North Ainsworth Road between Willamette Boulevard and Peninsula Park is a hidden gem within the bike community. It’s a particularly widespread biking road as a consequence of its direct east-west connections, low-stress crossing of I-5, comparatively few visitors indicators, and low variety of automotive drivers. Regardless of its heavy bike visitors nevertheless, it has virtually no bike-specific infrastructure and because the volumes of automotive and bike customers improve, it’s headed towards a breaking level.
Fortunately, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) plans to save lots of the day with a $400,000 venture that may increase the profile of Ainsworth as a serious biking road and enhance its security for all customers. The objectives are to decrease driving speeds and volumes and set up Ainsworth as a low-stress neighborhood greenway. Primarily based on suggestions within the North Portland in Movement (NPIM) plan handed by Metropolis Council final 12 months, PBOT formally launched a venture in April that may carry important adjustments to the road. The venture remains to be within the growth section and a few of the NPIM ideas will should be vetted with Portland Fireplace & Rescue earlier than extra detailed designs will be finalized.
That is welcome information for people who trip on the road — particularly whoever just lately plastered the hall with home made, pro-bike indicators. In case you’ve been on the road currently, you’ve in all probability seen them. “Ainsworth Neighbors Experience Bikes,” “Ainsworth is for Bikes,” “Ainsworth Slows Down for Bikes,” the indicators learn. In keeping with the one that posted them (who I’ll maintain nameless for now), it’s all a part of the method of elevating the road’s profile. “Ainsworth is form of in a gray zone,” he shared in a telephone dialog this morning. “So many individuals use it to bike and stroll, however it doesn’t appear to have tipped over the brink to being a biking and strolling road.”
The activist who posted the indicators added he’s additionally attempting to ship a message to drivers, who use Ainsworth as a handy cut-through and various to close by (and bigger) neighborhood collector streets N Killingsworth and N Rosa Parks Manner. “These are so shut by,” he stated; however he additionally realizes drivers like Ainsworth for a similar causes cyclists prefer it. “It’s a fast manner for drivers to zip over the Greeley and Interstate; however to me that seems like an abuse of that street with Rosa Parks and Killingsworth so shut by.”
PBOT has a number of adjustments in thoughts they hope will affect how — or if — folks use the road. Their plan isn’t finalized and a public design course of will kick off this summer time, however the NPIM advice offers us a clue about what’s most definitely to come back (see beneath).
Between N Michigan Ave (already a neighborhood greenway) and N Interstate, PBOT will add buffered bike lanes to separate drivers from bike riders. This can require eradicating parking on the north aspect of the road between N Maryland and Minnesota. PBOT will add a brand new crosswalk and median island exterior Ockley Inexperienced Center Faculty and a number one pedestrian interval (LPI) will likely be added to the sign adjoining to the varsity at N Interstate. To additional calm visitors in entrance of the varsity, NPIM requires an enlargement of the curb zone between N Interstate and N Maryland with a purpose to scale back the crossing distance. These adjustments close to the varsity are additionally designed to enhance the prevailing harmful chaos by many drivers throughout drop-off and pick-up.
Then from N Interstate to Willamette Blvd — the place the street narrows — PBOT will apply neighborhood greenway design requirements and use visitors calming and modal filters to attain the specified impact. The plan is to put in bike-friendly pace cushions and “sharrow” pavement markings between N Willamette and Denver. The most important change might come to the intersection of N Ainsworth and Omaha, a large road with a “treeway” in the course of it. PBOT needs to increase the Omaha Treeway throughout Ainsworth, chopping it off fully to drivers whereas permitting bicycle riders, emergency car drivers, and walkers to filter by means of (they’ve finished an identical deal with at NE Mason and 72nd).
PBOT simply kicked this venture off in April they usually hope to start development and full the venture this fall. Whether or not the ultimate product mimics the NPIM advice or not, stays to be seen. PBOT will do extra outreach within the coming months. Keep tuned for updates.
