Final week, Folks for Bikes, the biggest and most influential bicycle advocacy group in America, named Naito Parkway as one of many greatest new bike lanes within the nation. I don’t often take note of “better of” lists, however one thing about that recognition felt totally different. And it felt like one thing that deserved extra consideration than a fast churn of the information cycle.
The protected bike lanes on Naito Parkway — which opened in Could 2022 and are identified affectionately as “Higher Naito” — aren’t simply among the many greatest bike lanes within the metropolis from an engineering perspective, additionally they symbolize the perfect of Portland extra broadly in ways in which transcend a typical infrastructure undertaking.
Prior to now week or so I’ve been questioning: What makes Higher Naito so nice?
From an engineering perspective
To refresh, Higher Naito is a two-way protected bikeway on the east aspect of Naito Parkway, a significant road that runs alongside Portland’s waterfront. The undertaking changed a hectic and harmful, Nineties paint-only bike lane.
Safety: I do know some of us needed much more width for the bikeway, however it’s comparatively extensive and provides a strong sense of safety from automotive and truck customers. The width of the biking house is 14-feet curb-to-curb (at minimal, some sections are wider), and when mixed with the concrete curb and different visitors separators, it feels lots extensive and comfy for many riders. On the flipside, drivers have a lot much less room to function, and their conduct displays that. In my expertise, drivers have slowed means down and are fairly chill as they navigate subsequent to the bikeway. The design can be sturdy sufficient to speak to drivers that they aren’t allowed within the house.
Size, location and connections: At about 1.2 miles lengthy, the bikeway runs from simply south of the Metal Bridge to SW Lincoln. This size means it connects to many different bikeways. Higher Naito makes it simple to hop onto SW Oak, NW Sofa, the Hawthorne Bridge, or the cool little shortcut to SW Principal we highlighted yesterday. The worth of Higher Naito additionally goes up due to the place it’s. Portland’s first actual separated bikeway was constructed on NE Cully Blvd in 2011. It’s good, however it was put there due to bureaucratic serendipity (PBOT did a full highway rebuild and had a clear slate to work with) and never as a result of there was lots of biking demand or different bike community connections within the space. Like an excessive amount of of PBOT’s greatest work, it was an inaccessible oasis. Naito then again is in a well-connected, high-demand, and high-profile location on considered one of Portland’s marquee streets (recall that the Portland Enterprise Alliance opposed the undertaking).
Indicators: An unsung hero of Higher Naito (and plenty of different bikeways citywide) are sensible, bike-friendly alerts put in by PBOT. The alerts are programmed to detect the presence of bicycle riders they usually present a degree of respect and seriousness that takes the Naito bike lanes from good to nice.
For walkers too: Higher Naito additionally got here with a brand new, 8-foot sidewalk to present walkers an area of their very own. There are additionally a number of signalized crossings with massive median refuge islands the place walkers can safely wait to cross.
From a cultural perspective
The origin story of Higher Naito issues virtually as a lot as its final success.
Within the phrases of Timur Ender, a former PBOT staffer and volunteer activist with Higher Block PDX who helped convey it to life, “Higher Naito is a hit story on numerous fronts: it’s a hit story of accessible authorities, tactical urbanism as a means of city planning, partnerships, information, and creativeness.” In a BikePortland remark Ender shared after the ribbon was lower final spring, he shared that the concept for Higher Naito wasn’t even on PBOT’s radar till 2015. That’s when the pageant season on Waterfront Park started and we helped doc the pressing want for extra space for walkers and bikers throughout these occasions. PBOT responded with a inventive allow to deal with the occasion loading zone that led to a de facto, 24-hour lane open just for loading, strolling, and biking through the two-week Rose Pageant.
PBOT’s partnership with pageant organizers and nonprofit tactical urbanism group Higher Block PDX led to essentially the most bold and consequential transportation pilot undertaking town has ever seen. “This was very a lot a leap of religion and there have been numerous issues we didn’t know till we did it,” is how Ender described the early days of the undertaking. “Higher Naito was additionally a hit in bridging the connection between grassroots tactical urbanism and the halls of energy in metropolis authorities.”
In the long run, the magic sauce of devoted activists and metropolis staffers keen to compromise and work collectively, led to one thing very particular: A $15,000 pilot undertaking completed with visitors cones and plywood that led to over $15 million in infrastructure and a number of awards for the folks for the individuals who made it occur.
However don’t take my phrase for it! Right here’s what a couple of Portlanders give it some thought…
Andy Kutansky, a transportation engineer who works and rides in Portland:
“As a motorbike rider it’s satisfying to see an excellent low-stress, two-way bike facility come to life. We don’t at all times say it explicitly, however what makes these amenities nice is the flexibility to work together with our neighborhood; we are able to take each lanes and trip three abreast or work together with the riders going the other way. I really like how all of the inexperienced paint on the quilt picture makes the power actually stand out, and its clear even from a number of hundred ft up that separated, all ages and skills amenities are what the folks need, and are right here to remain.
From an engineering perspective I’d prefer to shine a light-weight on the influence these kinds of initiatives can have for the worth. This undertaking, designed and constructed for underneath $4 million, generally is a blueprint for 1000’s of different communities who need to reallocate public house for all customers. All it takes is a bit of willpower.”
Chris Thomas:
The shortage of cross visitors makes it a way more gratifying trip. No risk of a automotive working a cease signal/mild and reducing you off.
Brendan Tschuy:
Higher Naito provides an opportunity to chill out and unwind on rides to work each morning. Few locations in Portland present that.
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