City Announces Food Truck Pilot Program Solution
All 14 Eastern Prom food trucks will be able to locate in the Cutter St. lot during the pilot program
Interim City Manager Danielle West announced that all fourteen food trucks that applied to operate in the City’s Eastern Prom food truck pilot program will be able to locate in the Cutter Street parking lot.
The City of Portland launched the food truck pilot program this June in reaction to complaints along the Eastern Prom. The plan was to allow only ten food trucks and only within the middle parking lot on Cutter Street. Food trucks will no longer be allowed to operate on the Eastern Promenade roadway or the esplanade.
Now the City has agreed to allot spaces for all fourteen food trucks that applied to the program. The pilot program will run from June 15 to November 15. The City is not charging food trucks a license fee to operate in this public space during the pilot season.
Said Danielle West, Portland’s Interim City Manager, “I appreciated hearing [operators] thoughts and feedback regarding our plans for the food truck pilot program on the Eastern Promenade this season. I realize how important it is for them to know in advance where they can locate and operate.
City: Eastern Prom food truck pilot is a learning experience
The City says the pilot program has been a learning experience as they have tried to accommodate a wide variety of constituency concerns when making operational decisions. City staff will continue to analyze how the program operates this season, review feedback, and adjust for the future.
City staff first presented concepts for a pilot program in the fall of 2021 after receiving numerous complaints about food truck operations along the Eastern Promenade. Complaints related to excess trash, noise, traffic, and pedestrian safety. Two city council committees and the parks commission reviewed the concepts. Finally, after reviewing public feedback the Interim City Manager made the final decision.
In addition to the Eastern Prom, Portland’s Food Truck Rules offer numerous locations in which food trucks can be located.
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