Thread by @nomorefreeways

ok, buckle up, folks. We're about to get started w/ the Rose Quarter Freeway Expansion joint meeting of the Executive Steering Committee, Historic Albina Advisory Board, and the Community Advisory Oversight Committee.

starts at 4, we'll be livetweeting

to our knowledge, it's the first time the ESC (largely elected officials) the HAAB (Albina community members) and the COAC (contractors) have all met on same meeting

ODOT's been rumored to be intending to use this meeting to push back on community groups calling for better caps

We share the opinions of our pals at City Observatory:

https://twitter.com/CityObs/status/1394791661939486722

OTC Member Alando Simpson says "we need to be able to hold accountable the elected officials" for the harms of what happened to Albina.

Does Simpson include himself, an appointed official, in the group of people that need to be held accountable for this project?

"I'm really looking forward to learning more about the options available but the elements that rise to the top and move forward must be prudent. the emphasis i continue to push - stay on schedule."

- OTC's Simpson doesn't want nice buildable caps, he wants the damn freeway built

In previous meetings, ODOT's Independent Covers Assessment was proposing some significant positive changes to the buildable caps, including moving locations of onramps.

This would be way out of line with current EA, so ODOT doesn't want to study it or let HAAB push for it.

Feels notable that, for as "Independent" as the "Independent Covers Assessment" team is, it's ODOT giving the presentation about their work and not the independent ICA consultants.

Why is ODOT speaking for the "independent" consultants? Seems pretty fishy

ODOT now says they are "past 20% design".

"That critical path of identifying the highway covers is really critical to staying on track."

oh look, another veiled threat by ODOT staff to the community groups on the call to not choose any proposed caps plans to slow the project.

ODOT now talking about the jobs and DBE contracting that this expansion is going to create.

ODOT has billions of dollars of other projects underway. Can't ODOT apply their DBE contracting to other projects across the state? Also, investments in road maintenace create more jobs

"The HAAB was formed as an outcome to the project values. The ESC took some time to begin to really focus in on what this project could delibver for a community often overlooked."

No mention from ODOT of what happened to last Community Advisory Committee portlandmercury.com/blogtown/2020/…

Time for public comment!

Former Harriet Tubman teacher Gerald Scrutchions: "ODOT is playing an excellent strategy of divide and conquer...unfortunately the only victims will be the youth left to clean up the mess created by flawed leadership."

Gives shoutout to @AlbinaVisionPDX

Second up, @kasha_b. She encourages members of ESC/HAAB/COAC to read her opinion piece published in @BikePortland explaining what she saw with ODOT's attempts to divide the community interested in both public health and economic development:

bikeportland.org/2021/03/03/gue…

A third public commenter, Ashton Simpson from @OregonWalks, tried calling in from two different phones, and ODOT somehow still didn't see his hand raised to speak.

Why is it so excruciatingly difficult to give ODOT any public testimony whatsoever?

@OregonWalks Amber from ODOT contractor @TeamOntiveros doubling down on ODOT's contracting initiatives.

Hiring Black + non-white contractors is an admirable goal, ODOT. Why not do that for dozens of other projects? Is the RQ the only project you want to diversify your contracting?

Why is it that the only jobs anyone can get to Black contractors are to build outdated, polluting fossil fuel infrastructure? 

https://twitter.com/andrewtheen/status/1394803899551281152

Some of the public comments have been "weighing heavily" on me..."I want this project to be not just a win for the contractors, but a win for the community." COAC member Kenechi Onyeagusi.

Former Metro Council President David Bragdon, on ODOT's ~timelines~ and when the agency is ever interested in allowing meaningful public comment.

https://twitter.com/DLBragdon/status/1394795175021531136

.@TeamOntiveros talking about the opportunity for growing new DBE businesses and creating intergenerational wealth.

All of this is unobjectionable. But we have to ask - why is it that these investments and deliberate contracting practices are only relevant for the RQ project?

"our Black community is on fire. We're talking about things that will help our community down the road. If we don't pay attention to what's happening right now." Michael Burch, MAWE Board Chair, talking about gun violence in Black community right now

here we go, meeting now shifts to talking about the Highway Cover Design Considerations.

Pretty wild how none of these groups have been empowered to make any sort of statement or provide feedback to the freeway mainline. It's all about community health until someone asks about air pollution considerations.

Clever slight of hand to say that ODOT is looking at expanding the freeway to the west, not the east, to avoid "impacts to the Harriet Tubman Middle School."

It's true they may not have to take the property, but if you expand the freeway there are still significant impacts!!!!!

this "fact number one" that so much traffic is localized tells us not that we need another lane of freeway but there's a metric fuck ton of local trips that could easily be served by dramatic improvements in investments in public transportation, biking and walking

Cravenly manipulative stuff. There's so many people using the freeway to get from N Portland to downtown, Central Eastside, inner Northeast - these folks should be taking transit to access our dense city center, not driving!! For air pollution, traffic safety and carbon concerns

ODOT's consultants currently talking about the cap space, but interesting how this rendering shows very, very clearly just how wide of a freeway they are planning on building. They say it's 6 lanes - that's wide enough for 10, easily. All it'll take is a lick of paint.

in very @OregonDOT fashion, they are talking about the congestion relief to suburban commuters by turning the whole Albina neighborhood into a massive set of contraflow onramps/offramps, no words about how it actively *slows* @trimet bus ridership times.

impeccable climate work

@OregonDOT @trimet here's the five scenarios. the ICA team made some big, bold proposals for moving ODOT's plans. Very curious that ODOT won't let the ICA team present their findings to these bodies.

Isn't the "I" in ICA supposed to be "independent?" what's ODOT afraid of?

@OregonDOT @trimet Also notable how all of these concepts except concept five include getting rid of the Flint Avenue Bridge.

When the ICA presented these graphics to ESC/HAAB/COAC in past few months, it included numerous graphics with specific metrics of which were advancing community health + safety goals

Interesting that now that ODOT, and not the ICA is presenting, they aren't sharing those now!

Absolutely mind boggling that "there's going to be a bit of a delay to the buses!" is just a "meh no big deal"

The 4 is one of TriMet's busiest bus lanes, and ODOT has no problem suggesting a "wiggle" that'd dramatically slow this bus through the Albina n'hood.

.@OregonDOT wants to spend $800 million dollars on a freeway expansion in the center of Portland and it'll actively reroute North Portland buses for minutes of new delay???

What on earth sort of urban, climate, transit leadership is this? Should be laughed at out hand

@OregonDOT Meanwhile, the moment that ODOT shows the ICA's Options 4 and 5, which would take down some onramps to create more space for Albina Vision Trust, they already immediately flag it doesn't fit the NEPA/20% design, so it'll certainly slow the project down.

Part 1 of meeting: Here's a bunch of Black contractors demanding jobs
Part 2: here's the 5 proposals ICA came up with - we'll only give you info on quick, easy fixes ODOT likes + we'll downplay bolder fixes that might slow project
Part 3: Hey contractors, which plan do you like?

y'all would not believe how many people are texting us laughing at this whole charade this afternoon. ODOT you're such a joke

ODOT is going on and on and on dissecting why Option 5 is so bad

curious enough that was the option that ranked strongest by the ICA for advancing community health and safety goals

nice way for @OregonDOT to say "oh absolutely this is going way farther over budget, costing money we could instead spend on 82nd avenue or TV Highway, the RQ is easily a billion dollar freeway expansion project that will gobble up all the money we could instead spend on transit"

HAAB member asks about if choosing Concept 4/5 would delay the funding for DBE internships, ODOT spox says yes, that the funding for these programs are essentially contingent on choosing one of ODOT's shittier Concepts and there will be no funding for Black contractors

HAAB member Estelle Love Lavespere, points out ODOT's game pitting groups against each other:

"It puts us in a weird position where we're an either/or - coming into this committee i was told the covers were the best way for us to have restorative justice..."

"...but if we're shown the plans with the most covers... and then told that "options 4 and 5 would lose out on [jobs] that kind of puts a heavy weight on our shoulders at HAAB members. The plans that are being more favorably portrayed have the least cover space....

"...and to be honest, that's the least restorative justice. I don't know what to do with that. To me, as an Albina resident, homeownership is restorative."

Thank you Estelle!!!!!!!

COAC member @PDXStephenG: "I hope ODOT is hiring Raimore construction on all of their projects. They have a $2 BILLION dollar budget. They can do great work in Pendtleton and Medford, not just in Albina. ODOT can lead the way showing there's black folks outside of just NE PDX"

@PDXStephenG "It seems like the community overwhelmingly liked options 4+5. It seems like there's an opportunity to do an amazing win for our contractors that helps agencies like ODOT hire Raimore to work all over the state, and on the covers we're going to look at all the opportunities."

Just freaking awesome push back from to ODOT's deliberate efforts to pit contractors and public health/restorative justice/climate advocates against each other.

"we're dealing with fifty plus years of trauma...we can't wait three to six months to get this right because of the impact it would have on DBE/workforce programs?" Kenechi Onyeagusi, COAC member

ODOT's Megan Channell points out that it's a 3+ year delay of the Rose Quarter Freeway Expansion to change the onramps/offramps included in Concept 4 and 5

(we're a few minutes behind from the livestream because we wanted to get some names/quotes right from earlier, we're doing our best!)

"I'm very concerned with the members of the community who stated copnceot 4 and 5 were important, and feel like ODOT asked them their opinion and has told them "that's great but your opinion means absolutely nothing." and i think it's important we understand it" -Pastor Hennessee

"This makes us feel that once again this is an excercise that your voice, while heard in the meeting, is not one that will stand up for a while because [@oregondot] seems to have their own ideas about what are the actual right options."

"I'm not trying to preach tonight but my disappointment is on the table. I have said nothing but positive things about this project... and when people have said to me you can't trust ODOT, they've already got their own ideas...

- all i'm telling you tonight is it feels like they were right and i was stupidly wrong."

MASSIVE MIC DROP FOR PASTOR H!!!!

ODOT responds with the rote answer that they have a "trust deficit."

We'd say they have a "truth deficit." ODOT IS LYING TO EVERYONE!!!

ESC's Bryson Davis: "since I got involved pretty much anyone who knew anything told me 'don't trust ODOT. And i've tried to approach it with an optimistic attitude. I think people like options 4 and 5....

...If we start to feel like we're making every excuse to go down those routes it's going to be hard to say with a straight face that they weren't right."

Man, everyone's telling ODOT straight up this agency is a mess huh

"If we're only seeing ODOT staff doing the presentation, my assumption is that you aren't taking feedback from the community. Why have us on this three hour call if you don't utilize our expertise in this process?" (we believe that was Felicia Tripp Folsom)

James Posey, contractor and member of COAC, saying "the stars are aligned and lightning doesn't strike twice," encouraging committee groups to push forward with plans that don't cause delay.

Meeting's wrapping up. Looks like ODOT overplayed their hand trying to push the community groups away from Concepts 4 and 5, because ODOT doesn't want to redo the NEPA process.

Striking comments from previous project supporters all pointing out ODOT's lack of trustworthiness

ODOT's attempts at manufacturing consent away from the meaningful, more substantial buildable caps promoted by ZGF, Albina Vision Trust, others appear to have backfired. Community members including Pastor Hennessee point out that this is exactly how ODOT burns through trust.

Nice to hear that the ICA cover team will be presenting at the May 24th meeting; definitely seems curious that ODOT didn't give them the space to present in front of the full group tonight!

That's it from us! Thanks for following along. If you've appreciated our three hours of livetweeting, and want one of our signature NMF buttons/stickers, send us a few bucks and we'll mail you a thank you card:

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