6 • The Southwest Portland Post
NEWS
April 2014
Multnomah Blvd sidewalk, bikeway improvements underway
TRAFFIC ADVISORY
By Don Snedecor
The Southwest Portland Post
The City of Portland Bureau of
Transportation advises the travel-
ing public that a major street and
stormwater improvement project
will require lane closures on South-
west Multnomah Boulevard from
Southwest 22nd to 40th avenues
now through the end of October.
Lane closures will be restricted
to after 9 a.m. and before 3 p.m. to
minimize impacts on travelers.
The public is advised to expect
delays while repairs are being
made. The city is asking the public
to travel cautiously, observe all
lane closures and construction sign
directions, and use alternate routes
if possible.
According to Diane Dulken, me-
dia relations manager for transpor-
tation, the project will create better
connections between Multnomah
Village and Barbur Boulevard for
walking and bicycling, as well as
reconstruct the road and install
stormwater improvements.
The project will create a protected
bikeway, new sidewalk and a multi-
use path separated from the road
by a landscaped bioswale (“green
gutter”).
Specifically, between Southwest
22nd and 34th avenues the project
will build a sidewalk and a pro-
tected bikeway along the north side
of Multnomah Boulevard.
On the south side of the street,
from Southwest 25th to 31st av-
enues, crews will build a separated
multi-use path for walking and
bicycling.
To improve crossing safety for
pedestrians, crews will install a
flashing beacon and crosswalk
at Southwest 25th Avenue and
Multnomah Boulevard.
Between Southwest 35th and 40th
avenues, a series of localized storm-
water management improvements
will be built along with sidewalks.
The project is jointly funded by
the Bureaus of Transportation and
Environmental Services
Construction will start at the east
end of the project area and on the
north side of Multnomah Boulevard
and work its way west. The project
will largely be complete by the end
of October.
More information will soon be
posted on the project website:
http://www.portlandoregon.gov/
transportation/54292
Transportation Town Hall
Jim McLaughlin of West Portland
Park summed it up when he said,
“There are enough reports to fill all
the potholes in the city.” He added
that there has been a lack of follow-
through for the last 30 years.
bikes and peds.
Many of the fatalities were on
major thoroughfares and so called
“high crash corridors:” Powell
Boulevard, Foster Road, Barbur
Boulevard, and others scattered
throughout the city.
One neighbor mentioned at-
tending a candlelight vigil for a
woman killed in the very danger-
ous intersection of Shattuck Road
and Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway.
Safety includes busy streets, high
crash corridors, safety crossings,
sidewalks, pedestrian, and bike
safety.
Education and enforcement are
key components. Safety also in-
cludes reducing driving under the
influence of intoxicants, texting
while driving, and speeding.
Traffic calming is another way
to increase safety: Some of these
devices include speed bumps and
roundabouts on neighborhood
streets, safe-routes-to-school, bike-
friendly greenways, enhanced
shoulders, education, and enforce-
ment.
(Continued from Page 1)
Village Business Association also
mentioned that need for complet-
ing the Capitol Highway project.
“The Southwest Corridor won’t
need high capacity transit if we
can’t get to it,” she said.
Jones that the high cost of road
development is because of envi-
ronmental concerns. Stormwater
swales are necessary here because
stormwater empties from sewers
into streams and Southwest doesn’t
have soils that percolate.
City planner Mark Lear pointed
to a think tank called SWIM—
Southwest in Motion—and said the
question for the group was, “How
can we do a mile of sidewalk in
Southwest for less than $20 mil-
lion?”
One big funding problem for
transportation is that the general
fund goes mainly to police, fire, and
parks. Future cuts are proposed. A
community forum will take place
on April 29 at the Multnomah Arts
Center to continue this discussion.
Transportation safety is also
a major concern
According to city officials, 155
people died in traffic crashes in
Portland from 2009-13. On white
boards around the auditorium,
various colored dots explained
the mode and jurisdiction: bicycle,
pedestrian, motor vehicle, and mo-
torcycle or moped.
To make the area safer for pe-
destrians, Don Baack of SW Trails
urged the city to complete the ur-
ban trails network. One neighbor
mentioned buffered bike lanes, and
said they have been very effective
in reducing accidents. A poor man’s
solution to cycle tracks? Maybe we
need to slow things down or reduce
auto lanes to make things safer for
PoSt a to Z BuSineSS CaRd diReCtoRy 503-244-6933
Castle Veterinary Services
We are available for
house calls
7 days a week.
www.castleveterinaryservices.com
(619) 823-2742
YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD HANDYMAN
20 years in Multnomah Village!
“Call Kenny!”
Kenneth S. Morse
CCB License #195820
503-939-5452
morseks@aol.com
Excellent SW Portland references