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A team of local architects and planners think they've found a key that will unlock the door to more bicycling in Portland.

When we finally saw hard numbers about Portland's cycling decline last spring, it was a reality check for many of us. 2023 counts from Portland's transportation bureau aren't ready yet, but other sources show that cycling in our city continues to lag behind not just our past numbers, but peer cities as well (more on that in a separate post).

Contrary to what we often hear from local transportation and elected officials, Portland hasn't exactly "built it" when it comes to bike infrastructure. Yes, we can point to many projects and lane-miles of bike facilities; but none of that matters if the infrastructure isn't good enough to entice people to use it.

My opinion piece on the decline last May spurred many conversations about what we should do to turn the ship around. For one group of local planners, it helped crystalize what they feel has been missing from the conversation: A next-generation type of bike infrastructure that could entice more Portlanders to ride.

Water cooler conversations tinged with frustration about the drop in cycling, led to an ambitious side project that mixed professional skills with personal passion and they came up with " An Urban Trails Network for Portland " - a concept for how we can claim more road space for active transportation, and reclaim our title as a great cycling city.

The team behind this vision is led by 52-year-old Mark Raggett, a 20-year veteran of the City of Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability who now works for a private urban design firm. He and three other co-workers - Nick Hodge, 28; Katie Barmore-McCollum, 35; and Ryan Al-Schamma, 27 - have spent months refining their idea and now it's ready for public scrutiny.

I met with Raggett and Hodge back in June and then again last month and I'm very impressed with what they've done.

The Urban Trails Network is built on two pieces of existing policy: the Portland Bureau of Transportation's neighborhood greenways, and the "city greenways" defined in Portland's 2035 Comprehensive Plan (adopted in 2020). The network would create a backbone of residential streets with separated cycling facilities on them. Imagine the best elements of a multi-use path, mixed with the convenience and proximity to destinations of neighborhood greenways.

And the most interesting part? The new paths would be at sidewalk level and use existing right-of-way.

"We propose something new, that could be the 'next generation' of infrastructure, that would be more attractive in a low-density city like Portland to the large 'interested but concerned' crowd that may be driving more," Raggett shared. And Hodge added, "Most people in the 'interested but concerned' category might not be aware of the greenways, or if they were, they might have a hard time finding and navigating them due to the lack of intuitive wayfinding tools."

Raggett says the concept builds on the Comp Plan's "city greenways" network, which is defined as, " a system of distinctive pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly streets and trails, enhanced by lush tree canopy and landscaped stormwater facilities that support active living by expanding transportation and recreational opportunities and making it easier and more attractive to reach destinations across the city."

Raggett, Hodge, Barmore-McCollum, and Al-Schamma have put together a nine-page presentation that lays out all the details.

The presentation shows how three types of existing residential streets could be retrofitted with the new Urban Trails Network design. In each type, they demonstrate how space for active transportation on the streets would grow. (The exact streets that would make up the network haven't been named as this is still just a conceptual exercise.)

On a 36-foot wide street, for instance, the concept preserves 21-feet for car parking and driving ("the concept proposes a more pragmatic relationship with motor vehicles"), and would add a 15-foot, two-way cycling pathway and buffer strip on one side. On an street without sidewalks that has 60-feet of right-of-way but currently only 20-feet paved, the concept proposes a full rebuild that would include a 16-foot, two-way, shared bike/walk path on side and a sidewalk on the other. It would also add 18 feet for parking cars. On a narrow residential street with a 40-foot roadway, they propose adding a 12-foot, two-way path and buffer strip, while maintaining two lanes of on-street car parking and a 14-foot general travel lane that would be shared by both directions of drivers (a "queuing street" that is common on many narrow residential streets today).

With fewer people commuting to and from downtown, the idea is that better bikeways criss-crossing neighborhoods are more important than ever.

"The Urban Trails network will provide a much-needed and intuitive network of connections that will provide a flexible and resilient series of new pathways for all ages and abilities," the presentation states. "Whether they be walking, rolling, riding, roller-skating or scooting around the city."

Raggett and his team understand funding for this type of treatment is nonexistent. But they aren't asking for money, they just think it's time for Portland to move onto the next level of bike infrastructure and do something bold that will finally move the needle.

"The linked series of citywide pathways will define the next era of healthy, climate-responsive mobility in Portland."

Take a look at the plan yourself and let us know what you think!

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'Urban trails,' a bold plan for the next generation of Portland bikeways

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Article Title: ‘Urban trails,’ a bold plan for the next generation of Portland bikeways

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Article Title: ‘Urban trails,’ a bold plan for the next generation of Portland bikeways

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The article details Portland's potential to invest in better bike infrastructure by improving usability and the number of users of bikeways. It envisions planning to incorporate bike user-friendly systems/facilities to incentivize people to use the bike as a primary mode of transportation to get around places around the city, and a major aspect suggests making biking fun and appealing. It talks about how greenery such as the tree canopy and plants along bikeways can be used in conjunction and how streets can be allocated spatially for bike users for a comfortable and smooth experience. In addition, the article centers heavily around Portland planners' evident desire to make biking in the city appealing and connected with the city by promoting healthier and happier lifestyles for residents.

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Portland, OR is a city known to be a city that often centers biking in its planning. However, Portland has been facing a decline in bicycling despite a network of bikeways already existing. It seems as if residents lack the motive to use the bike as a mode of transportation, and just because infrastructure is there for bikes doesn't necessarily supply the number of bike users. The local planners are concerned about the enticement that is missing alongside infrastructure, which has been forwarded as a discussion. As for existing policy concerning the usage of bikeways, greenery is a key component used visually alongside the streets. Portland has a comprehensive plan that is aimed for 2035 to physically designate bikeways on streets by using greenery to achieve that. Currently, the project has undertaken these existing policies and is at the concept stage to envision first before pinpointing the sources that could directly fund and endorse the concepts into actuality. These policies have seen change work with the trajectory of the plan as that focus on enhancing the social aspects of bike infrastructure, primarily anchoring on a source of engagement, greenery. This topic has been assessed with its pros that this could strengthen linkages between building healthier lifestyles for residents with greater recreational opportunities and a more efficient bike system that can persuade residents to bike more often. As for the cons, although implicitly implied, the article refers to the elected officials in transportation who have been subject to calls to build effective bike transportation. I feel like the author's intention to assert this is due to the fact that actions are much more valuable than words, and just because they hold a significant position in transportation does not mean there is progress in that sector. However, there is promise in the plan as it is evident that planners are turning their attention to a human-centered approach to bike systems and what should used in conjunction to achieve a well-connected, enticing way to be incorporated into their modes of transportation.

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I found it interesting that greenery can be used to appeal to bikers, and I think implementing that can garner local support as greenery is often appreciated and linked to the upbringing and well-being of people. Incorporating that in conjunction with a mode of transportation that people actively use is sufficient and beneficial in many aspects is a great goal. I feel like this topic is great because people can find ways to become connected in creative ways that are linked to their day-to-day lifestyles when they go to places around the city. This affects me in a way that feel great appreciation for the intrinsic parts of the city because biking is not only healthy and has multiple economic benefits when properly invested, but it's also a great mode of transportation to explore parts of the city, especially when bypassing local businesses or historical sites. From an urban planning perspective, greater investment in better bike infrastructure would be a reason for me to explore the city more freely rather than feeling restricted by the car to get around.