At last Tuesday’s meeting of the Portland Bicycle Advisory Committee (PBAC), we heard from April Bertelsen of the Portland Mall Revitalization project.
This is the project that will completely reconstruct the existing bus mall on 5th and 6th Avenues downtown. In that process they will be uprooting and relocating hundreds of bike racks. April was at the PBAC meeting to hear input from cyclists about what type of facilities they should consider replacing them with.
She is considering lockers and perhaps a large, high-capacity indoor facility (like BikeStation), and she is open to other ideas.
My recommendation would be something like the bike oases going up on Hawthorne. These are sort of a middle ground between bike lockers and a large indoor facility. They are covered, they can be partly funded by advertising, and they can include maps and information.
Got ideas? Leave a comment, or consider attending the upcoming (Nov. 16th) “Final Design Open House“. If you missed the meeting, you can email April Bertelsen at april.bertelsen@pdxtrans.org.
Thanks for reading.
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After doing quite a bit of work to get covered parking here at work, we came to the conclusion that the solution needs to include a mix of options. Some racks, some day-use lockers, and some reservable for a fee. I propose the same for the mall. Make some high-quality covered parking (like the oases), plus more secure fee-based parking like the BikeStation. But whatever happens, please don’t install those wavy staple racks. They’re terrible. Density is much better with the parallel park racks in rows.
Uh, how about a bike lane? Or graded path? The 3d simulation is super slick, the project looks impressive. Didnt see one bike in it though. Seems like bikes (except for parking) are an afterthought in this project and the hawthorne project. Flabbergasting.
How about dropping the old, double standard about riding in the bus mall?
What does TRI MET run this town?
Dabby run Barter Town.
I see cabs, I see cops, I see armored cars parked in the bus lane.
Yet I still get a big ticket for doing my job?
Yes , I ride there anyway.
I believe that no new bus mall design should be considered or approved with out a bike lane,(complete and not broken up block by block), across the city, both directions, the full length of the bus mall, (or downtown for that matter).
Let’s not let TRI MET do to us again.
I propose a huge drive for what we need downtown, not a compromise where we bicyclists lose out again.
I know I am rambling, but TRI MET will do everything in their power to keep bikes out of their ( OH, I mean our) bus mall.
Also, in the new design, I propose extra long yellow light sequences, for busses love to wait at their stop until the last minute, then pull out during the yellow and race through the intersection.
So, since this city is so into accomodating trimet, we might as well accomodate the lawlessness as well.
I know this is not all in good taste, but, someone needs to push the button……..
I think I am expected to do it….
Oh, plus I owe TRI MET for years of abuse and misery.
I would love to be able to get involved in any input towards a new bus mall, because, if and when the tear up our streets again, we will certainly pay…… Possibly with our lives…
Dabby,
You bring up some good points. Bikes will be allowed on the new Mall..however at this point there are no plans for a designated bike lane. We will share the road with cars, cabs, trucks, MAX, MAX tracks, etc…
In the meantime, I think an exemption for messengers on the existing “bus only” mall would be a good idea if an exemption exists for other folks that are doing their jobs (like armored cars, cabs, etc…).
Did anyone go to the open house and put in their two cents?
I wasn’t able to make it. This process is still really early on and the Portland Mall people are very keen on getting hearing from cyclists. There will be more opportunities for input. Stay tuned.
Does anyone have April’s contact info? I just found out about yesterday’s meeting a bit late. I would be happy to send her my comments (largely mimicking those here, but a louder voice can’t hurt.
Aaron,
Here’s her email:
april.bertelsen@pdxtrans.org.