122nd Avenue Southern Section (Powell to Foster)

Background

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) has developed a comprehensive plan to improve safety along 122nd Avenue, and has several funded projects to address the plan recommendations. PBOT was awarded a $20 million grant by the US Department of Transportation to make safety improvements along 122nd Avenue from SE Foster Road to NE Sandy Boulevard. The busy, five-lane arterial street is one of the most dangerous in the city and serves some of Portland's most racially and ethnically diverse neighborhoods. 

A Transportation Opportunity

This grant provides a rare opportunity to transform the street south of Holgate to slow speeds, improve safety and better serve neighborhood needs. This is result of several factors:

• Low Traffic: Lower ADTs than northern segments of 122^nd allows for five lane to two/three lane road diet
  • Range from ~4,500 north of Foster to ~8,500 north of Holgate
• Land use: mostly housing, with single-family, townhomes, and apartments with varying parking needs
• Pedestrian crossings are far apart, parking on both sides of street
• ~5 foot bike lanes between parking and outside travel lane needs improvement to create a more pleasant cycling experience

Proposed Changes

In response to what we have heard from the community, South of Powell Boulevard PBOT is proposing several changes:

• Road diet reducing the road from five lanes to two/three lanes
• Roundabout at 122^nd and Harold
• Intersection redesign/repaving of SE 122^nd and Foster (possible roundabout)
• Transit stop improvements/consolidation
• Repaving from Holgate to Foster
• Safety improvements at the intersection of SE 122^nd and Powell
• Fill crossing gaps

View full size image of Proposed design of the roundabout at 122nd and Harold showing crosswalks and bike crossings

Proposed Design - Holgate to Foster

The proposed concept is boulevard/tree median option with enhanced bike lanes. This design:

• Provides greatest opportunity for mature tree planting
• Creates continuous access management
• Visually narrows the street
• Can reduce speed from 30 to 25mph making the street safer
• Allows for several new marked crosswalks
• Preference of the Vision Zero team as is the most transformative and effective at slowing speeds

View full size image of Isometric drawing concept showing a wide tree lined boulevard with two travel lanes and bike lanes on each side

Design Constraints

This design was the result of many rounds of design refinement and a desire to maximize the safety impacts of the grant money. The many competing city and community needs included: 

• Trees must be away (preferably 10') from center of sanitary line running down the center of 122nd
• Fire Bureau needs at least 19' of "clear space"
• To remain unsignalized, the median needs to be 30' at intersections
• Parking needs vary but is generally needed on one side of the street

Proposed Design - Powell to Holgate 

From Holgate to Powell the proposed concept is a buffered bike lane with parking along the curb. This design: 

• Allows for some access management in the middle
• Can protect bike lane at intersection
• Provides parking and minimizes restriping

View full size image of Drawing of the concept showing parking along the curb and buffered bike lanes.