Advocates support protected bike lanes at ‘Bike Broadway Day’

(Video from this morning’s event. Browse photos below.)

This morning on the corner of Southwest Broadway and Harvey Milk, Portlanders gathered in support of protected bike lanes.

The event, hosted by all-volunteer nonprofit advocacy group BikeLoud PDX, comes just weeks after Portland City Commissioner Mingus Mapps and Portland Bureau of Transportation Director Millicent Williams planned to roll back the design of the protected bike lane on Broadway to a previous version that PBOT staff warned would be less safe.

With the fight to save the Broadway bike lane largely over, BikeLoud wants to raise awareness of the importance of protected bike lanes — for keeping people safe and for revitalizing downtown. BikeLoud volunteers held signs and passed out free coffee, donuts, and other snacks to passersby.

“We’re here to show people that are on this bike lane today that we support them,” BikeLoud Chair Nic Cota said in an address to the crowd. “And I know all city councilors say their number one issue is public safety. This is public safety, right? This is keeping the public safe.”

Downtown worker Ean Howe was thrilled to see the event. He was biking into work and stopped to fill up his coffee mug when I heard him say Broadway is his favorite bike lane. “This is one of the important bike lanes on my daily commute,” Howe said. “Whenever I make a turn into the beginning of a bike lane, I have a little rush of, ‘This is the place for me!'” There’s a bike lane right here for me to turn into. “

“I take this one to work every day… when I heard they were going to possibly close this bike lane, I just had a cussin’ fit and got on Reddit asking where I could voice my displeasure. I feel great about knowing that they’re not going to take away my favorite bike lane.”

Kristin Sweeney rode to the event from north Portland early this morning to show her support. “I ride this lane every Saturday with my kids on our cargo bike. It used to be really dangerous when the bike lane was right next to the traffic and now it feels a lot safer.”

Commissioner Mapps and Director Williams said the design change was necessary mostly because local business interests and hotel managers have voiced concerns about it. While we now know that at least one major hotel on Broadway strongly supports the current bike lane, it’s clear other influential business interests have had an influence on City Hall.

But BikeLoud’s leader Nic Cota, doesn’t see it as an either/or proposition. He believes quality, protected bike lanes are just what downtown Portland needs to create the type of environment that will help revitalize downtown. “It’s a win to have these in here for everybody. For the hotels, for the businesses… biking means business. I know a lot of people who come to downtown Portland knowing that this protected bike lane is hear and they may have not made that decision if it wasn’t… [Bike lanes like the one on Broadway] are the future of Portland, so let’s let’s get behind it. Let’s support it and let’s let’s show people what it means to use them and support people that rely on them.”

Headed to New York City for Vision Zero Cities conference

I have some exciting news: I’m going back to New York City!

My goal: To cover the Vision Zero Cities conference hosted by nonprofit streets advocacy group Transportation Alternatives.

Some of you might recall my trip to the Big Apple back in 2012. I made the trip to cover the inaugural NACTO Designing Cities conference. NACTO, short for National Association for City Transportation Officials, (a counterbalance to the more conservative American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials, or AASHTO), was fledgling back then and the conference gave me the chance to meet amazing people and tell the story of New York City’s emergence as a cycling power in the U.S.

That trip was the best (and most fun!) reporting I’ve ever done outside of Portland. I was able to interview legendary former NYC DOT chief Janette Sadik-Khan, Streetsblog financier Mark Gorton, cover a speech were former NYC Mayor Michael Bloomberg proclaimed that cyclists were more important than drivers, highlight Manhattan’s hard-working deliveristas, experience Central Park in fall, ride-along with a first-time commuter, and more.

Then, just as I packed up to go home, we got word that a major hurricane was bearing down. I decided to extend the trip to wait out the storm and it was the right decision! Imagine being a cycling journalist in America’s largest city after it was it with a hurricane that damaged buildings, cut electricity to thousands, and flooded the subway. I got to ride around Manhattan during a blackout, survey damage first-hand, and photograph one of the most remarkable commutes in the history of cities as a subway shutdown stranded tens of thousands of people who took to feet and bike to get to work.

And then, I witnessed bicycling emerge not just as a mobility tool, but as a power-generator, community-builder, and lifesaver.

Suffice it to say, I can’t wait to go back and see how the city’s infrastructure has evolved and changed in the past 11 years.

My itinerary has extra days beyond the Vision Zero conference, but the event’s speakers and topics will be a major focus. The speaker list includes two Portlanders: Sam “Bike Bus” Balto, and Michelle DuBarry who will represent Families for Safe Streets. I’ve covered both Sam and Michelle several times here on BikePortland, so it will be fun to see their voices lifted to a national stage.

The two conference keynotes will be given by author and Houston DOT Director Veronica Davis and The War on Cars podcast co-host Doug Gordon. There are three full days of virtual sessions, field tours (including a bike bus ride with Sam!) and breakout sessions. With traffic safety at an all-time low, there’s tremendous urgency around Vision Zero and I’m eager to hear what our country’s best and brightest have to share about it.

I leave late Tuesday night (10/17), which means I’ll have to miss Bike Happy Hour.

I’ll miss being here, and I get nervous about missing local news when I’m gone; but the break from Portland will do me good. If you are reading this from New York City and have a story idea and/or a connection or event you’d like me to make while I’m in town, please get in touch!

One last thing… this trip is a hefty expense for this little business and I need sponsors and financial support to help make it sting a bit less. If you or your company wants to come along as a sponsor, just email me at maus.jonathan@gmail.com and we’ll work something out. And if you value the work I do/will do and are able to support it, I would really appreciate your help.

Please visit BikePortland.org/support where it’s easy to subscribe or contribute funds. If you’re on Venmo, we’re @bikeportland.

And stay tuned! I’ll be sharing photos, maybe some audio and podcasts, a social media video or two — you never know what I’ll be inspired to create or what story might present itself. Thanks for all your support.

Pedal-powered B-Line adds Biketown battery swapping to its urban cargo business

A local, pedal-powered freight delivery company will soon fill their cargo boxes with Biketown batteries.

One year after they signed a contract to handle Lime’s electric scooter battery swapping and rebalancing, B-Line Urban Delivery announced Wednesday they will play a similar role for Portland’s Nike-sponsored bike share system.

B-Line says the collaboration with Lyft, the company that operates Biketown, is a “swift and green solution to battery swapping” for the Biketown fleet and that it signifies, “a strategic move to amplify the impact of eco-friendly commuting in the city.”

As of spring 2023, B-Line’s electric cargo trikes had replaced over 320,000 truck miles and have prevented well over a half-million pounds of carbon dioxide from entering the atmosphere.

Lyft and B-Line say the benefits of their battery-swapping partnership will be felt not only by Mother Earth, but in system uptime as well. B-Line’s trikes can swap depleted batteries out faster than Lyft’s current system, so more Biketown bikes will be fully charged and ready to ride. And without as many large vans tending to the fleet, the roads will be safer, and more efficient with less traffic.

Larch Mtn Road is now open with perfect pavement and other upgrades

Try not to drool. (Photos: Multnomah County)

It’s really scary when you’re bombing down Larch Mountain Road and your fingers and core are nearly frozen because you didn’t respect the elevation and you come around a corner at 30+ mph and narrowly miss a crack or a pothole.

Ask me how I know!

That’s why I’m so excited to share that this road — one of my favorites — is now sweeter and smoother than ever thanks to a just-completed project by Multnomah County. The county spent about $5.1 million of (mostly) federal funds to repave and repair East Larch Mountain Road between mileposts 7 and 14. They smoothed it out, cut back vegetation, repainted the fog lines and centerline — and it’s now open and ready to ride after a three-month closure.

And related to aforementioned elevation (3,700 feet, highest road in the county), it will close again (at milepost 10) when winter sets in, so you better get up there and hit this new pavement while you can.

If you haven’t yet explored Larch on your bike, check out one of my favorite rides on Ride With GPS for a good route suggestion, elevation profile, and so on. Have fun up there! Just remember to pack gloves and extra layers for the ride down.

— Learn more about the paving project on Multnomah County’s website.

PBOT: New diverter coming to intersection where Jeanie Diaz was hit and killed

Looking north on SE Cesar Chavez from SE Taylor with the bus stop where Diaz was standing on the left. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)

Three months after a woman was killed while waiting for the bus on the corner of Southeast Cesar Chavez Blvd and Taylor, the Portland Bureau of Transportation is set to move forward on a change to the intersection.

On July 15th, 43-year-old Jeanie Diaz had just finished her work day as the children’s librarian at a Multnomah County Library branch across the street from the bus stop when a reckless, speeding, intoxicated driver lost control of their car and rolled onto the sidewalk.

This tragic death on a busy corner of a popular neighborhood greenway street sent shockwaves through the community. It also underscored safety issues on one of southeast Portland’s busiest, most dangerous streets. In 2021, 23-year-old Austin Boyd was hit and killed by a driver while walking on Cesar Chavez at SE Clinton just 0.8 miles south of where Diaz was struck.

PBOT has funded plans to reduce driving lanes on Cesar Chavez south of Taylor from SE Powell Blvd to Holgate, and to build a new signal at Gladstone and Chavez (the intersection where 22-year-old Mark Angeles was killed by a driver while bicycling in 2015). That project isn’t slated for construction in the 2024-2025 fiscal year.

Rendering of future diverter at SE Taylor and Chavez PBOT shared with neighborhood groups this morning. (I realize it’s blurry. It’s not my fault, I’ll update with better one if/when I can find it.P)

The section of Cesar Chavez where Jeanie Diaz died won’t receive that type of significant change in the near future. Instead, what PBOT just announced to the Sunnyside Neighborhood Association this morning, is a smaller project. They plan to install a diverter at the intersection of Cesar Chavez and Taylor that will prevent left turns to and from Chavez.

In an email to Sunnyside advocates, a PBOT staffer acknowledged this diverter doesn’t directly address what led to the July 15th crash. “However, in addition to the safety benefits I describe above,” wrote the PBOT staffer, “we have found that adding vertical elements, like a diverter, tend to slow driving speeds. The location of this installation may not have stopped the exact actions of the driver in the crash three months ago, but it may slow down a different driver, or discourage dangerous weaving, and that could prevent another tragedy in the future.

According to a PBOT analysis performed as part of their fatal crash review following Diaz’s death, left turns accounted for 25% of all crashes at this location while only 1.7% of all vehicles entering the intersection were turning left.

The diverter should also improve safety for bicycle riders using the SE Taylor greenway and for people walking across the street to reach the library and other destinations.

As for more significant changes to the intersection like a wider sidewalk and/or a buffer between car drivers and sidewalk users? That could only happen if the existing, four-lane cross-section changed — and barring a strong consensus and political pressure from adjacent residents — that’s unlikely to happen any time soon.

“We have talked about… what does it look like… if we go to a three-lane cross-section? Or potentially even a two-lane cross-section?”
– Wendy Cawley, PBOT City Traffic Engineer

At a meeting of the Richmond Neighborhood Association land use and transportation committee on September 26th, PBOT City Traffic Engineer Wendy Cawley said it’s too late to expand the scope of the planned road diet south of Powell Blvd. “That said, we have talked about when we’re doing the analysis of that project south of Powell, what does it look like on the pieces north of Powell up to Stark if we go to a three-lane cross-section? Or potentially even a two-lane cross-section? And so we’re hopeful that there’s some synergy there where we can do some larger analysis.”

If all goes according to plan, the new diverter should be installed by early next month.

Job: BIkeshare Operations – Shift Transit

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Job Title

BIkeshare Operations

Company / Organization

Shift Transit

Job Description

SHIFT Transit is a leading mobility operations company, serving a wide variety of clients in the transportation industry. By working in close collaboration with our clients and providing a terrific service in each of our business units, we have been able to grow our client base and footprint exponentially from coast to coast.

SHIFT Transit is seeking individuals to execute the day-to-day responsibilities of managing a bike program on campus in Beaverton, OR. To be successful in this position, you must enjoy working outdoors in all weather conditions, have good manual dexterity, and be able to use common hand tools. The ideal candidate has an excellent work ethic with a can-do attitude and is able to take direction within a dynamic, hands-on team environment.

The candidate must excel at working independently, as well as within an overall team structure that places utmost importance on customer and team safety.

**Candidate must successfully pass mandatory DMV background check and drug-screen, in accordance to local government, in order to be considered**

Primary Responsibilities:

Responsible for the successful program execution of bike services.
Deliver world-class customer experience to riders through behind-the-scenes operational excellence.
React quickly and appropriately to ensure excellent customer experiences.
Work closely with General Manager and all supervisors to ensure flawless program execution.
Intricate attention to detail while performing Shift Transit’s standard inspection.
Proactive approach to task completion utilizing internal task completion platforms while working as a team.
Must be adaptable to an incredibly dynamic and fast-paced work environment.
Responsible for moving bikes to and from the warehouse and stations throughout the bike system.
Attend events and promote the program where applicable.
Maintain station cleanliness and operability.
Assist with fieldwork such as battery and telecom maintenance.
Log all repairs and materials used during service.
Maintain a clean/safe work area.
Adhere to all policies and procedures
Manage inbound and outbound customer service support in a timely manner
Equipment troubleshooting
Minor mechanical bike and station maintenance and repairs
Perform other duties as assigned
Required Skills and Experience:

High School diploma or equivalent.
Bike maintenance experience not required but preferred
Demonstrated proficiency in Microsoft Office and other common technological business tools.
Highly effective communication skills, both verbal and written.
Proven ability to manage multiple assignments and meet deadlines. Candidate is organized and systematic with managing their workload.
Must be willing to work in all weather conditions outside, year-round.
Availability to work nights, weekend and/or holidays.
This position may require some limited travel.
Must have a valid driver’s license.
Must have the ability to bend, stoop and stand for long periods of time.
Must be able to lift 75 pounds.
Additional Information

All personnel may be required to perform duties outside of their normal responsibilities due to the nature of work performed to accomplish SHIFT Transit key performance indicators.

Employees who perform safety-sensitive functions will submit to drug and/or alcohol testing in accordance to the Department of Transportation (DOT) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA) regulatory requirements.

We provide equal opportunity to all qualified individuals regardless of race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, veteran status, genetic information or disability.

How to Apply

Email resume and cover letter to tennis@shifttransit.net

I was ready to ride in the rain, until it rained

Does this sound familiar?

After so many hot days, I was looking forward to the return of chilly wet Portland weather. With anticipation, I went to a thrift store to pick out a new-to-me rain jacket. I checked the kid’s gear to see that I had jackets, pants, and boots that fit them. I washed items still caked in last year’s mud with Nikwax tech wash to re-waterproof those outer layers. I even attended a fantastic Winter Gear Clinic with Ride Westside in Beaverton. I was ready.

And then it rained.

I kid you not, I looked out the window at the dripping, dreary wetness and said, “weeeelll, maybe we’ll just drive.” To make matters more ridiculous, the drive was to soccer practice, outside, in the rain, and I’m the coach. That’s right, I was heading out to stand outside in the rain for an hour, and I was still intimidated to take my first rainy ride of the year!

In fact, the only reason I had the gumption to head out, with all five of my children, to bike in the rain, was because I didn’t want to be a hypocrite. And the only way to avoid that, was to put on all that rain gear — and a brave face — and head outside.

As is usually the case, once we put on our gear, got everyone on the bikes, and began to pedal, we were fine. Better than fine. We were smiling, delighted to be pedaling, laughing at the drips and drops of water that trickled down my face and the kids’ fancy raincover. Truth be told, we thoroughly enjoyed it.

I hope you also made it out to ride in the rain this week, but if you stayed inside or hopped in a car at the first sign of water, I do hope you’ll give rainy riding a try. It’s not so bad. It’s not so hard. You might even find you like it.

You will definitely want to get proper rain/winter gear, which makes a world of difference for rainy riding. (I’ll share our family’s favorite gear in a separate post). If you already have the gear, but are still tempted to reach for the car keys, here are some ideas to get you riding in the rain with a smile.

Rainy Inspiration

Read: There’s No Such Thing as Bad Weather: A Scandinavian Mom’s Secrets for Raising Healthy, Resilient, and Confident Kids by Linda Åkeson McGurk. I like this book so much, I think about it every time it rains and I consider re-reading it every autumn. You can find it at Powell’s.

Watch: Be inspired by year-round family bikers and see how they manage winter weather. I enjoy seeing what local dad Shawne Martinez is up to, riding around greater Portland and Tigard with his kiddo every day. I also follow cargobikemomma Maddy Novich on Instagram. She rides year-round with kiddos in NYC weather. And she has an awesome winter helmet. Sometimes Instagram can make you jealous. Their pics just make me want to go for a bike ride.

Challenge: Make a fun rain challenge for your family. How many rainy rides can you do this month? Can you make it a competition with another bikey family or group of families? Which of you will win the most-bike-rides-in-the-rain challenge? Maybe you can even come up with a prize for the winners. If you want to make it a collective (rather than competitive) challenge, you could decide that you’ll all have a pizza party once your group completes 100 rides in the rain. (This sounds like a fun way to get kids riding to school too.) It’s amazing how a little challenge, accountability, or promise of a reward can be just the nudge you need to get on the bike. Your kids might really get into it and even try to come up with extra reasons to go for a rainy bike ride–if it means winning!

Reward: Treat yourself to quality winter gear. I take the reward-in-reverse approach. I start with a reward, which encourages me to use it. Every Fall, I pick at least one new-to-me piece of winter gear that I am really excited about. Last year, I splurged on an Alpaca wool hat and fingerless gloves from a local HIllsboro Alpaca farm. I wore them every day. I liked them so much, I wanted an excuse to go outside, just so I could enjoy wearing them again.

After all that, the best thing to do is just get out there and ride. Sometimes the first rainy ride of the year is the hardest. Go ahead and get it done! We’d love to see you out there.

Weekend Event Guide: Alice Awards, Bike Broadway, Cyclocross Crusade, and more

Get pumped for some Heron Lakes racing! (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)

Welcome to the weekend.

Hopefully you’ve got your wet weather situation figured out and you’re staying (relatively) dry and cozy out there. If you need some extra support and inspiration, consider riding with a group. Our weekly event guide is a great place to find your people — and find that support and confidence you need to keep riding through all the seasons.

Check out our ride and event picks below. And thanks for riding your bike!

Friday, October 13th

Bike Broadway Day – 8:00 to 11:00 am on SW Broadway at Harvey Milk
Join advocates from BikeLoud PDX for this gathering in appreciation of protected bike lanes. They’ll have free coffee and donuts, as well as free pedicab rides. You can even test out the bike lane sweeper! More info here.

Bike One Millionth Brompton Ride – 4:30 pm at Clever Cycles (SE)
The iconic folding bike from London was invented nearly 50 years ago and the millionth one to roll off the factory floor is in Portland this weekend on a world tour celebration. Geek out with fellow folder aficionados at this ride and event. More info here.

Friday Night Ride – 7:00 pm at Ladd Circle Park (SE)
The weekly FNR is a great place to find your people. And this week’s ride will connect with the monthly Midnight Mystery Ride! More info here.

Saturday, October 14th

Bicycle Repair Class – 2:00 pm at Green Lents Tool Library (SE)
A local bicycle builder will share her tips and tricks on how to fix and maintain your bike at this free workshop. RSVP required. More info here.

Alice Awards – 5:00 pm at Oregon Zoo (SW)
Dress up for a night at the zoo where The Street Trust will honor advocates and leaders at their annual fundraiser. More info here.

Sunday, October 15th

Cyclocross Crusade #1 – All Day at Heron Lakes PIR (N)
It’s the first race of the 30th anniversary season of our beloved ‘cross series and the fun kicks off at the local Heron Lakes course at PIR just north of downtown Kenton. More info here.

Monthly Overlook Ride – 9:30 am at Stacks Coffeehouse (N)
Join Overlook Neighborhood Association transportation chair Nic Cota for a tour of this wonderful north Portland neighborhood. See the fall leaves popping off while chatting with fellow Overlook residents. More info here.

Bike Train to See the Trains – 9:45 am at Holladay Park (NE)
Did you hear TriMet is unveiling a brand new MAX train (the “Type 6”)? This ride is for transit lovers who want a sneak peek of the new trains. Ride will head down to SE Park Avenue MAX station in Milwaukie where TriMet is hosting an event. More info here.

— Don’t see an event? Please tell us about what’s going on in your neighborhood by filling out our contact form!

There’s (at least) one hotel on Broadway that embraces the bike lane and those who use it

Bike lane outside the Heathman Hotel on SW Broadway and Salmon. (Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)

The historic Heathman Hotel in downtown Portland is in the midst of a comeback. After suffering major losses through the pandemic, it was purchased by a new owner in April and its restaurant just re-opened in June.

Among the changes at the Heathman is a new general manager and she wants to set the record straight: She and her team love the Broadway bike lane. Not only that, they want the hotel to be a welcome spot for bike lovers — be they tourists or locals.

Why should you care about a hotel? Because the Heathman is located on Southwest Broadway, where the City of Portland installed a protected bike lane in 2022 that has been the source of controversy ever since. In fact, less than two months after the new bike lane went in, the former general manager of the Heathman went to the local media with concerns about the bike lane and said she planned to install security cameras to monitor what she felt were inherently hazardous conditions.

But that was then, and this is now.

View of the bike lane and valet zone from a booth in the Heathman Tavern.

Amidst the Broadway bike lane scandal a few weeks ago, I received an email from someone at the Heathman saying their new general manager, Laura Maldonado, wanted to meet. Turns out, Maldonado was aware of the Heathman’s previously icy relationship with cycling and wanted to set the record straight.

I met Maldonado at their tavern Tuesday afternoon. We sat in a booth overlooking the valets and the Broadway bike lane.

“I don’t want to be misrepresented,” Maldonado said, behind a clear excitement for her role in bringing back the Hotel and the streetscape around it. “It’s a beautiful amenity for our guests and our associates, and it’s right in front of our hotel.”

To be clear, Maldonado and I both agreed that the current design of the bike lane leaves a lot to be desired. The Portland Bureau of Transportation did itself no favors when they built a bikeway on the most high-profile street in Portland on-the-cheap. The lack of quality materials and design has only fueled hoteliers’ ire and certainly contributes to poor behaviors by some people who use it.

On that note, Maldonado is hopeful that a forthcoming loading zone platform promised by PBOT will improve not just how people behave around the bike lane, but the general aesthetics of the street as well.

Despite design quibbles and a slight reduction in valet parking zone spaces, Maldonado cannot fathom why any hotel owner would want to get rid of the bike lane. Looking out onto the street as a mix of bike riders and drivers rolled by, she said, “I can’t put two and two together about why some people think it has to be one or the other — it can be both.”

Maldonado wants to make the Heathman a very bike-friendly hotel, a place that doesn’t just have a few bikes for guests to use; but where guests can have fun experiences on them. She asked me to help create a biking guide for their website and wants to create maps with fun and safe local routes. (Since the Heathman is so historic (it opened in 1927), I encouraged Maldonado to display one of our vintage bike maps somewhere in the lobby.)

The Heathman has much more than business to gain by making sure downtown streets are safe. Maldonado was eager to introduce me to their Head Chef Andrew Shedden. “He loves the bike lane!” she promised before he walked over in his apron.

“They can’t take that away,” Shedden said, nodding to the bike lane. “I use it every day to get to work.” Shedden rides from Jantzen Beach into downtown and understands the value of having a protected lane.

Shedden is also a big fan and customer of the nearby Farmer’s Market at the South Park Blocks. The Heathman has an event where Shedden walks to the market with hotel guests for a culinary tour. Hearing that, I invited Shedden to the weekly Farmer’s Market Ride. He’s looking forward to meeting more people in the local bike scene.

On that note, I have a feeling last night’s meeting was the start of a nice connection between the Heathman Hotel and Portland’s bike community. Maldonado told me she doesn’t want her establishment to be filled with only tourists and that having locals spend time in their iconic library room, tavern, and restaurant, is a key part of their future success. She even said the Heathman’s doors are wide open a BikePortland gathering of some sort in the future.

Stay tuned! And next time you ride by the Heathman, give the valets a ring of your bell and a nod.

— In related news, get ready to spend your morning at Bike Broadway Day on Friday. BikeLoud PDX will have free coffee and donuts to rally support and remind Portlanders that protected bike lanes are a public safety measure. Event details here.

New plan for ‘lower southeast’ takes step toward adoption

— This story is by Jacob Loeb. It was first published by Montavilla News on October 10th.

Over the last two years, staff at Portland’s Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) developed a plan to cultivate two new commercial centers for residents living south of SE Foster Road in the Brentwood-Darlington neighborhood. Out of that work and years of gathering community input, BPS drafted the Lower SE Rising (LSER) Area Plan to create community cores similar to what other Portland neighborhoods inherited. Through proposed zoning changes and transportation investments, the plan’s authors intend to incentivize future development that will create new walkable corridors lined with small businesses and multifamily housing.

On Tuesday, the draft plan appeared before the Portland Planning Commission, a key step toward eventual adoption by Portland City Council.

Many of Portland’s neighborhoods feature commercial corridors with stores and restaurants clustered around main streets. As with Montavilla’s SE Stark Street and NE Glisan Street, most commercial districts centered on transportation hubs created by historic streetcar lines or major roads. Often, businesses coalesced in these spaces over 100 years ago. However, not all communities in the city had that historic commercial core before the automobile age shifted resources miles away from where people lived. City planners are now working to reduce reliance on personal vehicle travel and strengthen locale retail access within neighborhoods, creating environments where residents can walk or take transit to desirable destinations. In older areas, that takes less effort because a legacy organization of buildings already supports that effort. However, in some communities with predominantly post-war development, community intervention is needed to create the desired change.

The draft Lower SE Rising (LSER) Area Plan proposes turning SE 52nd and SE 72nd Avenues into mixed-use corridors with more housing options and commercial hubs at primary intersections in the Brentwood-Darlington neighborhood. The new commercial district on SE 72nd Avenue and Flavel Street extends towards SE 82nd Avenue, creating a more significant business district that links to a major arterial road. If the City Council approves the plan, zoning changes will be the first step towards instigating uses along the corridor. However, those changes only allow new commercial services and do not force property owners to make any changes unless completely redeveloping a site. Further enhancements are needed to draw people into these centers, spurring property transformation. As in the past formation of community hubs, transportation can attract people to a business district.

The plan’s authors propose street improvements, making it safer and more accessible for pedestrians to navigate and cross the busier roadways like SE 52nd, SE 72nd, and SE Woodstock. Additionally, the plan includes neighborhood greenway projects connecting the bicycle and pedestrian networks through this area. However, enhanced bus transit in this district offers a high likelihood for increased housing density and business growth while strengthening other centers. “One thing we’re finding is that the existing transit network didn’t really serve centers. For example, you cannot take a bus from the Woodstock neighborhood center to the Lents Town Center,” explained Bill Cunningham, a City Planner with BPS. Realigning bus routes and creating more frequent service between centers can provide the linkage needed for these fledgling business districts to take root. The LSER plan will integrate with future transit line adjustments underway as part of TriMet’s Forward Together plan to cultivate the desired change.

The Lower SE Rising (LSER) Area Plan is a response to community desires. It offers a chance to create a walkable and community-focused neighborhood similar to what Montavilla residents enjoy. The 172-page draft plan is available for public review. People can also use the Map App to leave written testimony and review what other people have contributed.

Planning Commission members voiced positive comments about the plan at their meeting yesterday, and will now deliberate for several weeks, as they take a closer look at the plan through November before forwarding their recommendations to the Portland City Council. The community will have other opportunities to provide comments during the City Council’s review sometime in spring 2024. If approved, substantial growth for the new could take decades of slow transformation. However, that slow change should help prevent sudden displacement while creating opportunities for micro businesses to sprout up in formerly residential buildings.

Over 80% of drivers speed near an elementary school, so PBOT will take away two lanes

Current and future conditions on NE 148th and Sacramento in front of Margaret Scott Elementary School (lower left).

Like the parents of a child unable to safely use a dangerous toy, the Portland Bureau of Transportation is taking away two of the four general purpose lanes on Northeast 148th Avenue from car drivers. It’s a move any parent can relate to: Behave badly, get privileges taken away.

The street redesign currently under construction will update the striping on a half-mile section of NE 148th — from NE 146th Dr to Halsey. Despite the presence of Margaret Scott Elementary School at the intersection of 148th and Sacramento, PBOT traffic data shows that 86-93% of all drivers are going above the posted 35 mph speed limit. That’s over 5,500 cars per day speeding in front of a neighborhood school.

To make matters worse, the nearest marked crosswalk is a 10-minute walk away from the school.

This lack of safe infrastructure for walking and biking, combined with the selfishness and wanton disregard for other peoples’ safety displayed by so many drivers, gives PBOT all the justification they need for re-allocating road space (without even getting into the fact that our city’s adopted plans call for prioritizing walkers and bikers above car users).

In addition to reducing the number of general purpose lanes from four to two, the project (with funds from the Fixing Our Streets local gas tax) will build a new sidewalk on school grounds, update the bike lanes, and add a striped, median-protected crosswalk.

Existing conditions outside Margaret Scott Elementary School. View is looking southweste from NE 148th toward NE Sacramento.

Currently this stretch of 148th has standard-width (5-6 feet wide) buffered bike lanes. The new plans will create a much wider buffer zone. The bike lanes will remain paint-only, but the added separation and reduced driving space should lead to much less stressful conditions (and can be hardened in the future).

And because NE Sacramento (which is adjacent to the elementary school where the new sidewalk and crossing will be installed) is a future neighborhood greenway, PBOT will construct a two-way bike lane on the east side of 148th in order to facilitate crossing the off-set intersection. That short section of bike lane on 148th will include plastic curbs and flex-posts for separation.

PBOT says the decrease in driving space will also decrease speeding and the new lane configuration will match the existing, two-lane cross-section north of the project’s boundary on 148th.

On the project website, PBOT says a person walking in east Portland is 2.3 times more likely to be hit by a driver than a person walking in inner Portland. “East Portland’s wide streets have historically prioritized motor vehicle speed above everything else, including safety,” the site states.

This project is currently under construction. This week, PBOT crews had already begun striping the bike lane. Learn more at the project website.

— Note: The original design would have created a median-protected crossing on the south side of the Sacramento intersection, which would have connected it directly to the new sidewalk and school. I asked PBOT to explain why they changed the crossing location to the north side of the intersection. Here’s the response from Public Information Office Dylan Rivera:

“At first, we did plan to build an improved crossing of 148th on the south side of Sacramento, where the school campus is located, which would have required installing a median island in the left turn lane on 148th at Sacramento.

This is a school served heavily by school buses for transportation. Reynolds School District Transportation and Margaret School Elementary School management strongly preferred maintaining the left turn lane at Sacramento to facilitate school bus time reliability. We evaluated other options, like re-routing the buses, but ultimately decided to put the crossing on the north side of the intersection. Due to funding limitations, this project is installing an enhanced crossing with islands, lighting, and ramps on one side of Sacramento, but not both sides. The catchment boundary area of Margaret Scott Elementary school currently does not serve students from the east side of NE 148th.”

Podcast: Come along on the Bike Town Hall Ride

If you missed the recent Bike Town Hall ride, you’re in luck! In this episode, I share a few interviews I took while pedaling around southeast Portland, and snips of the remarks made by the various folks who spoke along the way.

If you don’t have a clue what I’m talking about, you must have missed the post yesterday where I recapped this annual event.

Now that you’ve read the printed recap and browsed the photo gallery, grab some headphones and listen to the audio version. You’ll hear from: PBOT staff working on cool projects, a Portland Fire Captain on the valuable role of Portland Street Response, Oregon House Rep (and future Senator?) Khanh Pham, an east Portland advocate who speaks in his native Navajo, and more.

Listen in the player above or wherever you get your podcasts. Browse past episodes of the BikePortland Podcast here.