Neighborhood greenways are low-traffic, slow (typically 25mph or less) streets that prioritize walking and biking. Many times the greenways are on small neighborhood roads that are parallel to busier throughfares for automobiles.
There are a couple key features of greenways in Portland, Oregon. You’ll see green wayfinding signs that highlight directions and distance to neighborhoods or key destinations, like parks. The streets also have “sharrows,” or white painted bicycles with arrows that indicate streets are shared with bikes.
Street Design with Biking in Mind
Many greenways incorporate traffic design that pushes cars toward main roads and prevent them from cutting through to slower neighborhood streets. You might encounter a very small road crossing that indicates it is for bikes only. There may also be green road crossings at higher-speed arterials, called “cross-bikes,” next to the standard white pedestrian crosswalk as a visual indicator that it is an area for bikers to cross the street.
What are you supposed to do at a Green “Cross-bike” (Biking Crosswalk)?
First of all, slow down and wait to ensure that drivers are stopping to yield to you when you cross just like you would in a crosswalk. It is important to know that drivers are not legally required to stop for bicyclists in the cross-bike, even though many will do so. That means any cross-bike should be used with significant amount of caution.
Interestingly enough, under Oregon State Law, drivers are legally required to stop for pedestrians or bicyclists in a crosswalk as long as they have adequate time to stop. So, if you prefer, you can either ride very slowly–at pedestrian speed– or walk your bike through a crosswalk.
Why you should Bike on Neighborhood Greenways
We prefer to take neighborhood greenways over busier streets with dedicated bike lanes. It is usually a safer route with low traffic and protected/marked road crossings. Any cars that you do encounter are typically on the road for a short amount of time and going slow due to low-speed limits and speed bumps. Smaller streets also provide a more enjoyable experience lined with trees and no significant car noise pollution. Finally, greenways are a fun experience; you get to see people walking, biking, or rolling to their next destination. It can also build a sense of community when you see multi-modal transit and know that you aren’t the only one who decided not to take a car.
How to find a Neighborhood Greenway
Plan your next outing using the Portland bike map streets marked as Neighborhood Greenways. Be sure to note any crossings circled in red indicate difficult crossing and consider using a pedestrian crosswalk where available.
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