(*Note: After PBOT said they had changed the design of the buffered bike lane since I last reported on it, I updated the cross section drawing below).
just for bicycles this weekend.
The City of Portland Bureau of Transportation will re-configure SE Holgate Road this weekend and install a new type of lane specifically for bicycle traffic.
As we reported back in July, the project will create new “buffered” or “enhanced” lanes for bike traffic between SE 122nd Ave and the new I-205 MAX station near SE 92nd Ave.
Here’s more about the project from a PBOT press release:
“In order to install these bike lanes, this section of Holgate will be converted to three motor vehicle lanes from its current configuration of five lanes. One motor vehicle travel lane in each direction will be replaced by a 7-foot wide bicycle lane with an additional painted 3-foot buffer on the traffic side. Analysis indicates that this design will provide adequate traffic capacity.
Buffered lanes help to reduce the risk posed by car doors on the parking lane side, and provide additional space between cyclists and motorists.”
Here is a drawing of the new lane configurations:
Buffered bike lanes are also coming to downtown Portland on SW Stark and Oak in September.
PBOT has published a set of F.A.Q’s and an overview of buffered bike lanes on their website.