East Portland Access to Employment and Education: 4M, 100s, and 150s Neighborhood Greenways

Transportation

Completed

This project has been completed. Sidewalks, street crossings, bikeway facilities, paved paths, and other safety improvements have been constructed on the 150s Neighborhood Greenway and the 100s Neighborhood Greenway, as well as a portion of the 4M Neighborhood Greenway.

Construction December 2020-Oct 2023

On this Page

A person in grey clothing walks along a newly-installed sidewalk. There are a few young trees, just planted along the street. — The new sidewalk installed on SE Millmain Street and 157th Drive creates safer conditions for people walking to Parklane Park.

Construction questions? Email: epdxconstruction@portlandoregon.gov

Project Description

The project consists of the following elements:

Sidewalk infill and new bike lanes on SE Cherry Blossom Drive / 102nd Avenue / 103rd Avenue between Washington Street and Market Street.

Sidewalk infill and new bike lanes on SE Market St between 92nd and 130th Aves, also known as the 4M Neighborhood Greenway. PBOT is also improving the eastern segment of the 4M Neighborhood Greenway.

100s Neighborhood Greenway from SE Powell Blvd to NE Knott St (4.1 miles of low traffic streets and multi-use paths).

150s Neighborhood Greenway from SE Powell Blvd to NE Halsey St (3.7 miles of low traffic streets and multi-use paths).

Transit safety, comfort, and access improvements at bus stops, including seven new or enhanced pedestrian/bicycle crossings (rapid-flash beacons or pedestrian hybrid signals) on arterial streets including NE Halsey St, NE Glisan St, SE Stark St, and SE Division St.

EPAEE Project Map479.99 KB

Together, these improvements will enhance access to major employment hubs and business districts including the Gateway Regional Center, Mall 205, Halsey-Weidler Business District, Division-Midway District and the Rosewood Initiative District.

The project will also improve pedestrian/bicycle access to eight public schools including David Douglas High School, Floyd Light Middle School, and Glenfair Elementary School.

Transit access improvements will help residents connect to more distant employment and education centers including downtown Portland, Clackamas County, Portland International Airport, and the Columbia Corridor via light rail or bus. In addition, the project will connect to major community open spaces including Gateway Discovery Park, Kelly Butte, Glenfair Park, and Parklane Park.

Existing Condition and Need

EPAEE existing conditions 02 - no sidewalks

EPAEE existing conditions 03 - crosswalk

Much of east Portland developed in the mid-20th century when transportation infrastructure and land use patterns were oriented toward the automobile. As a result, many streets lack sidewalks, bicycle facilities, and safe crossings; street connectivity is poor; and most major streets have five lanes and traffic speeds of 35 to 50 mph. Serious injury and crash records collected over the last ten years indicate a person is more likely to be killed walking, biking, and driving in east Portland than in any other part of Portland.

At the same time, east Portland has experienced significant infill development and has attracted many families and individuals with lower incomes, including people that do not have access or cannot afford to use an automobile. Investments in pedestrian, bicycle, and transit infrastructure are needed to help people of all income levels reach destinations, particularly education and employment sites that provide “ladders of opportunity” for people to improve their economic prospects.

Project Background

In 2012, Portland City Council adopted East Portland in Motion, a five-year implementation strategy for active transportation projects east of 82nd Avenue. Developed in partnership with the diverse neighborhoods and organizations of east Portland, the strategy identified over $80 million in walking, biking, and transit access projects to pursue with existing and future funding. With East Portland in Motion as a guide, PBOT has continued to seek federal, state, and local funding to implement the projects recommended in the strategy.

In 2013, as part of Metro regional government’s recurring allocation of federal transportation dollars, $33.8 million in unanticipated additional funding became available for the Portland region to invest in transportation projects in the 2016-2018 time frame. The Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation, consisting of local elected officials, decided to brand these extra funds as a “Regional Economic Opportunity Fund” and worked with city and county staff to identify five transportation projects that would spur economic development throughout the region.

The City of Portland decided to invest its share of the Regional Economic Opportunity Fund in the continued implementation of East Portland in Motion. PBOT staff put together the $8.3 million proposal for East Portland Access to Employment & Education, consisting of sidewalk infill, neighborhood greenways, bike lanes, and crosswalks that had been identified in East Portland in Motion and prioritized by community leaders, but not yet funded. $3 million of the funds were dedicated to pedestrian/bicycle improvements on SE Powell Boulevard, and that money was transferred to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) through an intergovernmental agreement. Portland City Council accepted the federal grant from ODOT in September 2016.

Public Involvement

PBOT staff have been visiting the affected neighborhood associations and will be contacting property owners and residents directly affected by the project. Feel free to contact the project manager with any questions, concerns, or ideas related to the project.

Project Funding

$5.3 million for this project is funded by a federal grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation, disbursed through the Oregon Department of Transportation. Local match funding from the City of Portland brings the total project budget to $11 million.