Plazas: Frequently Asked Questions

What is a street plaza? What kinds of elements are commonly found there?

Street plazas are flexible public spaces that can include a variety of elements to support community gathering, local businesses, and safe pedestrian use. Common features include:

• Street Painting & Public Art – Adds vibrancy and creates a sense of place.
• Public Seating – Movable chairs, benches, or tables to encourage people to sit, rest, or socialize.
• Planters & Greenery – Gateway planters help define the space and bring nature into the street.
• Outdoor Dining Areas – May be included in partnership with adjacent businesses.
• Event Space – Room for pop-up markets, performances, art, and community events.
• Safety Features – Includes flex posts, signage, and emergency lanes to ensure the plaza is safe and accessible.

PBOT is actively exploring consistent processes and guidelinesfor commonly requested features like overhead lighting and weather protection, which are important for year-round usability. Every plaza is unique, and final elements are based on community needs, physical conditions, and available partnerships.

What types of streets make good candidates for plazas?

Plaza locations are chosen based on their ability to support a safe, inviting, and vibrant public space. Here are lessons based on PBOT’s experience with past and current street plazas:

• Which blocks typically work well as street plazas:
  • Commercial streets with a mix of retail, restaurants, and small businesses on both sides of the street and existing foot traffic
  • Ideal if adjacent businesses actively engage with the plaza (e.g., through storefront windows, seating, or signage)
• Which blocks are more challenging to transform into street plazas:
  • Busier streets with high levels of noise or traffic
  • Streets with parking lots or lots of driveway access needs
  • Streets with freight and delivery needs

What are the different types of street plazas, and what purposes do they serve?

PBOT uses a Street Plaza Typology to guide the design, scale, and investment in plazas across Portland. Each type serves a different purpose and varies in terms of cost, complexity, and duration:

• Seasonal Plazas
  These are temporary installations that activate a space during warmer months. They typically include low-cost materials like paint, planters, and seating, and are often used to test out how a location works as a public space.
• Exploratory Plazas
  These plazas are designed to pilot a location over a longer term (approximately 1-3 years) and help determine if a more permanent investment is warranted. They allow the community to explore uses and build momentum for future activation. Most current street plazas are exploratory plazas.
• Permanent Plazas
  These plazas will feature upgrades in higher quality materials and durability (like paving or permanent seating) but will maintain aspects of the streetscape (such as the curb and gutter). They’re intended to serve as longer-term public spaces that support local businesses and community use for 3 to 10 years. PBOT is currently developing the first permanent plazas and will look to upgrade more existing plazas as funding and capacity allows.
• Transformational Plazas
  These will be high-impact, permanent projects that fully redesign a street or space to prioritize people over cars. There may be opportunities for depaving and curb removal, and coordination with other capital improvement projects. 

How does the Plaza Program support local businesses?

Plazas help turn business districts into destinations. They offer space for outdoor dining, pop-up markets, and performances that bring more people to the area. Many businesses also use plazas to host events, increase visibility, and build stronger ties with their neighborhood.

How can street plazas contribute to a safer public space?

When well-designed and actively managed, street plazas can help create a sense of safety, belonging, and community ownership. Here’s how:

• Activation reduces negative activity: Plazas with regular use—such as seating, art, events, or outdoor dining—naturally deter unwanted behavior like vandalism or illegal dumping. A vibrant public space signals care and oversight.
• Community presence builds trust: When neighbors, families, and businesses use a space regularly, it fosters positive social connections and informal “eyes on the street,” which can make the area feel safer for everyone.
• Survey feedback backs this up: In our most recent Plaza Program survey, 97% of respondents agreed that plazas enhance safety and vibrancy to the area. 

PBOT also understands that change can bring concerns—whether about trash, graffiti, or fears of future camping. That’s why we work closely with plaza partners, neighbors, and the public to ensure plazas are maintained, inclusive, and thoughtfully integrated into each community.

How does PBOT evaluate public street plazas to make sure they’re meeting community goals and standards?

PBOT regularly evaluates street plazas to ensure they are safe, welcoming, and vibrant public spaces that meet community needs. The evaluation process considers the unique context of each plaza and includes input from plaza partners, the public, and PBOT staff. Evaluation focuses on the following key areas:

• Traffic Control and Operations: Weekly reports on traffic control devices and site observations help ensure safety and proper vehicle restrictions.
• Plaza Access and Public Use: Community feedback and on-site observations are used to assess whether plazas feel inviting and are being used by the public.
• Maintenance: Plazas are monitored through vendor reports and staff feedback to ensure they remain clean, cared for, and well-maintained.
• Programming: Reports from plaza partners help track the variety of events and activities hosted in the plaza, such as markets, performances, or art.
• Plaza Partner Capacity: PBOT assesses how well partners can activate and maintain the space, looking at communication, planning, and hosted events.
• Public Support: Community and business engagement is measured through public feedback, annual plaza surveys, and staff observations.

This ongoing evaluation process helps PBOT work with the community to improve plaza spaces and address any challenges as they arise.

How does the Plaza Program collect public input and community feedback?

PBOT’s Plaza Program is built on community collaboration, and we actively seek public input in several ways:

• Surveys – Annual surveys invite the public to share feedback on how plazas are working and what improvements they’d like to see.
• Interviews & Focus Groups – We regularly meet with plaza partners, community groups, and stakeholders to understand local needs and experiences.
• Friends of the Plaza & Partner Networks – Plaza partners and volunteers act as neighborhood connectors, sharing on-the-ground feedback and helping shape ongoing improvements.
• Direct Outreach – Community members are encouraged to email, call, or talk directly with PBOT staff at events. We value feedback in all forms and strive to make communication accessible.

Whether it’s a quick comment, a detailed survey response, or a conversation at a community event, your voice helps shape the future of Portland’s plazas.

What are the responsibilities of PBOT and plaza partners when it comes to maintaining and managing street plazas?

PBOT works closely with plaza partners to manage and maintain welcoming public spaces. Responsibilities are shared based on expertise and capacity:

• PBOT Responsibilities:
  • Installing and maintaining traffic control devices
  • Providing and maintaining public seating and other core infrastructure
• Partner Responsibilities:
  • Leading or supporting programming like events, music, art, or community activities
• Business Responsibilities:
  • Managing outdoor dining areas adjacent to their storefronts
• Shared Responsibilities:
  • Cleaning and waste management
  • Signage and street painting
  • Maintaining planters and greenery

These shared roles help create safe, inclusive, and activated plazas by combining City resources with community creativity and care.

How can I get involved with a street plaza in my neighborhood?

There are lots of ways to plug into your local street plaza and help bring it to life! Here are a few great options:

• Join the Friends of the Plaza Program
  Become part of a community of plaza supporters who help care for, promote, and activate these spaces. Friends of the Plaza may help with programming, maintenance, or simply spreading the word about plaza events. To learn about our plaza partners and friends group head over to the plaza directory and reach out to our team at Portlandstreetplazas@portlandoregon.gov if you'd like to get involved.
• Become a Plaza Ambassador
  This is a great way for students or community members to gain hands-on experience by engaging with the public, distributing materials, and helping gather feedback that shapes the future of our plazas. To get involved reach out to portlandstreetplazas@portlandoregon.gov.
• Host an Event
  Have an idea for a market, music performance, art activity, or community gathering? Visit our plaza reservation page.

Everyone has something to offer. From volunteering to planning a dance party, we’d love to have you involved!

How is this program funded?

For 2025, the street plaza program is funded by one-time allocation of general fund revenue. In past years, the street plaza program was funded by the City allocation of American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA). Future funding of the street plaza program is currently under discussion and will be determined through the City’s overall budget process. 

What are rules for the plaza?

All persons in the pedestrian plaza must comply with rules of conduct under Portland City Code 17.43. 

Why is the plaza open year-round if it seems unused during the winter months?

While activity often slows in colder months, there are several important reasons why plazas remain open year-round:

• Cost and labor efficiency: Removing and reinstalling plaza materials (like planters, signage, or furniture) each season requires significant staff time and resources. Keeping them in place is the more sustainable option.
• Potential for winter activation: Plaza partners and PBOT continue to explore opportunities for winter use—such as pop-up markets, lighting installations such as during the Winter Light Festival, or seasonal events—to keep plazas active and inviting even in colder months.
• Coordination challenges: Closing a plaza, even temporarily, involves complex coordination with other City bureaus and parking systems.
• Low traffic streets: Most plazas are already located on local, lower-volume streets, so leaving them in place doesn’t significantly impact traffic or street operations.

Even in quieter months, plazas can still offer value—providing a place to rest, pass through, or enjoy a moment of calm. And they’re ready to spring back to life as soon as the weather warms up!

How do street plaza paintings come together?

Plaza paintings are a creative way to bring color, culture, and community identity into public space—and each one is a little different. The process depends on the location and community vision, and can happen in several ways:

• Community-Driven Design: Local residents, artists, or plaza partners often lead the design process, especially when the painting is part of a neighborhood or stakeholder initiative.
• Design Contests or Workshops: In some cases, designs are created through open calls, youth workshops, or collaborative sessions involving schools and community groups.
• PBOT Collaboration: PBOT staff help guide the process to ensure visibility, durability, and safety while reflecting local values.
• Permitting Process: All plaza paintings go through PBOT’s Street Painting Program, which includes design approval, materials guidance, and installation support.

To learn more or get involved with a street painting project, visit PBOT’s Street Painting Program page.

How can I stay up to date with Plaza developments, events, and other PBOT public space initiatives?

Sign up for Portland's Public Street Life Newsletter which focuses on plazas, community events, block parties, and other initiatives under PBOT's Public Realm and Street Activation team.