PBOT’s NW in Motion plan worth supporting, activists say

Just over two years after the Portland Bureau of Transportation embarked on an effort to double the rate of cycling in northwest Portland, their plan to accomplish that goal is up for adoption by City Council.

This Thursday (10/8) at 2:00 pm, Mayor Ted Wheeler and the four commissioners will hear a presentation on Northwest in Motion. We’ve published eight stories on the plan since May 2018 and now it’s time to get it passed and implemented.

Local bike advocacy group Bike Loud PDX supports the plan and is encouraging their members to testify at council. They sent out the email below to their supporters yesterday explaining why it’s worth getting behind:

PBOT is planning to install 17 new diverters across the district within the next two years, in addition to many crossing improvements on busier streets. With these sensible, inexpensive changes, PBOT expects biking to double within five years, an impressive achievement that shows some ambition. This plan is also piloting several exciting programs for “self-enforcing” streets through district-wide traffic calming measures, a more equitable way to keep our streets safe without the use of law enforcement.

What’s great about Northwest in Motion?

→ PBOT is moving fast! All phase one diverters (there are 17 of them!) will be installed within two years, and most within one year.

→ For a modest $2.5 million investment in neighborhood greenways, bike riding is projected to nearly double, from the current 8% to 14%.

→ We have a chance to correct long standing inequities. NW Portland has had a failing greenway system for years, despite the many residents who have low incomes, are renters, or have no access to cars. NW Portland was ranked as one of the worst areas in the city for excessively high vehicle counts on neighborhood greenways in 2015, and none met standards for All Ages and Abilities.

… NW Portland won’t get another chance for quality transportation investments like this one for a while, so we need to make it count.

If you’d like to testify at the Council meeting Thursday, you’ll need to register via this Zoom link by today (10/6) at 4:00 pm.

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
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