The path of the lower platform of the metal bridge has been closed for a week. It’s a link between downtown and many neighborhoods and destinations in North and Northeast Portland.
According to reader reports, the trail has been closed since at least last Monday, not to mention intermittent closures and other obstructions in the domain due to Fleet Week and Rose Festival activities (which began June 5).
A spokesperson for the Portland Bureau of Transportation told BikePortland that the explanation for the closure was a technical malfunction. Here’s the full one from Hannah Schafer, PBOT’s Director of Communications:
“The cameras on the bridge were not working well this week due to a communication problem. When the cameras are disabled, the Bridge Tender doesn’t have the visual confirmation that you want, with a bit of luck, to open/close the bridge, so it leaves it closed for protection reasons. A contractor has been called through the Office of Technology Services to fix the cameras and we hope that they will soon be operational again so that other people who walk, bike and ride horses can use the pedestrian bridge. We hope that the cameras will be fixed and the trail will reopen as soon as possible. I don’t have a reopening date at this time.
Meanwhile, other people can use the top deck of the metal bridge (although the sidewalk is narrower there, bikes can of course use the lane) or use the bridge to get to their destination.
Hopefully, this will be fixed immediately, as the metal top platform of the platform is not a feasible option. The pavement is very narrow and does not allow sharing between cyclists and pedestrians. I worry that if other people ride bikes, it can just lead to interactions that would go awry. And taking the road is just as difficult. If the PBOT needs other people to do so, they deserve to install transitory measures to calm traffic and/or symptoms on the road to make it safer.
Hold on tight and let me know if you notice the doors opening again.
The very confusing signage and barricades on the south side of the Hawthorne Bridge do not either.
Are there signs in the most sensitive part of Peace Memorial Park to let other people know they don’t pass through if they can’t cross it?
The flashing lights indicating the road closure do not seem to work. In any case, they weren’t there this morning around 7 a. m. , which is incredibly frustrating for most of those sensitive to the closure of the bridge itself.
I didn’t see the flashing lights in this entire closure.
As I headed north on the Naito bike path, I saw a flashing yellow light indicating whether the metal bridge is passable. I don’t think it’s flashing, but I’m not sure if it’s for the lower deck or the upper deck. Unfortunately, it is north of the Hawthorne Bridge, making it of little use to cyclists who deserve to use Hawthorne as a detour.
No
If you have more evidence that PBOT considers biking to be an optional recreational activity, look at how they treat you closer to a major motorcycle lane.
Imagine if they closed a main road to all cars indefinitely, but first waited a week after it closed before even saying anything about it. . . Yes, there would be other people fired, at the top. If this affected drivers, I would very well have a date when it would reopen, press releases, and that solution would come in a few hours.
They treat it like it’s broken escalators or something, “oh, just take the stairs or the elevator, okay, we’ll call someone, they’ll fix it eventually. “
All you need is a guy with a radio to let the bridge operator know that the path is clear before an elevator. One signaler for the morning shift and another for the night shift, and this can be open only 16 hours a day. $500 a day to keep this path open, but I guess that’s not precedent for PBOT.
Have you advised the PBOT of something like this?
You definitely wouldn’t need to be alone in this domain for hours after dark (especially if you were a woman). You will probably charge a security service.
For what?
OMG, that’s EXACTLY what I’m saying!The PBOT intends to ask why the number of cyclists is declining (here’s one example in a hundred). They don’t care at all about keeping the shipment for anyone who doesn’t. driving a car. The bridge closes with no detour or even an undeniable caution sign. They also fenced off the sidewalk along Naito without caution or detour. I let them know, thinking about how undeniable it was to move the fence 20 feet to keep the sidewalk. open. The PBOT responds: other people can use their motorcycle lanes to enter on foot, it’s now an MUP (except that smart luck that navigates blindly!Plus, your MUP is also a charging zone at random times each week, so I don’t plan to use it with your kids. PBOT maintains a 0 service point for motorcycles or youth and it sucks
Once photographs and newspapers appear on the front page of a capital project, the operating and maintenance budget doesn’t matter. No one was given paints in maintenance, for war infantry soldiers.
In the past, legend has it that a brave organization of cyclists managed to recover by forming what is known as “critical mass”. This NONVIOLENT organization would have an impact on traffic in the downtown area, making its presence known through legally using the lanes. They won their war, and Portland’s cycling infrastructure was born.
Sadly, they sent others back to their homes and families, as any honorable warrior would, and then their enemy capitulated.
Is it time for those mythical warriors to return to our charming city in times of need?
The lower bridge trail of the Steel Bridge has been closed for a week now. . . I don’t have a reopening date at this time. Meanwhile, other people can use the upper floor. . .
If it closed the lanes reserved for cars, it would have been repaired in a week.
I had written other reviews, but I deleted the rest because I think it says it all.
When the PBOT closes a lane in Naito, it exhibits several warning symptoms of the upcoming closure a week in advance, and then offers a signalized detour, even if it’s just crossing a block on an urban network!
I’m curious why it takes so long to fix a camera, but this extended shutdown hasn’t been as bad as I thought it would be: it turns out that everyone is betting well, and it turns out that more and more other people are opting for alternate routes instead of taking the sidewalk.
While neither the top deck nor the walkway are particularly nice, I prefer one of those features (the exact choice depends on which one proves more productive at the time) to the lower trail just because it’s faster.
I never had a negative interaction either on the catwalk or on the terrace. On the runway, all you want is to pass the other people you pass in a way that suits them (which would possibly involve putting one foot on the ground or relaxing a bit if you want). I have to overtake other people, especially when there’s flow both ways. )The bridge, as twisted as it may seem, can also get stuck in traffic; every now and then I lift my motorcycle over the railing to continue down the walkway.
For observation, there is a sign that warns of the presence of cyclists and sharrows on the bridge (although I almost never see cyclists on the bridge). Despite the markings and signage, it is not a motorcycle section, but it is not a wonder either.
In my experience, nothing improves riding like the presence of cyclists, as it raises awareness about their lifestyles while also dispelling the narrative that they don’t belong. Fairmont is a popular and fun place to ride a bike, although it’s a narrow road with no shoulders or blind turns everywhere. Skyline has fast traffic in addition to blind turns and no shoulders, but there are still as many cyclists as there are in the exhibition infrastructure.
Taking the most sensible platform would be much more appropriate if drivers were struggling to adhere to the 25 mph speed limit. The city reduced it to 20 and installed some radars, which I doubt “malfunction” (unless they are shot) or as long as the camera on the lower platform.
“I’ve had a negative interaction in. . . the bridge”.
It’s never a long time. I used the W bridge sporadically, and maybe once?It is generally that you will be followed through a motor vehicle driver who needs to exceed the posted speed limit. It’s bad enough for me. This junction is for medium-speed cyclists with intelligent cycling skills (you have to cross the tram tracks one hundred percent or you will eat it quite badly).
This attitude is why things never get better in terms of infrastructure. I’m glad to hear that you have anecdotal evidence that that’s not a bad thing. I don’t know how “increased exposure to bicycles” will make cars safer in the presence of cyclists. People are getting worse and worse and more distracted behind the wheel. Now there are giant iPads as dashboards in cars. . .
I am that closure suits you.
I don’t know how long he’s lived in Portland. La infrastructure has steadily improved and continues to do so. Painting along the Interstate, Willamette, and Lombard freeways makes the difference between trails suitable only for the busiest users. and people in general, and there are a number of separate sections that didn’t exist in the city.
Cars work best with bicycles where they expect to see them. If they are not mentally prepared to see them, more conflict occurs. For example, many drivers look here to see if cyclists are overtaking from behind in curves. This habit is I have been non-existent. In Portland, you can get away with habits that would be suicidal elsewhere.
The Steel Bridge is rarely very good, but it gets the job done. And for those who are comfortable with that, Burnside is just two blocks away, literally a minute on a motorcycle ride at a leisurely pace.
For cycling to be viable, there will have to be at least some willingness to paint in realistic conditions. I have to make do with the rain, the darkness, the wind, the distance, the hills, the other people following you (the cars don’t follow each other) and everything that is part of the environment in a crowded environment where other people’s paths constantly cross. Otherwise, building more living things for ambitious infrastructure probably wouldn’t do much good.
Fairmont is a circular highway in the western hills with virtually no traffic. Of course, it’s fantastic to ride a bike. Skyline is definitely not for the weak of the center, even without having to climb up to get there. They overtook me with difficulty. downhill at a speed of 40-50 km/h in blind corners, normally fine.
And the upper floor is not practical if you go over the metal bridge from the esplanade (which I usually do)
Blum, Fairmount is a highway that connects Highway 26 to OHSU, the city’s largest employer and number one medical center. When Gibbs was closed for six weeks to connect construction to utilities, it caused major traffic jams on Broadway/Terwilliger/26. The limit is the explanation for why the Talbot/Marquam Hill Rd segment is displayed at 25 mph, instead of 20 mph, as it usually is.
Ah, it’s logical why I see cars around this junction from time to time, I had no idea ?
Okay, this segment deserves to be 20, but I think the driving experience would be the same with a lower speed limit. I’ve walked this segment daily for 8 years. In my consistent experience, drivers who catch me from behind are much more patient than they would be in segments where cyclists are so common.
My biggest challenge in this area is that there are very large and dangerous potholes and cracks in Marquam below Fairmont that are difficult to detect in the shadows or in the dark.
My husband has been on vacation every day since, I don’t know, 15 years?I walked it. It’s beautiful. And it’s actually great once you pass Marquam Hill Rd. Between Talbot and Marquam Hill, what happens to my husband is that brain-dead driving forces prevent the oncoming lane from passing through one of the many blind corners, he runs into a driving force. going in the opposite direction, and reacting by returning to the opposite lane. But it depends on what time you’re traveling. It’s a rush hour event.
The potholes on Greenway and Marquam Hill are bad, and drivers pass too quickly on those roads.
But yes, compared to other places in the city, it’s nice. There are more people walking than cycling, which also helps.
I see this too (usually not as bad at Fairmont as it is on other roads) and recognize that the abundant foot traffic helps. Total domain is generally decent and strangely fun, we are situated in one of the most densely populated spaces in the West. United States.
One variation I see from the habit you describe is that of drivers going on the wrong side of the road (i. e. , taking the most sensible route so they can take it faster). I was about to have a head-on collision even though I was only a few feet from the edge. I wonder how drivers avoid crashing into each other, unless they don’t.
Unfortunately, to get into trouble you have to assume that drivers will do as stupid and harmful as possible.
Drivers leave the road. . . But yes, too many accidents.
I understand the protective considerations involved in operating the bridge, but couldn’t you just ask someone with a walkie-talkie to sit in a chair near the entrance?I know the metal bridge has a history of crazy ownership/jurisdiction where it is owned by UPRR, leased to ODOT, and then subleased to TriMet; However, the fact that we just closed arguably the most vital river crossing for bikes/pedals without even (publicly) contemplating a band-aid like this is very frustrating.
Can you believe if they were doing that for Burnside? A camera breaks, preventing the bridge operator from knowing if the cars have cleared the road, so they just close the road without any reopening timeline?I think PBOT would (rightly) move heaven and earth for this scenario. I would like to know why they think it is different and I would like them to say so.
I doubt very much that whoever is guilty of the bridge has the flexibility to sit there with a walkie-talkie 24/7.
You (and others in the comments) are right about how they would work overtime to fix it if it were an automatic route. It’s kind of crazy how our “best” cycling infrastructure is never there all the time. I’m thinking about things like the closure of the motorcycle trail and metal bridge, the flooding of Eastbank Square, the closure of the floating segment when the river is too high, or the cars parked on the Natio motorcycle trail for Saturday’s market.
Hire an outdoor structure company to provide a radio to a flag bearer. It’s simple, but our city lacks mental vision and doesn’t care enough about the effects of active transportation.
Portland is a cycling city, but the fact is that most people don’t ride bikes. The PBOT’s indifferent reaction reflects this unfortunate static reality.
If steering closure will be necessary, plan for complex precautionary symptoms and a signalized detour. This is the popular operating procedure for a shipping system.
The PBOT doesn’t give a damn about pedestrians or cyclists. If it is a challenge on the main deck, it will be resolved within an hour.
I hope they fix it soon. If it were an exclusive lane for cars, it would already be repaired
They would hire someone to stay there manually while the cameras were damaged, even before the car-only portion of the bridge was finished.
As soon as the steering was closed, PBOT placed the symptoms of BIKE DETOUR on the bridge’s most sensitive platform so that drivers would be warned, rather than simply telling riders to get on there and making adjustments to drivers who think they don’t. to be. there.
Isn’t it really imaginable to go through and buy transient cameras to install on the bridge?If this turns out to be a waste of money, simply return the cameras for a refund once the regular cameras have been repaired.
Who will buy what type of camera? Who will make the purchases?And with which seller? Will the cameras be available quickly?Who will provide the connection of strength and knowledge?Who will figure out how to assemble them? Who will be in charge of networking?
The contractor.
None of those disruptions are insurmountable for PBOT staff, however, installing new cameras is more complex than it sounds, especially in an organization like the city where there are regulations about who does what, who pays whom, who can put things on the network, and where. You buy what equipment.
PBOT can simply tame all the in-house wisdom and skills, but it’s much less difficult and less expensive to hire whenever you want.
So, have a backup plan that takes those minor major points into account for the next time the cameras fail.
You can do this by entering into a contract that requires the appliance to be replaced within (say) 24 hours. This would mean that the contractor would have a backup of everything that is fit to pass, with other people trained to let through. of what they were doing to solve that problem. Anything is possible, but it’s probably expensive. And if that’s the norm, we’d probably like it to be implemented in all kinds of devices in the city, such as the elevators that cyclists have.
Since this is the disputed United States of America, there is simply no chance of that happening. If something went wrong with the transient cameras and someone was injured or killed, the city would be sued and city workers who had anything to do with transient cameras may end up being shot up. No one in the municipality will take that risk.
Couldn’t they just mount a mobile phone with live streaming somewhere pointing at the bridge and for the same purpose in a matter of hours?
Until the battery runs out.
Hmm, wouldn’t a bay monitor work, even as a temporary solution. . . Or would you let me pass at my own risk?
Who owns the bridge? PBOT, Multnomah County, or Union Pacific Railroad?Who is guilty of continuing like this? Who owns and manages the cameras in question?
The UPRR owns the bridge. It’s clear that PBOT is in the rhythm of the road. But yes, more clarity is needed. I’ll check it out for more data as soon as I can.
The article is so because it is not a “permanent” closure. Why should it deserve to be?
It is not a mistake. Just a confusing use of the word “permanent. “I just want to say that it’s not intermittent. I have eliminated the word.
Maybe we all deserve to touch the PBOT and tell them that we are very wealthy hoteliers with houses in the center and that our visitors and workers are complaining about not being able to access our homes safely during this endless road closure. Maybe it’s consistent tonight without an announcement!
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