SW Slated for Surge in Ped., Bike Safety Improvements

[May 29, 2025]

In what could be considered one of the the first major accomplishments of Portland’s new form of government, City Council adopted the Sidewalk Improvement and Paving Program (SIPP) resolution on May 7. Following at-times contentious deliberation touching on policy as well as protocol, the Council voted to direct the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) to construct sidewalks and fill potholes throughout the city, with priority given to District 1 (outer southeast), and District 4’s southwest Portland.

The resolution was put forward by District 1 Councilor Loretta Smith and District 4 Councilors Olivia Clark, Mitch Green and Eric Zimmerman.

Funding for the improvements is expected to come from a $200 million bond. If City Council approves the bond ordinance,  work could start as early as this summer and continue over the next four years.

The need for safe bike and pedestrian access in southwest Portland has long been recognized, but little progress has been made since this part of town was annexed by the city decades ago. District 1 is in the same situation.

The resolution marks a major shift, suggesting Portland’s new city government may be more effective than its predecessor, which made frequent promises about safety improvements but with little follow-through. For example, improvements to Capitol Highway between Cheltenham and Terwilliger were called for in the 1996 Capitol Highway Plan—yet almost 30 years later they have yet to be built.

SIPP & SWIM

In a related development, volunteer non-profit SW Trails PDX has launched an initiative to spur City action on its Southwest in Motion Plan (SWIM), adopted in 2019. Called SWIM & More, the new effort aims to put pressure on PBOT to align SWIM priorities with those of SW residents.

According to Don Baack, founder of SW Trails PDX, PBOT has completed few SWIM projects and has allocated what he calls “miserly annual funding” compared to other “In Motion” plans. In the Hillsdale News, Baack wrote, “PBOT has unilaterally decided what projects should be constructed with no input from SW residents.”

As Hayhurst resident Marita Ingalsbee put it in her testimony to City Council supporting SIPP, “It’s time to SIPP and SWIM.”

The SWIM & More committee has posted an online survey asking residents to identify their top priorities for transportation projects. Survey results will be shared with PBOT and District 4 councilors to help shape SIPP project priorities over the next four years.

A second survey is collecting input on preferred crosswalk locations. The deadline for both surveys is Monday, June 16, 2025.

SIPP

In recognition of the challenges and costs of building standard concrete sidewalks with curbs and stormwater systems in parts of SW Portland, Councilor Clark introduced a successful amendment allowing the term “sidewalk” to include alternative pathways, such as protected lanes or gravel paths.

Councilor Mitch Green assesses SW pedestrian facilities

As Councilor Zimmerman said, traditional sidewalks may be ideal, but improved pathways are better than nothing when children must walk “in the mud along busy roads, fighting blackberries on one side and semi-trucks on the other.”

The resolution also directs PBOT to create a public website and dashboard showing project objectives, timelines, and contact information for community questions and concerns.

Controversy

District 1 Councilor Avalos proposed removing the language prioritizing Districts 1 and 4. In response, Councilor Green emphasized the decades-long neglect of these areas: “How long should SW Portland wait for sidewalks? 50 years? 100 years?”

Councilor Zimmerman further defended the focus on southeast and southwest Portland, arguing that bold action is needed to disrupt the “status quo” of PBOT planning, which has consistently underinvested in these areas. “The City has deferred maintenance on our streets and sidewalks for many years,” he said, adding, “While Portland’s central core benefits from walkable neighborhoods with good sidewalks, most streets in Districts 1 and 4 lack sidewalks entirely.”

Councilor Dan Ryan (District 2) agreed, saying, “Targeted policies produce results.”

The amendment to strike the language specifying District 1 and District 4 failed with only councilors Avalos and Kanal voting in favor.

The final SIPP resolution was approved 11-1, with Councilor Steve Novick casting the lone no vote.

—Valeurie Friedman

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Where would you like to see pedestrian and bike safety improvements in Hillsdale? Let us know (but also fill out the survey).