Broadway Corridor (Post Office Redevelopment) | Proposed

[AdamNorthwest]

New conceptual rendering on Broadway Corridor's website: https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/conte...BC+conceptual+rendering.jpg?format=2500w

[dizflip]

Would love for them to delete the Broadway ramp.

[sopdx]

From the NW Examiner

Bike ramp too much for former city planner
Ernie Munch is not enamored with this version of plans for the Broadway Corridor
ALLAN CLASSEN
MAY 27

https://bikeportland.org/2024/06/21/park...s-for-north-park-blocks-extension-387863

Former planner Ernie Munch says the recommended Broadway Corridor design is a waste of money and concrete.
Since 2020, city agencies and neighborhood representatives have progressed through iterations of plans for the Broadway Corridor, which includes the 12-block former U.S. Post Office site. The latest version involves an elaborate spiral of concrete bike lanes and pedestrian walkways connecting ground level to the height of the Broadway Bridge roadway.

Retired architect and former planner Ernie Munch was hired to review the recommended design, which he considers a waste of money and concrete.

“What I was impressed with was the amount of space that this ramp that goes round and round took up,” Munch told the Pearl District Neighborhood Association Planning and Transportation Committee last week. “I thought that was pretty expensive, and it takes up an area of the Park Blocks that could be better used for a park.”

By deleting the ramp, he realized that the Broadway Bridge already has a ramp that could adequately serve bikes and pedestrians, perhaps by widening it a few feet.

“I wanted to run this by the neighborhood before I started running it by the people who are responsible for the design,” Munch said.

Committee members generally agreed with Munch’s assessment.

“How did this obvious solution get away from us in the original planning?” asked Jason Naiman, a member of the committee and former student of Munch.

“I’m afraid we seem to be frozen on this one too,” committee member Linda Jackson said, describing the proposed ramp as “a wall of concrete.”

It is not clear the city will revisit the favored plan, but Munch offered to be the committee’s advocate if that’s it they want to do.

The committee called a special meeting June 2 to consider whether to support a new approach.

[PlantDad]

Originally Posted by sopdx

From the NW Examiner
Former planner Ernie Munch says the recommended Broadway Corridor design is a waste of money and concrete.

The ramp was my favorite part of the proposed park design. It's not designed as a wall of concrete. It's designed to be transparent and provides opportunities for more activity in this area and views of the park. It reminded me of public spaces in Europe.

[colossalorder]

I just noticed that portlandmaps now has the Broadway Corridor broken into lots and a street grid. Some of it I find confusing ... partial street grid, part of the park is combined with a development lot, etc.

I also found this video on the park schematic ... slightly creepy utopian Sims land ... but it gives a good perspective on how the bike ramp spiral might work and feel.
https://place.la/portfolio/north-park-blocks-extension/

[sopdx]

Originally Posted by colossalorder

I just noticed that portlandmaps now has the Broadway Corridor broken into lots and a street grid. Some of it I find confusing ... partial street grid, part of the park is combined with a development lot, etc.

I also found this video on the park schematic ... slightly creepy utopian Sims land ... but it gives a good perspective on how the bike ramp spiral might work and feel.
https://place.la/portfolio/north-park-blocks-extension/

Pretty cool. Helps explain the spiral much better than the drawings.

[dizflip]

Great that the ramp also accommodates retail below

[colossalorder]

I was able to get a closer look at the site today. I think the current work being is the extension of Kearny and Johnson streets. It looks like they have the sewer in, manhole covers, etc. I didn't see any obvious evidence that they are working on buildings yet.

[colossalorder]

I'm happy to report that they have made quite a bit of progress on the site with the roads. The Kearney extension now features much of the sidewalks, driveways, fire hydrants, sewer etc. Johnson extension is less far along but definitely under construction. I didn't realize how much the streets had to angle to line up with the pillars of the Broadway Bridge offramp.