The City of Portland has just announced the return of in-person Sunday Parkways events. But instead of the usual five events, there will be only two.
The popular carfree open streets events celebrate their 15th anniversary this year and were last held in real life in 2019. Due to health concerns and the Covid-19 pandemic, PBOT held only self-guided, interactive sticker hunts for the past two years.
The 2022 events will take place on Sunday June 26th in the northeast Cully area and on Sunday August 21st in east Portland.
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The Cully neighborhood loop will go from the new Roseway Parkway on NE 72nd to Fernhill Park on NE Holman and 37th. The east Portland route will not be a loop (I think it’s the first non-loop route ever?) will go from Gateway Discovery Park at NE 106th and will wind on several neighborhood greenways to Parklane Park on SE 155th and Main.
We are thrilled the events are back, but it’s a bummer to have just two of them. Hopefully PBOT can get their footing back this year and come back even stronger in 2023!
Thanks for reading.
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Only two events?
Well, this is underwhelming
Interesting that they are doing it on 72nd, reminder that if the 72nd avenue project had stayed on schedule and not been gutted/postponed that 72nd would have a nice path through the park blocks and sidewalks and a cycle track north of prescott by now…
Budget cuts and sponsorships?
Thank you, Kaiser Permanente. PBOT is throwing a bone to the hoods most neglected…
Still, Sunday Parkways was always a great way to encourage more people to bike. For me, it was an opportunity to visit all the different neighborhoods in the city and have a great time with my partner and friends who weren’t everyday cyclists but enjoyed a great low stress ride.
I’m encouraged that these Parkways will provide a little relief for some of the small businesses that have been a staple at Parkways in the past.
PBOT should explain in detail why only 2 events.
Prior to COVID there were 4 or 5 events each year.
Please email PBOT and Commissioner of PBOT, and PBOT director (Warner) and his partner and lawmaker who frequently votes for wider freeways in Salem:
Even if they never answer your email please send one:
PBOTFrontDesk@portlandoregon.gov
joann@portlandoregon.gov
chris.warner@portlandoregon.gov
rep.barbaraSmithWarner@oregonlegislature.gov
It is criminal in a climate crisis that Oregon taxes bikes and keeps building wider freeways but can’t even maintain transportation advocacy events.
These leaders must answer basic questions. These events get people motivated to put air in bike tires and get out. I would bet anyone could do data collection and find that many people ride bikes for errands or work after these parkways events only due to the fact that the parkways event happened.
I found 2 PBOT vehicles at 7:30am the other day working to sweep the houseless.
click here for the picture
or click below for the picture
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1kDPZ8bfCDB75-IKzZvGODDrSP-4fiGXx/view?usp=sharing
The money is there to save the planet, but we have leaders who don’t even answer questions. Give it a try. Send them a question.
Signed, Joe
my guess is because Pedal-Palooza is mostly in inner SE/NE and rarely has any bike events in cully and outer east portland. Pedalpalooza is also ALL SUMMER LONG this year, again like last year.
Only two events is better than none.
Especially at a time when a global pandemic has killed hundreds of thousands of people and decimated the global economy.
I’m pleased that this is coming back at all.
Two events this year, and with enough support from road users and state and local government, perhaps more next year.
Only two events? Zero events in SE? How is Portland supposed to “comeback” this summer if the city is reducing popular events like Sunday Parkways by 60%?
Once again, the city of Portland has forgotten about Southwest Portland