PDOT just hashed in new bike lanes on Vancouver Street from N. Russell south to NE Broadway. This exciting development is part of the BTA’s effort to provide continuous access through the Rose Quarter Transit Center and to the Willamette River and the Lloyd District.
How did this happen? The answer is Jeff Smith, a cyclist and City of Portland transportation planner.
A few months back Vancouver Avenue was ripped up in order to prepare for a repave. As a resident of the area, I called Jeff Smith to discuss the possibility of removing a vehicle lane (there were two) and striping a new bike lane from N. Russell to the Rose Quarter Transit Center. Jeff, who manages the “Missing Linksâ€?, took this task to heart, fast tracking the concept planning and redesign. On the day of the repave, Jeff received a call from the striping crew… “so we’re ready to strip two auto lanes, if you want a change better get it to us fast.” That morning Jeff received final approval from the City’s Transportation Engineer; that afternoon bike lanes were hashed on the street!
Take a ride down Vancouver Ave., this project will be done soon. However please note that cycling through the Rose Quarter Transit Center is still illegal. The BTA is working on changing this, but that’s the topic for another post.
Note: the photo taken has the numbers “6 & 16″ in the foreground, referring to progress on projects 6 (Rose Quarter) and 16 (North/South Eastside Bikeways) from our Blueprint for Better Biking.
I’m so glad for this! This kind of hole in a bike network is annoying for confident cyclists, but can keep many novices from even trying to bike (or at least from trying a second time). I look forward to trying it out.
My husband and I were just riding down to the Esplanade last week with toddler in trailer and 8 y.o. on her own bike. I was dreaming of a better way to get to the ‘splanade. Having cyclists ride a quarter of a mile out of their way is not a legitimate solution to the Rose garden mess. I look forward to trying this new leg of the Eliot neigborhood/Broadway bicycle corridor. I hope it will lead to the establishment of a direct route to the Esplanade from Vancouver ave. Thanks for all your great work. You guys are really on it!!!!
Jeff;
Big thanks to you for filling this gap with such speed and fortitude. You are a great part of our city.