The City of Portland Bureau of Transportation will hold an open house tonight for their Clinton Street Bicycle Boulevard Enhancement Safety Project.
a
artist Matt Cartwright at
an open house last summer.
(Photo: Brian Borrello)
The event will be an opportunity for folks to see PBOT’s latest proposal for improving the cycling and walking conditions along the street. Clinton is already a well-established bike boulevard. According to PBOT counts in 2007, 1,800 bikes travel through the intersection of SE Clinton and 26th each day, compared to 2,300 motor vehicles.
However, despite it being one of the most popular bikeway corridors in the city, PBOT acknowledges that for many Portlanders it still doesn’t feel safe. PBOT cites “uncomfortably high auto traffic volumes and speeds,” dangerous crossings at several major intersections (like at 21st, 52nd, etc…) and a lack of signage aimed at people in cars telling them that the street is a bike boulevard, as problems with the current conditions.
With their Clinton Street Enhancement Project, PBOT is trying to do something new. They are working with a team of local artists to “utilize bold, creative, communicative tools to draw the attention of motorists to the fact that they are on a bicycle boulevard.” Here are a few more of their concepts:
“Bicycle eyes” gateway feature.
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A “bicycle arch gateway”.
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PBOT has enlisted artists Brian Borrello (co-creator of Zoobomb Pyle monument) and Matt Cartwright (he did the metal figures atop River City Bicycles) to complete the project. Potential treatments are likely to include large on-street pavement markings, overhead banners, “eye-catching” street signage, and on-street bike parking facilities.
Come and check out what they have planned. Here are details of tonight’s open house:
- Open House for Clinton Street Bike Boulevard Enhancement Project
Monday, July 13th, from 4 to 7pm
St. Philip Neri Church, Carvlin Hall (2408 SE 16th)
— For more about this project, read our story from March 2008 or visit the project website.