1) Overlook Neighborhood Holiday Party tonight
3) ODOT’s going to get noisy on I-5
1) Overlook Neighborhood Holiday Party tonight
Don’t forget to come out and celebrate the season with your neighbors tonight (Friday) at OKNA’s annual holiday party, 6-8 p.m. at Daybreak Cohousing. It’s a pot-luck event, so if you’re able, please bring a dish to share. Also, if you want to drink adult beverages, please bring your own. We’ll have a raffle of great neighborhood schwag, so don’t be too late.
2) Interstate 5 tolling
The Oregon Transportation Commission on Thursday voted unanimously to apply to the Federal Highway Administration for permission to toll on Interstate 5. The plan is to begin tolling at the north end at the Going/Alberta exit in Overlook.
All North Portland neighborhoods share concerns that starting the tolling south of Hayden Island will result in significant cut-through traffic in our residential communities. OKNA Chair Chris Trejbal testified before the vote on Tuesday, urging commissioner to move the northern tolling terminus. You can watch his testimony in the video below.
The Oregonian reports that this message was heard:
Tammy Baney, chairwoman of the transportation commission, said many of the details will remain in flux for years. She said the state hears concerns from residents in North Portland about the potential for drivers to exit the freeway to avoid tolls. “It is not lip service that we have a lot of analysis that needs to continue,” she said. “We do not intend to answer those questions alone,” she added.
OKNA will continue to monitor this situation and seek to prevent traffic diversion onto the neighborhood’s already overburdened streets.
3) ODOT’s going to get noisy on I-5
Starting in summer 2019, the Oregon Department of Transportation we will begin construction to install new ODOT RealTime signs on Interstate 5 from Marine Drive to the Fremont Bridge. This construction will help make roads safer and help drivers travel more efficiently by providing real time traffic information.
Construction will take place mostly at night to minimize traffic impacts during the day. Work is expected to be complete in summer 2020, but is subject to change based on weather and site conditions.
Nighttime construction noise will occur periodically from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m. and those working or living in the area may hear the noise. Noise will come from heavy equipment, generators, excavators, construction and concrete trucks, beeping noise when construction vehicles are in reverse (a requirement by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration), and equipment such as metal saws and drills.
ODOT is requesting up to 50 nights of work to be scheduled at various dates and locations in the project area. Work will not occur at every location each night but will be spread across multiple sites starting in June 2019.
As part of the noise variance permit process, ODOT will present the noise variance application and details about construction and noise levels to the Noise Review Board on Jan. 9 at 6 p.m., Portland City Hall (1221 SW 4th Ave.) Lovejoy Room, 2nd Floor. The meeting is open to the public.