By Madeleine Voth
A quiet stretch of SE Oak St. between 37th Ave. and Cesar Chavez Blvd. will officially become part of Laurelhurst Park under a new city ordinance that transfers the land from the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) to Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R).
The change, passed in late June and known as Ordinance 192087, transforms the street into permanent parkland and gives PP&R full authority over the area, from maintenance to enforcement of park rules.
This decision came through the Mayor’s Office, specifically the Public Environment Management Office (PEMO). The request from PP&R was filed in October 2022, and the ordinance was passed on August 6, 2025. According to city officials, the transfer will not only formalize the closure that has already been in place since 2023 but also allow for a wider walking and biking path along the north side of Oak St.
“Vacating the Oak St. right-of-way meant transferring that portion of land to Portland Parks & Recreation,” said Cody Bowman, Press Officer for the City of Portland, in an email interview. “Under City Code, PP&R has authority to enforce park rules.”
In this context, a city’s “right-of-way” refers to land designated for public travel: streets, sidewalks and often the underground utilities that support them. In most cases, PBOT owns and maintains these corridors, even if they pass through green spaces or along park edges. When a right-of-way is vacated, the land is officially released from its street-use designation and transferred to another bureau or owner.
In this case, because the segment of land moves from PBOT’s management into PP&R’s, its purpose is shifted from a traffic corridor to recreational parkland. This move not only focuses on technical realignment, but also reimagines how urban space can better serve pedestrians, cyclists and the neighborhood as a whole.
While it is unclear when construction will begin, the plan includes widening the existing paved path along Oak St.’s northern edge. Once complete, the new route will be at least 12 feet wide and open 24 hours a day for people walking, rolling, biking or skating.
The change will also make permanent the closure of the short road that once bisected Laurelhurst Park. Though vehicle access is gone, Bowman emphasized that the update will not reduce public accessibility. “There are no impacts to access to the park for people on foot or with bikes or mobility devices,” Bowman said. “The tradeoff for the loss of parking was an increase in park amenities: the pickleball court, skatepark and cycling skill area.”
PP&R now manages maintenance of the newly integrated space. Utilities beneath the former roadway remain in place under an easement, a legal allowance for continued use by public infrastructure like water or sewer lines.
PEMO began outreach on the project in collaboration with the Laurelhurst Neighborhood Association and the PP&R Capital Projects team in 2022 and 2023. By the time PBOT staff finalized the street-vacation process this year, neighbors had already started to adjust to the change.
For many, the transformation feels like a natural continuation of how the park is used. “We’ve heard a lot of positive feedback from community members across Southeast Portland about the renewed energy and use of the space along 37th over the past two years,” said Abigail Smock, vice president of the Laurelhurst Neighborhood Association (LNA). “Laurelhurst Park has always been a beloved, family-friendly gathering place, and it’s been great to see teens at the skate park, young families back at the playground and people of all ages enjoying the pickleball courts.” She continued, “As one of the few large green spaces in inner Southeast, Laurelhurst Park is cherished far beyond our neighborhood. I’m encouraged that City Council is considering making the street a permanent extension of the park and continuing to invest in these vital ‘third spaces’ that strengthen community and create more opportunities for free recreation in Portland.”
Smock’s words echo sentiments heard by others in the community. Former Vice President of the LNA and current park advocate and Friends of Laurelhurst Park Volunteer TJ Browning said of the change, “Oak Street is a small but mighty addition to inner SE Portland. District 3 has the least parkland of any other Portland District, four acres per 1,000 residents, less than half of every other district! Oak St. features amenities lacking in SE while engaging all ages. I feel pride and joy when the pickleball courts, skateboard ramp and children’s bike ramps are brimming with activity. But this is not the finish line, only a temporary filler until a permanent plan is implemented through public input. I can’t wait to see the finished product!”
For now, the transformation of SE Oak St. stands as an example of how Portland continues to adapt its infrastructure to fit changing community values and gives new life to old space. In recent years, Portland has been experimenting with ways to reclaim streets for recreation and climate-friendly transportation. Projects like car-free plazas, pop-up greenways and right-of-way conversions are becoming part of a new way of looking at urban spaces, focused on livability and environmental sustainability.
Bowman noted that the Laurelhurst project also ties into larger efforts to make parks more accessible for active transportation users. “The path expansion will help connect people across the park while maintaining access for all forms of non-motorized travel,” he said.
For more information on Ordinance 192087, visit portland.gov/council/documents/ordinance/passed/192087.