Advocates for and against the I-5 Rose Quarter project faced a unique opportunity to express their viewpoints at a recent session of the Portland City Council.
However, the discourse was anything but balanced, as certain councilors exhibited clear favoritism towards one side of the argument, casting doubt on the intentions of the opposition.
The Transportation & Infrastructure Committee convened to hear from nonprofit leaders from Albina Vision Trust (AVT) and No More Freeways (NMF). This agenda item was initiated by Councilor Angelita Morillo, vice chair of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee.
Since its inception in 2017, AVT has emerged as a significant advocate for revitalizing the Rose Quarter neighborhood, which was heavily impacted by I-5’s construction.
In contrast, NMF is a grassroots organization aimed at halting or reforming the Oregon Department of Transportation’s (ODOT) plans regarding the Rose Quarter project.
The decision not to include industry representatives or staff from transportation agencies was intentional, with Morillo emphasizing that it was crucial to hear these ‘different community perspectives.’
Contrarily, councilors Loretta Smith and T&I Committee Chair Olivia Clark openly criticized the absence of ODOT and Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) representatives and aligned themselves with AVT, which supports the I-5 Rose Quarter project, including its highway lids and expanded lanes.
During the gathering, AVT Executive Director Winta Yohannes presented her organization’s stance on the controversial aspects of the project.
She acknowledged that while many Portlanders are enthusiastic about creating a neighborhood over the I-5 lids, there is opposition to the proposed increase in vehicle capacity through lane widening.
Yohannes articulated that AVT believes the benefits of the project, which carries an estimated cost of $1.9 billion, outweigh the potential downsides. She noted that without the project’s lane expansion plans, the $450 million federal grant necessary for this initiative could be at risk.
Speaking to the committee, Yohannes underscored the intersection of climate goals, community well-being, and economic development in the project’s framework.
She urged council members to view AVT not simply as a supporter of the project but as a committed partner seeking to drive progressive change.
In her remarks, Yohannes directly addressed an argument from NMF regarding the slogan, ‘Lids not lanes,’ indicating that the project’s components are interconnected, and it would be unrealistic to expect highway covers without a complete project.
Following AVT’s presentation, Morillo proposed allowing NMF representatives Chris Smith and Joe Cortright to present their case next, in the interest of equal representation.
However, Committee Chair Clark interrupted, prioritizing a discussion over the presentations. Councilor Loretta Smith enthusiastically supported AVT’s viewpoint, noting the public’s confusion regarding the relationship between the lids and lanes.
She pressed a crucial question to AVT’s Flowers, asking if the lids could be realized without the full project.
Flowers responded unequivocally, stating there was no feasible financial or political route to cover the highway without including the freeway expansion.
Smith appeared satisfied with this answer, perhaps emphasizing her existing professional relationship with AVT, as she is registered as a lobbyist with them since January 2024.
When questioned about her previous connections with AVT, Smith dismissed implications of bias, asserting that her role had no connection to the I-5 Rose Quarter project.
Meanwhile, Chris Smith, co-founder of NMF, presented the organization’s concerns, which center on the belief that widening freeways leads to greater ecological harm by diverting investments from sustainable transit options.
He informed the council that NMF is challenging ODOT in court to compel a thorough analysis of alternative strategies for managing traffic congestion without expanding lanes.
In a pointed rebuttal to Yohannes’ dismissal of the ‘Lids not lanes’ mantra, Smith insisted that a legitimate project could indeed exist without the need for lane widening.
Following his remarks, NMF co-founder Cortright shared critical graphics illustrating the potential scale of the freeway expansion. He revealed documents acquired through public records that indicated ODOT’s plans for a significantly wider freeway than currently represented.
Cortright explained that independent consultants had noted a 40-foot reduction in lane-width could still meet project goals, cautioning the council that once construction begins, the scope could balloon beyond initial estimates, potentially surpassing the expected $1.9 billion budget.
Committee Chair Clark interrupted Cortright and shifted attention away from his presentation.
When Clark dismissed Cortright’s concerns as outdated, NMF’s argument continued to fail to gain traction in light of the supportive councilors.
NMF’s Chris Smith attempted to assert the correctness of his information, but his efforts were undermined by Councilor Smith’s downplaying of the data’s relevance.
When posed with a question regarding the feasibility of delivering the lids in isolation from the freeway expansion, the discourse became increasingly heated, with Councilor Smith insisting on clear answers that were more politically aligned with ODOT’s current strategy.
The session highlighted significant divisions not only among the committee members but also within the broader community regarding the future of the Rose Quarter.
Despite the conflicting narratives, there remained a clear divide between stakeholders advocating for expanded freeway access and those prioritizing sustainable urban development.
As the hearing concluded, Councilor Mitch Green expressed his firm opposition to the project, reiterating a preference for investments in public transit over freeway expansions.
In what has become a contentious public dialogue, the responses from both sides of the debate reveal significant community concerns over transportation planning, which will likely shape Oregon’s environmental and infrastructural landscape for years to come.
The outcome of this ongoing discussion rests largely on the future actions of ODOT and the political dynamics at play within the Portland City Council.
image source from：https://bikeportland.org/2025/04/22/city-councilors-take-tough-stance-against-advocates-who-oppose-i-5-rose-quarter-project-394033
