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Policy and Program Recommendations

Information
Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) has finalized project and program recommendations for the North Portland in Motion Plan.

Policy and program recommendations

North Portland in Motion includes policy and program recommendations. The policies and programs respond to PBOT’s policy goals and key themes from community engagement that don’t neatly fit into specific near-term projects. Some describe how we develop and design our projects, including shared characteristics or design approaches. Some are not project related at all, but rather focus on programming, partnerships, and street activation.

1. Make Space for Trees & Other Greenery

New green trees line the sidewalk in the furnishing zone View full size image
Many projects included added tree canopy to help reduce heat impacts and create a more pleasant streetscape environment.
  1. Collaborate with Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) and Urban Forestry to add trees within the right-of-way on neighborhood greenways and other capital projects.
  2. Collaborate with BES on capital project development to introduce green stormwater features including bioswales and permeable paving materials, among others.
  3. Seek opportunities to add additional space for larger canopy trees by expanding the furnishing zone into the curb zone.

 

2. Improve Access to Parks & Off-Street Trails

  1. Collaborate with bureau partners at BES and Portland Parks and Recreation (PP&R) to maintain safe, accessible off-street trails.
  2. Collaborate with PP&R to improve Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance and access for people biking to parks. Strategies could include ADA ramps and bike parking corrals, among others. 
Bus stop with shelter, bench, and trash cash shown near a park and an apartment building View full size image
Transit shelters improve the experience for people while they wait for the bus.

3. Invest in Transit Service & Rider Experience 

  1. Make the existing transit system work better:
    1. Partner with TriMet to invest in better bus stops including station amenities, shelters, benches, and real-time arrival time information for frequent service lines.
    2. Align new or improved pedestrian crossings with bus stops.
    3. Coordinate with TriMet to optimize bus stop locations when delivering a capital project through North Portland in Motion.
  2. Work toward the future of transit in North Portland:
    1. Support implementation of new service and service expansion identified in TriMet’s Forward Together plan.
    2. Support development of improved transit performance and service on N Lombard St (Line 75). 
Orange metal Kenton main street signage hangs on a light post View full size image
Street banners can help create a distinct main street environment.

4. Activate the Public Realm Through Community-Led Placemaking

  1. Explore opportunities for street plazas and other car-free public spaces within the right-of-way for people to connect with one another. This could be both in commercial areas and areas adjacent to other community destinations, such as parks or schools.
  2. Build understanding of the role of community partners as co-creators and stewards of plazas. Strengthen best practices for stewardship and maintenance of plazas.
  3. Identify opportunities and sites within North Portland where PBOT can support community organizations to pilot new programming and activate existing public spaces.
  4. Collaborate with PBOT Portland in the Streets, city bureaus, and other agencies to identify and pursue community placemaking opportunities in the public realm.
  5. As near-term initiative, partner with businesses and neighbors to develop street murals in Kenton and St Johns. Continue partnership to maintain, enhance, and activate St Johns Plaza. 
Neighborhood greenway crossing with concrete diverters and 15 MPH shared street signage View full size image
Enhanced signage and 'portals' into neighborhoods help reinforce slow speeds.

5. Invest in Traffic Calming and Safe School Zones

  1. Develop new tools and practices to introduce traffic calming on busier, higher-speed neighborhood collectors.
  2. Expand the use of traffic calming and speed bumps beyond the neighborhood greenway network to address cut-through routes on local streets (similar to what was recently completed in the St Johns neighborhood).
  3. Develop new tools and practices to reduce speeds on neighborhood greenways and near parks and schools including chicanes, pinch-points, roundabouts, and other speed reduction tools.

6. Support Small Businesses & Vibrant Main Streets

  1. Help formalize and streamline use of the curb zone for business or social uses. 
  2. Partner with business districts to support goals around district identity through placemaking and streetscape amenities. 
  3. Explore opportunities for street plazas and other car-free public spaces within the right-of-way for people to connect with one another. 
  4. Continue to partner with Prosper Portland and the St Johns Boosters to invest in St Johns Plaza.

7. Develop Innovative Neighborhood Wayfinding

  1. Engage community organizations and business associations to better understand wayfinding needs and opportunities for future initiatives.
  2. Develop a pilot neighborhood wayfinding system in the New Columbia and Portsmouth areas of North Portland in partnership with local community groups.

8. Manage On-Street Parking in High-Demand Areas

  1. Explore a range of strategies to better manage the supply of on-street parking in commercial areas and areas with higher on-street parking demand, specifically including the N Interstate Ave Corridor area.
  2. Partner with business districts to understand access needs and priorities for the curb zone.

9. Develop Consistent Neighborhood Greenway Design Standards

  1. Develop neighborhood greenway design guidelines such that each neighborhood greenway looks, feels, and functions in a similar way.
  2. Update existing neighborhood greenways with new design guidelines, either programmatically or as a package all at once. 
Person wearing pink sweatshirt stands next to secure bike parking lockers View full size image
PBOT is looking to partner with affordable housing developers in North Portland to provide secure bike parking.

10. Partner with Housing Providers to Reduce Transportation Costs

  1. Collaborate with affordable housing providers and service coordinators to lower barriers to walking, biking, and riding transit through programs like the PBOT Transportation Wallet and BIKETOWN for All.
  2. Support secure and accessible bicycle parking for residents of affordable housing developments.
  3. Continue to engage with affordable housing residents to confirm priorities and understand impacts during project implementation.

11. Revise and Update Bicycle Classifications in North Portland

  1. Revise and update the TSP Bikeway Classifications in North Portland as part of the general Transportation System Plan update in 2025-2027

12. Continue to partner with ODOT to deliver multimodal improvements on Highway 30 Bypass

  1. Partner closely with Region 1 ODOT staff to design and deliver the funded N Lombard St “Great Streets” project and other funded projects on N Lombard St.
  2. Collaborate to deliver near-term safety improvements for people walking and biking at signalized intersections along N Lombard St.
  3. Work with ODOT, TriMet, and other partners to explore an enhanced transit project on N Lombard St.
  4. Continue to explore options with ODOT to create dedicated space for people biking on the St Johns Bridge.

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