The City of Portland has announced that a significant project aimed at transforming North Broadway into a family-friendly, civic main street is currently on pause due to uncertainties surrounding its funding.
A recent provision in President Donald Trump’s budget bill, passed by Congress last week, includes a complete rollback of a Biden-era transportation grant program.
According to BikePortland, Portland previously secured $488 million through the US Department of Transportation’s Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhoods grant program, with $450 million allocated for the I-5 Rose Quarter project and $38.4 million dedicated to the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s (PBOT) Broadway Main Street & Supporting Neighborhood Connections project.
However, a significant portion of the funding for the I-5 Rose Quarter has now been returned to the federal government, and it appears that PBOT’s funding for the Broadway project is similarly in jeopardy.
In a statement today via email, PBOT Communications Director Hannah Schafer expressed disappointment regarding the potential loss of funding.
“We are disappointed to share that the $38 million in federal funding for our Lower Albina Streetscape Project (aka Broadway Main Street & Supporting Neighborhood Connections project) appears to have been rescinded last week as part of the federal reconciliation bill,” Schafer wrote.
The Broadway project was intended to build upon an already progressing local initiative, the Broadway Pave and Paint, extending it from NE 7th Avenue to the Broadway Bridge.
At a meeting in 2023, a PBOT staff member outlined the project’s aim to create a streetscape that would facilitate enjoyable walks for families, particularly those with young children, from NE 7th Avenue to Waterfront Park.
The project planned to incorporate several enhancements, including a raised bikeway separated from vehicle traffic by a planted median, improved pedestrian crossings, a redesign of the Broadway Bridgehead at N Larrabee, enhanced access to the Rose Quarter Transit Center, among others.
As of now, the future of the project remains uncertain.
Critics have pointed fingers at the Trump Administration for being out of touch, accusing it of embracing culture wars and fostering an irrational fear of equity.
To the current administration, the idea of creating livable streets where families can walk safely is perceived as an agenda pushed by liberal advocates in Portland.
The language used in the recent budget bill, which has critically impacted numerous infrastructure projects nationwide, remains vague, leaving grant recipients like Portland in a precarious position.
As a result, city officials must prepare for the worst-case scenario amidst the ambiguity of federal policies.
PBOT’s Schafer reiterated that, despite the challenges, the bureau is committed to exploring ways to enhance safety and functionality along this vital corridor.
Furthermore, the rescission of the Broadway funding is tied to an evaluation of 126 active federal grants, amounting to $387 million, that Portland is currently reassessing to ensure compliance with new Trump Administration policies concerning equity and social justice.
City Administrator Michael Jordan remarked, “Portland is facing challenging decisions about how to respond to the Trump Administration’s demands that cities eliminate some policies and programs designed to help Portlanders who are people of color, women, and other oppressed groups overcome hundreds of years of systemic discrimination.”
From the total of $387 million in federal grants scrutinized within the city, it has been revealed that 58 grants, cumulatively worth $197 million, specifically fund initiatives within PBOT.
While the extent of preparatory work conducted on the Broadway project remains unspecified, PBOT continues to signal its dedication to improving conditions on this crucial route.
image source from：bikeportland
