[*UPDATE: According to project manager Jean Senechal-Biggs, my source for this story misunderstood the plans. PDOT is building the foundations for these right now and the actual structures aren’t scheduled to be installed until Spring.]
Browning Shono Architects]
Way back in September 2005, I wrote about a series of exciting new bike parking facilities in the plans of the Hawthorne Boulevard Project.
That project is well under way and I just heard from a source at PDOT that these “Bike Oases” are scheduled for installation “any day now.” sometime this Spring.
Here’s another drawing of a Bike Oasis, taken from Browning Shono’s website:
Four of these cool, covered bike racks will be installed on curb extensions along Hawthorne Blvd. and will be a welcomed addition to PDOT’s bike parking tool kit.
With the recently installed bike parking facility in North Portland, I hope we’re seeing the start of a real bike parking trend (it’s about time!).
I’m in contact with the project manager and hope to update this post with photos soon.
Glad to see the city finally building bike parking that takes into consideration the specific needs of cyclists. *and that WASN’T sarcasm.*
I’ve been wondering why something like this hasn’t popped up sooner. It just makes so much sense.
~Adam
Awesome! We can now park our bikes on the street that is one of the most dangerous streets in Portland to actually ride a bike on!
Sorry. The sarcasm tags did not render in the message above.
Hawthorne’s not that dangerous to ride on if you’re comfortable taking the lane. More people should ride Hawthorne just for the heck of it, I frequently take ‘recreational’ rides up and down Hawthorne, just to keep the motorists on their toes. OTOH, I boycott most of the Hawthorne merchants, for their role in preventing the city from making any menaingful bicycle improvements on the Boulevard.
I used to ride Hawthorne from 38th downtown and home everyday for work. It was no more dangerous than any other street in Portland. Infact, I never had any problems riding on Hawthorne, however, riding on E Broadway in the Bike lane, I’ve been hit twice and almost hit more times than I can count on both hands.
As Burr said, if you just take your lane, you’re fine.
In my opinion, one of the actual dangerous streets to ride on is Alberta. There’s no room, the road is in shit condition, and most people don’t even look before they open their doors.
Confidence is key.