Fairview committee presses timeline, funding questions for interim Halsey Street restriping plan

The Fairview Economic Development Advisory Committee on an unspecified date discussed moving forward with an interim Halsey Street cross section that would add on‑street parking, bike lanes and enhanced crossings, and the timing and funding needed to carry out the work.

Committee members heard that the city council “gave the thumbs up on engaging with a transportation engineer to move forward with the interim cross section,” Sarah Sullivan, staff member, told the committee. Sullivan said the restriping will require an asphalt overlay before striping and that coordination with Multnomah County — which owns the road — will determine when that overlay can be scheduled.

The committee’s discussion centered on three constraints: the county’s maintenance schedule for Halsey, limited county transportation funding, and how to pay for short‑term improvements while a long‑range corridor project is pending. Sullivan said the county originally planned paving in 2026 but now expects the work may slip to 2027. She also reported that Multnomah County declined to reimburse the city if the city were to pay for the paving up front: “they said, no. That was not, something they could do,” Sullivan said.

Committee members and staff discussed options the city can control. Urban renewal funds are available for project planning and could pay for design work and some ADA ramp upgrades; Sullivan recommended confirming that the interim cross‑section and related ADA and crossing improvements would fall within an approved urban renewal project before committing funds. The committee also discussed adding at least one enhanced crosswalk with a rapid‑flashing beacon between Village Street and 213th.

Businesses along the Halsey corridor told committee members they favor adding parking on both sides of the street to slow traffic and create a “main street” feel, but members said engineers must confirm what fits in the existing right‑of‑way. Sullivan said the next step will be a technical design by a transportation engineer — either one retained on the city’s on‑call list or by the county — and close coordination between city and county staff.

Committee members asked for a business outreach effort to measure the potential return on investment for doing restriping sooner rather than later, and to determine which business types would gain or lose from on‑street parking changes. Staff recommended bringing results of that outreach back to the council when a clear schedule and funding plan is known.

The committee did not take a formal vote on the restriping during the meeting; members discussed timing, costs, design responsibility and outreach as council and county decisions evolve.