U.S. Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley Push Gov. Kate Brown for a Cover Over I-5 in Rose Quarter

[TexasTowelie]

The senators join Earl Blumenauer (D-Portland) in saying the current plans for the project don’t meet community concerns.


Oregon’s two U.S. senators, Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley, have joined local elected leaders in demanding Gov. Kate Brown and the Oregon Department of Transportation build a cap over Interstate 5 in the Rose Quarter.

They joined U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Portland) in a pointed letter to the governor today, noting that the Democrats in Congress and the White House are “committed addressing racial equity and economic justice” in infrastructure legislation. They argue that to meet such a threshold, the Rose Quarter project needs to include the covers over the highway that could support redevelopment of a historically Black neighborhood.

“In its current iteration, the plan for the Rose Quarter Improvement Project from Oregon Department of Transportation does not take advantage of the opportunity to reconnect a community divided by a freeway to help ensure economic opportunities and a more equitable future,” the senators write.

“Based on conversations with members of the community, it has become clear that the Albina neighborhood and the entire Portland region would benefit from buildable caps over I-5 that would reconnect the historic Albina neighborhood and provide opportunities to heal the social, economic, and environmental damage done to the community in the 50 years since the highway corridor’s creation,” the congressmen continue, pledging to work to “fight to secure additional funding” for such a project.

Read more https://www.wweek.com/news/state/2021/06/17/us-senators-ron-wyden-and-jeff-merkley-push-gov-kate-brown-for-a-cover-over-i-5-in-rose-quarter/
(Williamette Week)

[abqtommy]

1. I went to the link since I wasn't sure what was meant by a "cover" or "cap" as mentioned in

the op, Evidently it refers to connecting pedestrian and vehicular bridges placed above the existing
freeway. That sounds like a good plan. Please correct me if I'm wrong.

[TexasTowelie]

2. You are correct.

They've built a parkway over one of the expressways in Dallas to convert it to a park and are discussing similar caps on I-30 to reconnect neighborhoods. Similar proposals are being made regarding connecting the east and west sides of I-35 in Austin.