Southwest In Motion is a short-term prioritization, refinement, and implementation strategy for planned active transportation investments in Southwest Portland. The final plan was adopted in 2019 and identifies a realistic short-term action plan that provides basic walking and bicycling connectivity where they are needed most.
What's happening now
Southwest in Motion has been allocated $500K of Fixing Our Streets II funds for smaller "Quick Build" projects, which are expected to be constructed in 2024 and 2025. PBOT engineers are currently evaluating Tier 1 SWIM projects that are eligible for Quick Build to better understand costs and feasibility. Planning staff and capital project managers will work together to conduct outreach once the initial feasibility evaluation is complete. A timeline and a more detailed outreach plan are in progress. (Last update: March 7, 2023)
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Public involvement summary
PBOT used multiple strategies to reach both established neighborhood voices and under-represented community members. Some important components of the public involvement process included:
Building upon previous planning efforts and respecting past public involvement work. The foundational policies and projects for Southwest in Motion have been before City Council and included important community engagement efforts worth recognizing.
Assembling a Stakeholder Working Group that met 11 times during the planning process. This group advised the project team and served as a sounding board for reviewing and reflecting on project recommendations.
Gathering feedback using online mapping tools. Using online tools allowed community members to map their active transportation needs, express support for projects, and submit their priorities. It also allowed the project team to expand and verify the list of planned projects with respect for community needs and desires.
- Used by over 1,000 people, the online mapping tool provided a broad snapshot of community priorities and needs across Southwest Portland
Facilitating community focus groups to connect staff with diverse voices and to better understand community priorities regarding public investment.
- SWNI Transportation Committee (01.17.18)
- Kesser Israel (01.30.18)
- Markham Elementary School Somali Family Meeting “Sharing with Shawn” (02.16.18)
- OHSU Campus Outreach (02.20.18)
- SW Trails (02.22.18)
- PCC International Student Focus Group (02.26.18)
- Stephens Creek Crossing (03.15.18)
- Terwilliger Plaza Retirement Community (03.24.18)
Consulting with advisory committees and utilizing their professional knowledge. Groups consulted for Southwest in Motion included the Portland Committee on Disability (PCOD), Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC), Pedestrian Advisory Committee (PAC), and the Southwest Neighborhood, Inc. Transportation Committee.
Hosting an in-person and online open house event to share the draft project list and recommendations with the public and receive feedback from community members.
- 133 people attended the in-person open house and 155 participated in the online open house.
Plan Recommendations
- Identification of priority short term walking and biking projects, such as bike lanes, sidewalks, shoulders, and neighborhood greenways.
- List of short-term crossing enhancements, including enhanced and new crosswalk designs.
- Discussion of other potential road safety enhancements, including walkable shoulders and traffic calming.
- Promotion of key programs to support community-initiated projects, such as block parties, community plazas, and urban trails.
- Policy recommendations to advance walking and biking in Southwest Portland.
On December 4, 2019, City Council adopted Southwest in Motion (Resolution No. 37464): link to records of adopted plan
Final Plan
Southwest In Motion 2022 Implementation Update
(Published June 2022 / Formatting revised September 2022)
Since the adoption of the Southwest in Motion plan, 21 crossing improvements and 8 projects have been completed. Five crossings and 13 projects are funded, in design and engineering or in construction, referred to as "active" projects below. Dozens of projects are neither active nor complete, but still designated as planned. PBOT continues to identify funding sources to complete these projects. Some of the planned projects are highly complex and costly, while others are low-cost improvements. All the projects are important for safety and connectivity for people walking and biking in Southwest Portland.
The following maps and tables show the status of projects grouped by crossings and all other projects. Southwest in Motion includes the following project types:
Bicycle/Pedestrian (BP) Construction Projects: Construction projects involved roadway widening, sidewalk construction, and other medium-high cost construction
Restriping Projects (RP): Restriping projects are meant to be low-cost, marking-only changes designed to improve conditions for walking and biking.
Safer Shoulder (SS) Pilot Projects: Safer shoulder projects provide a shoulder space for walking and biking. These projects are designed to address transportation and stormwater needs in collaboration with the Bureau of Environmental Services.
Crossing (C) Projects: Crossing projects create new or enhanced crosswalks and crossings for people walking and biking on the Southwest in Motion network.
Southwest in Motion Crossings
Southwest in Motion Projects
