[Update as of 8/21/14] PBOT has informed us that they moved the location of the crossing at Fred Meyer, which is now slated to be constructed this fall to facilitate truck turns and deliveries. They have aligned it at the corner of the alleyway to the south and will look and feel intuitively similar to the one built last year at NE 78th and will include flashing beacons. Locating it on the alleyway corner will also create less conflict with those bicycling from the Davis Greenway to the south, thus a family friendly bike trip to the store will become possible. This is being funded through the private “The Jessica Finlay Foundation.”
[Original Post] The Portland Bureau of Transportation is proposing a pedestrian crossing improvement near the intersection of NE 65th Ave & Glisan St. Here is a concept drawing that depicts the proposed crossing. The crossing will look very similar to the one recently installed at 78th and Glisan, featuring a new pedestrian refuge island and rapid flashing beacons. It was the second most requested crossing that PBOT heard about from neighbors in North Tabor and Montavilla when they were doing outreach for the NE Glisan Safety project (that resulted in the new lane configuration and 78th crossing improvement). PBOT didn’t have the funding to cover the additional crossing at that time, PBOT is fortunate to have recently received a donation from a family foundation to cover the costs of the improvement.
This location was the site of a 2007 pedestrian fatality. PBOT is ready to install the crossing and has already spoken with Fred Meyer, but wanted to notify the neighborhood. Are there questions or concerns with this proposal? Please comment here or forward to board@northtabor.org or to Gabriel Graph, Operations and Safety Manager with the Active Transportation Division, Portland Bureau of Transportation (gabriel.graff@portlandoregon.gov or 503-823-5291)65th Ave Ped Crossing.
Hi, great to hear that there is interest in this project! I encourage folks to attend the NTNA neighborhood meetings (3rd Tues of the month, 6:30pm, 5600 NE Glisan Street) as well as the NTNA Land Use and Transportation Meetings (1st Tues of the month, 6:30pm Glisan Fred Meyer Starbucks). Best, Beth
I too live in Skunk Hollow (thanks for the name, Britta) and I think Britta makes some good points. I’d certainly use a crossing at 63rd much more than a crossing at 65th because of the poorer access from the north. However, in my case at least, I make very few trips directly south — basically just to Tabor, which are recreational trips that aren’t greatly burdened by a detour to 67th or 60th.
At the moment, the vast majority of non-auto crossings of Glisan in this stretch must be from people south of Glisan heading to Freddy’s. Putting the crossing at 63rd would require out-of-direction travel by a lot of those folks, including sidewalk biking on the sidewalk south of Glisan … and a lot of those folks would probably just cross without the crosswalk anyway.
On the other hand, a beacon at 63rd could probably make unmarked crossings at 65th somewhat safer, too. And as I say, Britta’s points seem valid.
The more commercial uses we eventually see along Glisan itself, the more attractive a crossing at 63rd will become. But we’re so far from that now that this might be a second crossing the city could add later.
On 65th vs. midblock: I’d like to know the city’s rationale for making a midblock crossing. I totally agree with Terry’s points about bike trailers and sidewalk riding.
We have applied for a TGM grant and you can read the letter here:
http://www.northtabor.org/2014/04/30/ntnas-letter-to-pbot-regarding-max-station-improvements/
It would improve access to “The Pocket” as it has been called. Sounds better than Skunk Hollow, but I live on the “south side” so to speak so maybe local residents north of Glisan can take a vote?
The families that live in the historically named “Skunk Hollow” (bordered by 67th, 60th, I-84, Fred Meyer/Glisan) are once again neglected by this plan. Placing the crossing at 65th is very convenient for the homes located south of Glisan with generally higher property value and better access to transportation and city services. Those of us in Skunk Hollow will continue to be isolated by topography, dug out car trenches, businesses on top of landfill and streams of cars.
Siting the crossing at 63rd is:
– less pedestrian dangerous with the cars turning in or out of Freddy’s
– a more centralized crossing between 60th and 67th
– much more bike-friendly with lower car traffic and better north-south access from the 60th bridge to Everett
– more equitable for the isolated Skunk hollow neighborhood, while still providing a safe crossing for those on Mt. Tabor.
Thank you.
We are not overlooking those who live “In the Pocket” as we call it. If you follow the link below, attached is a letter submitted to PBOT regarding a $7.5 million series of improvements radiating out from the 60th street MAX stop. We have been working with RCPNA North of the gulch and with PBOT since December on this as it was our first order of business for Beth and I due to the federal funding cycle. PBOT has assigned a grant writer as we have qualified for possible federal funding for a “Transportation Growth Management” Grant in the next 2-4 year cycle. This would include street building to bring NE Oregon up to modern standards between 60th and 63rd including sidewalks, sidewalk and crossing improvements on 60th south of Glisan, and creating an active transportation greenway south from Oregon on 62nd to Mount Tabor Park including crossing improvements at Glisan, Burnside and Stark so the Pocket will be connected to the rest of the grid-network. North RCPNA is working on connecting the stop to Normandale Park, the 50’s bikeway and possibly Tillamook.
http://www.northtabor.org/2014/04/30/ntnas-letter-to-pbot-regarding-max-station-improvements/
The letter is attached to that article. The Crossing at Fred Meyer is being funded as part of the Glisan Safety Project and is from a private foundation. When the initial outreach for Glisan was done a few years back, a crossing at 65th was the second most requested pedestrian crossing after the one at 78th in Montavilla.
Looks good, but how about at least a painted crossing at 63rd at the same time. it’s the most logical bike crossing anywhere in the 60s, and always trouble with seldom a car to stop for pedestrian or bike. Curb cuts are already there. Cheers!
This project is funded through a private donation and has been specifically located in response to the death in 2007 for Fred Meyer access. At 63rd we can certainly add a striped crosswalk with a simple cemented island later on, possibly even as part of the MAX stop access TGM Grant we have applied for.
http://www.northtabor.org/2014/04/30/ntnas-letter-to-pbot-regarding-max-station-improvements/
We picked 62nd over 63rd because it lines up perfectly with Scott Drive at Stark which is a beautiful switch-back type route to Mount Tabor Park. 63rd would work, but a crossing at 62nd not only is more direct but also would have more of a traffic calming effect for those commuters speeding on Glisan down the hill approaching the traffic light at 60th. If you follow the link above, the letter to PBOT is attached for a more detailed explanation. If we get this $7.5 million grant in the next 2-4 year cycle it will fundamentally improve access for those living in the “Pocket” both north and south as the MAX stop would become an “Active Transportation Demonstration Project.”
Thanks for the additional info Terry, makes sense.
I wrote a thank you and follow up e-mail to the project manager. The flashing beacons are wonderful, but without locating it at a corner at either 65th or the alley families biking with children, and particularly cargo trailers going to the store will be riding on the sidewalk. Also, the right turns are not the best for manoverability while hauling cargo. It also should be safe enough so all ages can ride from the Davis Greenway to Fred Meyer. Hence, my vote is either the east corner of 65th or the west corner of the alley with a curb cut out into the parking lot for trailers (this would lose one parking space).