Portland council rejects $80 million revenue bond to fund ADA curb ramps and street improvements

PORTLAND, Ore. — The Portland City Council on April 23 defeated an ordinance that would have authorized up to $80 million in revenue bonds to finance curb ramps and related street improvements, voting 4-8 on a motion to approve the nonemergency measure.

The ordinance (Document No. 2025-131) was presented to the council by Christopher Hare, council policy analyst and staff to the finance committee. City finance staff told council the proposed borrowing was intended to close a multiyear funding gap for curb ramps and street work and to produce near‑term budget savings.

The proposal drew detailed operational testimony from the Portland Bureau of Transportation. Millicent Williams, PBOT director, and Deirdre Davis, manager of the ADA curb ramp division, explained how ramp work is selected and financed, and why some ramps appear to be replaced in areas that already have access while other neighborhoods lack ramps at all. “We do our ramps about 8 to 12 months ahead of the paving,” Deirdre Davis said,…