The Portland Bureau of Transportation is facing pushback on a planned bike lane project in the Goose Hollow area. According to KOIN News, some residents of the 214-unit Tiller Terrace apartments on the corner of SW Alder and 17th are concerned about how changes planned by PBOT will impact their ability to park cars near the entrance to the building.
Here’s more from a story by KOIN on Tuesday night:
Miriam D’Arco lives in Tiller Terrace, caring for her 92-year old mother who has late-stage Alzheimer’s… She said she relies heavily on the ability to park a car in front of her apartment, in an area that she said is already tough to find parking. “If they’re going to limit parking even more, that’s a problem,” she said.
Later in the story KOIN reported that D’Arco, “said she feels displaced,” by the project and that removing the parking spots is tantamount to denying her access.
The project has been in the works since 2019. This specific phase was on hold while Tiller Terrace was being built. Sections of the bike lane have already been built and the plans to build them predate the existence of the apartments (the building opened in summer of 2024). PBOT’s plan (see below) is to build a two-way bike lane on the south side of Alder between SW 16th and 17th. It’s the last phase of a neighborhood greenway project that connects Northwest and Southwest. The two-way bike lane is necessary because the southbound route crosses Burnside on SW 16th, but SW 16th is one-way only at Alder, so the route needs to jog over to 17th to continue south.
To make room for the bike lane, PBOT’s plan is to re-allocate space currently used as free parking for 8-9 private cars. There would still be on-street parking on the north side of the street.
PBOT sent a letter to 2,500 addresses in the immediate area in January 2025 warning them that parking removal on Alder was coming. “This change will require removing parking on one side of SW Alder Street between SW 16th and 17th avenues,” the letter reads.
When asked about the concerns by KOIN reporters, PBOT spokesperson Dylan Rivera acknowledged the shortage of parking in the Goose Hollow area. “That’s why we need to get more people biking and walking, as much as possible. And that’s what a project like this is part of,” he said.
A meeting is scheduled for this evening between PBOT staff and tenants of the building. KOIN said it was organized by Tiller Terrace management. I’ll reach out to PBOT tomorrow and will post updates here.