A well-named monument


Expect traffic through Portland to be a colossal mess this weekend. They're closing Interstate 84 just east of Interstate 5 to install a new bike bridge over the freeway. I believe the shutdown is scheduled for the entire weekend, starting tonight and ending Monday morning.

What a perfect symbol of the decline and fall of a once-great city. Murder, filth, homelessness, hopelessness, impossible taxes, all out of control, but we have a truckload of money for this.

The new span will be named after our congressman, Earl "the Pearl" Blumenauer. A former member of the City Council, he has nothing to offer to save Portland. Except bicycle toys; he loves those. And although he has been seen driving a nice SUV himself, he purports to hate cars.

Guys like Blumenauer and boondoggles like his bike bridge are why Portland is where it is. Something to think about while you're stuck in the traffic.

Comments

  1. And will it ever change?
    Not in our lifetimes.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Back in the 80's when Earl was still a Multnomah County Commissioner, there was an appeal by Joe Angel of a request he made to the County Planning Commission to allow a drive-thru window at one of the Burger King fast food restaurants he owned where East Burnside crossed SE Stark Street. Staff had recommended denial and the Planning Commission support that recommendation. Light Rail was being built along East Burnside. This area in Rockwood was zoned for transit-oriented development and new drive-thru windows were prohibited. Earl was one of the County Commissioners that strongly supported the new zoning provision when they were adopted into law.

    During the appeal hearing in front of the County Commission, Earl was an advocate for allowing the drive-thru. I can’t remember the rational he used but it is important to know that Joe Angel had contributed to Earl’s campaign.

    One final thought; I thought you had to be dead a few years before a public facility or place could be named after you. Although, considering what little Earl has accomplished in Congress, that might actually be the case.

    ReplyDelete

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