[Posted Friday, May 6, 2022]
Submitted by Alan Bacharach
I, along with most of the Hillsdale Business and Professional Association, members of the HIllsdale Neighborhood Association, and many other people who frequent Hillsdale, am strongly opposed to PBOT's plans to make parts of Capitol Hwy in Hillsdale a Rose Lane that can only be used by buses and as a turning lane for vehicles.
The PBOT mandate is clearly to promote mass transit, with no regard nor concern for community and businesses. They feel the Rose Lane will save buses 1-2 minutes, in the future, after post-COVID traffic picks up. The time savings for buses at this time is negligible.
The impact on businesses—most of whom rely on cars conveniently zipping in and out of Hillsdale-—has not been studied. The true full impact on traffic also has been not studied completely, even though it's very clear traffic will be impeded and will likely divert to small curvy side streets that have little capacity for traffic and no sidewalks to keep pedestrians safer.
Please consider signing the petition to delay this project for at least three years, until business activity and traffic picks-up. Then a new study can be conducted to evaluate the best course of action.
The petition can be found at:
Paloma Clothing
Hillsdale UPS Store
Portland Camera Service
Cuttle Fish & Corals
Hillsdale State Farm
Hoot-n-Annie Resale Boutique for Women & Children
In short, the Rose Lane in Hillsdale will increase congestion and frustration which can only hinder business.
Thank you.
Alan Bacharach