Portland Metro Freeway/Highway/Roads News and Discussions

[rsbear]

How about 122nd or some other street that doesn't have much in the way of existing identity?

[Pavlov's Dog]

I always thought a boulevard was a street with a median with trees. 4th avenue is most certainly not a boulevard by the traditional definition.

[Sekkle]

Originally Posted by Echo Park

What an odd city to have a street named after a latino leader.

I was a little surprised, too, when I first heard about this, but I think it’s good that the city wants to recognize a prominent labor leader/minority rights activist. Portland is a very progressive, tolerant city. The fact that it has a relatively small Latino community shouldn’t be a deterrent to re-naming a street for an important figure in US history, and a source of pride to a community that is growing in numbers and influence throughout the country. Phoenix, which obviously has a much larger Latino population, has no streets named after Chavez (though there is a high school) and he was from Arizona. (It’s also pathetic that there’s no MLK Blvd in Phoenix, just a “Martin Luther King, Jr. Circle” which is literally a 150’ long cul-de-sac with 6 houses).

Of course, I think the city of Portland could have handled the process a lot differently and spared some controversy.

[PacificNW]

Couch should not be renamed... It was named after a historical citizen of early Portland. The city is constantly creating more streets. Name one of the new, "important", streets after Mr. Chavez.

I don't have a problem with 4th being renamed but can't a avenue/street with a name/letter, instead a number, be considered (besides NW Couch, or other street/avenue previously named in honor of someone else)? For example: There must be a C Street/Avenue in Portland not currently named after someone.

[Pavlov's Dog]

I have a good one. How about Bush street in SE?

[Snowden352]

There's also a Clinton st.

[Dougall5505]

this doesn't make any sense. why fourth?

[NJD]

I love historic names... not the ones named to honor people, but the tradtional historic names... I like Front Avenue, it is a rich historical name for the actual city's 'front' during Portland's centralized shipping days. I like Interstate, Capitol Highway, Main Street, Union and Grand Avenues for they each hold a part of Portland's history. Some call them just bland names, but that is not why people named them that in the first place; there is reason to their naming. Why does Portland, along with every single medium sized city in America, rename streets for noteworthy figures from other places. In my travels abroad cities with direct connections to the figures name streets and squares after them. This makes common sense, but no, there are 100's of MLK's all across America making the name less meaningful. No one stands up for these renamings because they fear they will appear racist. Now, we are forced to name something after Chavez because little white Portland could never be racist, could we? Bah, Naito has more of a right to be named after a street because he did stuff here, but I still would prefer Front Avenue. If we name 4th, we might as well rename all the numbered avenues with labor leaders, minority leaders, activists and the like... who started this whole mess, and how did we get conned into accepting it?

[tworivers]

Ever since a writer in Portland Monthly suggested Broadway be re-named for Chavez, I've been thinking that a downtown street makes fine sense. No one is seriously going to consider changing Broadway, of course, but 4th seems like a good compromise. Why not? It runs right by City Hall and right through the heart of the city. Rather than having the new street be largely out of sight and out of mind of the city's business and political class, this will put his name and legacy front and center.

The mayor's infantile behavior is just bizarre. He's looking more and more loopy and paranoid, and I'm so glad he's not running for office again. His and the name-change committee's refusal to bend at all on Interstate is really unfortunate (not to mention the broad-brush charges of racism), as is the council paying no heed whatsoever to their own rules.

Echo Park, we may not be remotely as diverse as L.A., but the Latino community is still a significant and increasing presence in the city and the idea originated out of that community. It doesn't seem odd to me at all.

[tworivers]

NJD, you have a good point. When every city has their token MLK, the gesture becomes more hollow. But I still feel like naming a street after Chavez makes sense, partially to acknowledge the evolving demographics of PDX, and partially just to update the fact that so many streets are named after wealthy white landowners. We definitely should be looking more to local history. Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Ave? Marie Equi St? We should at least have a C.E.S. Wood street somewhere downtown...

[PacificNW]

Why not 82nd? Plus, there is a large Hispanic population in the adjoining area.

[Tim the Enchanter]

Originally Posted by PacificNW

Couch should not be renamed... It was named after a historical citizen of early Portland. The city is constantly creating more streets. Name one of the new, "important", streets after Mr. Chavez.

I don't have a problem with 4th being renamed but can't a avenue/street with a name/letter, instead a number, be considered (besides NW Couch, or other street/avenue previously named in honor of someone else)? For example: There must be a C Street/Avenue in Portland not currently named after someone.

Personaly, I don't think they should be renameing any streets, want to create a new street and name it after somebody, that is fine by me.

Originally Posted by rsbear

How about 122nd or some other street that doesn't have much in the way of existing identity?

You would have people bitching about how it was so far away from the city center or that it was not in a nice area,etc.

[Tim the Enchanter]

Originally Posted by tworivers

The mayor's infantile behavior is just bizarre. He's looking more and more loopy and paranoid, and I'm so glad he's not running for office again. His and the name-change committee's refusal to bend at all on Interstate is really unfortunate (not to mention the broad-brush charges of racism), as is the council paying no heed whatsoever to their own rules.

Since he is not running for re election, he knows he can act like a jack ass all he wants.

Who knows, perhaps he has just gone crazy.

[zilfondel]

I prefer statues to naming streets to remember people, imo... I like the Teddy Roosevelt statue in the Park Blocks. Why couldn't we have an MLK and Chavez statue instead?

Renaming streets just seems like a cheap-ass knock-off way to "memorialize" people who have made actual contributions to society without actually doing so.

I dont know, just my opinion. There are some notable counter-examples, of course... but like someone posted above, MLK's are a dime a dozen these days.

[bvpcvm]

rather than renaming a street, why not just find an intersection and call it "chavez square"?

[tworivers]

want to create a new street and name it after somebody, that is fine by me.

A new street where? Tanasbourne?

rather than renaming a street, why not just find an intersection and call it "chavez square"?

I have a feeling that would not be perceived as "enough".

How about Pioneer Square to Chavez Square? That would be cool with me, but people would fight it.

[pdxskyline]

There are tons of better ways to do this. Rename/build a public building or make a statue. Something everyone can appreciate and come together with. Not something that divides us just because a small group of people are not asking, but inflexibly demanding, their way or the highway (no pun intended). The annoying practice of race-baiting in this process has to stop and be seen for what it really is: juvenile name-calling.

I agree with the idea that existing streets shouldn't be renamed in that manner. Let's face it: Do we really honor MLK or Chavez by driving over or walking on something named after them?

It would likely be less acrimonious and more fitting for something else to be named, not a street. And yes, could we please keep it local?

[Tim the Enchanter]

They really do nothing good for their cause by comeing across all whiney, with the "my way or the highway" attitude.

Their just pissed that their not getting their way, if 4th ave is gunna get re named, then their getting their street (one next to city hall no less), I really don't get their deal.

[MarkDaMan]

I knew this was coming...

seen on the news at a neighborhood meeting in OTCT..."This is China Town not Mexican Town"

It appears 4th avenue is going to face a lot of resistance from the OTCT neighborhood. Another fight, another mess.

[PacificNW]

For the amount of money I imagine it is going to take to change signs, etc. the city, and those supporting the of honoring Mr. Chavez, could combine their resources (money, etc.) and have a memorial (statue?) commissioned to be placed in a downtown public park. I hope this does not turn into a racial issue.