(Portland, OR) –
Paid parking in Portland Parks & Recreation’s (PP&R) Washington Park has funded needed enhancements, including new and improved crosswalks, ADA improvements, paving, striping, wayfinding, lighting, pathways, safety markings, revegetation projects, and many more infrastructure improvements at this world-famous destination. The paid parking rate has remained unchanged since 2018. To keep up with inflation, the City of Portland and Metro approved a rate change to maintain the park’s infrastructure, which serves millions of annual visitors.
Paid parking rates increased on February 4, 2025, marking the first increase since 2018 and only the second change in Washington Park’s history. Event parking rates will not change.
Parking in Washington Park has continued to be congested during peak periods, requiring ongoing transportation demand management operations. Further, the prior rate had not kept pace with inflation for services, labor, maintenance, or capital project expenses. Washington Park parking revenues are used exclusively for the park’s identified capital improvements and:
- The Washington Park Free Shuttle and offsite shuttle
- Traffic management and offsite parking services
- Park planning and improvements (such as portions of the Washington Park South Entry Project)
- Washington Park Visitor Information and Guest Services
- Enhanced Portland Park Ranger service in Washington Park
Pay to Park Hours: 9:30 am to 8 pm (no change)
Current New Rate (Feb. 4, 2025)
$2.00 per hour $2.40 per hour
$8.00 max per day $9.60 max per day
Event Rate:
$3.60 per hour Unchanged
$10.80 max per day Unchanged
New Washington Park South Entry complete
Portland Parks & Recreation’s (PP&R) new Washington Park South Entry project is now complete and open to visitors. The reimagined entrance greatly improves the experience for park visitors and supports the world-renowned cultural institutions that call Washington Park home.
Grand entry
Adding a grand entry for this regional treasure is fitting as Washington Park hosts a variety of different beloved, world-class cultural sites and recreational activities. The park is home to the Oregon Zoo, World Forestry Center, Hoyt Arboretum, International Rose Test Garden, Portland Japanese Garden, Portland Water Bureau reservoirs, various memorials and playgrounds, an archery range, and miles of trails. To create a truly grand entry, the project includes new signage, monuments, improved landscaping, lighting, and upgraded site furnishings.
Improvedpedestrian, bicycle, and vehicular access
Improving access to the park for the growing number of visitors arriving by bike or on foot is critical. South of the Highway 26 off-ramp, the 4-T trail ends and directs people over the highway toward SW Knight Blvd. During large events like ZooLights, overflow parking creates increased demand on this area, creating conflicts between bikes, cars, and pedestrians. To better accommodate bicycle and pedestrian traffic, we installed six-foot-wide sidewalks that parallel both sides of Canyon Blvd. leading into the park. New bicycle lanes run alongside the new sidewalks.
Stormwater management
As part of existing conditional use requirements for the Oregon Zoo and Washington Park, the project was required to provide for a minimum of one acre of stormwater mitigation. To satisfy this requirement, the final design of the South Entry centered around the creation of a stormwater garden. The stormwater garden has new landscaping and cascading weirs incorporating steel and stone. The Bureau of Environmental Services selected this project for one of its largest-ever Percent for Green grants because of its effective design, ability to filter pollution, and capacity to manage large amounts of stormwater.
The South Entry features a welcoming piece of public art: Flow, by Chinook artist Greg A. Robinson
The artwork by Robinson (Chinook) was recently installed as part of the Washington Park South Entry project and is part of the Percent for Art Program managed by City of Portland’s Office of Arts & Culture. Robinson says his artwork was inspired by the circular nature of the site, cycles of nature, and natural/native resources; as well as the physical elements of the surrounding area. The main element of 'flow' in the artwork is illustrated in the design by concentric rings with layers of characters from the old Chinookan stories. Salmon in the top ring are representing the cycle/flow of life. The salamanders and snakes are important in the old stories for making the first nets and are important indicator species as to the health of natural environment. The people represent families—past, present, and future. In the center are cast glass faces, a representation of the rising and setting of each day.
Learn more in the City of Portland’s Public Art Archive: https://publicartarchive.org/art/Flow/481d3998
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