The April 2024 online open house was held to share updated information, address feedback from the July open house and inform community members of the final design and construction improvements. Community members had the option to leave comments and let the project team know what they thought of the final design. A total of 72 people participated in the online survey. Key overall themes in project-related comments are below.

1. Most respondents (68%) selected “Yes” when asked whether they think the final design improvements will increase safety for the community. Many commented that they appreciate the new safety improvements for all users on Olney Avenue including physical barriers for walking and biking.
   
   
2. Respondents had concerned for congestion delays due to limiting left turns. A quarter of the respondents who left comments cite a need for retaining both east and west bound access to Riverside Animal Hospital.

Project Team Response: Project improvements include median placement along certain segments of the corridor weighing street standards, safety of all users, business access, emergency services response and utility service access. The project includes mountable medians in the design where possible.

This open house and comment submittal period is closed. However, you are welcome to browse the open house information using the link below to browse the latest designs to make Olney Ave. safer for walking, biking and driving.

• bit.ly/olneypedbike2024

The July 2023 bilingual online and in-person open house and survey informed community members of potential improvements, displayed three project design alternatives, and gathered community feedback with interactive exhibits and a survey. In addition to collecting feedback, the open house covered project-related topics, including project background information and evaluation criteria, pedestrian and cyclist connections and proposed improvements, intersection proposed improvements, safety concerns and countermeasures, and comparison in anticipated cost of different design alternatives. The City engaged and collected feedback from 100 community members in the July 2023 project open house. Key overall themes in project-related comments and responses are below.

1. The top project priorities expressed for Olney Avenue in the open house survey were the following:
   • Safer and more comfortable places to bike (78% supported as a top 3 priority),
   • Improvements at the intersection of Olney Avenue and Wall Street (52% supported as a top 3 priority),
   • Safer and more comfortable places to walk (48% supported as a top 3 priority). 
     
     
2. Open house participants expressed a strong desire to feel protected when biking on Olney Avenue. They have concerns specifically when on curves, and crossing intersections like Wall Street, Second Street and First Street.
   
   Project Team Response: We are looking to incorporate grade-separated bicycle lanes along the key route to provide additional protection for bikers with a vertical curb between the bicycle lane and vehicle travel lane. We are looking to design the intersections as dedicated user intersections with safe crossings and dedicated paths for people biking and walking.
   
   
3. The Wall Street and Olney Avenue intersection got the most feedback as a place where people do not feel safe traveling. Making turns here and riding a bike through this intersection was reported as being especially stressful, specifically the westbound right-turn slip lane. People shared frustration with the signal not detecting bikers. Pedestrians on the northwest corner of the intersection do not feel visible to vehicles when waiting and crossing.
   

   Project Team Response: We are looking to design this intersection as a dedicated user intersection with protection for vulnerable users (people biking or walking) inside of the intersection where possible. Protection for vulnerable users could include median crossing pedestrian refuge islands or intersection corner wedges to provide a queuing area for people on bikes, help prevent high-speed turns, and improve visibility of users.
   

4. The shared-use path and protected bicycle lanes alternatives received the most support from participants, with a shared use path being generally more favored than on-street bike lanes. Most participants had concerns with details and connections of these improvements. A on-street bicycle lane “protected” with flexible tubular markers wouldn’t feel protective to some people and could lead to added maintenance costs. Few people said they would use a shared-use path if it’s not well connected to other routes and easy to reach. The shared-use path was generally more favored than on-street bike lanes, but participants expressed concern about different users sharing the same space- such as people walking, running, biking and e-biking on the same path and in different directions. Additionally, there were concerns of shared space between people driving and biking in on-street bike lanes.
   
   Project Team Response: At this time, we are not planning to move forward with a bi-directional shared-use path or on-street bicycle lanes. Instead, we are still planning to meet the project goals and intent by designing to have complete sidewalks and one-way, grade-separated bicycle lanes that allow bicycle movement in one direction on each side of the road. Thus, each user- vehicle drivers, cyclists, and pedestrians- each have their own dedicated travel space to move at a comfortable and safe speed in both the east and west direction.

5. A few businesses/landowners along the project corridor commented on prioritizing vehicle access to their properties on Olney Avenue from both the east and west direction. There is concern from businesses that adding new medians on Olney Avenue will cause access issues and negatively impact business. Continual business access during construction was expressed as critical to operations.
   
   Project Team Response: Median placement along the corridor is being considering very carefully weighing safety of all users, business access, emergency services response, and standards that call for a median treatment on certain segments of road, like near a railroad crossing. The project team is considering mountable medians in the design where possible. We will continue to update and work with business along Olney Avenue for the duration of the project for coordination around business needs and potential impacts.
   
   
6.  Participants expressed the importance of the connection to the Deschutes River Trail and trail crossing on Portland Avenue.
   
   Project Team Response: Project improvements for Olney Avenue are being coordinated to tie into the Deschutes River Trail crossing at Portland Avenue and additional safety improvements such as signage, crossing location, striping, and illumination are being considered for the crossing. 
   
   
7. For traveling on Olney Avenue, 46 participants selected that they drive, 42 participants selected that they bike, 22 participants selected that they e-bike or scooter, and 15 participants selected that they walk. Over half of participants indicated that they would like to use Olney Avenue in the future for daily commuting by biking, walking or rolling. 

Another project open house is planned for the spring of 2024. Sign up for project email updates below to be notified about details of the next open house.