(All photos by Todd Boulanger/Urbane Streets)
The Oregon Department of Transportation has begun a project that will have a big impact on bicycling in north Portland. As we’ve been promoting for months now, ODOT’s North Denver Avenue project is focused primarily on rehabbing the road between Victory Blvd (near Delta Park) and Argyle St (in Kenton); but it also comes with several enhancements for bicycling.
Unfortunately the project also comes with some road and path closures that will last up to 90 days and make bicycling in the area a bit more stressful.
This is an important link in the bikeway network because Denver provides access to Portland International Raceway (PIR), the bike paths along the Columbia Slough, Delta Park, Vancouver, Marine Drive, and so on.
ODOT has a temporary protected bike lane set up around their work zone and BikePortland reader Todd Boulanger (a former transportation planner for the City of Vancouver who’s now a consultant) got a closer look over the weekend.
ODOT has prohibited driving completely in the southbound direction on Denver. In its place they’ve installed a fully-protected biking and walking lane between Victory and Kenton. Boulanger said he was impressed how well the street functioned with just one direction of auto traffic.
Overall, Boulanger gives ODOT a “B+ for bikes” so far. His only quibble is their decision to close the Columbia Slough path (he thinks they should have reopened it on weekends) and a poor transition northbound that confuses bicycle riders.
Here are more photos from Boulanger…
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If you ride (or have ridden) in this work zone, please let us know about your experiences.
And note that the Columbia Slough path will be closed between Whitaker Road and Denver Ave until July 16th.
If you have questions about this project, learn more at ODOT’s website or contact Susan Hanson with ODOT community affairs at (503) 731-3490 or Susan.C.HANSON@odot.state.or.us.
This project is expected to be complete in the fall of 2015.