Sunday Parkways followers, get excited: the Portland Bureau of Transportation simply launched some particulars about this summer season’s open streets occasions. The place will the town shut streets to automotive site visitors so individuals have extra space to stroll, bike, roll and play? Drumroll, please…
The primary two Sunday Parkways this 12 months will repeat routes from final summer season, going down on Could seventh in east Portland (Gateway, Hazelwood and Mill Park neighborhoods) and June 25 in northeast (Cully and Concordia neighborhoods). Then, on September 10, Sunday Parkways will head to southwest Portland for the primary time in eight years, briefly remodeling streets within the Multnomah neighborhood between Spring Backyard and Gabriel parks.
We reported on the finish of final summer season that PBOT deliberate to completely in the reduction of their Sunday Parkways programming from 5 occasions a 12 months, as was the custom pre-pandemic, to only three. Moreover, PBOT introduced the open streets occasions can be held in the identical places three years in a row to assist the neighborhoods acquire familiarity with them. (Prior to now, they’ve rotated across the metropolis annually.)
The choice to chop again on Sunday Parkways days has been criticized by advocates and followers of the town’s marquee open streets days. Sunday Parkways are an annual custom all about embracing energetic transportation in Portland, they usually’re one of many solely occasions the town helps shutting down streets to automobiles on a big scale, so it was disappointing to some supporters to see PBOT eradicate two of them. PBOT attributes the change to their oft-discussed funds woes and says they’re specializing in highlighting components of the town that haven’t traditionally been websites for these kind of open streets occasions and customarily lack energetic transportation infrastructure, like east Portland.
One particular person enthusiastic about this 12 months’s occasion schedule is David Stein, a member of the Bicycle Advisory Committee and southwest Portland resident. In an e mail to BikePortland, Stein mentioned he was happy to see the occasion scheduled for SW.
“Sunday Parkways is the most important encouragement program that the town has for strolling, biking, and different low carbon modes of transportation. The void of this program in SW was a sign of simply how treacherous this a part of the town is for individuals who aren’t utilizing a automotive or truck to get round,” Stein mentioned. “Bringing it again will spotlight among the investments made is that this a part of the town and present people who it’s attainable to get round Multnomah Village [using active transportation].”
In a press launch about this summer season’s occasions, PBOT acknowledged the SW Sunday Parkways is meant to characteristic new sidewalks and bike lane infrastructure alongside SW Capitol Freeway.
PBOT additionally acknowledged within the press launch that they may work to extend public security at Sunday Parkways this 12 months. This could possibly be in reference to the incident that occurred on the east Portland Sunday Parkways occasion final August, when an offended driver brandished a gun at volunteers and attendees, yelling that individuals on bikes have been “taking up every part” so he couldn’t get house.
“It’s vital that everybody really feel secure as they discover new methods of getting round, particularly on streets that prioritize individuals strolling and biking. Based mostly on learnings from final 12 months we are going to incorporate extra public security instruments together with up to date volunteer/workers coaching, street closure notifications and instructed options for motorists residing alongside the route.”
There’s time to get entangled on this summer season’s Sunday Parkways if you wish to help these open streets days. You possibly can take the pre-season survey to supply your ideas in regards to the occasions (and probably win some free merch) or signal as much as volunteer.
Taylor has been BikePortland’s workers author since November 2021. She has additionally written for Road Roots and Eugene Weekly. Contact her at taylorgriggswriter@gmail.com
