North/South Bike Route Connections

From Tom Armstrong, Bureau of Planning:

Important news about a grant to improve North/South bike route connections.
The Twenties Bikeway project proposes development of a bike boulevard and bike lanes along a corridor in the high 20s blocks of east Portland starting at the north-end on NE 27th Ave and NE Lombard Street. The route jogs to 29th Ave. at Ainsworth and continues south on NE 29th Ave. with short jogs along NE Regents Dr. and NE Edgehill Pl. before reaching NE Knott, where it jogs to NE 28th Ave. The route continues along 28th Ave., across the Banfield (I-84), to SE Madison, where it jogs briefly to 27th Ave. The route jogs east again on SE Stephens to NE 26th Ave. before reaching existing bike lanes south of SE Woodward. The project also fills the southernmost gap south of SE Bybee on SE 27th Ave., Crystal Springs Blvd and SE 44th Ave., where it connects to existing bike lanes on Harney Drive and further south to the Springwater Corridor Trail.

The Twenties Bikeway is a 9.2-mile corridor, of which 2.3 miles currently exist as bicycle lanes. Of the remaining 6.9 miles, 5.5 miles are to be developed with bicycle boulevard treatments and 1.4 miles are to be striped with bicycle lanes. Bicycle lane and travel lane widths will be striped on roadways according to regional and city street design guidelines. The bicycle boulevard segments will incorporate the full spectrum of treatments the city has applied to its existing bicycle boulevards.

The City of Portland has applied for $2.1 million in funding from the Metro Transportation Improvement Program (MTIP). Metro is seeking public comment on the allocation of regional flexible funds. The formal comment period will open at 12 noon on Oct. 13, 2008 and close at noon on Dec. 1, 2008. A basic list of projects and programs will be posted on the Metro web site at www.oregonmetro.gov/regionalflexiblefund

WAYS TO COMMENT
Attend the Public Open House, Thursday, October 30, 5 to 8 p.m., Metro Regional Center Council Chamber, 600 NE Grand Ave., Portland
Comment online at www.oregonmetro.gov/regionalflexiblefund
Send e-mail to trans@oregonmetro.gov
Mail written comments to Regional flexible fund comments, Metro planning, 600 NE Grand Ave, Portland, OR 97232
Fax comments to 503-797-1930

If the City of Portland is successful in obtaining funding for this project there will be a design process to workout the detail improvements along the route.