PBOT launches “A safer place for everyone” campaign for Williams Ave

williams-outrechlead

PBOT will hang these banners on light poles along N Williams Avenue as part of the campaign.

As we reported last month, at long last the Bureau of Transportation is going to improve bicycling conditions on N Williams Avenue.

With construction on the North Williams Safety Project set to begin this week, PBOT has now announced a new outreach campaign, “to inform people of the new street design and encourage all travelers to share the road.” Dubbed “A Safer Place for Everyone,” the campaign will include a series of 12 banners hung on light poles, A-board signs on the sidewalks, and a brochure that has been sent to area residents.

Here’s a detail of the brochure:

williamsbrochure2

And the six other banners:

williamsbanners

Another detail of banners.

The banners (above) feature portraits of people who live in the Vancouver-Williams corridor along with taglines like: “Be alert and share the road,” “Watch for me when turning,” “I drive at a family friendly speed,” “I look both ways before I cross,” “Please help me be safe,” and so on.

During construction, PBOT reminds bicycle riders that N Rodney and auto drivers to use Martin Luther King Blvd and Interstate Ave as alternate routes. The Bicycle Transportation Alliance also recommended Rodney in a blog post about the project they published today. Speed humps have been recently added to Rodney to slow drivers down and discourage cut-through traffic. Additional neighborhood greenway treatments are coming to Rodney as part of this project, but only after the work on Williams is complete.

PBOT says the new, left-side bike lane should open by mid-October and the entire project is expected to be done by the end of December.

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.

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galavantista
galavantista
9 years ago

My heart’s kinda melting with how awesomely dorky these posters are.

maccoinnich
9 years ago
Reply to  galavantista

I love them almost as much as the TriMet “Respect the Ride” posters.

Chris I
Chris I
9 years ago

Maybe a just a few giant banners that read: “Attention, Washington residents: SLOW DOWN”

Todd Boulanger
Todd Boulanger
9 years ago
Reply to  Chris I

How can you tell if I bike fast?…I have by bike plate covered…

…and you should be aware that there are a lot of Washington residents who have kept their Oregon plates AND their Oregon jobs…so there could be more Washingtonians reeking havoc on Portland’s almost car-free streets than your may be able to tell.

On The Road
On The Road
9 years ago
Reply to  Todd Boulanger

I hate Washingtonians who smell like havoc.

q`Tzal
q`Tzal
9 years ago

I’ve been asking for “normal people just like you” bike & walk safety posters for a while now.
Maybe this safety campaign will work better since none of the subjects in the photos are easily stereotyped in to an “other” that is easy to marginalize and callously ignore.

Gregg
9 years ago

Should we expect slower riders and people with kids on the right side of the bike lane still (On the side of the bike lane closest to moving motor vehicles) and faster people on bikes on the left (Closer to the door zone?)

Or will racers be passing on the right?

MaxD
MaxD
9 years ago
Reply to  Gregg

My expectation is that anyone in “racer” category should be exiting the bike lane and using the motor vehicle lane to pass. Bikes should be staying +/- 3′ feet away from the parked cars to avoid getting doors and to be visible to cross traffic. At 7′ wide, I do not think the lane is wide enough to safely pass someone with a big speed differential; whether you pass on the left or the right, it is still unsafe

daisy
daisy
9 years ago
Reply to  MaxD

Hmm, I thought one of the reasons for justifying the wider bike lane was so cyclists could pass in the bike lane itself. Also, this isn’t just the difference between racers and families pulling trailers. There are so many cyclists who go so many different speeds – with the volume on North Williams, there will be lots of passing.

So, yeah, pass on the left or right? It’ll be confusing.

shirtsoff
shirtsoff
9 years ago
Reply to  daisy

I suspect passing will occur on the right.. but I’m not sure if the ORS reflect this configuration.

spare_wheel
spare_wheel
9 years ago
Reply to  daisy

not confusing. on one way streets cyclists have always been allowed to ride “as far left as possible” and to pass on the right.

John Lascurettes
9 years ago
Reply to  spare_wheel

LMFTFY: “as far right as practicable” as stated in the ORS. It’s a subtle but distinct difference.

John Lascurettes
9 years ago

Or left as the case may be on a one-way road.

spare_wheel
spare_wheel
9 years ago
Reply to  MaxD

given how congested williams becomes this could be illegal under ORS 814.420.

John Lascurettes
9 years ago
Reply to  spare_wheel

According to 814.420(3)(a) no:

A person is not in violation of the offense under this section if the person is able to safely move out of the bicycle lane or path for the purpose of overtaking and passing another bicycle, a vehicle or a pedestrian that is in the bicycle lane or path and passage cannot safely be made in the lane or path.
That is unless you’re talking about riding in the “motor” vehicle lane in general while not passing another bicycle rider in the buffered bike lane. Then the answer would be yes.

John Lascurettes
9 years ago

Whoops. Didn’t close that blockquote right. The second paragraph inside it was my words in response to you and not ORS.

wsbob
wsbob
9 years ago
Reply to  Gregg

Switching the bike lane from the right side of the street, to the left side may be a bit of a challenge in use, to people riding. Hand signals made as clearly visible as possible seem very important here.

I think, somewhat as MaxD figures, faster riders ought to be moving into the main traffic lanes to pass slower riders in the bike lane. In practical use, people capable of holding a pace of 15 mph and above with motor vehicle traffic, should maybe ride mostly in the main travel lane. Nobody should be riding in the door zone.

I feel I have the riding skills to probably deal with this kind of traffic situation well enough, but I’m glad I don’t need to ride there. Traffic and lane traveling on the street sounds like a mad house it would be better to get out of as soon as possible.

daisy
daisy
9 years ago

The posters are great!

With New Seasons and the bordering lot being built up, I’m wishing the lower speed limit started sooner. Newly renovated Dawson Park is attracting so many families now, and you have to cross Williams or Vancouver to get there. Is there any chance the lower speed limit zone could start a few blocks south of Fremont?

I saw that the BTA had some helpful tips for dealing with the construction, especially this: cyclist should merge into the car lane to pass and not pass in the bike lane. Folks pass in the bike lane on Williams without even an audible warning all the time, and there’s just not room for this to happen safely.

Todd Boulanger
Todd Boulanger
9 years ago
Reply to  daisy

Yes that park is zoo sweet…I wish I was a kid again every time I pass it…though we had sweeter (taller) slides and zip lines back in my day at the adventure playground.

rain panther
rain panther
9 years ago
Reply to  Todd Boulanger

Personally, I feel a little touch of heartbreak every time I see the cupola (formerly atop the King Building) that’s been relegated to gazebo status.

daisy
daisy
9 years ago
Reply to  daisy

I just rode up Williams and noticed that there are school-zone 20 MPH signs near Dawson Park, but because of Ivy School, not the park itself. It also says 20 MPH “when children are present.” That’s pretty much all day every day now with the renovated park.

Is there anyone in PBOT in particular I could contact about this suggestion? Anyone know?

Oliver
Oliver
9 years ago
Reply to  daisy

There it is. Pass on right, slow riders left.

Oliver
Oliver
9 years ago
Reply to  Oliver

edit: So the BTA advice is: during construction..pass on left and slow riders right in current bike lane, no word on post construction.

daisy
daisy
9 years ago
Reply to  Oliver

Yeah, I think the confusing part is what we’re supposed to do when the bike lane is on the left.

Todd Boulanger
Todd Boulanger
9 years ago

I agree! Sweet hat. Style points plus.

Though if these are banners hanging above the street, can any driver actually read the fine print without stopping? Or is that the traffic calming plan…for drivers to slow down and pull over to the left in the bike lane/ bus lane to read each banner? (Diabolical!)

Mark Reber
9 years ago

Am I reading this correctly that the bike lane moves to the left on N Williams, but remains the same on N Vancouver, S-Bound direction? I find that is a far worse conflict from the New Seasons store to the Fremont Bridge/Red Cross exits. If it weren’t for the number of people on bikes riding that in the mornings, I wouldn’t touch it. Even with the numbers, it’s clear that drivers don’t seem to know what to do and those of us on bikes just take our chances.

John Lascurettes
9 years ago
Reply to  Mark Reber

That mixing zone has gotten far, far worse since the New Seasons went in. And by worse, I mean cars aren’t even using the mixing zone at all anymore for the transition. Some are getting in the perceived right lane immediately after turning off of Fremont or out of the NS parking lot – but it’s not a lane, it’s a bus-only zone. And even when cars get in the right turn lane, they tend to jug-handle turn at the corner, coming fully into the bike lane. It’s a horrible display of bad driving skills and lack of awareness right there.

Mark
Mark
9 years ago

How is this going to work with the multiple lots between Williams and Vancouver under development? A left side bike line will be blocked by construction activity for the better part of the next 2 years. This is what happens when it takes PBOT 5 years to get a project on the ground…facts change.

Dwaine Dibbly
Dwaine Dibbly
9 years ago

Yeah, the posters are sort of “Leave it to Beaver dorky”, but they put across a good message. Where’s Eddie Haskell with a skateboard? 🙂

Andyc of Linnton
Andyc of Linnton
9 years ago

Oh good! More signs!
What we should have done was invest in some technology that automatically sends a text to your phone when you hit Williams.
“Please drive safely through here.”
I bet more drivers would see that than the signs.

On The Road
On The Road
9 years ago

Yeah, that’s what we need — more people looking at their cell phones instead of paying attention to driving.

And who wants technology that knows when you and your cell phone hit Williams so the government can send you a message.

Dave
Dave
9 years ago

The pastor’s quote is brilliant; “family friendly speed” should be a widely stolen slogan in all transportation discussions. Bravo, sir.

fredlf
9 years ago

I am an old, cranky guy, but I seriously doubt that adding even more visual clutter to Williams will have any meaningful impact on user behavior. To be really cynical, I’d say the primary function of these posters is their phatic meaning, “PBOT totally cares about African Americans!”.

F.W. de Klerk
F.W. de Klerk
9 years ago
Reply to  fredlf

Why would PBOT care about them when Portland as a whole clearly doesn’t?

John Lascurettes
9 years ago
Reply to  F.W. de Klerk

This is what he meant with the word “phatic”

Mossby Pomegranate
Mossby Pomegranate
9 years ago

I think he knows that. I get FW’s point. This city is so full of itself it doesn’t see how racist it is.

gumby
gumby
9 years ago

Signs, signs, everywhere there’s signs. Fu**in’ up the scenery, breakin’ my mind. Do this, don’t do that, can’t you read the sign.

Zaphod
9 years ago

The axiom of “always pass on the left” really should be without exception. If we’re really debating which side, I fear for the “interested but concerned” as they’ll feel like they are being swarmed in a frightening way. Also, passing within the lane is also not a good strategy. If the dimensions are wide enough then there should be markings for two bike lanes like the lead up on Hawthorne. A key danger in any travel mode is ambiguity. An infographic at the beginning for new and seasoned riders alike will go a long way.

John Lascurettes
9 years ago
Reply to  Zaphod

Just pass in a different lane and there’s no conflict or confusion.

BIKELEPTIC
9 years ago

I’m surprised that no one has pointed out (come on helmet nazis!) that pretty much everyone in the signs are wearing their helmets incorrectly.

My take-away from these signs is that I should then go out, buy a helmet and wear it way back on my head like a beret. COME ON! Two fingers above the eyebrow! Whoever did this photoshoot needs to make sure that they’re putting some accuracy into it. Because kids, parents, inexperienced riders are going to see these prime examples of community members and take heed from them – and use them as a safety example. And then perhaps suffer a traumatic brain, spine or neck injury from improper safety equipment usage.

BIKELEPTIC
9 years ago
Reply to  BIKELEPTIC

PS: The only one wearing his “hat” correctly is the “Captain!” – He’s safe from danger.

So...
So...
9 years ago

Hart,

From mocking the dead

(http://bikeportland.org/2013/05/16/fatal-crash-highlights-problems-with-sw-barbur-blvd-86837#comment-4027198)

to mocking people in the community that you want others to think you care about, you seem to not really be as great as your ego thinks it is.

Am I the only one who is noticing this?