The open streets movement is spreading into the suburbs. Today the City of Wilsonville (about 18 miles south of Portland) announced they will hold their first-ever “Sunday Streets” event on August 19th.
Here’s more from South Metro Area Regional Transit (SMART):
“This free event will focus on connecting neighborhoods, parks, and people: bicyclists, walkers, runners, seniors, adults and children will enjoy traffic-free streets filled with fun and interactive entertainment, music, physical activities, and food.”
Wilsonville Mayor Tim Knapp says the event will give residents a chance to, “explore our community from a different view.”
According to SMART program manager Jen Massa Smith, the route will be a five mile loop with three “activity centers” and “plenty of space to play.”
The City of Wilsonville is encouraging people to bike or walk to the event directly from their homes and they’re also offering free shuttle service on the SMART Trolley.
In their press release announcing the event, Wilsonville points out that they are the first suburban city in Oregon to host this type of event. That little boast is sure to catch the eye of folks in Washington County. Last week we shared the news that Beaverton plans to host a Sunday Trailways event later this month. That event was inspired by Portland’s Sunday Parkways, but the route consists only of the Fanno Creek Trail (which is not a street).
Wilsonville is funding Sunday Streets through a grant from Metro’s Regional Travel Options program and a sponsorship from ODOT. Check out the event website for more details.