come together to make those kinds of sacrifices," Dirksen said.
Metro Councilor Carlotta Collette noted the appreciation she'd heard from constituents in West Linn, where the funds will help make Highway 43 safer for walking, biking and driving in a residential area. The city increased its local funding match to make sure the project could be funded.
"My friends in West Linn wanted me to thank Metro and JPACT because they've never submitted an application for a transportation project and this one is going to be awarded. They're very excited," she said.
$3 million left to allocate in Gresham
There is still a little more than $3 million left to allocate, however.
At its Jan. 19 meeting, JPACT sought more time to discuss which of two projects in Gresham should receive funding – completing sidewalks on a half-mile stretch of Division Street or safety improvements to a half-mile of Cleveland Avenue.
JPACT is expected to continue that discussion and make a recommendation on Feb. 16. Following that, the Metro Council will decide whether to accept the recommendation.
List of projects
Below is a list of the projects that the Metro Council has approved for federal funds. Find a clickable map with additional project details at the bottom of this page. Applications with more details about each project are also available here.