Loading platforms have come a long way since 2020. Back then, when the Portland Bureau of Transportation saw them as a way for bus operators to service customers away from the curb, while still allowing bicycle traffic to roll by, the agency said, “Over the next several years, this tool will be implemented in a variety of contexts and locations throughout the city.”
Four years later and PBOT has not only kept their word, they’ve significantly improved the design and implementation. The three newest loading platforms installed on Southwest Broadway are a big upgrade. I still want to see how they do under high volume situations, but after spending some time with them a few days ago, my first impressions are very positive.
Spurred by concerns of bad interactions between guests and bicycle riders, hotel managers and valet staff worked with PBOT to come up with a solution that would work for everyone (for more on how these relate to the Broadway Bike Lane Scandal, read this story). With parking-protected bike lanes, it was too easy for folks outside busy areas like hotel loading zones to park illegally against the curb. And without adequate signage or design cues; hotel staff, guests, and bike riders didn’t always navigate the right-of-way with each others’ safety and convenience in mind.
Enter these new platforms:
Benson (SW Oak)
Heathman/Schnitz (SW Salmon/Main)
Hotel Vance (SW Columbia)
They are fully hardscaped with permanent concrete ramps and curbs, the bike lane is painted solid green, there’s minimal use of plastic posts, and there’s a grooved, yellow divider between the bike lane and sidewalk. There’s also ample length (about 2-3 car parking spots) for gentle slopes up and down and signage that communicates expected behaviors for all users.
There are three new platforms on Broadway: in front of the Benson at SW Oak, the Heathman at SW Salmon, and Hotel Vance at SW Columbia. (These are in addition to existing platforms at NW Couch and SW Main.) PBOT says they cost about $90,000 a piece.
They all worked well for me. The one at the Benson has a bit of a rough entry angle, but other than that it was smooth sailing. And because there are now two of these upgraded platforms on the block between Salmon and Main — in front of the Heathman and the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall — it’s almost like we have an above-grade, separated cycle-track for that entire block.
In addition to practical benefits, I believe these platforms have intrinsic value and are the type of thing that can create a positive feedback loop for bicycling and bike facilities more broadly. It goes something like this: When we build high quality bike facilities, it leads to better behaviors by users and more respect for the people using them, which in turn leads to political inertia to build more high quality infrastructure, and the cycle continues.
Then of course I visited on a slow day downtown, so maybe my bubble will burst on a busy day when the bike lane and hotels are more crowded. We’ll see. For now, I’ve got a very good feeling about these and hope they’re an example of the type of quality we’ll see on the nearby SW 4th Avenue project PBOT is working on.
Have you ridden these yet? What do you think?
Watch video below:
