(Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
We’re nearly a month since crews first rolled the 475-foot long Congressman Earl Blumenauer Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge over I-84 and Sullivan’s Gulch.
Since then they’ve jumped the white tubular frame of the span over the Union Pacific Railroad tracks on the north side and have completed the connection to 7th Avenue. The deck where we’ll ride our bikes is still has a gap above the train tracks but you can easily visualize how it will eventually all come together.
Here are a few more views:
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And just to refresh your memory, here’s what the finished product is supposed to look like:
Can’t wait to ride on this thing next summer!
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any updates on the 7th Ave Greenway north and south of this bridge? How about the connection to the Esplanade?
Excited to see continued progress. I really hope PBOT, the surrounding communities and advocates can create a highly livable, compassionate and enjoyable environment that spreads many blocks beyond this bridge.
With the announced foreclosure of the Lloyd Center, I am beginning to have high hopes for how the area will change. Hopefully they tear down all the parking garages around the building (if they choose to reuse the main structure) and add as much housing as they can to the area. More people living close to the city, with excellent MAX, streetcar, bus, and bike connections is the kind of car free development that we need. To me, it’s on a similar scale of opportunity as the Pearl District when the Hoyt rail yard closed.
This is exactly where we should be building new housing, and the Lloyd super blocks are a fantastic opportunity. Minimal sub-subterranean car parking, street-facing commercial below residential, and large public courtyards. It’s all close to transit and will really activate 7th and the Green Loop.
That said, we are going to see some tough years ahead for this area. When the mall shuts down and maintenance ceases, things could get ugly in the area. There are still near-term concerns for both commercial real estate and large projects in general. See: the recent announcement on the post office blocks.
“Could get ugly”.
Nope, it will be a sh&;show of chaos and inhumanity. Hold onto your hats.
The top photo is really nice.
It’s been great to see the recent progress on this. I was kinda let down when I first drove past it and it was just “hanging” in space, without the support arc completed. It looks a lot better now that the span is completed, and it should provide a nice “welcome to PDX” moment.
It is 10% ped/bike infrastructure (saves going down to the creek), 90% freeway accommodation. I hope it was paid for on that basis.
Looks nice. Hope it will offset its carbon and make people happy by helping Portland walk and roll.