SW Bicycling Boulevards Project

Creating Bicycling Opportunities for All

The SW Trails committee is preparing recommendations to the Portland Department of Transportation (PDOT) to provide an improved system of bicycle routes in SW Portland. Such a system will rely primarily on low-traffic streets to be connected into a system of “bicycle boulevards” with a pleasant and safe bicycling environment – something that is certainly lacking in SW Portland today. SE Portland currently has an extensive system of bicycle boulevards which was created through the use of signs, pavement markings, and methods to calm automobile traffic. A similar approach may be used in the SW.

We conducted a series of “ground truthing” and route planning rides in July and August of 2007.

A map of the proposed network is attached below. For a detailed text description, checkout this Google Doc’s spreadsheet. You may add comments here on this page, below (registration required).

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SWNI_recommended_bikeway_11X17.pdf907.05 KB

SW Bike Boulevards Project

Thank you all for the time and thoughtfulness in creating the SW Bike Boulevard map. It will be vital to impoving biking in our section of town. You asked for comments so here are a few:

  • For many SWHRL residents who commute downtown via bike, Broadway Drive is the most direct route. Your route up Ravenswood, Hawthorne, Davenport is scenic and less trafficked, but also considerably longer and steeper for commuters. Many riders could not make the grade. Broadway is less steep and more direct.
  • Many people west of the city and SWHRL residents work at OHSU. For them the only route is Marquam Hill Road. Your suggestion of an uphill lane is good, but provision needs to be made for downhill also. Many of these employees are health-conscious and want to ride, but Marquam Hill Road is a scarey proposition.
  • The short connection between Talbot Road and Hewett on Patton should be a higher priority. 0-5 years should be the designation. This is a high-volume connector.
  • The Beaverton-Hillsdale Hwy--Captial Hwy intersection is a dangerous one. It needs better striping for those heading west from B-V Hwy onto Capital Hwy. Either white bike striping or a blue lane would improve the situation.
  • The Capital Hwy--Vermont intersection is dangerous too, especailly for those traveling west on Capital and need to go south at the Vermont intersection. Better striping, maybe blue cross marking would help.

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