Volunteers clear the shoulder for a safer climb to Rocky Butte

Sometimes the path to safer biking and walking infrastructure is to simply keep what we already have clean and clear of obstructions. That’s one reason many cycling advocates talk about bike lane maintenance and sweeping as a core concern.

That’s also why about a dozen Portlanders showed up Sunday morning to clean up the shoulder of Northeast Rocky Butte Road. Their focus was on clearing the last half-mile section of the road that’s marked by sharp curves. With vegetation that has grown into the shoulder, these sweeping turns — which also create short sight lines — push bicycle riders and walkers even further into traffic and create dangerous conditions for everyone.

Rocky Butte is an extinct volcano surrounded by natural areas and homes just west of the I-84 and I-205 interchange (across the freeway from Gateway Green). It’s a very popular route for folks looking for an escape from city streets and test themselves with a climb that’s rewarded with a panoramic view from the park atop the butte.

The event was hosted by Friends of Rocky Butte and was sponsored by the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF), whose mini-grant program helped pay for supplies and refreshments. Friends of Rocky Butte is a nonprofit that works to activate the area for recreation and community use. Their long-term goal is to bring together the patchwork of agencies that currently control land around the butte (Oregon Department of Transportation, City of Portland, and Oregon State Parks) under one coordinated management structure. Once unified, the group hopes to see investments in trails for walkers, runners, mountain bikers, and climbers — making Rocky Butte an urban recreation hub. (Last month the group hosted a live music concert in the historic tunnel that cuts through the butte.)

After coffee and donuts at a nearby park, volunteers split into two crews: One group tackled the hazardous turn (cutting back thick brush, widening the shoulder, creating a trail); the other group cleared vegetation along nearby sections, removing trash and vegetation and smoothing uneven ground. Before they got out there, the Portland Bureau of Transportation sent out a maintenance truck to cut back the thickest brush.

Before and after photos show their work has made a dramatic difference by opening up several feet of road space for folks on bikes and on foot. “There were loads of walkers and bikers all morning saying ‘thanks!’ as they went by,” Friends of Rocky Butte Board Member (and Executive Director of Oregon Walks) Zachary Lauritzen shared with me after the event.

“Sunday’s work — to create a safe alternative to walking in the road to access the summit — is a first step forward in achieving our vision,” Friends of Rocky Butte Board Treasurer (and NW Trail Alliance board member) Daniel Stuart added.

Lauritzen said the event should be a model of how the city works with community groups. “It’s a great example of a public-private partnership stretching the public dollar. PBOT did a first pass with their big machinery so that volunteers – people who care about improving their neighborhood and are willing to do something about it – could pick up tools and finish the job. For Rocky Butte to be a success story, this will be the first of many opportunities to improve the area.”

Stay tuned to Oregon Walks to take part in a series of walks to the Rocky Butte summit and keep your eyes on the Shift Calendar for group rides to the top of the butte. Biking up for the sunset is a rite of passage for Portland cyclists.

— Friends of Rocky Butte
— Oregon Walks