Big changes might be coming to Northeast Broadway. This will not be just the usual pothole patching and fresh coat of paint. This is a complete overhaul we are dealing with. And simply consider a car-light main street and people-friendly car line as its core value. It has been a long time coming. Due to a combination of federal financing, local street repaving, and decades of local advocacy, the stars have finally come together to get it to happen.
What Is Happening?
Right now, NE Broadway between the Broadway Bridge and NE 24th Avenue is on Portland’s radar for a massive upgrade. The Portland Bureau of Transportation secured a whopping $38M federal grant to turn the stretch between the Broadway Bridge and NE 7th Avenue into a “civic main street.” That means fewer car lanes, protected bike lanes, space for transit, and a layout that puts people front and center.
Now, PBOT has another golden opportunity. They are planning to repave NE Broadway from Eleventh to Twenty-fourth Avenue. This means they can rethink the whole street design from scratch. Basically, once you scrape off the old paint and pavement, you get a blank canvas. And Portland loves a good “pave and paint” makeover. NE Broadway is officially designated a “Major City Bikeway” in Portland’s long-term planning.
A Street Stuck in the 90s
Take a look at NE Broadway between 7th and 24th today. You will get why people want change. The street is 56 feet wide. There are five lanes for cars. Three of them are travel lanes, and two lanes are for on-street parking. The bike lanes are narrow, shoved into the “door zone” next to parked cars, and have not changed since the late 1990s. Taking into account the average settlement, this does not sound well.
Traffic has also dropped since the pandemic. So, why keep three lanes for cars when fewer people are driving and more want safer bike or walking options? According to PBOT’s documents, there is “potential to remove a travel lane and enhance the bike lane.” This means that the space is there. It just needs to be used smarter.
What the New Broadway Could Look Like
Based on early concepts, here is what could be coming to NE Broadway:
- Physical separation from cars.
- Dedicated transit or streetcar lane. Thus, buses and streetcars will be able to move faster.
- Fewer car lanes.
- Better crosswalks and pedestrian islands.
- Connections to key routes.
In other words, the future Broadway could be less “mini freeway” and more “main street.”
It Is Just Finally Possible
This project did not appear out of nowhere. People have been pushing for a safer, more livable Broadway for over a decade:
- 2014 — The Bicycle Transportation Alliance made NE Broadway redesign a major priority.
- 2015 — BikePortland listed it as one of the top projects needed to make the Lloyd District thrive.
- 2016 — Better Block PDX installed a temporary “Better Broadway” demo with a protected bike lane and bus island. It showed what was possible. However, it also stirred backlash from some local businesses who were not on board.
But It Is Not All Smooth Sailing
Not everyone is hyped about fewer car lanes or losing parking. There are business owners with concerns about access and customer flow. The protected bike lane initiative that was introduced in 2016 in the shape of a pop-up provoked resistance because it was impossible to communicate with the population. That memory still lingers.
That is why the Sullivan’s Gulch Neighborhood Association created the Broadway-Weidler Working Group. They are actively planning how to get this project across the finish line. This time, they want to get more community support.
Their big long-term dream is to decouple NE Broadway and Weidler, make Weidler a chill neighborhood street, and bring two-way traffic back to Broadway. But PBOT says switching Broadway back to two-way traffic would cost over $10 million. So, do not expect that part to happen anytime soon.
Why This Matters for the Whole City
This is not just a bike lane project. It is about building a safer, greener, more connected Portland. This new Broadway would:
- Connect people to jobs, schools, hospitals, and businesses.
- Link major north-south bike routes.
- Support public transit by giving buses and the streetcar a faster route.
- Make the street safer for everyone.
It is exactly the kind of “small-scale but big-impact” project cities all over the world are embracing.
Timeline: When Will All This Happen?
Here is the rough timeline so far:
- 2024 — PBOT starts planning, design, and public outreach for the 11th–24th paving and redesign.
- 2025+ — Construction for the Broadway Bridge to NE 7th project could begin, funded by the federal grant.
- No exact completion date yet. However, momentum is building quickly.
Provided the work is successful, the 11th-24th repaving project may be restricted in a new layout. It will sow the seeds of a wholesomely redesigned corridor.
What Is Next?
PBOT has not kicked off official community engagement yet. However, that is expected soon. And when they do, there will be open houses, public meetings, and plenty of debate. However, it is quite obvious that the possibilities of NE Broadway remaining just the same are rather low. Now that it has funding, political goodwill, and a decade of advocacy, Broadway is set to become a more people-friendly street.
NE Broadway has been a significant Portland artery. However, now it has the opportunity to be something different. It is going to be a destination where people will go and not pass by. It is a chance to make the street better, healthier, and more cared about. This is the baptism of something large.
