Tag: Greenway

Infrastructure

NE Halsey Lane Reconfiguration Underway

On April 8th, road painting crews begin work to reconfigure NE Halsey Street between 68th and 81st Avenues. Truck-mounted equipment scrubbed the existing travel lane markings from asphalt while workers affixed temporary plastic reflectors to the removed paint’s location so drivers could continue to use the street. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) expects the contractor to return within a few days to restripe the street in a new configuration. Drivers will lose one travel lane in each direction between NE 68th and 81st Avenues but gain a center turn lane, aiding in safer left turns. Cyclists will receive bike lanes on both sides of NE Halsey Street from NE 68th 81st Avenues.

Construction drawing of NE Halsey Street and 76th Ave, Illustrations courtesy PBOT

PBOT representative Hannah Schafer explained that their pavement marking contractor is waiting for dry weather to restripe the street. Earlier this year, project managers delayed work on a 70s Neighborhood Greenway-related improvement that will create protected crossings at NE 76th Avenue and Halsey Street. Two pedestrian refuge islands and a small raised concrete median on NE Halsey Street will reside in the center turn lane at this intersection. However, cement masons could not begin that work until crews created a center lane by reducing the travel lanes. Crossing improvement work can occur after the contractor completes the street marking work.

Crosswalk closed at NE 76th Avenue and Halsey Street, directing people to the two others that will have protective islands

Residents challenged by the current conditions on this dangerous roadway have advocated for improvements for nearly a decade. Its old four travel lane configuration drops to two lanes west of NE 71st Avenue and east of NE 81st Avenue, creating an odd section of greater vehicle capacity that induces speeding. Reduced travel lanes and better crossings are just some of the updates aimed at making this a safer stretch of road. A new mini roundabout, flashing beacons, and high visibility crosswalk markings will help people cross the street in this area with reduced worry that a driver will not see them.

NE 76th Avenue and Halsey Street crossing that will have a protective pedestrian island

Drivers on NE Halsey Street should expect construction delays as crews paint the asphalt over the next few days and workers begin constructing the in-road safety infrastructure. Pedestrians and cyclists should use extreme caution around incomplete safety improvements and note that traffic pattern changes could distract motorists.

Update: On April 11th, crews with Hicks Striping & Curbing returned to NE Halsey to paint the streets with a new lane configuration and add marked crossings at NE 76th Avenue.

Update: Soon after crews restriped the roadway, cement masons returned to install two pedestrian refuge islands and a small raised concrete median on NE Halsey Street at NE 76th Avenue.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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Infrastructure

Gate Replaces Barrier on NE 72nd Dr

On Friday, March 22nd, crews installed a new heavy-gauge steel gate on NE 72nd Drive. This new single-lane gate will prevent northbound automotive travel through the Rose City Golf Course. It replaces concrete jersey barriers installed by the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) after the unauthorized removal of other traffic diversion infrastructure.

Now removed concrete jersey barriers

In this new configuration, cyclists and pedestrians will share a recently built multi-use path that leads from NE Tillamook Street to just north of the golf course parking lot. These updates are part of the 70s Neighborhood Greenway project, which is nearing completion. Drivers will again be able to use a portion of NE 72nd Drive to access the parking lot, but the closed gate will prevent them from driving further north. Southbound drivers can continue to use the street unobstructed.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, Infrastructure

NE Halsey Safety and Access Project

Construction crews will begin working on improvement projects along NE Halsey Street this summer. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will reshape the busy roadway from NE 69th to 92nd Avenues, reducing travel lanes to make room for bike infrastructure and creating nearly 1,500 feet of new sidewalk on the north side of the street between 85th and 92nd Avenues. Several enhanced pedestrian crossing points along the project path will increase safety, implementing a mini roundabout, flashing beacons, and high visibility crosswalk markings.

The summer 2024 work, currently in the planning phase, combines the efforts of the NE Halsey Street – Safety and Access to Transit Project with the 70s Neighborhood Greenway to improve conditions on the high-traffic street. Drivers will lose one travel lane in each direction between NE 68th and 81st Avenues but gain a center turn lane, aiding in safer left turns. Cyclists will receive bike lanes on both sides of NE Halsey Street from NE 68th 81st Avenues. Riders will transition onto two-way buffered bike lanes on the south side of NE Halsey Street between Jonesmore Street and 92nd Avenue.

Early PBOT lane reconfiguration cross section shows spacing. Note that the 5′ bike lanes are shown as 6′ wide in some more recent design documents

People trying to connect to NE Halsey Street from the NE 82nd Avenue MAX station will see improvements to the existing multiuse path between 81st and 82nd Avenues on the northern edge of Eastern Cathay‘s parking lot. Pedestrians crossing NE Halsey will gain new high-visibility crosswalks at NE 69th, 80th, and 84th Avenues. People crossing the faster-paced street at NE 88th Avenue can use the request button for Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB), signaling drivers to yield. In addition to the new sidewalks, crews working for PBOT will reconstruct curb ramps to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Many TriMet Line 77 bus stops along the project path will also see improvements.

2020 rendering of mini roundabout at 80th Ave. Image courtesy of PBOT

Funding for this project includes money for street lighting analysis with an option for additional lighting if needed. The Federal government provided $5,300,000 towards these enhancements. Developers paying Transportation System Development fees contributed $2,580,000 in funding. Because this project spans a Freeway overpass, the Oregon Department of Transportation’s Bridge Program supplied $412,120. Other Portland Bureau funding sources will provide the remaining project costs.

2020 rendering of Intersection at 68th Ave. Image courtesy of PBOT

Funds from the Greenway project will complete the construction of two pedestrian refuge islands and a small raised concrete median on NE Halsey Street. In September, cement masons finished reconstructing sidewalk corners and adding mid-block curb ramps for the 70s Greenway crossing at NE Halsey Street and 76th Avenue. PBOT paused that work last year until crews could remove the existing lane striping and repaint lines in a new configuration. Until that reconfiguration occurs, road crews cannot create the refuge island because it would block part of a travel lane.

Construction drawing of NE Halsey Street and 76th Ave, courtesy PBOT

Planning and funding for the NE Halsey Street improvements have taken years to come to fruition. Residents challenged by the current conditions on this dangerous roadway have advocated for this work for nearly a decade, and they should soon see the results of their work. Expect construction delays on NE Halsey Street this summer, but by the end of the year, people should begin to feel safer traveling through this section of Portland.

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Construction, Infrastructure

RRFB Installed on SE Stark

On Monday, January 22nd, crews working along SE Stark Street at 80th Avenue installed rectangular rapid-flashing beacons (RRFB) to aid pedestrians and bicyclists crossing the busy road. Recently, technicians installed RRFB signals mounted to new light poles located one block over on SE Washington Street. This work is part of the 70s Neighborhood Greenway project, which is nearing completion after a year of work.

Crews placed the four RRFB mounting poles on the sidewalk in alignment with SE 80th Avenue’s western crosswalk. Pedestrians and bike riders have separate signal request buttons at these intersections. Cyclists can use buttons mounted on short poles at the curb’s edge, allowing people to activate the flashing lights without dismounting from their bikes. Users traveling on the sidewalk can press buttons mounted near the curb ramp.

Engineers working on the Greenway project implemented extra safety enhancements to the SE Washington Street crossing. In addition to RRFB signals, new pedestrian scale lamp posts will illuminate people waiting to cross at SE 80th Avenue. These lights take the place of the plain metal poles often used for mounting signal hardware. The black powder-coated pole is wider and features a decorative shade placed at a height intended to brighten the sidewalk. Most street lighting in East Portland focuses on illuminating the road surface, often leaving pedestrians in the shadows until they cross. The new lighting on SE Washington Street should make people visible before they exit the sidewalk zone. This lighting upgrade is critical for this intersection because SE Washington is darker than SE Stark Street without the added lights from active businesses.

Crews have not yet activated the RRFBs at both intersections. Electricians must finish connecting the equipment through the underground conduit installed earlier in the project. Until then, pedestrians and cyclists should continue to use extreme caution at these intersections, mainly because they lack high-visibility crosswalk markings and drivers often fail to yield. Look for work on the safer crossing to continue over the coming weeks.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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Infrastructure

PBOT Completes NE Glisan Bike Crossing at 78th

On December 27th, Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) crews installed two new request buttons for the NE Glisan Street bike crossing at 78th Avenue. Traffic engineers added these buttons at the curb edge, allowing cyclists to activate the rectangular rapid-flashing beacons (RRFB) without dismounting from their bikes. Pedestrians have their own buttons to request the crossing signal on the west sidewalk corners.

PBOT installed an RRFB-controlled crosswalk at this intersection several years ago. Although it has suffered repeated damage over the years, many people have used the flashing beacons to cross NE Glisan safely without needing to walk to a fully signalized intersection several blocks away. Recent NE 78th Avenue crossing updates are part of the 70s Neighborhood Greenway project that intends to create a pedestrian and bike-friendly north/south route. The roadside-accessible RRFB activation buttons and new green-striped markings will help cyclists cross at this point. However, drivers do not always observe the flashing lights, and people should wait for traffic to stop before attempting to cross.

PBOT will install additional RRFBs at two Montavilla crossings for the 70s Neighborhood Greenway. Crews have nearly completed installation on SE Stark and Washington Streets at 80th Avenue. Those crossings can see significant traffic, and residents have wanted safety improvements on both streets for over a decade. Although an RRFB can improve vehicle stopping time for pedestrians – the Federal Highway Administration says motorist yielding rates can be as high as 98 percent, people’s experience in Portland is not always positive using beacons. However, despite many vehicles failing to stop, someone eventually yields, and that will help Greenway users cross faster and safer than if the RRFBs were not there.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Construction, Infrastructure

New Sidewalk Corners and Traffic Patterns on SE Yamhill

Road crews recently demolished the existing sidewalk corners along SE 92nd Avenue at SE Yamhill Street, reconstructing them with improved curb ramps. Six blocks west on Yamhill, Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) workers adjusted the traffic pattern at SE 86th Avenue, changing the direction where vehicles stop. Both projects strengthen non-automotive access to area parks and schools.

Southeast corner of SE 92nd Ave and SE Yamhill St waiting for concrete

Cement masons completed work on three of the four sidewalk corners at SE Yamhill and 92nd. They all feature Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant designs with larger landing areas at the top of the new curb ramps. On the west side of SE 92nd Avenue, crews must create short retaining walls to hold back the yards where the expanded sidewalk cuts into an adjacent property. Over the last two years, crews working for PBOT have updated many sidewalk corners along SE 92nd Avenue near Berrydale Park and the connected Portland Public School campus. These updates encourage walking to the two destinations and ensure people of all abilities can use the sidewalk to get where they are going.

BPOT crews made a traffic pattern adjustment west of this intersection to SE 86th Avenue at SE Yamhill Street that supports bicyclists traveling on the Neighborhood Greenway. Previously, vehicles on SE 86th Avenue had to stop at SE Yamhill Street while people on Yamhill could continue driving. Now the two-way-stop is reversed so east/west drivers stop. This intersection control change lets bike riders continue through that intersection without slowing down. PBOT placed “New Traffic Pattern Ahead” signs around the intersection to warn drivers and marked each updated sign with bright-colored double flags to attract attention.

Recent projects on SE 86th Avenue have strengthened safety for Greenway users. A signalized crossing is under construction on this road at SE Washington Street. That update and this traffic pattern change should enhance the utility of the Greenway, particularly for families using it to travel to the nearby parks and schools. Additionally, sidewalk corner reconstruction along SE 92nd Avenue ensures that that route is accessible to all users. Expect more Greenway and corner reconstruction in this area over the next two years, leading up to the Berrydale Park Improvement Project in 2025.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Construction, Infrastructure

70s Greenway Crossings Progress and Delays

Last week, road crews continued construction on the NE Glisan Street crossing at 78th Avenue to support the 70s Neighborhood Greenway project. However, similar work on NE Halsey Street and 76th Avenue stalled due to a striping contractor’s mechanical difficulty. Other critical crossings on SE Stark and Washington Streets at 80th Avenue remain partially completed and unmarked.

Last week, drivers near NE Glisan Street and 78th Avenue experienced detours and lane closures as crews demolished several feet of the east side of a pedestrian refuge island. This work removed the remnants of a signal pole that had once supported Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB). That signal pole and plastic delineator posts suffered repeated damage from vehicles driving over the island. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) stopped replacing the island-mounted pole in 2021, relying on the RRFBs attached to utility poles on the road’s edge. For years, an orange traffic cone protected the exposed wires on the refuge island. This recent work on NE Glisan Street addresses the exposed wire issue, covering the electrical junction box and removing the pole anchoring bolts. Crews also installed pole-mounted signal request buttons for cyclists to activate without dismounting. Pedestrian refuge island reconstruction could include additional safety measures. However, design documents do not indicate a significant adjustment to the physical attributes of the pedestrian refuge island.

PBOT Provided design document for the NE Glisan Street crossing at NE 78th Avenue.

South of the active Greenway work, construction of two pedestrian refuge islands and a small raised concrete median on NE Halsey Street is likely delayed until next year. In September, cement masons completed reconstructing sidewalk corners and adding mid-block curb ramps for the 70s Greenway crossing at NE Halsey Street and 76th Avenue. Before work can begin on the in-street crossing elements, crews must remove the existing lane striping and repaint lines in a new configuration. NE Halsey will change from a four-lane design in this area to a three-lane street with bike lanes. This transformation will happen by reducing a travel lane in each direction and adding a center turn lane. Until that reconfiguration occurs, road crews cannot create the refuge island because it would block part of a travel lane. 

NE Halsey Street and 76th Ave

According to PBOT, the contracted painting company suffered equipment failure, which disrupted their busy schedule. That company, Hicks Striping & Curbing, is one of only two striping contractors in the northwest region approved to do this work. Specialized Pavement Marking is the other contractor and is equally busy. Consequentially, project planners anticipate delays in the Greenway crossing work. “We don’t anticipate striping this segment until spring 2024,” explained Hannah Schafer, Communications Director for PBOT. Construction schedules can shift on other projects, freeing up resources for this work, but for now, crews are waiting for updated pavement markings.

Construction drawing of NE Halsey Street and 76th Ave, courtesy PBOT

Other Greenway crossing projects in Montavilla are missing pavement markings, causing hardship for people using the intersections. SE Stark and Washington Streets at 80th Avenue recently received updates to support RRFBs. When the road crews repaved the work area, that work temporarily removed a high-visibility crosswalk on SE Stark Street. Without lane striping and marked crossings, pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers navigate with some ambiguity around conflict points in the street.

These are short-term challenges as the streets around the 70s Neighborhood Greenway project gain safety improvements. However, residents have demanded crossing improvements along these busy streets for years, and further delay is understandably disappointing. By next year, PBOT should complete the Greenway project, making way for other safety improvements in the area.

Update December 14th, 2023: Cement masons completed work on the NE Glisan Street crossing at 78th Avenue. It is now full functional for pedestrian users. PBOT should install the bike RRFB request buttons soon. As design documents indicated, crews did not install additional pedestrian refuge island safety enhancements. Work on the island removed the mounting bolts from the damaged RRFB signal pole and secured the wiring junction box with an access cover.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Construction, Infrastructure

Newly Paved NE Everett Opens to Traffic

Today, the newest section of NE Everett Street is open to traffic after months of construction. Crews completed 80% of this previously unimproved roadway in July, with only gradual progress during the last two months. However, workers and heavy equipment swarmed NE Everett Street at NE 76th Avenue this week to finish the project.

Road crews and heavy equipment on NE Everett Street at NE 76th Avenue September 13th

This replacement of an unimproved gravel road is part of the 70s Neighborhood Greenway project currently under construction. The one-block street segment provides a critical east-west connector to the new bike-friendly, walkable north-south pathway. Improvements to this road fill a gap in the street grid for non-motorists trying to travel away from busy streets and children heading to Vestal School. This gravel street prevented many people from using NE Everett as it deteriorated in the winter and became a challenge to pass. People would instead travel on East Burnside or NE Glisan to avoid this barrier. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) has transformed the one-block section with a modern paved road surface and curb-tight sidewalks, allowing all-season access.

Open and complete NE Everett Street at NE 76th Avenue September 14th

NE Everett Street from NE 76th Avenue to NE 78th Avenue never had a paved road in this section and was only recently serviced by the City of Portland. Crews needed to widen the road when creating the twenty-eight-foot-wide paved street and Sidewalks. It now provides travel lanes in each direction and two seven-foot-wide parking lanes along each curb. Seven-foot wide curb-tight sidewalks squeezed between the vehicle zone and neighbors’ fences. Existing adjacent homes prevent a wider pedestrian zone on this block, and one building had to give up some nose-in street parking to accommodate this new infrastructure. Portlanders travailing east-west can now use NE Everett Street for walking and biking while remaining on slower streets, and residents can start parking in front of their homes. 

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, Infrastructure

SE Stark Street Paving at 80th

Road crews returned to SE Stark Street this week, reducing travel lanes in half and closing through traffic at 80th Avenue. Monday’s work focussed on grinding down the top layer of asphalt while patching the road’s base, where previous work required open trenches. Later this week, workers will repave 150 feet of Stark Street adjacent to where cement masons recently created new expanded sidewalk corners.

Construction at this intersection is part of the 70s Greenway Project that will create a safer north-south connector for people walking or riding to their destination. This portion of the infrastructure improvement project added new curb ramps, improved stormwater handling, and road resurfacing. Later, crews will install Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) and crosswalk striping on the west side of this intersection. As part of this work, The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) removed a few parking spaces to accommodate expanded sidewalk corners, with the north side protruding into the parking lane further to the west than the extended corner across the street. The added pedestrian space makes the historically skinny sidewalks wider and shortens the distance for people crossing SE Stark Street.

Clipping from PBOT intersection design document showing expanded sidewalk and corners

During this project, crews installed new stormwater pipes and electrical conduits for the RRFB signals throughout the intersection, creating a grid of asphalt patches. PBOT anticipated the need to repave the roadway but postponed that work until after the 2023 Street Fair when it would have interrupted those festivities.

Traffic disruptions at this intersection will conclude after crews apply the crosswalk and lane striping on the new road surface. Until then, drivers and cyclists should plan for occasional detours and lane reductions. Pedestrians may need to find alternate crossing points and should look for loose gravel in the area. RRFB installation will likely occur later in the year, around the same time as the SE Washington Street work at 80th Avenue concludes.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, Infrastructure

NE Halsey Crossing at 76th

This week, road crews began work on NE Halsey Street at 76th Avenue, reducing travel lanes to make room for two pedestrian refuge islands and buffered bike lanes. This intersection improvement work supports the 70s Neighborhood Greenway project, providing a safe north-south connector for people walking or rolling to their destination. NE Halsey’s lane reconfiguration will extend several blocks east and west from this crossing, creating one travel lane in each direction with a center turn lane. 

Construction drawing courtesy PBOT

NE Halsey is one of the city-identified high crash corridors, making an enhanced intersection necessary at this new greenway crossing. NE 76th Avenue shifts 90 feet off center at NE Halsey Street, creating two “T” intersections. Consequentially, engineers needed to construct extra in-road elements to protect multimodal cross traffic while allowing vehicle left turns. The new center turn lanes on NE Halsey will have two pedestrian refuge islands aligned with the east crossing of NE 76th Avenue and a short raised median to the west protecting a green striped bike crossing. Crews will reconstruct two corners featuring Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant ramps that align with mid-block curb ramps across NE Halsey Street. The SE corner of NE 76th Avenue and Halsey Street will also feature a westward curb extension, shortening the crossing distance and placing waiting pedestrians at the outer edge of the parking lane for greater visibility.

Illustration courtesy PBOT

The NE Halsey Street lane reconfiguration will extend from NE 70th to NE 80th Avenues and support other Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) safety improvements planned for this busy street. Reducing the four vehicle travel lanes to two adds road width for painted bike lanes to protect cyclists and a center turn lane for added protection. “This three-lane configuration is a proven safety improvement that national studies and local experience show results in safer travel for everyone,” explained PBOT representative Dylan Rivera. As they approach this ten-block segment of NE Halsey Street, signage along the corridor will notify people that a traffic pattern change is coming up.

PBOT expects the project on NE Halsey Street to conclude later this year, with striping and signage added by the end of December 2023. During the next few months, crews will need to close some streets and crossings as well as reduce travel lanes. Cyclists and pedestrians should use caution around NE 76th Avenue and potentially find alternate routes. TriMet has temporarily closed bus stops serving the 77 line (Stop IDs 2453 & 2452) at NE 76th Avenue in both directions. Riders who use those boarding locations should plan for additional travel time to the next stop through September 17th for eastbound service and September 27th for westbound service.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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