A number of weeks in the past, the lengthy, sordid story of the site visitors diverter on NE Fremont and Alameda got here to an finish (or not less than a brand new chapter started) when the Portland Bureau of Transportation was lastly capable of get it within the floor.
With set up of plastic curbs and (all too) versatile posts, together with new signage, the brand new diverter and crossing remedy now (largely) prevents drivers from utilizing Alameda as a lot as they used to. That is necessary as a result of Alameda (and NE thirty seventh to the north) is a crucial, north-south neighborhood greenway the place bicycle customers are purported to really feel protected and welcome. The diverter (in concept not less than) prevents drivers from crossing Fremont on Alameda and prevents them from turning left from both avenue. One of many essential objectives of the challenge was to scale back automobile person volumes on Alameda, however different optimistic impacts of the brand new remedy are prone to be slower driving speeds and extra courteous automobile use basically.
I spent about half-hour on the location this morning observing site visitors. What I observed was a really busy intersection with a variety of walkers, runners and bikers — to not point out a comparatively excessive quantity of automobile customers on Fremont. Within the time I used to be there, just one particular person rammed over the plastic curbs and wands — the driving force of a big truck going south on Alameda selfishly tore via the intersection and I used to be startled by the loud “increase” of the wand hitting the truck’s grill.
(Take a look at the complete picture gallery and watch the video under.)
Moreover that one jerk, compliance by drivers when walker or bikers had been current was actually good. These installations create a notion that the highway is narrower and that drivers want to scale back their velocity and use warning on the intersection.
I additionally noticed the Alameda Elementary Faculty bike bus come via. This challenge has had a significant profit for the 100 or so college students and volunteers who comply with Sam Balto on this weekly journey to highschool. Balto advocated strongly for it and now says he likes it a lot he desires to provide PBOT challenge supervisor Scott Cohen “an enormous hug.”
Cohen deserves reward right here not just for the challenge and its design, however for trudging deftly via a thorny little bit of pushback from some folks within the neighborhood who didn’t need the diverter put in. Again in March, the board of the Beaumont-Wilshire Neighborhood Affiliation really voted 7-4 in opposition to it with issues about diversion of site visitors to different streets, a discount in comfort whereas driving, and varied different causes.
That vote pressured PBOT to spend a number of months attempting to hammer out a distinct resolution that will handle these issues but nonetheless have the specified security objectives. However ultimately PBOT determined the complete diverter was the best selection all alongside.
From what I noticed this morning, PBOT made the best determination. Hopefully these neighbors come round finally.
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