SW Broadway Bike Improvements Project

Transportation

Under Construction

The Portland Bureau of Transportation brought a host of improvements to SW Broadway in 2022, making it safer for all travelers. Additional improvements are coming to this high crash corridor in 2024.

Concrete platforms under construction - February 2024

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What's happening now?

January 29, 2024 Update

SW Broadway at Main, looking north. The new passenger zones will be similar to this platform at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall completed last year. — Passenger loading platform completed at the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall

Construction begins Tuesday, Jan.30, on curb extensions on SW Broadway to create curb-height passenger loading zones to serve local hotel guests at the Heathman, Vance and Benson hotels.The passenger loading zones will be similar to the previously completed passenger zone in front of the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall at SE Main Street.

People bicycling will ramp up to sidewalk level and ramp down to the street level at the curb extension. As is the case today, signs and pavement markings require people bicycling to yield to pedestrians crossing the bike lane.When complete, the curb extensions will provide safe places for passengers to load and unload while also delineating a clear green lane for people bicycling.

Work will start near Columbia Street before proceeding to Salmon and Oak streets. Each location will take approximately two weeks to construct. During construction, people biking will be routed through a temporary signed and separated bike lane adjacent to the work zone. Construction is anticipated to last through March 13, 2024. Final striping will occur when weather allows in spring 2024.

More details can be found in the project traffic advisory.

September 27, 2023 Update

PBOT has received significant community feedback on recent proposals to modify the bicycling facilities on NW and SW Broadway. Based on this feedback and direction from Director Williams, PBOT staff are actively moving forward with the following:

Conducting a full project evaluation
Implementing previously planned and budgeted safety upgrades on Broadway. Several improvements were delayed in the last year due to contractor availability. Funded improvements PBOT contractors will build include:
- Improvements to the valet environment at the Vance, Benson and Heathman hotels with installation of new valet loading platforms similar to the platform fronting the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall. These platforms will reduce conflicts between hotel patrons and cyclists. Construction of these platforms is scheduled for this winter, with specific construction timing to be coordinated with hotel management.
- Traffic signal upgrades at the SW Taylor and Jefferson intersections. These upgrades will reduce conflicts between right turning vehicles and people bicycling on Broadway by installing bicycle and right turn signal phases. Additionally the traffic signal at SW Oak will be upgraded to add a northbound bicycle signal. Construction of these signal upgrades is scheduled to begin next year and will be coordinated with the SW 4^th Avenue project.
- Traffic signal and striping upgrades at NW Glisan. This upgrade is similar to those planned at Taylor and Jefferson and will reduce conflicts between right turning vehicles and people bicycling on Broadway by installing bicycle and right turn signal phases. This project is part of a larger federally funded safety project. Construction is slated to begin by the end of next year.
Exploring additional upgrading or “hardening” portions of the existing bike lane in its current configuration (similar to the proposed bike lane for the forthcoming SW Fourth Avenue project).

We look forward to sharing the project evaluation and proposed upgrades for public feedback.

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Prior Construction Updates

Street with a sidewalk curb extension, white posts, and ramp to the street-level bike lane. A car is parked to the left of the curb extension. A sign on a post next to the bike lane communicates bikes yield to pedestrians. — SW Broadway looking south toward Main street. The new curb extension provides a safe place for passengers to load and unload, while maintaining separation for people bicycling from moving vehicles. Contractors will install finishing touches in the coming months.

SW Broadway at Main, looking north. Construction workers in yellow vests work within a construction zone, surrounded by orange barricades. — SW Broadway at Main, looking north at the concrete curb extension underneath tarps during construction.

Three pedestrians cross SW Broadway in a marked crosswalk near a concert hall. — SW Broadway at SW Main, looking north before construction.

Construction is substantially complete on the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s (PBOT) SW Broadway Bike Improvements project. This key Central City in Motion project provides a comfortable, safe southbound bicycle connection through the heart of downtown from the Broadway Bridge to I-405.

In winter 2022-2023, contractors working for PBOT installed a curb extension at SW Broadway and Main to create a curb-height passenger loading zone to serve events and programming for Portland’5, the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall, and Antoinette Hatfield Hall.

The construction of the curb extension is complete and the passenger loading zone adjacent to Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall is one again open to the public. Contractors will install striping updates in spring 2023 on the curb extension as soon as weather allows.

People bicycling will ramp up to sidewalk level and ramp down to the street level at the curb extension. As is the case today, people bicycling should yield to pedestrians crossing the bike lane.

The curb extension provides a safe place for passengers to load and unload, while maintaining separation for people bicycling from moving vehicles.

Construction update December 22, 2022

The passenger loading zone adjacent to Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall is now open to the public, and the bike lane detour has been removed. Bicyclists are encouraged to travel slowly up and over the new concrete curb extension, expect to see pedestrians to cross the bike lane, and yield to pedestrians.

Upcoming activities:

In spring 2023, contractors will install yellow tactile domes along the sidewalk side of the curb extension and striping of the bike lane at the curb extension. This work requires dry, warm conditions.

Completed activities:

Construction of the concrete curb extension
Installation of signs and reflective tubular posts
Installation of metal handrails on the sidewalk

Construction update November 21, 2022

Upcoming activities November 30 through December 9 include saw cutting, setting forms, pouring concrete for a new curb extension at SW Broadway and SW Main.

Completed activities:

Protected bike lane installation, high visibility crosswalks
Parking sign adjustments
Minor signal modifications

Construction update Sept. 28, 2022

Upcoming activities:

Sept. 29 - Oct. 1, 7 p.m. - 7 a.m. (night work): Striping green in the bike lane, installing high-visibility crosswalks at intersections
Sept. 29 - Oct. 15 (day work): Parking sign adjustments continue. West side of Broadway between SW Main and Clay streets, east side of Broadway between SW Oak and Clay streets

Completed activities:

High-visibility crosswalk installation and pavement markings in the bike lane
Parking sign adjustments on the west side of Broadway between SW Oak and Main streets

Construction update Sept. 21, 2022

Upcoming activities:

Sept. 20-30, 8 a.m. - 5 p.m. (day work): Parking sign adjustments
Sept. 26-30, 7 p.m. - 7 a.m. (night work): Striping green in the bike lane, upgrading pedestrian crossings to high visibility crosswalks at intersections

Completed activities:

Striping removal on SW Broadway between Oak and Clay streets
Striping, tuff curb and post protection on SW Broadway between Oak and Clay streets
Right-turn signal, new bike signal at SW Broadway at Clay installed and activated

Construction update Sept. 8, 2022

Contractors with the Portland Bureau of Transportation begin striping removal and re-striping next week, on Monday Sept. 12.

The traveling public should anticipate parking restrictions, lane closures, and travel delays.

Upcoming activities:

Sept. 12-13, 7 a.m. - 5 p.m. (daytime work)
- Striping removal on SW Broadway between SW Oak and Clay
Sept. 14-18, 8 p.m. - 5 a.m. (night work)
- Striping, tuff curb protection on SW Broadway between SW Oak and Clay
October
- Final parking sign adjustments

Construction update Aug. 29, 2022

Upcoming activities:

Striping on SW Broadway between Oak and Clay streets anticipated to begin mid-September.

Completed activities:

Pavement repair is complete on SW Broadway between Salmon and Main streets and between Harvey Milk and Oak streets.

Construction update Aug. 11, 2022

Contractors with the Portland Bureau of Transportation are preparing for construction. Construction begins Wednesday, Aug. 17.

Upcoming activities:

Aug. 17-18: Pavement repair on SW Broadway between SW Salmon and Main streets and between SW Harvey Milk and Oak streets. Pavement is being repaired for safety in advance of relocating the bike lane to the curb.

Project overview

In 2022, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will improve street operations on SW Broadway between Oak to Clay streets.

Two pedestrians walking across a street at an intersection with a marked crosswalk. — PBOT will install high-visibility crosswalks like this one at signalized intersections throughout the corridor.

This is one of the 18 projects identified in the Central City in Motion plan, and will create consistency along Broadway from the Broadway Bridge to Portland State University (PSU), connecting to the recently-completed NW Broadway protected bike lane and the SW Broadway parking-protected bike lanes by PSU.

This project is designed to help our transportation system accommodate more Portlanders as they return to employment, educational, and cultural opportunities in the Central City in the coming years.

Project benefits

This project will bring a host of improvements to the SW Broadway you know and use every day. The street is being designed to provide dedicated space for people who bike and to make the street safer for all users.

The bike lane will be upgraded on this high-crash corridor, completing Broadway’s missing link of the southbound protected bike lane.
Signal modifications at select intersections will improve safety for pedestrians and people biking.
High-visibility crosswalks will be installed at signalized intersections throughout the corridor, further improving pedestrian safety.
This project involves changes that will impact on-street parking and loading zones.

Project timeline

Spring/Summer 2024 - Construction begins on traffic signal improvements at SW Jefferson and SW Taylor
February - March 2024 - Construction of concrete passenger loading Platforms at several locations
Summer 2022 – Construction of SW Broadway Bike Improvements Project
Spring 2022 – Central City in Motion (CCIM) Working Group & Stakeholder Engagement
Winter 2021 – Engineering & Design
Spring 2020 – CCIM Open Houses
2018 – Portland City Council Adopts the Central City in Motion Implementation Plan
2016 - 2018 – Early Concept Planning & Central City in Motion Public Engagement

Project impacts

This project involves adjustments to on-street parking and loading zones. Parking will continue to be available on the east side of the street. Parking will also be available on the west side of the street, between the bike lane and the travel lane. A similar design was first implemented on SW Broadway next to the Portland State University campus in 2009, and recently implemented on Broadway from the Broadway Bridge to SW Oak Street.

View block-by-block parking adjustments completed in 2022:

SW Broadway Parking Map3.32 MB

How do I park on NW Broadway?662.42 KB