For those who held out hope for a two-way, off-street path on the bluff facet of North Willamette Blvd as a part of its upcoming main redesign, I’ve some dangerous information.
The Portland Bureau of Transportation has official put that concept to mattress. Someday up to now few weeks, PBOT uploaded a two-page doc to the N Willamette Boulevard Lively Transportation Hall Undertaking web site that lays out their rationale for abandoning the bi-directional bike lane thought as soon as and for all.
Earlier than I get into that, right here’s some context on what I’m speaking about…
As I shared in September, PBOT has reached the 30% design milestone on this $6.1 million, federally funded mission that may add protected bike lanes, floating bus islands, and rather more to a three-mile stretch of N Willamette Blvd from N Rosa Parks Approach (in Arbor Lodge) to N Richmond (in St. Johns).
A key part of the route between Rosa Parks Approach and College of Portland goes alongside a bluff overlooking Swan Island. Willamette Blvd is comparatively huge on this part and the extra potential right-of-way on the bluff on the south facet of the road was alluring sufficient for some to think about using it for a bi-directional bikeway.
One BikePortland reader even created a mock-up (above) as an example his “pipe dream” and received a little bit of assist for the thought within the feedback. One of many predominant benefits of a two-way facility is that it will be unimpeded by turning drivers or cross-traffic (to not point out the great views of the river and past!).
PBOT was intrigued sufficient to review the idea extra carefully. Nevertheless, of their newly-shared doc they define 5 the reason why the two-way bikeway, “doesn’t look like possible or fascinating.”
PBOT says given the instability of the soil on the bluff and presence of enormous Sequoia bushes, the bikeway would should be in the primary roadway “competing for restricted house.” (Be aware: The present and deliberate cross-section has two normal lanes and two bike-only lanes.)
And whereas the dearth of cross-traffic has enchantment, PBOT factors out that the dearth of locations on the bluff facet means anybody biking in it will inevitably have to go away it. This could, “Add delays and conflicts in comparison with [standard] directional amenities,” PBOT says.
Going again to the highway width challenge, PBOT says there simply isn’t sufficient room for a two-way bikeway and a northwestbound bike lane. “Which means westbound bicyclists on Rosa Parks must cross to the south facet of Willamette Blvd to enter the two-way bikeway, then must cross once more to the north facet on the opposite facet of the bluff, including delays, conflicts, and out-of-direction journey to their journeys,” the doc states.
“Distinctive design challenges” offered by a two-way facility is another excuse PBOT doesn’t prefer it. They are saying it’s a lot simpler to cope with issues like bus stops when there’s only one path of journey versus two.
A two-way bikeway on the bluff would additionally throw a curveball at highway customers, since it will be inconsistent with the design of remainder of the hall, PBOT says. They like to maintain designs constant and that after constructed, the brand new protected bike lane on Willamette Blvd will, “most definitely Portland’s longest steady protected bike lanes so far.”
In the long run, whereas we received’t get the off-street path with-a-view expertise some of us hoped for, there’s lots extra to be enthusiastic about with this mission. Be taught extra in regards to the mission right here.
