(November 19, 2015) As a part of the Clinton Neighborhood Greenway Enhancement Project, the Portland Bureau of Transportation has scheduled the installation of two traffic diverters on SE Clinton Street at SE 17th Avenue and 32nd Avenue. Weather permitting, the diverters will be installed during the first week of January 2016.
Starting in early December, PBOT will conduct an education and awareness campaign to alert people who use SE Clinton to the street’s status as a neighborhood greenway. The campaign is a direct response to the feedback PBOT received during the public involvement process. This process included two open houses with approximately 300 total participants. PBOT also received over 700 comments submitted to the bureau either at the open houses or on-line.
The Clinton Neighborhood Greenway Enhancement Project focuses on reducing auto traffic volumes and speeds to comply with the performance guidelines recently established for neighborhood greenways in the Neighborhood Greenway Assessment Report.
This report was unanimously accepted by City Council this past summer. Using newly adopted performance guidelines, the report evaluates Portland’s existing Neighborhood Greenway network. This evaluation determined that while neighborhood greenways are very popular element of Portland’s bicycle system, some of the older routes are no longer providing conditions that allow for safe and comfortable bicycle use.
This is the case on SE Clinton. Between SE 12th Avenue and SE Cesar Chavez Boulevard, traffic volumes currently exceed the upper acceptable limit of 2,000 cars/day by 200 to 1,000 cars. Much of this traffic is believed to be non-local cut-through traffic that should be using either SE Division Street or SE Powell Boulevard. Public comment leading up to the adoption of the assessment report strongly supported SE Clinton as a candidate for improvement to address the speed and volume issues.
”We build Neighborhood Greenways to make it safe and inviting for more Portlanders to walk and bike,” said PBOT Director Leah Treat. “As Portland continues to grow and our traffic patterns evolve, we need to support and enhance our Greenway network. That’s our goal on SE Clinton and throughout the city.”
The diverters will be installed as part of a six month trial period to assess their effect on improving conditions for people who walk and bike on SE Clinton and decreasing the traffic on the street. A citizen’s advisory committee will assist in the evaluation of the trial period and also recommend if modifications are needed for the project’s second phase.
In addition to the diverters, PBOT will be changing 34th Avenue to a one-way northbound street, with a contraflow southbound bike lane. If traffic volumes can be reduced below 2,000 cars per day, the street section will also be signed for 20 mph. East of SE Cesar Chavez Boulevard, PBOT will install speed bumps. Construction of the changes to 34th Ave will begin as soon as the weather permits striping work. Installation of the speed bumps east of SE Cesar Chavez Boulevard will begin next spring when weather conditions allow that type of construction.
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The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is the steward of the City’s transportation system, and a community partner in shaping a livable city. We plan, build, manage and maintain an effective and safe transportation system that provides access and mobility. www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation