MEMORANDUM

Date:  October 11, 2018

To:  Portland Historic Landmarks Commission

From:  Arthur Graves, Land Use Services | 503-823-7803

Re:  Burnside Bridge: Earthquake Readiness

October 08, 2018 – Briefing by Mike Pullen (Multnomah County)

The Burnside Bridge: Earthquake Readiness project previously came before the Portland Historic Landmarks Commission (PHLC) on Septermber 11, 2018 and June 25, 2018.

Below is a summary of comments and responses provided by the HLC in response to the project as presented on October 08, 2018.

•  One commissioner asked if the four options moving forward from November 1^st would include looking at preserving portions of the existing bridge.

o  Response: Yes, that would be “mitigation” and would take place during the latter part of the environmental phase. The Bridge team would work with the State (SHPO) and the PHLC on this.

•  One commissioner asked about previously shown options and if any other than the “Retrofit” option proposed saving the existing bridge.

o  Response: The Feasibility Study phase reduced the scores of options to a reasonable range to carry forward into the Environmental phase. Of the four options being carried forward the “Retrofit” option is the only one that proposes to keep the existing bridge. All other options would require the existing bridge to be demolished. Saving features on the existing bridge, such as the “towers” or the “open railings” would be determined during later phases of the project.

•  One commissioner asked if demolishing the existing bridge would require a Type IV Demolition Review.

o  Response (by staff): Yes.

•  One commissioner noted that while the focus of the project is to the Burnside Bridge, which is a National Register listed landmark, the resulting impact of the bridge replacement will also affect the Skidmore / Old Town Historic District, which is a National Historic Landmark (a higher level of historic resource).

o  Response: Many of the previous options that resulted in significant impacts to the Skidmore / Old Town Historic District are no longer in consideration. Although the “Fixed Bridge” option being carried forward to the November 01, 2018 vote by Multnomah County and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) would still have a significant impact to the Skidmore / Old Town Historic District and the New Chinatown/Japantown Historic District it is still included with the belief that the FHWA would still want to have at least one fixed bridge option in consideration and so would see it as a reasonable option. However, the impacts to the Skidmore / Old Town Historic District are a compelling argument against the “Fixed Option”.

•  One commissioner asked when the Section 106 portion (which is generally prior to the NEPA phase) would be completed.

o  Response: The applicant did not know but would check with the team and report back to staff.

•  One commissioner reiterated the Type IV Demolition Review process (a local process, which is more stringent than the federal requirements) in contrast to the NEPA process (a federal process), stressing that the Type IV reviews may be difficult to approve due to the impacts to the Skidmore / Old Town Historic District.

o  Response: The applicant mentioned that the team’s NEPA consultant was not present but was aware of the Type IV process. The applicant would double check this.

•  Staff noted a previous meeting with the bridge team in which it was stated that removal of the bridge and any structures within the historic district would require Type IV Demolition Reviews.

•  One commissioner noted that the SHPO component, in particular the mitigation component need not be tied to saving potions of the bridge, but could potentially be for a historic resources inventory of a neighborhood nearby, etc.

•  It was asked if this commission could be a party to the MOA.

o  Response (by staff): The commission can offer guidance and advice to an MOA but cannot sign on to an MOA.

Please contact me with any questions or concerns. Thank you.