Portlanders
believe that one of the most important functions of
local government is the maintenance and improvement
of public infrastructure.
Portlanders think that one of the most important functions
of local government is the maintenance and improvement
of public infrastructure. Whether or not people feel
that infrastructure is satisfactory depends on the aspect
under consideration. People love the libraries, the
greenspaces, the curbside recycling and the walk/bike
paths. However, many feel that roads, school buildings,
bridges and highways need major improvements.
Many people are concerned that infrastructure development
and maintenance is not keeping up with population growth,
or will be unable to keep pace in the near future. People
are particularly worried about the impacts of new, high-density
development on existing neighborhood infrastructure.
Portlanders want basic infrastructure to be up to par
in all parts of the city before major projects such
as trams or sports stadiums are considered.
- Infrastructure
needs to be available and in good condition in all
parts of the city.
- Infrastructure
investments must be top priority.
- Infrastructure
is not keeping pace with population growth and new
development.
- Who should pay for infrastructure
improvements?
- Infrastructure
needs to be available and in good condition
in all parts of the city.
- Portlanders define infrastructure broadly
to include the following:
- Transportation (roads, mass transit,
bike lanes, bridges, etc.);
- Water and stormwater management systems;
- Recycling systems;
- School buildings;
- Public libraries and more.
- Whether or not Portlanders think infrastructure
is in good condition depends on: a) what type
of infrastructure they are referring to; and
b) where they live in Portland.
- Infrastructure items that are frequently
praised include:
- Bicycle
and pedestrian paths and lanes;
- Neighborhood
libraries, which many love for
their programs as well as their collections;
and
- The
parks system -- people love access
to beautiful neighborhood parks.
- Infrastructure needing improvement includes:
- The roads, especially
neighborhood roads on the Eastside;
- Stormwater
management: people appreciate
the Big Pipe project and want the City
to do even more to prevent sewage overflow
into the Willamette River;
- Public
school buildings throughout the
city; and
- Parking
in certain neighborhoods (see Transportation:
Parking).
- Infrastructure
investments must be top priority.
- Infrastructure is seen as essential and
must be available and in good working condition
throughout the city.
- Many Portlanders worry that public officials
are spending too much attention and funds
on non-essential projects downtown at the
expense of infrastructure improvements in
lower-income, outlying neighborhoods (especially
roads and parks).
| “Go
back to basics in expenditures with all
tax collections. First class infrastructure
(roads, water, sewer, street lights, etc…),
full funding for schools, and fire and
safety protection come first. With what’s
left, prioritize.” |
- Infrastructure
is not keeping pace with population growth
and new development.
- Many Portlanders feel that in recent years
infrastructure (roads, public transit, parking)
has not kept pace with population growth.
- Many residents are worried that new developments,
especially dense infill developments, will
overburden existing neighborhood infrastructure.
- A number of residents who live in the Pearl
and in newer condos state their frustration
with the lack of infrastructure available
to them, particularly parking, greenspace
and public transportation services.
| "The
costs of the infrastructure are not being
taken into consideration when new homes
are built. The resulting burden on water,
sewer, gas, electricity, and schools is
far higher than the benefits of more people.” |
| "I
would like developers to be held more
responsible for improving roads, supporting
schools, and providing city parks. Currently,
developers build huge subdivisions that
tax traffic and school districts, and
the developer is not even held responsible
for creating a park or ensuring there
is enough space set aside for basic utilities
(e.g. power station).” |
- Require developers of new housing/condos/infill
to supply additional infrastructure or upgrade
existing infrastructure in the vicinity of
their projects.
|
- Who
should pay for infrastructure improvements?
In general, Portlanders seem willing to be taxed to
support the availability of high-quality infrastructure
in the city. In fact, many Portlanders want to see
their tax dollars invested in city-wide infrastructure
improvements before funds are invested in high-visibility
projects such as sports stadiums or even additional
light-rail (MAX) lines.
However, many Portlanders also feel that when developers
choose to build high-profit, high-density infill,
they should have to shoulder some of the costs of
improving infrastructure (e.g., roads, parking,
parks) so it can handle the influx of additional
people. People do not think it is fair that they
should be asked to pay higher taxes or suffer
overburdened infrastructure because of a developer’s
decision to build the maximum number of units possible
on a piece of land. Thus, many people request that
high-density developments come with adequate infrastructure
so the surrounding neighborhoods are not adversely
affected.
However, this raises some important questions and
points to a tension between desires for equity and
for affordability: won’t the higher costs of these
projects be passed back to the consumer in the form
of higher housing prices? And if this does occur,
won’t this conflict with people’s frequently-stated
desire to see new developments become more affordable
to the average family? (See Urban
Livability: Land Use/Residential). Is there
a way to require developers to pay for infrastructure
without adversely affecting housing affordability?
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