Halsey-Weidler Streetscape project to be completed Summer 2019. Illustration courtesy of the Portland Development Commission.

The purpose of the Gateway to Opportunity project is to use streets to connect people to opportunities. Gateway is an area that has been historically underinvested. It is a part of Portland where people have not had safe infrastructure to walk, bike, or take transit. The result of these streets that have been difficult to cross on foot is that they have acted as barriers to opportunity. The Portland Bureau of Transportation’s (PBOT) recent and upcoming safety improvements are aimed at changing that. 

The focus area in Gateway will be used to improve livability, create more convenient transit connections, encourage bicycling, and contribute to increased safety. PBOT expects the results of these investments to be improved quality of life and better connections to schools, parks, neighborhood businesses, and public transit. 

PBOT’s intends to supplement its infrastructure investments with Sunday Parkways. Sunday Parkways is PBOT’s highly successful open streets program where the City opens up 7 miles of streets for walking and biking 5 times over the course of the summer. One of the goals of Sunday Parkways is to highlight recent and upcoming walking and biking improvements in the area. As part of our Gateway to Opportunity project, we are bringing Sunday Parkways to Gateway for the third year in row on July 21, 2019.  More information about Sunday Parkways can be found at www.portlandsundayparkways.org.

The funding for these projects will come from a variety of sources including Fixing our Streets funding, Oregon Department of Transportation, City of Portland General Fund, Prosper Portland, and transportation system development charges (TSDCs). TSDCs are fees paid by developers to offset the transportation impacts of new development.

The Big Jump Challenge

The Gateway to Opportunity focus area is also part of a national effort to develop best practices related to multimodal network connectivity.  In other words, the City is looking at best practices to connect people who are walking, biking, and taking transit through low-stress connections like neighborhood greenways and rapid flashing beacons.

Portland was chosen from a nationwide competition of 78 cities to be one of 10 partner cities focused on improving bicycle networks.  This nationwide competition was hosted by People for Bikes which is a national non-profit focused on improving bicycling in America.  The name of their nationwide challenge is called “The Big Jump”.

Portland worked with a number of community organizations including East Portland Action Plan’s Land Use & Transportation committee, Friends of Gateway Green, Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization, Oregon Walks, and The Street Trust to put together a proposal centered on how bicycle infrastructure in Gateway would increase access to parks, transit, and employment opportunities.  Portland’s proposal for this national challenge was titled “Gateway to Opportunity” for two reasons.  First, our goal was to highlight that bicycles can be a tool to help people access economic opportunity and second, because the focus area that was chosen in partnership with community stakeholders is in Gateway.

The proposal area boundary is I-205 bike path to the west, I-84 to the north, NE 132^nd Ave to the east (the 130’s bikeway), and E. Burnside to the south connecting to Tri-Met’s Blue Line MAX service.  As part of this effort, PBOT is also focusing on key connections for walking and bicycling across I-205 and I-84.

PBOT staff will use information from this effort to determine best practices for bicycle network connectivity and share best practices with other cities across America.

PBOT would like to acknowledge and thank Prosper Portland for its efforts in funding safe transportation infrastructure in Gateway. 

 Project Completion Dates (as of July 2018)

NE 102nd sidewalk infill NE Sandy to I-84 (Fixing Our Streets) - Completed summer 2018!

Halsey-Weidler Streetscape project – Summer 2019

122nd Ave Plan: Safety, Access, and Transit- Dec 2018

Portland's Enhanced Transit Corridors Plan- Fall 2018 (includes 122nd Ave in Gateway)

I-205 Overcrossing improvements on NE Halsey – Fall 2019

130s Neighborhood Greenway – Fall 2019

102nd street reconfiguration (NE Weidler to Fremont) - Fall 2019

East Glisan Street Update (102^nd-city limits) – Fall 2019

HOP Neighborhood Greenway – Spring 2020

100s Neighborhood Greenway – Spring 2020

NE Shaver sidewalk infill near Parkrose High (Fixing Our Streets Safe Routes to School)- Summer 2020

Outer Halsey corridor improvements (NE 114-city limits) – Fall 2020

I-205 Undercrossing – Fall 2021

Funding for Gateway to Opportunity projects is provided by Fixing our Streets, Prosper Portland, City General Fund, TSDCs, and the Oregon Dept. of Transportation.   

For an interactive map of Fixing Our Streets projects, click here

Questions about the Gateway to Opportunity project?

Please contact Project Manager Timur Ender at Timur.Ender@portlandoregon.gov