Conversation

The cannabis consumers of Oregon helped finance this PBOT street upgrade, which includes protected bike lanes next to sidewalks:

"Beginning on Monday, May 5, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will be repairing and repaving SE Stark Street from SE 108th to 122nd avenues as part of the bureau's $23 million multi-phase Safer Outer Stark project. The work is expected to take approximately sixteen business days.

Maintenance crews will work from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. on business days, starting at the eastern end of the project area at SE 122nd and Stark along north curbside lane. Crews will continue working westward to SE 108th Avenue before moving to the other half of the street and repairing the eastbound lanes starting at SE 108th Avenue and heading east.

The traveling public is advised to expect delays, travel cautiously, observe all closures and directions by flaggers, and use alternate routes if possible. Local access to residences and businesses will remain available. A minimum of one motor vehicle lane will remain open in each direction as work progresses. Sidewalks will remain open at all times for pedestrians. Public transit riders should check TriMet.org for service impacts.

This work is weather-dependent, and the schedule may change.

The paving work is the third phase of PBOT’s Safer Outer Stark project, a multi-phase investment strategy to help address the serious safety issues along the high crash corridor. Once paving work is complete, protected bike lanes will also be added. Additional safety improvements, as well as paving SE Stark Street from 122nd to 162nd avenues, will follow in 2026.

PBOT began constructing safety improvements on SE Stark Street following an 18-month public engagement and planning phase conducted in 2019-20. In 2020, the bureau installed new street lighting between SE 108th and 162nd avenues, filling in gaps along the corridor. In 2023, a new traffic signal and pedestrian crossing improvements were installed at SE 146th Avenue and Stark Street.

While talking to community groups about how to improve the corridor, PBOT was able to identify several project goals and community priorities:

Reduce deadly and serious crashes for all people using all modes of transportation
Reduce excess motor vehicle speeds
Provide safer access and crossings for people walking, rolling, and accessing transit
Support future development of enhanced transit along the corridor
Improve street condition
Improve comfort and visibility for all users, especially pedestrians and people biking

Following the planning phase, PBOT developed a multi-phase investment strategy to help address the serious safety issues along the corridor.

The total estimated budget across all phases is approximately $23 million. Funding includes $11 million from Build Portland (City General Fund), $6 million from Oregon House Bill 2017, $2 million in Transportation System Development Charges, $1 million in Fixing Our Streets funds, $500,000 in Cannabis Tax funds and $1.5 million in federal funds."

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