Yesterday, the City of Portland announced a $503 million economic stimulus plan. Within that plan, is $52 million in Bureau of Transportation projects — several of which include bike-related facilities.
Here is a brief summary of the four projects that will begin in the next 12 months (compared to beginning possibly up to three years from now on standard timelines).
The East Burnside and Couch project will create a couplet with eastbound traffic on Burnside and westbound traffic on Couch. That project includes a striped bike lane on E. Burnside from MLK Jr. Blvd. to NE 13th Ave. on NE Couch St. between NE 6th and the Burnside Bridge. The City estimates this project will cost $25 million and create 351 jobs.
The Gibbs Street Pedestrian Bridge project includes the design and construction of a new bike and pedestrian only bridge at SW Gibbs St. (just south of the Ross Island Bridge) that will go over the I-5 freeway. The City says that project will cost $11 million and will create 157 jobs.
A project to replace the N. Vancouver Bridge over the Columbia Slough is estimated to cost $10 million and create 146 jobs.
The final project on the list is the Cully Boulevard Green Street Project. We’ve previously reported on this project because it includes Portland’s first-ever cycletrack. The new cycletrack will run from NE Prescott to NE Killingsworth. The City estimates the project will cost $6.4 million and create 90 jobs.
The City of Portland’s economic stimulus plan also includes many other public works projects and job creation programs. For more information see MayorSamAdams.com.