(Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
The top 10.
Why are some places more popular for bicycle users than others? How important is infrastructure versus other factors such as proximity to destinations, connectedness to other infrastructure, and so on? What’s parts of town have the most bicycling hot-spots?
I’ve been poking around the 2023 City of Portland Bicycle Count Report and thought it’d be fun to share the top ten highest traffic locations. So on Sunday I grabbed my 13-year-old son and we visited all 10 locations. I got one of the spots incorrect so I had to roll over there this morning, but otherwise, all the photos (and forthcoming video) were shot on March 17th. These numbers come from a publicly accessible spreadsheet created by the City of Portland.
Check out the top ten below, peruse the area on the Google map, then ask yourself: why do so many people bike here?
Since hardly anyone rides the Morrison these days, this number is definitely more of a reflection on Naito Parkway’s new bikeway than anything else. It’s a bummer the pandemic shifted so many folks out of the central city, because Naito is poised to carry much heavier volumes and the design has held up very well (except for the green color which is very faint in some locations). The spot near the Morrison Bridge is two directions for bike traffic and protected from one narrow travel lane by low curbs. A wide sidewalk gives folks on foot a place to be without getting in the path of bike riders. Given how much we love Better Naito, I’m glad to see it crack into the top 10.
There are there Springwater locations in the top 11. The top-ranked spot is just a block or so north of this location, where the path meets SE Ivon Street. I bet Splendid Cycles (on the corner) is the only bike shop in town with two top ten traffic locations within a few blocks of its shop.
The only location in northwest, this is right at the bottom of the Lovejoy ramp that connects to the Broadway Bridge. The improvements of nearby greenways on Johnson and Marshall have certainly helped boost this number. This is a key route used by riders throughout the city who are headed to long rides in the West Hills, Highway 30, and beyond. It will be interesting to see how traffic changes once the Broadway Corridor project is complete.
Looking east toward the Convention Center across North Interstate from N Oregon.
Peace Park! This location likely has a special place in everyone’s heart. It’s an iconic biking spot. Maybe it’s the cool bike traffic signal (imported from the Netherlands) or how you are straddling the Rose Quarter, the Convention Center, the Steel Bridge, and the Esplanade all at the same time. This is a part of a key connection between downtown and North Williams Ave.
Looking north across Clinton from 34th.
This is one of two spots in the top ten for the legendary SE Clinton St. neighborhood greenway. As my son and I biked to this spot he said, completely on his own, “This is a nice neighborhood, dad. It’s so quiet here.” There’s a market on the corner and it’s just one block from lots of cool stuff on SE Division. Recent traffic calming and diversion upgrades have made Clinton even better in recent years. Sit on this corner on a beautiful day and have your faith in Portland restored as bikers of all ages and persuasions roll past calmly.
Looking north on Williams from Russell.
Of course Williams is in the top four. I’ve called Williams the best bicycling street in Portland and I still think it deserves that title. It’s a very rare example of a commercial district street with a dedicated bikeway. This is a few blocks south of the busy sections of the street, before too many riders have turned off. This might be the #1 spot in a few years once the Williams & Russell project is built.
One of six southeast locations in the top ten, Ladd Circle Park is a highlight of so many great biking memories — from the humble commute to the zany Ladd’s 500. Maybe the most pleasant spot on this entire list. No dedicated bike infrastructure here, just organic traffic calming thanks to shared-lane markings, roundabouts, relatively narrow streets, and locals who know to always expect bike traffic.
Looking east toward the river from the Gibbs Street elevator.
Smack dab in the middle of what I always think of as the Portland petri dish of urban planning, this location is eye-popping. Consider this: It’s adjacent to North America’s largest bike valet, Oregon’s largest employer, one of only two aerial tramways in the U.S., and a streetcar line. If you haven’t watched traffic here from the tram or Gibbs Bridge elevator, you are not a true Portland transportation nerd. (Yes I realize it was not ideal to to visit this on a Sunday when it’s pretty dead.)
Looking south on 26th at Clinton.
The only reason I don’t give Clinton the title of “best bike street” is because it doesn’t have a dedicated bike lane. But I should probably reconsider that. With two spots on the top ten, Clinton is really showing the power of PBOT’s greenways to attract bikes. This spot at 26th is always bustling and full of life with the iconic Clinton St. Theater, great bars and restaurants, and even a bike-friendly physical therapy office (hi Kevin!).
Looking west on SE Caruthers at SE 4th/Water Ave.
The only spot to break the 3,000 rider barrier this shows the power of the carfree paths on the Esplanade and Springwater to attract riders. Three spots in the top 11 are within two blocks of this spot. I can’t wait for the day when this location isn’t on the top 10 list because we’ve completed the Esplanade-Springwater path connection and folks don’t have to ride on surface streets here. It’s notable that this is #1 without any high-quality bike infrastructure (I realize it’s a gap between two carfree paths). There’s only paint, but it feels safer because it’s such a popular route.
What do you think? Any surprises? What can we do to replicate these conditions in more places?
