Four new projects took their first steps down the Better Block PSU Project Pathway, this Spring term at Portland State. Submitted by community members, the projects got underway with students beginning to investigate their potential in the Spring 2025 Pedestrian and Bicycle Planning course taught by Drusilla Van Hengel and Ryan Hashagen.
The Better Block PSU program has been getting a bit of attention in recent months, with coverage such as "Dreaming Big Might Mean Starting Small" from the Portland Mercury, a BikePortland article, plus Better Block PDX managing director Ryan Hashagen's presentation, "Let Knowledge Serve The City And Beyond," at The Street Trust's Oregon Active Transportation Summit last month. So we're extra excited to welcome four new projects and see where they go.
Several community-led projects are moving through the pathway at any given time, and no two take the exact same path. For example, the Bridgeless Burnside project went through two terms of transportation planning and engineering classes in 2024 before being picked up by a Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) workshop team last fall, whose goal is to deliver a 90-percent complete plan to Better Block PDX by June of 2025. Meanwhile, other student groups have been working on plans and designs for the Steel Bridge Skatepark and the International School of Portland.
The newest projects to launch this spring are:
Alternative Pedestrian Walkways
Project champion: Gena Gastaldi, Pedestrian Realm Coordinator, Complete Streets team, Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT)
Goal: Identify promising sites for alternative pedestrian walkways in Portland.
The City of Portland's Pedestrian Design Guide provides detailed guidance on "alternative pedestrian walkways" in places where standard sidewalks cannot be installed. The treatment is a painted walkway for pedestrians (with or without physical barriers) on the shoulder of the road or on the street similar to a bike lane. As part of its PedPDX strategies, PBOT is looking for opportunities to implement this treatment when geography, topography, or neighborhood preference do not allow a traditional concrete sidewalk to be constructed.
Two groups of students took on the task this Spring, with one group focusing on Northeast Portland and a second group in Southwest Portland. Students have created an Existing Conditions Report for each neighborhood and selected potential sites that would be good candidates for alternative pedestrian walkways.
Northeast Lloyd Carfree Block
Project champion: Joshua Baker, Lloyd EcoDistrict
Goal: Activate a public space for the community.
In the NE Wasco St and NE 6th Ave area, there is some potential for improving a public space. The project's original proposal describes the space as "underutilized," saying that "through extensive community engagement for our 2030 Neighborhood Roadmap, residents have repeatedly voiced the need for more access to green spaces, play areas, and healthy food options—especially community gardens… A redesign of one of the blocks by the site would help transform this overlooked and underutilized space into a vibrant, community-centered area."
In the Spring term so far, students have conducted site observations and data collection to create a memo of the existing conditions within a four-block area in Portland’s Lloyd District, where the potential for a temporary parklet or community garden installation is being explored. The report considers the feasibility of placing a community garden or parklet, and includes an overview of neighborhood demographics, relevant traffic data, and key insights from six hours of field observation conducted over a two-week period. These findings aim to provide a clear understanding of existing uses, mobility patterns, and community context within the location.
East Burnside Corridor
Project champions: Strong Towns PDX, Kerns Neighborhood Association
Goal: Re-envision the corridor of 20th to 28th on East Burnside.
The intersection of 28th and East Burnside sits at the boundary line between the Buckman neighborhood and the Kerns neighborhood. The aim of this project is to improve the corridor's bike and pedestrian access, connections to neighborhood greenways, and crossings to make the 20mph, school-dense neighborhood more walkable.
Two groups of students have each taken on a section of the 20th to 28th corridor. Students have so far created detailed reports on the existing conditions for each section, identifying the area's history, planning context, demographics and safety considerations as well as crafting a set of metrics to assess the success of any improvements made. The types of improvements being considered include improved daylighting, traffic calming measures, enhanced pedestrian and bicycle crossings and transit priority areas.
Southeast Henry Street
Project champion: Catie Tam, Woodstock Neighborhood Association - Neighborhood Accessibility Committee
Goal: Improve Lewis Elementary School Access.
In the Woodstock neighborhood, Southeast Henry Street is a Safe Routes to School Priority Investment Route. An unimproved roadway connects parts of the neighborhood to Lewis Elementary School, with limited access especially in muddy conditions. The neighborhood association has previously reached out to PBOT to ask if this segment of Henry Street could be converted into a pedestrian/cyclist only path. PBOT gave permission to install motor vehicle traffic diverters at each end of the block which would still allow pedestrians and cyclists. However, a lack of funding support has made pedestrian and bicycle improvements difficult to implement. A redesign of this road segment would connect the area and create an easier way for families to get to school.
Students explored the area's history and context, conducting site observations and data collection over the course of the term. They identified the neighborhood's demographics, crash patterns and traffic volumes, and the main issues and needs of the area, finding that a stable pathway and safe cycling facilities would improve the potential for year-round use of the road segment.
What's next for the new projects?
The existing conditions reports, created by students for all of the above projects, are a crucial first step and starting point for any community improvement effort. By collecting data and analyzing each of the sites, students have created a foundational document for each project area that can serve as a comprehensive snapshot of the physical, environmental, social, and infrastructural conditions at each location and help planners, engineers, and designers make informed decisions.
What's next for the new projects? It remains to be seen - Flexibility and adaptability are key aspects of the Better Block PSU program, so next steps will depend on the projects' needs and course capacities.
Learn more about the Better Block PSU program.
Portland State University's Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) is a multidisciplinary hub for all things transportation. We are home to the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI), the data programs PORTAL and BikePed Portal, the Better Block PSU program, and PSU's membership in PacTrans, the Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium. Our continuing goal is to produce impactful research and tools for transportation decision makers, expand the diversity and capacity of the workforce, and engage students and professionals through education, seminars, and participation in research. To get updates about what's happening at TREC, sign up for our monthly newsletter or follow us on social media.
