I have lived in Northeast Portland most of my life in the Rose City Park
Neighborhood.

Making better use of the Albina Fuel property makes sense and the basic
proposal by Millikan looks good. However I do hope the small brick historic
substation structure at 32nd and Weidler can be preserved for a new use.

Any development that increases density will also increase traffic and
vehicles around the site. Even if the mayor moved in, there would be a big
black sedan chauffeuring her in and out. Any development must be seen as a
positive stimulus to require the City to correct any deficiencies in the
movement of vehicles and people around Albina Fuel property.

Currently Broadway does not work as a street. Portland transportation
officials rate the congestion at level D. Compare that to a level A
rating would have the least amount, or no congestion on the street. Greatly
contributing to the congestion problem on Broadway are previous
modifications made to NE 33rd Avenue, mostly the curb extensions where
busses stop and block traffic. This is a self inflicted congestion problem
created by PDOT that backs up traffic several blocks onto eastbound Broadway
with vehicles waiting to make left hand turns to go North on 33rd. The
problem is the most severe during the evening rush hours with stopped
vehicles extending past the left turn lane into the regular lanes of travel.

Prior to any zone change that will allow increased development to take
place on the Albina Fuel site, a requirement must be imposed on the City of
Portland to make Broadway flow better as a street. With new development
increasing the density and population of the area, the City can no longer be
neglect about correcting the increasing congestion problem on Broadway.
Creating a better traffic flow must include a condition for the City to
provide bus pullouts and bus zones on Broadway. This will require busses
pull out of travel lanes not blocking other traffic when stopping for
passengers going both directions between 28th Avenue to the West, and 37th
Avenue to the East. Included in this condition must be a requirement the for
developer to include a bus pullout pocket within the final design on the
North side of Albina Fuel site that fronts Broadway, if a bus stop is to
exist between 32nd and 33rd Avenues. Another option would be to set the
street back the width of an automobile to allowing parking and bus zones.
The results of not applying this condition could be both lanes of traffic
eastbound on Broadway completely blocked for several minutes at the same
time creating a gridlock type situation, especially if someone who is
mobility impaired is getting on or off a bus.

Provisions must also be made so Weidler, a neighborhood street between 28Th
and 32nd Avenues, is not used as a thoroughfare to access the Albina Fuel
site. One possible solution would be to move the traffic signal located at
30th and Broadway, to 32nd and Broadway. The one block stretch of 30th
Avenue between Broadway and Weidler could then be vacated and reclaimed for
development. If the traffic signal were moved to 32nd, it would make the
Southeast corner, the trailing portion of the intersection on Broadway
eastbound, an ideal location for a bus zone pullout pocket. The relocated
signal could assist busses reentering the traffic flow. This corner also
offers the best location for bus passengers to access both the Albina Fuel
site and Fred Meyer at a single bus stop.

The City should also be required to study the idea of an access road
connecting the Albina Fuel site to NE 28th using a route behind the Fred
Meyer store to relieve pressure on neighborhood streets. Another possible
connection to the property might be using a route under 33rd Avenue.

In closing, increasing real world transit options on Broadway will not solve
the congestion problem. Transit options that block or interrupt other
traffic flow will only make congestion worse. Moving people from a taxed
mode to a subsidized mode will only increase the costs of providing
government services. Motoring stakeholders who pay the costs for streets and
roads and provide real jobs can no longer be neglected by politics. Before
any zone change is approved, the City must be required to make a short term
commitment to reduce congestion and improve the traffic flow on adjacent
thoroughfares that border the Albina Fuel site, both on the North and East
sides, not just moving that congestion elsewhere by impeding movement on the
street, and at the same time minimizing any impacts to neighborhood streets.