[Note: This story was originally published with an outdated bridge graphic. The one below is more current.]
At a board meeting this morning, TriMet voted to approve $127 million in contracts to construct a new bridge over the Willamette River as part of their Portland to Milwaukie Light Rail project. The bridge will be carfree, carrying only light rail, walking and biking traffic.
The width of the bike/walkway and just exactly how that space is “programmed” (to use planning-speak) has been subject of discussion for well over a year now.
(Photos © J. Maus)
According to TriMet bike planner Colin Maher, the current design calls for 14 feet of bike/walkway on each side of the bridge and the space will be divided up like this: 6′ 4″ for walking, then an 8″ buffer stripe, then 7′ for biking. Also planned is additional width at each of the two towers (“belvederes”), which will bump the pathway out to 22′.
As a comparison, the Hawthorne Bridge is about 10.5 feet wide.
yet to be decided.
Much of the discussion about how to program the bike/walk space had to do with how to best separate the two modes. Initially there was talk of creating a vertical difference, or grade separation, between the bikeway and the walkway. Given the sometimes dangerous mix of modes that can occur on the Hawthorne Bridge, some sort of curb to physical delineate where people should bike and walk had some appeal. However, concerns about added cost of a curb and complications with maintaining it, disabled persons access, and other issues put that idea on the shelf.
Another interesting design issue this bridge will have for bike traffic is its 5 percent grade. That’s pretty steep for a mixed-use facility (similar to biking up SW 5th Avenue to Portland State University). Given the tremendous amount of complaints the City of Portland already fields about interactions on busy and flat multi-paths, I expect lots of debate about how best to mitigate downhill biking speeds once the project enters final design.
At this point, no final decisions have been made in terms of striping, signage, or other methods of marking the bike/walk way. With a separated grade no longer an option, the talk will turn to how best to demarcate the biking and walking zones. Possible solutions might be different colored pavement, creative striping, and/or signage.
TriMet expects construction of the new bridge to start next year, with an opening in 2015. Learn more here.
Thanks for reading.
BikePortland has served this community with independent community journalism since 2005. We rely on subscriptions from readers like you to survive. Your financial support is vital in keeping this valuable resource alive and well.
Please subscribe today to strengthen and expand our work.
Too bad they decided against a separated grade – that seems by far the easiest (and most effective) way to keep bikes and pedestrians out of each others’ way.
.Grade seperation was agreed to ultimately be a hazard for cyclists (given that some pedestrians will be in the bikeway no matter what cyclist will have to change lanes to go around them. A grade separation would cause bikes to fall when wet) and an ADA violation for wheelchair access
like this..
TriMet did a first class job with engineering design and public involvement on this bridge. They should be heartily congratulated, especially Rob Barnard, who led the project.
The citizens’ advisory committee, chaired by Vera Katz, has considered placing a “bikes only” path on one side of the bridge and “peds only” on the other. This would solve all problems of bike/ped conflict, which, as noted, will be exacerbated by the 5% grade, both on ascent and descent. It might be cheaper, too.
I’d like to hear more discussion of this point.
Jim,
I might add something to the story about that initial proposal by TriMet to put walking on one side and biking on the other. In a nutshell, it didn’t move forward because the Bike Advisory Committee, the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition, and the BTA all said it wouldn’t be a good idea. Making any mode – especially walking – go out of its way is considered a big transpo planning no-no.
But “going out of your way” 50 ft. to the other side of the bridge to avoid mode conflicts doesn’t seem like that big of a deal. If it were blocks and blocks of distance, I could understand…
The historically proven conclusion, and accepted wisdom by the bridge committies, is that pedestrians basically can’t be controlled. Like water or electricity they will follow the path of least resistance and signs are an unenforceable suggestion.
Great metaphor.
In the other story about Barbur blvd the rendering shows bikes on 1 side and walkers on the other side. If they can do it there – why not on the bridge?
Just out of curiosity and for comparison, does anyone know the grade on the Broadway Bridge approaching the peak in the middle?
Isn’t the cyclist in the artist conception going the wrong way? Shouldn’t it be with traffic for bikes, and bi-directional for peds?
Note to readers – there was a different graphic up when I posted the above comment.
Too bad this bridge is an un- needed project by a cash whore like Tri Met.
Cutting routes, raising rates, building new train lines instead of using old right of ways, millions in new trains, now new bridges we will certainly have to pony up for….
When will Tri Met be stopped?
Build this bridge, and exclude Tri Met from using it is what I say….
They don’t deserve it.
I think that you should check out some really bad public transit before complaining about TriMet. I grew up in Boston where the T (which in commuter’s minds stands for “Torture” or “Terror”) is a good example, along with Septa (“Septic”) in Philly.
I prefer “Inepta,” but Septic works.
lame.
I’m of the complete opposite opinion. I love TriMet. They do a great job for what they’re costs are and the varied needs of the LARGE (and demanding) community they serve. I’ve never lived in a community outside Manhattan where the public transit was this good. When I don’t ride my bike to work – I ride TriMet.
This new bridge WITHOUT cars will be incredible. And I love the dedicated lanes for each use type.
Yeah TriMet!
I’m pretty sure the bridge will carry buses, too.
It would be nice to have more details on how much of the path would be functionally usable. Does that 14 feet include any shy distance from the railings? On the Hawthorne Bridge I can pass close to edge of the pavement. The graphic above shows the railings leaning inwards, so take 6 inches off each side plus 6 inches for shy distance and we’re down to 12 feet usable width.
I thought the 22 foot belvederes were on the proposed cuts list back in September. Did these get saved?
My thought, especially with the steep grade, is that TriMet should have a “20 is plenty” or “15 is fine” speed limit on the bridge. The buses and trains will only go 25 mph and they are physically separated. At 5% I can easily see people zooming down the bridge at 25-30 mph.
How about we all get off and walk our bikes everywhere so that the slowest set the pace?
7′ of bike only lane should be plenty for bike- bike passing. slower traffic stay right.
This will be a fabulous crossing. A simple separation treatment might be a black (not yellow!) 8″ to 12″ truncated dome paving strip (similar what used at Director Park) between the ped. and bicycle zones.
the worst thing they could do is underdesign by scrimping on the path widths, and the paths will be crowded and unsafe right from the start.
The image is outdated – as Jonathan notes bike traffic will be on the inside.
Also, probably the biggest concern with grade-separation was preventing people from using both sides of the path outside commute hours, especially during large events (Bridge Pedal, for example)
Colin Maher
TriMet
There are a lot of conflicting and cruddy images of this bridge, its intended users and it the crossing’s final agreed apperance.
I posted some links below: which ones are accurate?
I hope they go back to seperating peds from bikes. And we need more signage on hawthrone. I don’t know how many times I’ve come across bikes and peds going the wrong way and peds with their backs to me stepping out in front of me. Guh! When will people learn? One more thought, why don’t they just make hawthorne car free versus building a whole new bridge??
For context, what are the grades on Hawthorne Bridge?
Will this new bridge be under the jurisdiction of the city of Portland or Multnomah County? The county maintains the other Willamette River bridges (I presume they still do), which has some consequence regarding bike path markings and jurisdiction of future changes.
I believe this dichotomy explains why the Hawthorne bridge just has markings suggesting where bikes/peds should locate themselves, instead of an actual bike lane. The approaches to the bridge have bike lanes because the city has jurisdiction there.
Multnomah County maintains Burnside, Morrison, Hawthorne, Ross Island, Sellwood. ODOT maintains Marquam and Fremont. UPRR maintains the Steel. Presumably this bridge would be “owned” by Tri-Met, unless they surrender it to the county.
What about E-bikes and mopeds? will they be allowed on the bridge? Which lane do skateboarders use?
Ebikes and mopeds should stay out of bike lanes and MUP’s………
Not too mention rascal scooters and segways..
ebikes have every right to be in the bike lane. i need a little boost to get up that 5% grade. 😉
This is great news! Sure there will be issues as the project moves forward, but the news is that it is moving forward at all… each car free option makes the city a better place. IMHO and all.
I do think some kind of physical seperation between the bike and ped lanes is a good idea- keeps the ped-spread down.
Thanks for the clarification, Jonathan.
Descending bike traffic on TriMet’s bridge will be a lot faster than on the gradual eastbound slope of the Hawthorne, causing a much greater speed differential, hence much more likelihood of dangerous interaction with pedestrians.
Ascending bike traffic will be quite slow, and more wobbly, also interfering with pedestrians.
We do not allow pedestrians in bike lanes, do we? Must be a reason for that! Do any of those organizations actually understand the dynamics of cycling?
Typical “inside the box” attitude by BTA and its cohorts.
I thought the streetcar was going to cross on the new Sellwood Bridge. I know bikes are discouraged on the Ross Island Bridge, but from a biker’s perspective, access much farther south than this would be a priority. Pie in the sky: why not a bike/ped Bridge at Bybee Blvd? Will the new Sellwood Bridge have super wide bike/ped lanes? I’ll keep using the old Sellwood, but it’s going to to be a long wait.
Can I be the 1st to propose this be dubbed the Vera Katz Bridge?
Nope, the streetcar was always scheduled to travel over this bridge.
Will this be a drawbridge or a high span? If its a high span- will it be easier to go on another bridge rather than climb the new one?
I estimate that grades on the new bridge will be somewhere between the Hawthorne and the Morrison.
If it’s that low of a grade then I assume it is a drawbridge?
Meanwhile the schools are trying to jack up our property taxes another 30 bucks a month.
And for just five schools. All in inner Portland. No thanks.
Oh my God they are trying to take away your right to a double grande mocha every day!
Oh wait that would be more than 30$ a month…
Yeah Duncan believe it or not some of us have households to manage and own more than a fixie and skinny jeans.
whatever dude you obviously do not know me- I own a a house, a car and a family here. I also want kids to go to good schools that my house has some value in 30 years, and thirty bucks a month is small change to pay for it.
Besides hipsters dont drink mochas, they need something as thin and bitter as they are. 😛
Yeah – better to shortchange the kids so we can get a new flatscreen TV and XBox.
Who will own this bridge after it’s built? Which org will manage it’s day to day maintenance?
Will it be a Metro bridge maintained by the Multnomah County bridge management and maintenance staff?
I do like the concept of car free bridge. Perhaps consider making wider bike lanes for the increasing bike cargo rigs that are rolling out. Another thought: Because petro production has peaked combined with China’s appetite for fuel increasing along with their currency value, we could have lanes on current city bridges become available for non-auto traffic sooner than we anticipate?
For straight answers about this bridge:
http://trimet.org/pm/library/bridge.htm
This bridge has at no time been a drawbridge or lift span.
Past Meeting Documents:
November 10, 2009
http://trimet.org/pdfs/pm/wrbac_meeting/docs/WRBAC_Presentation_2009-11-10.pdf
Most recent document:
Presentation to the American Public Works Association-Oregon Chapter, November 17, 2010
http://trimet.org/pdfs/pm/wrbac_meeting/PMLR_APWA_Presentation_11_17_10.pdf
page 30: shows a design constraint of less than 4.75% grade.
I think the wacky grooved “singing bike lane” might be a good idea on the downhill side of each bike way. At least the pedestrians that can hear their surroundings will get an auditory clue that there is something accelerating behind them.
Thanks for the link to the artists renderings. It is a beautifull design that will be nice for Portland.
It must be a somewhat high bridge to have clearance for ships to pass under at high tide?
It might be a good project for some students to make a model of this and run itthrough a series of tests, wind tunnel, shake rattle and roll test…
High Tide? Sorry, the Willamette is a river, not a bay or ocean. It doesn’t have tides. Now flooding, thats another matter.
Yet the bridge still isn’t a liftspan in any sense. Its a cable-stayed bridge, and isn’t going to budge.
Actually, the lower Willamette does have tides.
Everything on the lower Columbia system up to the first dam is tidally influenced most of the year, except at the highest water stages. That includes the Willamette as far south as the falls at Oregon City.
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/or/nwis/uv?cb_00060=on&cb_00065=on&format=gif_default&period=31&site_no=14211720
http://waterdata.usgs.gov/nwis/uv?cb_00065=on&format=gif_default&period=31&site_no=14144700
Indeed. If you ride the Eastbank esplanade at two different times of the same day, you can even visually see the tide change by how much the floating deck portion under the Burnside bridge has gone up or down.
and the Columbia all the way to Bonneville Dam.
Please, gag me with a spoon, no!
Why not put the name up for auction just like they do for sports arenas. That would put a lot of cash towards the cost of the bridge. “Resers Crossing” “Safeco Way” “Aquafinas Aquacross”…
Or maybe better yet- just name it after the street that it comes closest to
I havent been a huge fan of Sherman since the whole Atlanta thing…
I do hope you’re being ironic……….
I hope that they build the bridge structure strong enough so that, say, 5 years from now, when they decide to double the width of the bike lanes, the bridge structure can take the extra load.
I am really excited about this CARFREE bridge! I didn’t notice the grade was going to be so much, I’m glad Jonathan was able to point that out. Anyone know what the climbing grade of the Fremont bridge is?
I’ve gotta say, lets just take a page out from the Dutch and do it like the Erasmusbrug bridge in Rotterdam. Here’s a picture of the separation from the pedestrian side (left) from the bikeway (right):
http://www.flickr.com/photos/milov/22231558/
Given obesity in a America, the grade of the bridge is fine. Portlanders especially have gotten heavier from all that PBR and could use the workout.
Not to mention having it pretty easy having few hills in this town.
now if only we could get more people out on bikes to take advantage of it. don’t burn many calories sitting in your car no matter how many hills you climb.
Two comments: One, a 7′ path for cyclists seems luxurious–anybody else remember the Hawthorne bridge a long time ago, when you could see between the sidewalk BOARDS to the river? Two, it’s wonderful news to see a major capital project in the works that will not serve private automobile operators, who are already grotesquely overserved in our society.
Re: bridge grades:
The bridge reaches a maximum grade of 4.75% at mid-span. Grades on the approaches will be less than that. For reference, this grade is is similar to the scissors ramp at the North end of the Esplanade that takes you from the Steel Bridge to the Rose Quarter.
Colin Maher
TriMet
Colin, I really appreciate your participation in the comments. It’s great to have answers to these wonky questions from Trimet. Thank you!
Yeah, some of us manage households with 2 cars, 5 bikes 2 adults 1 teenager and several pets. We were forced to change to cheaper coffee years ago.
Should be named for my friend Ray Polani, who started all this transit/train stuff forty years ago.
Go Ray!
Should be named for either Earl Blumenauer, John Carroll or Charlie Hales.
I would guess John Carrol would like to build some lofts on the east side of the bridge? That area may become the next hot spot
Yea for Inner South East.
After supporting (and paying for) all the lines to the other parts of town, after being promised and let down for going on 15 years, we finally get a Max train !! And a car free bridge as a bonus. W00t !!
Bravo TriMet for a new bridge that serves MAX, Streetcar, three bus lines and the increasing number of folks on bikes and on foot. Now if we can just tear down the Marquam and rip up the eastbank freeway, so we can all hang out on the East Portland beach!
Please note that I’ve just updated the main image of the bridge in this story with a newer one that reflects the most current design… see it below and sorry for any confusion my original, outdated image caused:
Thanks for the clarification on that
Good Lord, give that bridge some color!
Just don’t make the mistake of tring to paint concrete, it looks so bad when the paint starts coming off, and nobody is going to go repaint the bridge
It sounds like Tri met has pulled the wool over all of your eyes….
Go ahead, let them over spend and take over our streets…….
Drive around admittedly unable to safely operate machinery, build what we don’t need instead of using what is there, you know, screw shit up royally.
I for one am not going to just sit complacently around and let supposed public transportation do whatever the hell they want, while cutting services to those who really need them.
I am going to make some noise…
Will it matter? Who knows…
Will it be heard?
Hell yeah…
GG of Portland? haha
Thanks for the update, Jonathan.
This will be a super facility, but given the grades and the sparse development at the west end it will not generate nearly the bike traffic that the Hawthorne did.
But if one is going down Clinton to OHSU it will be a godsend!
Well,
I guess it is not ok to disagree with Tri Met then,
as comments against them are moderated……
And here I thought that differing opinions are what allow proper ones to be made.
So much more to say…
Oh it came back.
Weird. Please retract sarcasm above..
I do love Bike Portland.
My opinions just don’t play well with others…..
This bridge should have a very nice view if it is a high bridge. I hope there will be a pull-out or two so folks can rest if they need to, fix a flat, and admire the view,.
Also, the design is begging for holiday lights and/or some kind of laser light display.
As for a bridge name, I’d vote for:
The Leslie Nielson Car-Free Causeway.
It was he who said “Truth hurts. Maybe not as much as jumping on a bicycle with a seat missing, but it hurts.” (Naked Gun 2 1/2)
!
Singing grooves? Great idea!
A suggestion to help promote and celebrate the new bridge once built:
For just one day per year, perhaps a Sunday in August, close the bridge to bikes and pedestrians.
On this day, allow cars, pickups, SUV’s will be allowed to drive on the multi use path. Make it a family friendly event – bring the kids, dogs, Grandma! Set up drive through “rest stops” on both ends of the bridge, with a free car wash / bio swale, DEQ emissions testing, etc.
Event registration fees can help pay for the new bridge, with a special discount for Clackamas County residents!
Any suggestions for naming the event?
“Bridge Drive”?
Sunday “Drive Day”?
Just one day per year…
LOVE THIS IDEA!!
Is anyone still calling this the Caruthers St. bridge? That’s a name I heard floating around in the early planning stages and one I’m partial to considering I grew up on Caruthers St. up around 34th.
It is no longer planned to be built on SE Caruthers, so that name is unlikely to be used now. However, there is still a chance since the Fremont Bridge doesn’t line up with Fremont Street either.
Maybe name it after the architect