Q: The city of Portland moved the bike lanes on North Williams Avenue from the right side of the road to the left. I've noticed bicyclists, including myself, are confused regarding which side we should pass on when overtaking a slower cyclist. Should we pass on the left, as is customary? Or should one pass on the right, which is closest to the traffic lane?
A: Legally speaking, there's no right or wrong answer. What we're talking about here is a sudden shift in two-wheeled urban custom.
Since the vast majority of the city's bike lanes are painted on the right side of the road, pedaling etiquette has long dictated that a bicyclist overtakes a slower cyclist by entering the adjacent auto lane and passing on the left.
But now the Portland Bureau of Transportation has decided to shake things up on what is essentially a one-way bicycle superhighway cutting through North Portland, carrying about 5,360 bike commuters compared with about 8,000 automobiles a day, according to the city's latest counts.
Wow, one, I had no idea that many people used Williams each day, I knew it was a lot, but I didn't realize that much.
I will say though, I am not sure I understand the reasoning for the city to shift the bike lane, though I haven't been up there since the shift so it might make more sense if I saw it in person.
Just sit at Vendetta around rush hour. Tons of bike traffic. I honestly am shaking my head about the change. I get it's getting much more dense... But I don't know why it had to be shifted left.
Wow, one, I had no idea that many people used Williams each day, I knew it was a lot, but I didn't realize that much.
I will say though, I am not sure I understand the reasoning for the city to shift the bike lane, though I haven't been up there since the shift so it might make more sense if I saw it in person.
I'm pretty sure the bike lane is on the left because buses have to pull to the right to load/unload passengers.
The city is considering adding a signal at SE MLK / Ankeny. That supposedly makes for a better connection between the Ankeny bikeway and the Burnside Bridge, though I don't see how.
Perhaps more usefully, they want to add signals on SE Salmon at MLK / Grand and 11th / 12th. This would extend the Salmon bikeway all the way to the river from Mt Tabor, without the need to jog over to SE Taylor.
3 options are being developed for a I-84 Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge: 7th-7th, 7-8th and 9th-9th. To my surprise, 7th-7th is both the longest and steepest option, although it does provide the most direct connection.
The Green Loop concept moves on. Through the Central Eastside they are imaging it as a two-way, physically separated cycletrack. The two leading options are along NE/SE 6th or 7th. 7th has the advantage of already having bike lanes, so the room taken from cars & trucks isn't as great. 6th has the advantage of being closer to the MLK / Grand corridor, and has a mixed-use zoning on one side. However it would require removing both a travel lane and one side of parking. A cycle track on Grand has been ruled out, while 9th has been left in for now.
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"Maybe to an architect, they might look suspicious, but to me, they just look like rocks"
I was also much taken by the discussion about OMSI's desires to turn their parking lots into housing. How freaking awesome would it be to have a couple of housing towers looming near the interstate infrastructure. I hope they go for tall and dense there!
I biked up Williams the other day to meet a friend, and was wowed by the new left-side bike lanes. Most of the way they seemed much, much wider than what was there previously. Stress level was pretty low for biking along such a busy street. No dealing with buses anymore!
I biked up Williams the other day to meet a friend, and was wowed by the new left-side bike lanes. Most of the way they seemed much, much wider than what was there previously. Stress level was pretty low for biking along such a busy street. No dealing with buses anymore!
I was initially skeptical about Williams. I don't remember seeing more than one barrier planned for the left turn lane (I think plans called for a diverter on Beech so cars must turn left). I expected some abuse of the left turn lane as people become frustrated with traffic, the left lane turning into just another car lane. But this hasn't happened yet.
It seems to be working. I've had some very low stress rides up that street, even during rush hour.
Linking the central eastside: City narrows options for closing the ‘Green Loop’
Posted by Michael Andersen (News Editor) on November 13th, 2014 at 9:09 am
City planners and stakeholders are looking closely at an unsolved problem of Portland’s central eastside: the route for a continuous north-south bikeway somewhere inland from the Eastbank Esplanade.
The leading options are, at this point, numerous and intriguing: Grand, 6th, 7th and 9th.
Planners are also looking, in closer detail than ever, at the possible options for a new biking-walking bridge over Interstate 84.
If a route can be built, it’d form the eastern rim of a vision the city started pursing in 2012: a “Green Loop” linking Portland’s downtown and central eastside, from the Broadway Bridge to the new Tilikum Crossing.
Some major news sources are finally covering Clinton and problems with other neighborhood greenways and using the word "diversion!" Here is a Tribune article.
The 50-year-old vision of a continuous mixed-use path along the east bank of the Willamette River, connecting Kelley Point Park, on the tip of the St. Johns peninsula, to the Steel Bridge, has made it on all the planning maps.
Now, the little nonprofit that has brought the concept this far is preparing for the last stage: getting it on the ground.
Thanks to a $50,000 capacity-building grant from Metro awarded last fall, the nonprofit North Portland Greenway organization is preparing to hire its first dedicated staffer, a consultant who will spend up to 10 hours a week preparing for a transition on npGreenway’s volunteer board.
I have to share this even though it's not Portland. It certainly shows how little the mayor and city officials have done in the last few years concerning bike safety compared to London (and several other US cities.
A petition on change.org to downgrade Portland from Platinum rating. I encourage all of you who bike and think Portland is stagnating to sign it. Thanks.
Not exactly sure where to put this as there's no parking thread. But creating paid parking areas on commercial districts outside of downtown is going to be an incredible cultural change. Here's an article in the O. I hope the mayor and Novick have the gumption to actually get this done.
Not exactly sure where to put this as there's no parking thread. But creating paid parking areas on commercial districts outside of downtown is going to be an incredible cultural change. Here's an article in the O. I hope the mayor and Novick have the gumption to actually get this done.
It would be great if we could do this in tandem with lifting parking minimums.
Not exactly sure where to put this as there's no parking thread. But creating paid parking areas on commercial districts outside of downtown is going to be an incredible cultural change. Here's an article in the O. I hope the mayor and Novick have the gumption to actually get this done.
It could be worth creating a parking thread. Hell; the Northwest Examiner proves you can create an entire newspaper about parking.
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"Maybe to an architect, they might look suspicious, but to me, they just look like rocks"
4 June at 17:30–19:00
Bureau of Planning and Sustainability
1900 SW 4th Ave, Suite 7100, Portland, Oregon 97201
Stop by on your way home at the end of the day to hear about the final recommendations our group has for the Green Loop! We would love to hear your thoughts!
Stop by for as little or as long as you like. There will be a presentation at 6:00pm and the team will be available before and after to talk with you!
The event will be in the lobby, so you can't miss us. Invite and bring your friends! The more, the merrier! We hope to see you there!
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"Maybe to an architect, they might look suspicious, but to me, they just look like rocks"
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