Major Changes to North Williams Avenue Kick Off In September

Wednesday, August 27, 2014

Kirsten Nicolaisen, GoLocalPDX Digital Producer

A construction project will revamp a busy North Portland street in hopes of providing a safer commute for all types of travelers, according to the Portland Bureau of Transportation.

The North Williams Traffic Safety Project will implement a new street design that eliminates one travel lane and provides a new, wider bike lane on the left side of the street to reduce conflicts with buses.

Other plans include lower speed limits, safer pedestrian crosswalks, and a new traffic signal at the North Cook Street intersection.

North Williams Avenue runs amidst a growing neighborhood and is a popular commuting route for autos, bicycles, and transit between downtown and North Portland.

The safety project was developed in 2012 following concerns about the safety of this busy Portland thoroughfare. The project was delayed while the city, activists and residents wrestled with fears that the project might promote gentrification in an area that was once the center of the black community in Oregon.

A $1.5 million grant from the Oregon Department of Transportation is funding the improvements, which will extend from Northeast Broadway to North Killingsworth Street.

Construction is expected to start in early September and be completed within three months.

See a detailed map of the proposed safety improvements here