The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) has accomplished a challenge on NE Tillamook and seventh. As we’ve been reporting, the town wished to enhance security and site visitors operations at this offset intersection as a part of their efforts to ascertain the Lloyd to Woodlawn Neighborhood Greenway which runs from the brand new Blumenauer Bridge to an present greenway on NE Holman Avenue.
There was appreciable consternation about PBOT’s plans largely as a result of it included the removing of a small site visitors circle that had a tree planted in the midst of it. Neighbors who reside across the intersection organized towards the challenge, saying that PBOT’s plan would result in sooner driving speeds and fewer security total.
Now that the striping and different adjustments are accomplished, I rolled over at present for a better look. See my photograph gallery under…
PBOT put in a brand new protected intersection therapy on the south aspect that comes with giant nook bulb-outs (which additionally make crossing safer). It directs northbound bicycle customers on seventh up onto the sidewalk on the southeast nook of Tillamook and seventh, then throughout Tillamook in a cross-bike (green-striped crosswalk adjoining to the usual crosswalk), then onto one other small sidewalk part earlier than re-entering seventh in a painted bike lane. From there, individuals who need to flip left (west) onto Tillamook, can select to “take the lane” (there’s a sharrow marking for that) or they will make the most of the brand new, green-colored left flip field.
Along with these bulb-outs, they’ve painted 5 new crosswalks on seventh — 4 normal white ones for folks on foot and one inexperienced one to assist folks crossing at Tillamook.
Additionally of notice is the brand new concrete planter they’ve put in on the north finish of the intersection. They name it a “gradual pace planter” and it’s been positioned on seventh simply north of the place the site visitors circle and tree was. Regardless that the planter is way smaller than the circle was, it’s placement north of the intersection offers it extra relative energy due to how slim the road is. It’s attainable to drive round it sooner than the circle, however I’d choose to attend till we see site visitors pace and different operational evaluation earlier than making any judgments of the way it compares to the earlier design.
Total, the intersection feels much less secure to me due to how giant a footprint the circle and tree used to occupy. It’s a a lot wider expanse now. And as everyone knows, only a few automobile drivers care about paint on the highway — particularly this time of yr when all it takes is a little bit of moist filth and leaves to render that paint almost invisible.
One other factor I took away from my time on the intersection is how PBOT installs design remedies many bike riders don’t/gained’t even use. It will be fascinating to place up cameras for a couple of weeks and do a rely of how many individuals truly use the protected bike lanes that go up onto the curb after which again down onto the road. Identical goes for the left flip field — particularly since they’re within the uphill course and people on bikes at all times search the shortest/straightest route from a-to-b. I’ve nothing towards these kind of remedies in idea. It simply appears odd to put in one thing new after which watch nobody use it.
I additionally perceive that not each piece of infrastructure is supposed for each kind of rider. We’d like various remedies as a result of we now have various riders.
Have you ever ridden these adjustments but? What do you assume?
See what extra native riders assume within the replies to our submit on Instagram.
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