Photo: BTA]
Some very exciting news announced by Jessica Roberts of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA). A major new bike lane has been striped on Vancouver Ave., from Russell Street down to Broadway. This completes a “missing link” in the bike network that is part of the BTA’s larger goal of gaining bike access through the Rose Quarter Transit Center to the River and the Lloyd District.
Jeff Smith from the Portland Office of Transportation fast-tracked the planning and redesign and according to Jessica he had to act fast to make it happen:
“…on the day of the repave, Jeff received a call from the striping crew…’so we’re ready to strip two auto lanes, if you want a change better get it to us fast.’ That morning Jeff received final approval from the City’s Transportation Engineer; that afternoon bike lanes were hashed on the street!”
Now that’s what I call getting it done. This is a perfect example of something that would not have happened without the vigilance and advocacy of the BTA. I would sure feel guilty if I wasn’t already a BTA member (hint, hint)!
Well, I can’t take the credit — my colleague Scott was the one who started the ball rolling, and Jeff really responded, so thanks to them especially! (I just forwarded the news.) Still, it’s refreshing to see how quickly good projects can happen, when the will is there.
Thanks also to our the vigilant staff on team stripe.
Just curious, who rides that portion? Is see a few people head that way, but so many of us go Flint to Bway. I always assumed it was because it seems like a shortcut and puts you out at a good spot on Bway.
Anyway, more bike lanes are good, thanks BTA.
Ayleen
I think the most important thing is that it’s one more step in conquering the black hole that is the Rose Quarter.
I’d also like to thank PDOT for fixing that mess of lanes at Vancouver and Fremont. It’s been a lot smoother riding through there with the new striping – less jockeying for position with the cars. Motorists still seem a little uncertain about the new arrangement, but they’ll learn.
Now, can we get a straight shot along the east side of the Rose Garden from Broadway to the top of the Esplanade? That’d be dreamy.
To answer Ayleen (#3), I think anyone heading further south (ie. NOT going downtown across the Bway bridge) would stay on Vancouver and use the new lane.
It’s also a more direct connection to the bike boulevard on Tillamook Street and destinations to the east. When we fix the Rose Quarter for direct access to/from the Esplanade we’ll figure out a way to extend the bike lane down Vancouver to Wheeler. This will also provide a direct connection to the bike lanes on Weidler.
i ride from Alberta to Beaverton, sometimes with a few colleagues. Usually Alberta/Vancouver/jog over to Broadway bridge, etc.. the new surface and paint makes a huge difference on my ride. Can’t wait to see the plans Roger has for the Rose Quarter!
the real BLACK hole as stated above is the Rose Quarter Transit Center. I have to job my way around that from the end of the Steel Bridge to get on to Williams north. Kinda sucks.
I hear there are plans in the works to maybe get a way across that area? Tell me more!
hmm, i’ve never had any issues getting through the rose quarter…
This is super-duper!
Does anybody know whether making a bike right-hand turn onto Broadway on a green light will still be illegal now that a bikelane is in place right down to Broadway?
As I seem to recall, you usually can’t currently right turn onto Broadway from Vancouver to get down to the Broadway Bridge.
Rather, you currently must go straight, to avoid crossing the traffic filter lane coming off the I5 motorway, which is why I usually avoid Vancouver altogether.
But this aside, this is great news!
Rose Quarter fix is scheduled for 2008. Plans to make it happen earlier ran into the Big Pipe project — that is, the City is going to be tearing up a lot of that area to put in the big sewer pipe on the eastside, and fixing it beforehand would be building new stuff just to have it torn up.
So, as with many transportation investments, we have to be patient, and suffer through it for a bit. But we really think it’s coming — TriMet, the City, and LDTMA are working to get it fixed, and the BTA will stay on top of it.
I live on Vancouver. On the weekends I see more bikes than cars… many many people are riding to access the Esplanade, etc. I often see teams or cyclists in packs riding it too.
I’m just happy it finally got paved. How long was it left half done with just the center strip for cars and we being forced to ride in the scraped and grooved mess to the right.