Broadway Main Street Project

What's happening now? 

February 2026

PBOT is initiating the design phase of the project and finalizing a public engagement strategy for the project to commence in 2026.

Project Map
 

View full size image of A map showing the extents of the "Broadway Main Street" project in Lower Albina.

The Broadway Main Street includes investments on:

• N/NE Broadway & Weidler from the Broadway Bridgehead (N Larrabee Ave) to NE 7th Ave
• N Larrabee Ave between N Broadway and N Hancock Street

The project is closely coordinated with the Oregon Department of Transportation I-5 Rose Quarter Project, which will build the streetscape improvements related to the future highway cover and proximate areas.

Project Background & Purpose

Broadway and Weidler form a key gateway into Lower Albina and North/Northeast Portland. For decades, this couplet has primarily served people driving through the neighborhood, rather than those who live, work, and gather here. The Broadway Main Street project aims to change that—and help build a better future for Lower Albina.

The project will deliver major streetscape and safety upgrades along the N/NE Broadway & Weidler couplet and N Larrabee Avenue, transforming these corridors into welcoming, people-centered public spaces. This project will make it safer and easier to walk, bike, take transit, and spend time in Lower Albina—while supporting small businesses, community life, and long-term, equitable growth.

Today, wide travel lanes, long crossings, and limited shade or seating can make parts of Broadway, Weidler, and Larrabee feel stressful and uninviting outside of a car. The project will rebalance how the street works by shortening crossing distances, creating safer spaces for walking and biking, improving lighting and visibility, and adding trees, greenery, and places to pause. These changes will make everyday trips—walking to transit, getting to work, or meeting a friend—safer, more comfortable, and more enjoyable.

Broadway Main Street is also a placemaking effort. Streets are among our largest public spaces, and this project treats them that way. Upgraded sidewalks, public art opportunities, enhanced corners and crossings, and a more flexible pedestrian realm will help create a street that feels like a destination, not just a route through the neighborhood. Over time, these improvements can support local businesses, invite community-serving uses, and strengthen Lower Albina's identity as a vibrant, walkable district.

This work aligns with the community-led equitable development vision for Lower Albina advanced by Albina Vision Trust. As the area plans for new housing, jobs, cultural spaces, and public amenities, the street network must evolve to support that future. Broadway Main Street is an early, visible step toward building public infrastructure that reflects community values—safer streets, greener public spaces, and streets designed for people.

Project Goals:

• Main Street redesign to reconnect Albina area to nearby neighborhoods and support future development goals.
• Transform the widest surface arterials in Portland's Central City to a safer, more human-scaled environment.
• Improve safety and access for current and future residents of the Albina area.
• Honor the district's history through public realm elements including public art, urban design, and monumentation.
• Advance workforce development and equitable contracting goals to spur job creation and economic opportunities.

Project Elements:

• Improved sidewalks and pedestrian realm and safer pedestrian crossings.
• Reduce the distance for people crossing the street on the widest arterial in the Central City (96ft today) N Broadway approaching the Broadway Bridge
• Improved access to Rose Quarter Transit Center, Portland Streetcar, and new bus service on N Larrabee Ave.
• Additional tree canopy, green infrastructure, street lighting, and other streetscape amenities.
• Upgraded and protected lanes for people biking and scooting.

Project Funding & Timeline

This project was originally funded for design and construction through the USDOT's Reconnecting Communities and Neighborhood Access & Equity Program. In 2025, the construction phase of this project was rescinded by congress through the One Big Beautiful Bill Act. However, funding for design and public engagement activities remain intact and will provide resources to develop a shovel-ready version of the project.

PBOT Planning is working closely with Albina Vision Trust and others to restore funding for project implementation through a variety of initiatives at the local, regional, state, and federal level

The tentative project schedule is:

• Preliminary Design: Summer 2026
• Final Design: Fall 2027

There will be multiple opportunities for public engagement throughout the design phase. 

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Project Documents