Image courtesy GBD Architects
Using the Loop alignment to centrally locate emergency beacons throughout the Central City ensures the highest concentration of residents, employees, and visitors will receive the necessary aid and information post disaster. Additionally, the pedestrianized public spaces created as part of the Green Loop can be quickly adapted to serve as gathering spaces and recovery centers. The Portland metro area is expected to grow by 36,000 new households and 50,000 new jobs by 2035. The need for responsive emergency execution will become more important than ever. In the case of a natural disaster, it is paramount to have bridges that are up to city and state-required seismic standards as Portland is close to the Cascadia subduction zone. People are going to need to cross the Willamette River and freeways to get to their homes and loved ones. The Tilikum Crossing, which makes up the southern end of the Green Loop, is engineered to be up to these seismic standards and can accommodate emergency vehicles. Additionally, the future Sullivan’s Gulch Crossing over I-84 highway (completion is expected in 2020) and the proposed NE Clackamas pedestrian/bike bridge as part of the I-5 Broadway/Weidler interchange are all engineered to be up to current seismic standards. OMSI has partnered with Gerding Edlen to develop some of the largest sections of Portland’s Eastside land. With large open public spaces and the confluence of multiple bridges, roads, and public transportation paths, OMSI is a suitable place to incorporate wayfinding and place-making strategies. People can gather at this inclusive space to nurture social capital and interaction when needed the most, such as for information and resources related to disaster and other emergencies.
The living laboratory
Image courtesy Portland’s planning and sustainability bureau
The design and construction of the Loop is an opportunity to encourage open spaces and eco-friendly transportation, while weaving together Portland’s cultural, open space, and educational assets. Portland Art Museum’s new Rothko Pavillion will include an open-air breezeway to allow pedestrians to walk through the expansion and directly connect museum-goers to the Loop and create a unique sense of community and culture in this area of the Park Blocks.
Museum director Brian Ferriso says, “The Portland Art Museum is honored to be considered as a key stop along the proposed Green Loop. Our institution’s mission of facilitating and creating community aligns with the Green Loop’s goal to bring residents, employees, students, and visitors together to experience and celebrate our beautiful city in a new and more exciting way.”
The Loop will also showcase innovative approaches both within the public realm and the adjacent private development to achieve a net-positive effect on the city’s environmental footprint.
The Green Loop will require new construction to provide for the pedestrian/bike promenade as well as new developments along the Loop’s path, but also incorporate existing elements for a new but recognizable downtown. Both material selection and construction technologies will be carefully considered to keep the Green Loop green. High-albedo concrete could be a viable option as well as hydro-cement curing admixtures that reduce the urban heat island affect and related carbon footprint. Fully cured concrete reduces the need for additional coatings.
Lighting will also have environmental considerations for the selection of exterior street lights along the Loop. City policy will be to specify lights below 2727 C (3000 K) and the spectral composition of light-emitting diode (LED) streetlights will also be considered, as blue-rich white light varieties of LEDs have proven to disrupt circadian rhythm in both humans and wildlife. Additionally, the lighting is intended to be designed to be sufficiently shielded to effectively direct light away from the sky, not wanting to further contribute to light pollution or fatal light attraction for migratory birds. Solar and wind resources will be considered for powering street lighting and other points of experience.
Public utilities as well as bike parking accommodations would be inclusive for all user types along the Loop to promote non-car travel. The requirement and/or encouragement of these types of technologies as well as green setbacks, living walls, and green roofs will aid in making the Green Loop a cooling center for Portland’s urban core.
