It’s that time of year again where bike lane conditions are terrible and we wait around for PBOT to clean them up. So frustrated this happens every single year. I want to use our platforms to improve the situation.
I’m starting this thread in hopes that you will help us keep track of where conditions are the worst. Beyond reporting things to PBOT (Report non-urgent traffic safety concerns | Portland.gov) and waiting for them to get through the backlog and address a specific location — I think the other thing we can do is just publicly shame them (or ODOT or MultCo depending on who controls the location).
So… please post locations and photos (if you have them) where bike lanes are blocked or piled-up with leaves and other debris. Thanks.
Tuesday, election day, I rode Halsey street east out to Gresham and most of the path was quite manageable. The exception was where it goes along the north edge of Glendoveer golf course. There were large piles of tree debris including sections of limbs. I will send images.
Terwilliger between SW Sheridan St and SW Campus Dr has, depending on if you’re going up or down the hill, ivy and and blackberry overgrowth, fallen branches, big gravel patches, and a pile of sandy gravel. There’s also a sewer grate that’s a bit alarming to ride over since it is not at all flush with the asphalt.
Meinecke Rd, Sherwood, bike lane is clogged by leaves and large branches pushed into the lane by neighbors/public works. Some neighbors also leave trash cans in the bike lane which is a violation of city ordinance. A tweet/email has been directed to Washco and Sherwood PW with no followup.
I’ve used it. And so have many other folks. It works really well for some types of reports. Can also email safe@portland.gov or call 823-SAFE to start a request ticket.
SW Terwilliger Parkway, between downtown and SW Capitol Hwy, is clear of leaves. I rode past (and thanked!) someone with a backpack leaf-blower cleaning up the last corner. It looks great!
As soon as you cross Capitol going south, however, it’s back to slick yellow sycamore slush all the way to the turnoff to Riverview Cemetery.
SW Broadway throughout downtown, PBOT’s new gem of a protected bike lane, is clogged with leaves.
And this past weekend, I was walking downtown with the family and saw more than one business “sweeping” the sidewalk in front of their establishment by blowing leaves into the bike lane. As a ped, I appreciated the effort to keep the sidewalk clean. But piling all the leaves in the bike lane is not the solution (unless the streetsweeper comes by more often).
Nothing really works on the PDX reporter except for the pothole repairs. They pothole folx actually show up! The rest (illegal camps, broken down abandoned cars, graffiti, etc) not so much.
