(August 21, 2014) – The City of Portland Bureau of Transportation advises the traveling public that lane restriping to create safety improvements will require lane closures and temporary parking removal on NW Everett Street on Saturday, Aug. 23 and Sunday, Aug. 24, 6 a.m. through 7 p.m. each day.  The work zone will extend from NW Westover Road to NW 14^th Avenue.

The parking removal and lane closures are necessary to allow crews to implement new lane striping configurations. One travel lane will remain open at all times. Parking will be restored when restriping is complete.

When finished, NW Everett Street will have these new features:

• The existing bicycle lane will be relocated to the left side of the street from NW 19^th to 15^th avenues.
• From NW 19^th to 23^rd avenues, there will be one standard travel lane and a new seven-foot wide bike lane with a three-foot buffer.
• A new left turn lane will be installed at NW 18^th Avenue.
• The intersection at NW 16^th Avenue at the entrance to I-405 will be improved by removing the bike turn box and allowing motor vehicles to turn right on the red traffic signal.
• On the I-405 overpass, a green shared zone will make room for bicycles and motor vehicles turning left.

The left-side bike lane and removal of the bike box improve safety by eliminating the conflict that had existed between bikes going straight and vehicles turning right onto the freeway.   The expanded bike lane serves a growing demand for safe bicycle options and improves connectivity for people bicycling from Northwest Portland over the I-405 overpass.

The changes are expected to have minimal impact on motor vehicle traffic times, while improving motor vehicle travel and safety at the NW 18^th and 16^th Avenue intersections. PBOT staff are monitoring vehicle traffic travel times through the area and will make adjustments as needed after the improvements are installed.

The improvements also will make it easier and safer for pedestrians to cross NW Everett Street.

To prepare for restriping, parking restriction barricades will be in place one or two workdays prior to the start of work.  Parking restrictions on NW Everett Street will be in place from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day.  Any vehicles that are not in compliance with this restriction will be subject to tow.

This work is being done on a weekend to minimize traffic disruptions.  The public still is advised to expect delays while striping improvements are being made.  We ask the public to travel cautiously, observe all lane closures and directions by flaggers, and use alternate routes if possible.

This work is weather dependent and the schedule may change.

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