Current Newsletter

The 17^th Annual CCA Golf Classic Scramble will be Monday, September 15^th at the Riverside Golf & Country Club. Go ahead and pencil it in on your calendar.

The Portland City Council recently approved future funds for basic transportation services. Unanticipated Utility License Fee (ULF) revenue (revenue above projections) will be directed to the Transportation Bureau for street operations, maintenance and safety. Up to $4.3 million would be annually allocated. While the funding will not address the existing maintenance backlog, it will help prevent us from slipping further behind.

Utility License Fees are based on a percentage of utility company revenue. In exchange, the gas company is allowed to run pipes under the street and the telephone company can run cables over sidewalks. In the past, a portion of the ULF has been given to PDOT to help offset the cost of maintenance. Since the ULF share to PDOT was discontinued, the maintenance backlog has been building.

A group composed of non-profits, businesses, and government agencies has been steadily working on a concept to jump-start redevelopment of vacant brownfield sites in the Portland Harbor. Columbia Corridor Association has been a partner in the effort to overcome the many obstacles. The reason is simple: putting these 700 acres back into productive use will create approximately 1,450 jobs and $9.1 million in state taxes annually.

For more information on Harbor ReDI, refer to the Daily Journal of Commerce, August 25, page 1; or call CCA at 503.287.8686.

An agreement has been signed by all parties allowing trees to be removed from Bridgeton Levee beginning August 25^th. A total of 68 trees are being removed and the agreement allows up to 304 trees to be planted over three years in the right areas in the neighborhood. The cost to the Peninsula Drainage District #2 is approximately one quarter of a million dollars. The tree removal is necessary to maintain the integrity of the levees and required for certification by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Mayor-Elect Adams is taking a trip to China as part of his export trade strategy development. He wants your advice on any leaders or companies he should visit while in Beijing, Shanghai, and Qingdao. He’s also looking for advice on local companies (especially those that offer sustainable products and services) that he should
promote in China. Please reply to Clay Neal (clay.neal@ci.portland.or.us) with your suggestions or questions. More…

The Portland Water Bureau began a short operation of the Columbia South Shore Well Field on Monday, August 18. The purpose of this operation is to exercise all equipment and identify needed repairs in order to ensure supply reliability. The operation will supply approximately 5 million gallons per day to the distribution system over the course of 10 days, resulting in an average groundwater contribution of approximately 3% of total daily water demand. The operation should end by the end of August.

The Columbia South Shore Well Field is the back-up drinking water supply for Portland. CCA works closely with the Portland Water Bureau and Columbia Corridor businesses to protect the quality of groundwater in the Well Field. Got questions? Call Corky at 503.287.8686.

Help the Portland Office of Transportation (PDOT) prioritize potential future streetcar corridors throughout the city. As part of the PDOT Streetcar System Plan effort, District Streetcar Surveys are now available on the web. Please take the survey for the areas where you live, work or own property. More…

Temporary travel restrictions are scheduled for the intersection of Northeast Airport Way and 82^nd Avenue, near Portland International Airport, on the weekends of Sept. 5-8 and Sept. 12-15. The restrictions are necessary for lane widening and pavement rehabilitation. Vehicles coming from I-205 to NE 82^nd Ave. via Airport Way will want to use alternate routes. Details…

The closures begin at 10 p.m. on those Fridays and end by 4 a.m. on those Mondays.

City of Portland

Concordia University

Davis Wright Tremaine

Grubb & Ellis

Key Bank

Northwest Natural

PGP Valuation Inc.

Walsh & Sons Trucking Co.

WRG Design Inc.

The University of Oregon Index of Economic Indicators™ rose in June, gaining 0.4 percent to 101.1 (1997=100). The UO Index declined at an annualized 3.2 percent rate over the past six months, indicating a period of at least mild recession. Full pdf report…

Mark your calendars for this year’s Oregon Economic Forum, October 16, 2008 at the Oregon Zoo in Portland. For more information visit http://uoregon.edu/~oefweb/events/.

Speakers include: Tim Duy, Director, Oregon Economic Forum, Department of Economics, University of Oregon; Bruce Blonigen, Knight Professor of Social Science, Department of Economics, University of Oregon; Wesley Wilson, Professor of Economics, Department of Economics, University of Oregon; Jon Olson, Director of Global Transportation, Intel Corporation; and Bill Wyatt, Executive Director, Port of Portland, Congressman Peter DeFazio (invited), plus a welcoming address by Dave Frohnmayer, President of the University of Oregon.

The Port of Portland and the Oregon Department of Transportation are hosting a public Open House on Wednesday, September 24, 5-7:30 PM at the Multnomah Educational Service District (MESD), 11611 SE Ainsworth Circle in Portland.

Future congestion at Airport Way and northbound I-205 was flagged as an issue in the late 1990s. That future became reality in 2004, when both east- and westbound traffic on Airport Way started experiencing delays that today can stretch to 45-minutes. During the evening rush hour, there is more northbound traffic getting on I-205 at Airport Way than at any other I-205 interchange in Oregon. This Open House is an opportunity for members of the public to provide input on alternatives being considered.

ACE Academy teachers kicked off their first day on August 11 with extensive training through the Northwest College of Construction. ACE will deliver an innovative, credit by proficiency approach to education. Educators have been diligently working to create the optimal learning environment. The new charter school opens September 2008 to juniors and seniors with an interest in careers in architecture, construction and engineering. Currently there are 137 students enrolled from Parkrose, Gresham-Barlow, Centennial, Centennial Learning Center, Reynolds, Sandy and home schools. www.acecharterschool.org.

Arr, matey! It’s time to come to Aquifer Adventure or else walk the plank. The Portland Water Bureau and Columbia Slough Watershed Council team up to present AQUIFER ADVENTURE, a FREE, fun, family-friendly event full of educational games and pirate booty. PDF announcement.

If you want to get on the captain’s good side, join our volunteer crew. We'll provide lunch (to avoid scurvy), T-shirts, and training. This is a big event for the Water Bureau - last year we had over 400 people attend - we really need your help to make this a huge success. Contact the Columbia Slough Watershed Council at 503.281.1132.

Congestion, fuel costs and workforce accessibility are influencing business productivity and jobs generation. “Economy in Motion” will bring national experts and local business leaders to Vancouver to share their perspectives on how our region’s transportation system affects the bottom line, and determines where and how businesses locate and thrive. More…

News in the Corridor

August 2008