The BTA has long recognized the importance of the North Williams corridor for its popularity as a bicycle route, its bicycle oriented development, and the symbolism of designating a commercial district as a major city bikeway. When the North Williams Traffic Operations Safety project kicked off in the spring of 2011, we initially supported a one-lane design to accommodate the ever growing number of bicycles found using the route during afternoon rush hour and improve safety for pedestrians trying to cross the street.
Our approach centered around what we thought were the best interests and safety of the community. But we quickly realized that this was not the right path forward. We weren’t listening to the issues. We hadn’t yet come to understand that opposition to the project went far beyond just the issues of transportation. So the BTA started to listen.
Residents shared priorities and concerns in small groups at the North Williams Community Forum on November 28.
Listening results in understanding. We realized the community needed a platform to raise consciousness, understanding, and the volume of their voice. The community wasn’t ready to talk about this crosswalk or that intersection just yet. They needed to talk about what the road means to the community. The road is a symbol of all the “has nots” that have happened along North Williams over the last 60 years. And after Legacy Emmanual and the I-5 corridor, the North Williams Traffic Operations Safety Project felt like more of the same pattern of injustice that had silenced the voice of the community in the past in order to serve the needs of others.
The weight of history is heavy and should not ever be forgotten. We have the power to transition this project from a symbol of the injustice of redlining, eminent domain, and displacement to an example of community power, cohesion, and strength.
By stopping to listen, we have been able to move forward. The BTA understands that this project MUST have community support to be successful. Safety is in everyone’s interest. It is the strongest common thread of the 28 members of one of the most powerful and diverse stakeholder advisory committees we have ever seen on a local transportation project.
To continue on the path forward, we must see two outcomes of this project.
First, the stakeholder advisory committee must take all that we have heard and learned, and use that knowledge to design a healthy street by reducing the number and severity of crashes and speeding. Second, we need to honor the history, hard work and dedication by community members and the City of Portland. We must use our experience with this project to evaluate the City of Portland’s community engagement strategies. We must recognize not just who is not at the table, but ask ourselves why they are not there, and alter our outreach strategies in order to hear voices that are all too often marginalized.
Mayor Adams speaks at a North Williams Community Forum on November 28.
We are energized by the most recent city-sponsored outreach event. Nearly 200 people, including the City of Portland’s big players — Mayor Adams, PBOT Director Tom Miller, Planning Commissioner Chris Smith, Portland Development Commission Director Patrick Quinton, Bureau of Planning and Sustainability Director Susan Anderson — came together to listen to the community needs. We discussed everything from affordable housing to crime to education to transportation. We talked about the road and the community vision and how we can honor its history. After all the community meetings, heart wrenching testimony, and heated discussions on the topic, we came to a place of collective compassion, understanding, and support on one beautiful night.
We still have a long ways to go until we have a project on the ground, but the BTA believes we’re on the right path to get there.
Our next stakeholder advisory committee meeting is Tuesday, December 6th from noon to 2:00 pm at Oregon Red Cross (3131 N Vancouver), Training Room 11. It is a public meeting. Testimony is encouraged, but will be taken at the end of the meeting.
