Newswire: Sellwood neighborhood, City officials celebrate new bike boulevard opening this Saturday

Sellwood neighborhood, City officials celebrate new bike boulevard opening this Saturday

(Portland, Ore.) – Mayor Sam Adams and the Portland Bureau of Transportation will participate in a ribbon cutting with neighbors at a celebration for the city’s newest bicycle boulevard on SE Spokane Street in Sellwood this Saturday.

“Projects like this bicycle boulevard will help Portland meet our Climate Action Plan goals and provide residents of Portland with more options for biking and walking to local businesses, schools and our community centers.”

Bicycle boulevards are designated routes for cyclists near major streets that provide direct connections to where people work, shop, recreate and live. They are installed on residential streets with low traffic numbers and accommodate cyclists by discouraging drivers from using the street as a cut-through and from speeding. The SE Spokane project covers the first of 15 new miles of bike boulevards identified by Mayor Sam Adams in his First 100 Days agenda.

Construction began November 16 on a nine-block stretch of SE Spokane, from SE 19th Sixth avenues. “Weather really played a role in the schedule, but our crews have been working hard to make sure this boulevard is finished,” said Kyle Chisek, PBOT project manager. “Maintenance crews just have a few pieces left to install and then they’ll be out of the neighborhood.”

The Mayor and PBOT will be joined by the Sellwood Moreland Improvement League, including President Paul Notti, Portland Parks & Recreation staff from the community center and local businesses owners and residents. Neighbors and SMILE worked with PBOT for two years to get the project built.

“This area will be more appealing and accessible, which will help promote the vitality of local businesses. The bike boulevard will bring even more Portlanders to the local shops, service providers and restaurants in the Sellwood area,” Adams said.

The project includes improved pedestrian crossings, stormwater management, traffic calming, reconfigured stop signs and bicycle parking. The city will be using American Recovery and Reinvestment Act stimulus money to add more pavement markings and signs once the weather gets warm to help cyclists find their way.

More information about the project can be found at www.portlandonline.com/transportation/index.cfm?&c=50516.

More information about the Dec. 19 event can be found at sellwood.org/2009/11/26/spokane-street-bike-ride-celebration-event-dec-12-2009-12pm