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nomorefreewayspdx.com
No More Freeways
@nomorefreewayspdx.com
2.4K followers 420 following 480 posts
We’re the grassroots community effort to stop ODOT’s polluting, costly, dumb freeway expansions.

Climate leaders don’t widen freeways ❌🛣️❌
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nomorefreewayspdx.com
a little friday ews dump for y'all:

ODOT/WSDOT announce today via posted materials ahead of Monday's bi-state IBR committee meeting that we apparently *won't* be getting an updated cost estimate for the Interstate Bridge Replacaement next week after all.

olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025I1/D...
December 13, 2025 at 1:25 AM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
front page of @opb.org sure tells a helluva story right now
screenshot of OPB, with stories about "oregon's ski areas still waiting for snow on the slopes", the IBR's rising price tag, and "new phase of Rose Quarter project to proceed, despite funding hole."
December 11, 2025 at 11:13 PM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
“Funds that might be available for this project should be used to address urgent maintenance and safety needs elswhere in our state's road system.”

www.nomorefreewayspdx.com/option3
The Rose Quarter expansion project was misconceived from the start. ODOT studies on the impact of this project have never taken adequate account of the pervasive problem of induced demand. Experience elsewhere indicates that any relief of congestion from the proposed freeway widening would be negated within a few years as more vehicles take advantage of the intended improvements. Furthermore, the increased traffic would aggravate the air pollution already emanating from the freeway in the project area and beyond. Funds that might be available for this project should be used to address urgent maintenance and safety needs elswhere in our state's road system.
December 9, 2025 at 8:23 AM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
The few worthwhile elements of the project, like the caps and the Albina Vision Trust work, are now jeopardised by the project’s own financial collapse. It is not honest or transparent to act as if this is still a viable path."

submit testimony by noon tuesday!
www.nomorefreewayspdx.com/option3
i Commissioners, I’m writing from the Boise neighborhood, and I'm also on the board of the Boise NA and one of the Land Use & Transportation leaders. I strongly support Option 3 because continuing to put money into the Rose Quarter freeway expansion no longer makes fiscal or practical sense. ODOT is in an operational crisis. The agency cannot afford to keep enough staff to handle the basics: fixing potholes, running snowplows, and keeping our roads safe. These are the core services people actually rely on. Redirecting limited funds toward those essential functions is the only responsible choice. At the same time, the Rose Quarter expansion has become an unworkable project with years of cost overruns, lost federal support, uncertain timelines, and outcomes that do not meaningfully improve congestion, climate goals, or neighborhood quality of life. The few worthwhile elements of the project, like the caps and the Albina Vision Trust work, are now jeopardised by the project’s own financial collapse. It is not honest or transparent to act as if this is still a viable path. Option 3 acknowledges the reality we are facing. Oregonians need their transportation system to function today, not in a distant future tied to a multibillion dollar highway expansion that the state cannot afford. Choosing Option 3 is choosing fiscal responsibility, safety, and the wellbeing of state workers who keep our transportation system running.
December 8, 2025 at 11:09 PM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
"We don't need an expanding highway, we need ground level support!"

Nearly 75 public comments submitted to the Oregon Transportation Commission already - have you sent yours? It's due tomorrow by noon, so head over to our website and drop a note:

www.nomorefreewayspdx.com/option3
I want OTC to choose Option 3 because I am tired of hitting the same potholes year after year, seeing pedestrians attempt to cross the same intersections with no crosswalks, and trying to navigate roads within the city of Portland that are either unfinished or don't have sidewalks! We don't need an expanding highway, we need ground level support!
December 8, 2025 at 6:06 PM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
“We already know that the Rose Quarter Expansion can't solve congestion and will worsen air quality and safety — now is the time to refocus on things that will help all Oregonians instead.”
The funding crisis at ODOT means we have to take a hard look at all spending. The Rose Quarter Expansion is wildly expensive and harmful to our community's land and air. We need to choose Option 3 and direct money away from the proposed expansion to focus on important and urgent needs like safety, transit, maintenance, and capping the freeway to reestablish land that was destroyed by the highway. We already know that the Rose Quarter Expansion can't solve congestion and will worsen air quality and safety — now is the time to refocus on things that will help all Oregonians instead.
December 8, 2025 at 3:04 AM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
So much good testimony sent in last night! Have you sent *your* email to the Oregon Transportation Commission?

we need as many Oregonians as possible to email the OTC before Tuesday at noon. We made it easy for you:

www.nomorefreewayspdx.com/option3
As a taxpayer, road user, and citizen directly impacted by the proposed Rose Quarter Freeway Expansion project, I urge ODOT to choose Option 3 and reallocate critical funding to other transportation priorities that will better serve people traveling through Portland. The budgetary crisis at the agency does not inspire confidence in taxpayers that large infrastructure projects can be responsibly funded and implemented, when basic maintenance, staffing, and smaller projects fall by the wayside. Proceeding with the Rose Quarter expansion would signal disregard for the hard working people of Oregon who fund the agency, disrespect for members of the community who have consistently voiced valid opposition to the project for the past eight years, and a lack of leadership in managing state resources to address other transportation needs.
December 7, 2025 at 7:20 PM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
Action Alert!

Join No More Freeways in demanding that the Oregon Transportation Commission vote to redirect Rose Quarter Freeway Expansion funding to serve ODOT's myriad other needs.

Testimony due by Tuesday - RT and help us spread the word!

www.nomorefreewayspdx.com/option3
Action Alert! Tell the Oregon Transportation Commission to redirect Rose Quarter Freeway Expansion funding to cover ODOT's statewide needs! Submit written testimony ASAP - by Tuesday Dec 9, 12pm
December 7, 2025 at 2:46 AM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
Meanwhile over on X
ODOT is corrupt as fuck: RLS & Associates is a private company based in Ohio that has a multimillion dollar contract with ODOT to perform "independent" compliance audits of transportation districts throughout the state. RLS as now released to the media and the public a compliance report that accuses me of defrauding the taxpayers while CEO of the district. The report provides zero evidence that any degree of wrongdoings were done on my part or the part of the Board. The report blatantly lies about facts as well as makes up new facts that never existed before to attempt to support its assertions. The report admits that it has collaborated with "UPTD Management" and "ODOT" to produce a treasure trove of false "facts." Three months into my job as CEO of the Umpqua Public Transit District, the district became 100% compliant with all state and federal regulations for the first time in more than 5 years. I have documentation from ODOT and RLS confirming this fact. So, tell me: How, three months after my resignation, can a new report emerge that changes the historical facts be considered valid? The UPTD, ODOT, and elected officials have colluded to destroy, modify, and create public records - all outside the knowledge of their General Counsel - to support this witch hunt. We have the indisputable PROOF. This is only the beginning. Suits are being filed. Names are being named.
December 6, 2025 at 8:39 PM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
Should be an interesting evening in the Joint Transportation Oversight Committee - this new entity, chaired by Senator Khanh Pham and Representative Mark Gamba - is bringing in ODOT's top brass to discuss status of the agency's megaprojects #orleg

olis.oregonlegislature.gov/liz/2025I1/C...
November 18, 2025 at 12:36 AM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
Thank you to Representatives @djgrayber.bsky.social, Thuy Tran, Mark Gamba and City Councilors @counciloravalos.bsky.social @councilordunphy.bsky.social, @councilortkl.bsky.social and @councilorkanal.bsky.social for attending and speaking.

We must stop this deadly epidemic on our streets. #wdor
November 17, 2025 at 8:13 PM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
Honored to support Oregon Families for Safe Streets this weekend in their World Day of Remembrance event. Every traffic fatality is a preventable, tragic policy failure, and every dollar spent on highway widening is a dollar not spent on safer roads, more sidewalks or better crosswalks.
November 17, 2025 at 8:13 PM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
Good morning from the Oregon Transportation Commission!

The gang's all here once again in public testimony - @1000oregon.bsky.social's @wilsonxcassie.bsky.social, Verde's @indinmkng.bsky.social, @cityobservatory.bsky.social, @chrissmith.us + @aortarail.org's Doug Allen all speaking
November 13, 2025 at 6:22 PM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
Packed house for the @opb.org / @wgbh.org live taping of the cross over Big Dig / Stop Requested podcast! NMF co-founder @chrissmith.us is on tonight’s panel
October 29, 2025 at 2:15 AM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
NMF co-founder Joe Cortright @cityobservatory.bsky.social spoke to KGW about the latest updates on the Interstate Bridge Replacement - turns out the project is not doing so hot!

Where’s the accountability from the Oregon legislature and the Governor?

#orpol #orleg
October 28, 2025 at 6:39 AM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
We’re excited to be in Connecticut for @yimbytown.bsky.social but a welcome note from AASHTO at the train station is quite an ominous start
September 12, 2025 at 10:16 PM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
Nice of the Oregonian to cite NMF co-founder and @cityobservatory.bsky.social’s Joe Cortright in their Sunday editorial chastising ODOT’s lack of accountability for spending

www.oregonlive.com/opinion/2025...
August 24, 2025 at 5:39 PM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
Joe's remarks get to the heart of why we founded No More Freeways.

Oregon faces many challenges, and continuing to give ODOT a blank check for reckless spending of billions of dollars on proposals for polluting freeway expansions that don't even solve congestion just makes everything worse.
OJP: A lot of state agencies could use some outside scrutiny. Why have you focused so much on ODOT? Joe Cortright: A lot of things that we’re trying to achieve in Oregon—livability, economic development, dealing with climate—revolve around investments we make or don’t make in the transportation system. And I think we are spending money on the wrong things and we’re not spending money on the right things. ODOT in particular.
August 21, 2025 at 7:04 PM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
Hope you had a chance to check out @wweek.com's interview of @cityobservatory.bsky.social's Joe Cortright. Is anyone in the Governor's Office or the Oregon Legislature willing to hold ODOT accountable? #orleg #orpol www.wweek.com/news/2025/08...
So if we are spending about the same as other Western states, why is ODOT broke? ODOT staff advances projects with shoestring funding, wildly optimistic lowball budget forecasts, and generous estimates of where the revenue will come from to pay for the project. And then when they experience cost overruns, they go back to the Transportation Commission and say, gosh, gee, sorry. And the commission gives ’em more money. Everybody at ODOT has seen that happen. The Abernethy Bridge is an example. In 2017, ODOT told the Legislature that a new bridge would cost about $250 million. The Legislature gave ODOT $50 million for the bridge to get it started. Then the bids came in at $500 million and the cost has since gone to $815 million. It’s a management axiom that you get the behavior that you reward.
August 21, 2025 at 7:01 PM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
Milwaukee tore out their urban freeways to make room for more housing

Portland wants to spend billions doubling the width of I-5 through North Portland. #orleg #orpol
August 12, 2025 at 12:33 AM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
unreal they keep showing this video despite the fact it pretty much gives away that this seven billion dollar, five mile freeway expansion is masquerading as simple bridge replacement.
August 11, 2025 at 5:17 PM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
Thank you for your continued support.

www.nomorefreewayspdx.com/donate
July 31, 2025 at 1:55 AM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
In less than eighteen hours, No More Freeways and our partners turned out nearly 100 emails and nearly a dozen pieces of oral testimony to the Oregon Transportation Commission, for a meeting was rescheduled with little public notice.

Y'all are the best.
July 31, 2025 at 1:55 AM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
No More Freeways and our partners are optimistic that our continued organizing, education of policymakers and advancing litigation will instead lead towards a truly restorative investment in Albina that doesn’t pollute the neighborhood with dirty air and more traffic.
July 31, 2025 at 1:55 AM
nomorefreewayspdx.com
The OTC's failure to engage in an honest reckoning about ODOT’s bungling of this project is disappointing on its own terms, but it is downright reckless and irresponsible in the context of the profound challenges that Oregon’s transportation system is currently facing. #orleg #orpol
July 31, 2025 at 1:55 AM