Last week, the Portland Parks & Recreation bureau announced<\/a> a plan to remove 243 lampposts from 12 parks around the city due to \u201cstructurally unsound anchoring systems that may pose a life and safety hazard to the public.\u201d The news concerned many Portlanders who use these parks and don\u2019t want them to go dark after sunset. And given the list of parks where the lights are set to be dimmed, Parks\u2019 decision could hit Portland\u2019s bike community especially hard \u2014 because some of the parks on the list are popular gathering spots for evening group rides throughout the year.<\/p>\n The parks affected by the lamppost removal include Irving and Colonel Summers, both of which are frequently used as the meeting\/after-party spot for group bike events that sometimes go on late into the night. Those days are over, it seems \u2014 even if you can light your own way with headlights, all of the parks in question will now be closed at 10 pm \u2014 hours before post-bike ride dance parties could even get started. PP&R will be sending Park Rangers to affected parks to make sure the rules are being followed at night.<\/p>\n What\u2019s the impetus for this? According to a Friday story in the Willamette Week<\/a>, PP&R\u00a0may be shutting off the lights because of litigation fears. WW acquired documents revealing that the city began investigating park lampposts after receiving a tort claim by a person who was injured last summer when a light pole fell on her after she tied a hammock to it. Some public responses indicate frustration that the bureau\u2019s reaction to this lawsuit is to limit a public resource for everyone.<\/p>\n \u201cAm I the only one frustrated about PP&R\u2019s reaction to remove light posts over load-bearing that poles weren\u2019t designed to do and because we live in a litigious society?\u201d one person asked on Twitter<\/a>.<\/p>\n \u201cSo endanger everyone\u2019s nighttime safety because of one person\u2019s accident. Yep, makes perfect sense\u2026in Portland,\u201d a commenter on the WW story said.<\/p>\n This incident has also brought to light (sorry) some of the budget woes facing Portland parks. Evidently, similar to the Portland Bureau of Transportation<\/a>, PP&R\u00a0has a substantial maintenance backlog ($600 million). This means they can\u2019t afford to replace all the lampposts they\u2019re removing, at least not anytime soon.<\/p>\n \u201cPP&R redirected $5 million from already budgeted major maintenance funding to remove the light poles and begin the partial replacement process. Currently, the project is estimated to cost $15 million.\u201d a Portland parks statement says. (That means $60,000 for each lamppost.) \u201cPP&R does not currently have sufficient funding to replace all light poles in the park system.\u201d<\/p>\n The parks bureau has provided a timeline for replacing only the lamps at Irving and Mt. Scott, where they plan to install replacements within 16 months. That\u2019s a pretty long time, but it\u2019s a better prognosis than what we have for the other parks, which are to remain without lamps indefinitely.<\/p>\n According to PP&R\u00a0director Adena Long, one in five park assets could be removed or closed within the next 15 years if the bureau doesn\u2019t find a new, sustainable funding source.<\/p>\n One of the ways the city might find the funding for PP&R\u2019s maintenance backlog is by creating a new taxing district for parks funding<\/a>, allowing the bureau to access its own pot of money just for local parks and recreation needs. For now, though, Portlanders are going to have to deal with the cuts.<\/p>\n So, how will this impact bike meetups? The full reality of the situation might not hit until Pedalpalooza goes into full swing this summer, but I asked Moorland Moss, who leads rides for Naked Hearts: PDX all year-round (many of which are based at Irving Park), and he\u2019s not too worried about it.<\/p>\n \u201cI am prepared to host rides and parties even if the world literally ends,\u201d Moss told me. \u201cWe can definitely survive the city taking down some lampposts. I am prepared for the apocalypse.\u201d<\/p>\n Those who aren\u2019t as prepared as Moss might have a more difficult time adjusting to the dark. But it\u2019s good to know that Portland\u2019s bike rides will carry on.<\/p>\n You can find more information, including a list of all the planned lamppost removals, at PP&R\u2019s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n Taylor has been BikePortland\u2019s staff writer since November 2021. She has also written for Street Roots and Eugene Weekly. Contact her at taylorgriggswriter@gmail.com<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/bikeportland.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Screenshot-2023-02-28-at-10.00.21-AM.jpg\")
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