Biking on Barbur Boulevard (and those bridges)
Posted by: MargauxSep 22 2009, 9:19 am
Many SW Portland residents that we hear from cite the Barbur bridges as THE factor that keeps them from biking down Barbur to work. At each bridge, bicyclists have to merge with very fast-moving auto traffic, and this often results in dangerous, scary close calls or hostile treatment of bicyclists by motorists. The sidewalks are similarly dangerous and uncomfortable because they are so narrow. Most southwest Portland bike commuters have at least one, if not many, horror stories about these bridges.
Facing northbound at the Vermont bridge
The Multnomah Bridge is the furthest south and also the widest, with a 3 1/2 foot sidewalk (or wide curb). It's not only the roadway itself, but poor land use decisions from the past that make this stretch of road so dangerous. The curb ramp leading off the Multnomah bridge northbound could be wider and in better condition, but that wouldn't eliminate the risk of a car turning right into an oh-so convenient angled parking lot directly ahead.
Further north are the Vermont and Newbury bridges where conditions are even more precarious. The sidewalks here (ODOT actually calls them wide curbs, not sidewalks) are only 2 feet 10 inches wide and the curb ramps leading on and off the bridges are several inches narrower because of a protruding guard rail. RIding up and down the curb ramps is made even more challenging by loose dirt and gravel and the fact that the ramps that don't line up with the height of the sidewalk.
The good news is that ODOT has an opportunity to significantly improve bicycling conditions here and make this road more comfortable and accessible for bicyclists!
Notice the protruding guardrail
Each of the four lanes of traffic is 12' wide. The BTA suggests that ODOT reduce the width of the two inside travel lanes to 11' and widen each of the sidewalks by one foot. Narrowing the lanes below 12' goes against what ODOT's design guidelines have adopted in theory, but in practice lane widths on Barbur vary from as narrow as 9 feet to as wide as 14 feet. Further, recent research shows that reducing the lane width from 12' to 11' or even 10' on this type of arterial does not impact capacity or safety. In fact, a 10' or 11' lane may actually have a lower crash rate than a 12' lane.
The funding for these improvements, if they're approved by ODOT, could be included in the the bridge rehabilitation projects identified in the 2008-2011 State Transportation Improvement Plan (STIP). It's true that a 4' sidewalk next to four lanes of 45 mile-per-hour traffic is not our pie-in-the-sky dream solution, but the BTA recommends that ODOT take advantage of the funding if it becomes available, since the next opportunity to improve biking and walking conditions may not present itself for another 20 years or more. Plus, pairing bike/ped improvements with bridge rehab is a smart way to minimize construction impacts on a major aterial.
Unfortunately funding for bridge rehabilitation projects may be in jeopardy because of decreased revenue from fuel taxes. If this project is important to you, let ODOT know. Email Rian Windsheimer at rian.m.windsheimer@odot.state.or.us and ask that Barbur Boulevard rehab project and bike/ped improvements be kept at the top of the list.
Update (Sept 24 12:25 pm): We should clarify that the "wide curbs" are actually structurally necessary for the bridge, so they could be widened out into proper sidewalks, but they couldn't be narrowed to make more width for a bike lane.
Thank you everyone for sending great suggestions and ideas to us and to ODOT – you've been very helpful!
If they reduce motor vehicle lanes by 2' each, would there be enough space to paint in proper bike lanes? That would be cheaper and require a lot less road closure. And IMO those lanes are too wide, too fast, and underutilized already.
I'd be less than thrilled to have to cross onto the sidewalks on those bridges, regardless of width and curb ramps. If that's my option, I'd probably continue taking the lane.
I agree with Paul. Not a day goes by where I don't picture myself flying over the guardrail for a LONG drop below if I were on the sidewalk. I would rather the bike lanes be continuous over the bridges instead of having to drop out.
+1
Going to continue taking the lane. Lower the speed limit to 25.
I ride up Barbur in the mornings and down in the the evening so it is against the majority of the car traffic. I have been doing the ride for several years and have never taken the sidewalks on the bridges. Going down the hill I would be afraid of launching off that ramp!
For better or for worse, I have become numb to the traffic on that street.
I would rather them put a fix on the south end of Naito from SW Market to Barbur, especially the south bound direction.
Don't narrow the travel lanes and widen an already poor sidewalk. I would never ride on that sidewalk, and would instead have to share an even narrower lane with speeding traffic.
Instead, narrow the lanes, but instead, remove the wide curb and turn that and the newly reclaimed width into a 4' shoulder, flush with the travel lanes. This would accommodate cyclists and even people traveling by wheelchair, which would not work on the wide curbs.
I agree with all the other posters. Even if you narrow the lanes to 8' and put a 5' sidewalk on each side I am going to continue to ride in the traffic lane. I am not going to ramp up onto a sidewalk at 30 mph. The only solution worth advocating is to narrow the lanes/ remove the curb to where you can stripe the bike lane straight through.
I agree with the other posts as well – leave the lanes, lower the speed limit to 25. As it stands at 45, I'm continually passed by vehicle traffic at 60+. Luckily, I have a reverse commute like Bean, otherwise I'd be going up and over on Terwilliger instead.
I also reverse commute on Barbur, and have for years. I agree that the better solution is to get rid of that 2 foot "curb" and put in a proper bike lane–that will serve much more of the non-car community than anything else, for a lot less $$.
My biggest issue with Barbur is the shrapnel in the bike lanes, not the route itself.
Would 4' sidewalks meet ADA requirements? I was thinking they had to be 5'. If true, getting rid of the curbs and creating a bike lane may be the only legal solution. But I'm one of those who prefers to ride on the curb.
Seems like some paint clearly marking the pinch points over the bridges would be the easiest thing to do, short of constructing a separate bridge for bike/ped. :^)
Wow! That's great. It'll work for me. It gives better protection than a paint stripe.
I have very rarelyhad any trouble getting over the bridges. On the downhill, for some reason, there seems alway to be a break in the traffic when I hit the bridges and I have the whole street to myself.
Coming up the hill, especially at eveining rush hour, cars have almost always given me plenty of room. That may have something to do with the two very bright Planet Bike tail lights in strob mode I ride with night and day, but almost always people wait for a break in the traffic and move to the left, at least enough to crowd the lane marker and give me room.
That said, I like the idea of taking out the "curbs" and just running the bike lanes all the way through.
The danger points, as far as I am concerned, are:
1. Downhill when you jog up that little hill where Capitol Highway joins Barbur. Right where the gurad rail ends near the bottom of a big downhill for cars. They regularly encroach on the big lane right at that point, and if a rider is going fast over that rise, the cars come out of a completely blind spot.
2. Uphill as you pass the on-ramp to Capitol Highway. Cars are forever cutting right in front of me to make that turn. If there are lots of cars close by, I just stop until traffic clears. If cars are coming but are a ways back, I will take the lane and stay there until I get across the first bridge.
I wouldn't ride the so-called "curbs" on a bet.
I often reverse commute and also have the situation where I almost never hit traffic at the bridges between terwilliger and downtown. Given a choice I would much prefer a bike lane to a wider bridge curve going downhill. You are just going to fast to go up on that sidewalk and risk going over the edge.
I ride into town on Terwilliger and ride home at night on Barbur. If there's traffic on Barbur, I use the curb. If it's later and the traffic is light I take the bridge. I have a couple of observations:
1. There is no way they will reduce the speed limit on Barbur to 25 mph. 40 may be feasible.
2. It's a bit of a pain to have to slow down to use the curb–especially coming off of the first bridge, which has a steep down ramp ending in a storm drain. But if there's a lot of traffic, I feel safer being up on the curb. I understand why speedier cyclists wouldn't feel comfortable on the curb. But I take my time and enjoy the scenery.
3. I have never had a problem with cars turning right in front of me on the "exit" to Capitol Hwy. I always look back, make eye contact, wave, and they let me go. Courtesy to fellow road users goes a long way.
I tend to agree with most of the others here. Admittedly for faster riders going up and down sidewalk ramps doesn't make sense. Most importantly as the newsletter mentions we need to all contact Rian rian.m.windsheimer@odot.state.or.us to let ODOT know we care!
I never have, and never will, ride on the sidewalk of those bridges. I use Barbur going downhill (towards downtown), because it is easier cross the bridges by merging onto the road and riding with traffic at higher speed. However, the road across the bridges is poor, with many pot holes and ruts, which makes for a jarring ride. Also, traffic seems to exceed 45 MPH. For these reasons, I use Terwilliger going uphill.
The most dangerous part of the northbound trip is the Y where Naito Parkway begins. Here Barbur has 3 lanes, but the right-hand lane exits onto Naito Parkway. This forces cyclists who are continuing northbound on Barbur to merge into the middle lane in high-speed traffic. A 30 MPH speed limit, along with better bicycle lanes, would help.