In doing some research for my story about Casey Martell being thrown out of Waterfront Park for riding his pedicab, I came across the Rental Contract and Facility Usage Permit that the Rose Festival has purchased (for $89,760) from the Parks Department.
The permit — which includes, “Salmon Street Spring Fountain and all Park walkways,” contains a section that grants the Rose Festival the right to restrict bicycle access to the Esplanade.
“The Portland Rose Festival is allowed to restrict such uses as, inclusive but not limited to, persons riding bicycles, persons vending without a Park permit, persons riding skateboards or roller blades and any reasonable restrictions to insure public safety.”
The permit goes on to make a special stipulation for bike commuters,
“Bike commuters during the hours of 5am-11am, Monday through Friday, are to be given full access to the Esplanade for commuting. After 11:00 AM bike commuters may be diverted into a clear protected lane of Naito PKWY free of all other vehicular traffic.”
I found that last sentence interesting. So far, I have received two comments from readers that have witnessed Rose Festival staff golf carts driving the wrong way in the (newly installed) aforementioned Naito Parkway bike lanes. Here’s what reader Cecil wrote in a comment on Friday (6/1),
“…today there was a new and interesting hazard in the northbound Naito bike lane – golf carts!!
The Rose Festival “Fun Zone” people have golf carts that they use to get from one end of the zone to another and they use the NP (Naito Parkway) bike lane as a short cut. Unfortunately, they are headed SOUTH. As in head on…”
It’s not clear to me if the “clear protected lane” stipulation is a legal requirement or just a recommendation. Either way, it’s good to know the Parks Department includes special language for bike commuters in their permits. I just hope no one gets run over by a golf cart.