By Thom Stone
Earlier this year, residents of Mt. Scott-Arleta and surrounding neighborhoods such as Lents and Woodstock may have received notice that a new greenway would be constructed along SE Tolman St., between SE 52nd Ave. and SE 92nd Ave., providing much safer passage for pedestrians, rollers and cyclists.
Cyclists in particular may be pleased to know that the Tolman Street Neighborhood Greenway will also connect to the neighborhood greenway on SE 87th Ave. which directly connects to the Springwater Corridor Trail, a popular bike trail that stretches along the Willamette.
Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) said that the project is currently in the final phase of design and they are aiming to complete the project by the end of September. PBOT still needs to secure and onboard a contractor who will determine the date for the construction to begin, but they hope to be able to start by mid-August.
For those who may be unfamiliar, PBOT defines greenways as “quiet and slow streets that prioritize people walking, bicycling and rolling.”
Greenways are not unique to Portland but they are exceedingly rare in the US, offering non-motorized commuters a welcome alternative to thoroughfares like SE 82nd Ave. with high speed limits or narrow streets in residential neighborhoods (where cars can usually still go up to 20 miles per hour) to get where they want to go.
Together with the Bureau of Planning & Sustainability (BPS), PBOT led a planning process to address land use and transportation needs as part of the Lower Southeast Rising Area Plan, adopted in May 2024 by Portland City Council. PBOT worked on prioritizing projects that would meet community needs more expeditiously; as such, the Tolman Street Neighborhood Greenway was made one of the top priority projects for the transportation side of the plan.
The project is intended to address community needs as determined via community outreach, which included online surveys, community walks, a community advisory committee and many other opportunities for neighborhood input from 2021-2023.
Once construction is complete, people will be able to walk, bike and roll east of 52nd Ave. with new crossing improvements (like ADA curb ramps) at multiple busy intersections, including SE 82nd Ave. which is part of a separate project.
Some changes have already been made; one intersection improvement at SE 72nd Ave. and Tolman St. was recently completed. New sidewalks are in the process of being installed and should be finished within days of this issue’s publication.
Among other additions and changes that will be made soon are the addition of more speed bumps, pavement markings and wayfinding signs to guide people to areas of interest. PBOT’s construction contractor will construct three to four bumps per day between 7 am and 4 pm; notices will be sent to impacted properties within a 500-foot radius at least two weeks before construction begins.
Although such blockages may inconvenience some residents of the neighborhood, greenway projects generally move quickly so the construction won’t impede them for long.
Portland currently has 150 miles worth of neighborhood greenways and there are still more than 200 miles that have been identified by PBOT as future neighborhood greenways.
Among other similar greenway projects included in the Lower Southeast Rising Area Plan are more improvements along SE Tolman St. to the west of 52nd Ave. although that would involve unpaved roads which would make it more complex. The plan also identifies improvements for key north-south routes although they are less clearly defined.
Provided that the city continues to have the funds and/or grants needed to carry out such plans, the Tolman Street Neighborhood Greenway project is only one step in creating greater connectivity throughout SE Portland and Portland’s greenway network as a whole.
New sidewalk ramps on the corner of SE 72nd Ave. and SE Tolman St. Photo by Thom Stone.
