UPDATE: as of 6/18 at 12:45 pm, the path is now open!
The path on the lower deck of the Steel Bridge has been closed for a week now. It’s a crucial connection between the central city and many neighborhoods and destinations in north and northeast Portland.
According to reports from readers, the path has been closed since at least last Monday — not to mention intermittent closures and other obstructions in the area due to Fleet Week and Rose Festival activities (which began June 5th).
A spokesperson from the Portland Bureau of Transportation told BikePortland the reason for the closure is a technical malfunction. Here’s the full statement PBOT Communications Director Hannah Schafer:
“The cameras on the bridge were not functioning properly earlier this week due to a communications issue. When the cameras are disabled the Bridge Tender does not have the visual confirmation they need to confidently open/close the walkway, so they leave it closed for safety. A contractor has been called by the Bureau of Technology Services to fix the cameras and we hope they will be operational again soon so people walking, biking, and rolling can use the walkway. We hope the cameras will repaired and the path reopened ASAP. I don’t have a date for reopening at this time.”
In the interim, people can use the upper deck of the Steel Bridge (though the sidewalk there is more narrow, bikes can take the lane of course) or use an alternate bridge to get to their destination.”
Hopefully this gets sorted out right away, because the upper deck of the Steel Bridge is not a feasible option. The sidewalk is very narrow and not adequate for sharing between bicycle users and walkers. I worry if folks bike up there, it could lead to interactions that go badly. And taking the lane on the road is equally fraught. If PBOT wants people to even consider it, they should install temporary traffic calming and/or signage to make it safer.
Hang in there, and please let me know if you notice the gates open back up.