informational alert
Portland is a Sanctuary City

190888

Label: Emergency ordinance

*Authorize the Bureau of Transportation to execute a Flyover Easement Agreement with TriMet for the Gideon Pedestrian Bridge Crossing as part of the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Transit Project

Passed

The City of Portland ordains:

Section 1. The Council finds:

  1. On June 23, 2010, by Ordinance No. 183924, City Council authorize a Design and Construction Management Services Agreement between the TriMet and the City of Portland (“City”) for the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Transit Project (the “Project”).
     
  2. Construction of the Project began in March 2011 and was substantially complete in June 2015. During project close-out, TriMet obtained approval from the Federal Transit Administration, for the previously deferred scope of a new overcrossing to be built using remaining Project funds. The Gideon Pedestrian Bridge Crossing (“Overcrossing”) restores an important connection across the rail tracks for people walking and biking near the Project’s Clinton St/SE 12th Avenue MAX station.
     
  3. TriMet has made certain betterments to the City’s public right-of-way in the locations where the rail has been placed, as well as reducing the City’s costs for maintenance of the subject area.
     
  4. On August 15, 2018, by Ordinance No. 189109, City Council authorized execution of an amendment to the Construction Management Services Agreement to incorporate funding for the addition of the Overcrossing.
     
  5. The Union Pacific Railroad (“UPRR”) owns the land over which TriMet constructed the Overcrossing. In order to operate the Overcrossing, UPRR granted to TriMet a Flyover Easement Agreement (“UPRR Agreement”), which document was recorded on June 30, 2020, is attached and incorporated to this Ordinance as Exhibit A, and is also included as an exhibit to the Assignment document referenced in Section 7.
     
  6. Project construction is complete. The Project opened for passenger service in September 2015, and the Overcrossing opened to the public in November 2020. The Project is in the final phase of close-out.
     
  7. The City and TriMet now desire to complete the transfer of property rights for the Overcrossing by executing an Assignment of Flyover Easement Agreement (“Assignment”) that assigns the UPRR Agreement to the City, and a Flyover Easement Agreement (“TriMet Agreement”) which contains the segment of the Overcrossing constructed in TriMet’s right-of-way. Both documents are attached and incorporated to this Ordinance as Exhibits B and C respectively.
     
  8. Acceptance of the Assignment will bind the City to the liability and indemnity provisions associated with the UPRR Agreement, and the TriMet Agreement includes a mutual indemnification provision between the City and TriMet.
     

NOW, THEREFORE, the Council directs:

  1. That the Director of the Bureau of Transportation or designee and/or City Attorney are authorized to execute and record the Assignment, and the TriMet Agreement, in a form substantially similar to Exhibits B and C of this Ordinance.

Section 2.  The Council declares that an emergency exists because a delay in executing this Agreement will risk losing close-out Project funds which expire at the end of June 2022; therefore, this Ordinance shall be in full force and effect from and after its passage by the Council.


An ordinance when passed by the Council shall be signed by the Auditor. It shall be carefully filed and preserved in the custody of the Auditor (City Charter Chapter 2 Article 1 Section 2-122)

Passed by Council

Auditor of the City of Portland
Mary Hull Caballero

Impact Statement

Purpose of proposed legislation and background information

  • The Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Project is in final close-out with TriMet. The City needs to accept a Flyover Easement Agreement and Assignment of Flyover Easement Agreement for the Gideon Pedestrian Bridge Crossing.

Financial and budgetary impacts

  • The acceptance of the Flyover Easement Agreement and Assignment of the Flyover Easement Agreement grants the City the right to operate and obligates the City to maintain the Overcrossing[CM1] . It is estimated that the annual cost to maintain the bridge and elevator will be approximately $70,000-$100,000 in FY 2022 dollars. No additional funding has been granted or requested as a result of this transfer, which becomes a liability for PBOT asset management and maintenance as these costs will need to be absorbed in our current budget.
     
  • In addition, the acceptance binds the City to the liability and indemnity associated with the Union Pacific Rail Road (UPRR) and TriMet Agreement including a mutual indemnification provision between the City and TriMet.
     
  • There will be no update to the budget related to this Project.
     
  • Construction is complete on the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Project. The Project opened for passenger service in September 2015, and The Gideon Overcrossing opened to the public in November 2020. The Project is in the final phase of close-out.

Community impacts and community involvement

  • This Agreement is administrative in nature and does not carry community impacts. Community outreach and involvement was conducted in earlier phases of this project.

Document history

Agenda Council action
Consent agenda
City Council
Passed

Votes
  • Aye (4):
    • Ryan
    • Jo Ann Hardesty
    • Mingus Mapps
    • Ted Wheeler
  • Absent (1):
    • Carmen Rubio

City department

Contact

Kevin Balak

Right of Way Agent III

Agenda type

Consent

Date and time information

Meeting date
Back to top