Promised over a decade ago, Portland embarks on NW Flanders Bikeway project

PBOT Project Manager Scott Cohen at the kickoff planning meeting September 20th.
(Photos: Reza Farhoodi)

Making good on a promise made over a decade ago, the City of Portland has finally started planning a new bikeway on NW Flanders between Waterfront Park and 24th. And at a meeting late last month, Portlanders got their first chance to see it.

The origin of the project goes back to the 2005 Burnside/Couch Transportation and Urban Design Plan. As the legend goes, bike advocates cut a deal with the Bureau of Transportation: Couch was originally designated as the major east-west bikeway through this part of town; but PBOT wanted it to be the couplet with Burnside, so the agreement was to switch the bikeway a few blocks north to Flanders.

The plan was adopted. The couplet was never completed and the Flanders bikeway was all but forgotten.

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Advocates come together at The Street Trust’s Alice Awards benefit gala

Only when most people arrived by bike could you have a parking area that actually contributes to the pre-event mingling.
(Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)

“The Alice Awards are cool again,” said an attendee at Friday night’s Alice Awards gala hosted by The Street Trust.

This year’s Alice Award winners: William Henderson and Leah Benson.

The annual gathering has been a staple for many years; a date circled on the calendar of agency staffers, activists, electeds, industry leaders, and civic do-gooders. But there have been times in recent years when the event seemed to have lost its mojo. It started when the pendulum swung too far away from honoring advocates and too close to raising money. Small decisions like announcing winners weeks before the event in hopes it would lead to more ticket sales (if you know you’re going to win you want to make sure your friends/family are there to see it right?); not allowing winners to make speeches; and an overwhelming number of auction items (and the time — and blaring auctioneer — needed to sell them all), sapped the fun away.

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The Monday Roundup: Florida’s cycling problem, deadly SUVs, efficient roads, and more

Welcome to the week!

Sponsored by:

Greenfield Health, a different kind of comprehensive primary care clinic with two Portland locations.

Here are the most noteworthy items we came across in the past seven days…

No commute: The latest numbers from the U.S. Census show that telecommuting has become the second most common way to get to work (behind driving alone) — surpassing public transit for the first time.

Teen scooter love: High school-aged Americans are in love with scooters — but the law isn’t on their side.

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Is this the final cut list for first phase of Central City in Motion projects?

PBOT map of Central City in Motion projects shared by Business for a Better Portland today.

One week after an open house where the public was asked to rank a list of potential projects to be funded through the Central City in Motion plan, the Portland Bureau of Transportation has trimmed the list from 18 to 11. PBOT also seems to have axed key parts of two remaining projects.

At least that’s how it appears in an email just sent to members of a local, pro-business advocacy group.

Business for a Better Portland (BBPDX) sent an email to members today encouraging them to submit comments on the projects. “Although the online open house survey is now closed,” reads the email, “BBPDX members have the opportunity to provide direct feedback on which projects should be slated for development in the next five years.”

The map and list of projects provided by BBPDX is different than the map shown at the open house last week. The most recent map made public by PBOT showed 18 “project bundles” (a mix of protected bike lanes, crossing updates, and enhanced transit lanes). The map revealed in the email from BBPDX today shows just 11 projects — two of which have had key elements removed since last week.

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From the Archives

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