See the exciting progress PBOT has made on Naito Parkway bike projects

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

2 years ago

In the in-progress bike lane north of Morrison Bridge. Note: This project is not complete so please respect all work zone signs and detours!
(Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)

A key to a vibrant waterfront in Portland’s central city is to make sure people not using cars can use Naito Parkway safely and efficiently. Two major projects underway take massive steps toward that goal. In the last several months the Portland Bureau of Transportation has made exciting progress on their South Naito Improvement project (south of Hawthorne Bridge) and the Better Naito Forever project (north of the bridge).

According to an email from PBOT this morning, the SW Naito project is “substantially complete.” There’s just one lingering issue with an asbestos-coated water line between SW Harrison and Market that needs inspection from the Water Bureau. Once that happens, PBOT expects to do final paving in spring 2022. On Better Naito Forever, PBOT expects the project to be “substantially complete” by the end of this month! “Crews will return in the spring to plant additional trees, install planters, and install permanent striping,” said PBOT Capital Projects and Communications Coordinator Hannah Schafer.

Both projects will result in bike lanes that are physically protected from other lanes. They also come with new and safer crossings for vulnerable road users, less space for drivers, a new sidewalk in Waterfront Park, major investments in signals (including a bunch of bike signals), and more. Beyond the project elements themselves however, I’m most excited about how these new links will build connections to other parts of the bike network — like PBOT’s recent work on the Flanders bikeway, SE Hawthorne Blvd, Naito north of the Broadway Bridge, new protected lanes on SW/NW Broadway, and so on.

I recently biked from SW Market to NW Couch and snapped some pics to give you a sense of how it’s all coming together. The photos below will start at Market and go north to Couch. Please note two things: Both of these new bikeways will have two-way bike traffic on them and the projects are still not complete, so please obey all work zone cautions and signage:

On Naito near SW Market looking north at Harbor/Waterfront Park intersection.

Ramp from Waterfront Park to SW Clay/S Harbor.

View of new ramp that connects Waterfront Park to SW Clay/S Harbor and Naito.

(New ramp from Waterfront Park up to SW Clay/S Harbor intersection)

Northeast corner of Naito and SW Clay/S Harbor.

The new separated bike path just south of SW Columbia.

New intersection at Naito and Jefferson.

Southbound at Jefferson as you go under Hawthorne Bridge viaduct.

Under the Hawthorne, PBOT hasn’t built the curb yet.

In the new Better Naito bike lane approaching Salmon Street Springs.

To show some context for the traffic separator curb.

From the general travel lane just south of Morrison Bridge.

Approaching Skidmore Fountain/Saturday Market. Note the new sidewalk. It will be interesting to see how this is used during the summer festival season.

Approaching Skidmore Fountain/Saturday Market.

Diverter on NW Couch to encourage bike riders to use this to access Flanders and other bikeways.

For more details on each of these projects, click our archive tags below. Also see their respective project pages on the PBOT website: SW Naito and Better Naito.

Much excite! Stay tuned!