CASE STUDY: PORTLAND, OR 1 - 5 Years Interim Design
PILOT
INTERIM
Project Type: Protected bike lane (Tuff Curb) Sponsor Organizations: Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) Agencies Involved: (same as above) Materials Budget: $4,000 Key Materials: »» Barrier Element: Tuff Curb and delineators »» Surface Treatment: Striping and pavement markings created using standard traffic paint. About the Project: In December of 2015, to further protect cyclists from cars, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) installed plastic delineators along the bike lane on SW 13th Avenue and Clay Street. Within just a few months, all of the delineators had been knocked over by cars. That initial project cost $2,000. In May of 2016, with a budget of $4,000, PBOT decided to upgrade the barrier protection by testing out “Tuff Curbs.” These are durable, high performance materials with built in reflectors that provide visibility for use both during the day and at night. The product is inexpensive but the material is heavy duty and is intended to last for several years. Most importantly they create a physical separation between vehicular and bicycle lanes.
Flexible Delineators as Barrier Element A low-cost option for pilot protected bike lanes but frequently need replacement, especially on streets with a high volume of traffic (spec sheet page 30).
Upgrading Materials: “Tuff Curb”
PBOT quickly added raised lane separators to allow for more durable protection (spec sheet page 30).
Top left: Flexible delineators proved ineffective at SW 13th Avenue and Clay Street (Jonathan Maus, Bike Portland); Top right: Raised lane separators provided a more robust barrier between people driving and people cycling (City of Portland Bureau of Transportation); Bottom: Raised lane separators are bolted into the asphalt (City of Portland Bureau of Transportation).
108 · PROJECT APPLICATIONS