PBOT plans major changes at SE Lincoln and 92nd

The City of Portland is all set to update the intersection of Southeast Lincoln and 92nd in the Montavilla Neighborhood. It’s part of a $112,000 effort aimed at improving safety for everyone, especially people trying to access nearby Harris Park school. Below is a report on the project by Jacob Loeb initially posted on Montavilla News.

SE 92nd Avenue at SE Lincoln Street features an unusual and confusing intersection thanks to a southbound turnout lane. This poorly marked configuration creates ambiguous crossing points for cars, bikes, and pedestrians. This summer, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will implement several safety improvements and restructure this complicated “T” intersection.

Funded through the Fixing Our Streets program, PBOT crews will add a marked crosswalk and a median refuge island on SE 92nd Avenue aligned with the southwest corner of SE Lincoln Street. Workers will repaint 250 feet of the bike lanes on both sides of SE 92nd Avenue to place riders against the curb. Eleven round cement lane separators will provide a protected buffer zone between the bike lane and automotive traffic near the intersection.

As a result of the expanded bike lanes and pedestrian safety improvements, PBOT will create two new “No Parking” zones and extend one zone further south. This parking change will remove six curbside parking spaces. However, the lane reconfiguration will add back four new parking spaces. Newly painted buffer zones on the east side of SE 92nd Avenue will support two parking spaces located between the bike and northbound traffic lanes. The southbound turnout will provide space for two additional parking spaces on its eastern edge. When complete, PBOT expects the project to eliminate two on-street auto parking spaces.

PBOT crews will add another new marked crosswalk to aid pedestrians crossing SE Lincoln Street when traveling on the west side of SE 92nd Avenue. This portion of the project will require a street corner reconstruction and the installation of 90-feet of new sidewalk. Much of SE Lincoln Street lacks consistent sidewalk infrastructure. Creating new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant ramps and a short sidewalk connector will facilitate a clear, protected path to the enhanced SE 92nd Avenue crossing point.

As a well-traveled route to Berrydale Park and nearby schools, this confusing intersection needs these safety updates. PBOT’s changes should provide clearer cues for all road users by using physical lane delineators in conjunction with road markings. Additionally, the median island will incentivize fast-moving drivers to slow down as the roadway narrows, giving them time to avoid potential collisions. Look for construction to begin in summer, and use caution while crews are working in the street.