(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)
They’re here!
As promised, the City of Portland has installed the first 20 mph signs. I noticed two on N. Michigan Ave last night and reader Zac Parker shared with us via Twitter that there are several on N. Williams Avenue between Dekum and Lombard.
When I shared PBOT’s work on Michigan yesterday, I didn’t even know I’d see 20 mph signs on it when I came home last night. These new signs will only further establish our growing network of bike boulevards/neighborhood greenways as streets where biking and living come first.
Imagine you’re in a car and you turn onto Michigan (or Going or SE Clinton, etc…): You see “Bumps Ahead” signs, sharrows, people biking, kids playing, 20 mph signs, medians at the crossings, bike wayfinding signage, and so on. I think 80% of will to either slow way down or simply avoid those streets in the future. We can critique the design details and complain about a lack of enforcement for the new lower speed limit; but I think it’s clear the sum of all these parts will have a major impact on how these streets serve people on bikes.
PBOT will install 300 of these signs on about 70 miles of streets in the coming weeks and months. Let us know where you see them pop up and share your thoughts about them in the comments.