North Park Blocks PDX

PBOT: Suck it Up, Unhappy PDX Drivers Citywide

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NPB
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Bolt Bus reduces Everett to 1 lane during rush hour
Bolt Bus reduces NW Everett to one lane during rush hour

The folks who live and work around the North Park Blocks keep getting the cold shoulder from Portland’s Commissioner of Public Safety Steve Novick and his Bureau of Transportation.

For months we’ve documented how Bolt Bus turned a quiet historic park into a bus depot. We were startled when PBOT suggested we suck it up since drivers all over Portland are frustrated.

Cevero Gonzalez, constituent services coordinator for the Portland Bureau of Transportation, wrote us that “PBOT has not documented any increased safety impacts as a result of the Bolt Bus location,” … “Double parking and impatient motorists are problematic in all neighborhoods citywide.”

We invite Commissioner Novick and Mr Gonzalez to spend some time with us and watch the logjam and traffic violations created by Bolt Bus’ 40+ daily stops at NW Everett and Broadway.

Each Bolt Bus drops off up to 50 passengers (with baggage) who get picked up by double-parked drivers. Add to that another 50 passengers waiting on the sidewalk to board the next bus.  Without access to restrooms or cover from inclement weather they  seek shelter or a restroom by approaching businesses in the neighborhood.  Many huddle beneath overhangs in near-by buildings. At times more than 100 people (with baggage) block the sidewalk, making it nearly impossible for pedestrians to get through.

Simple solution – get Bolt Bus out of our historic park and let them use nearby Greyhound bus station (at NW 6th and Hoyt)

Read all about it in the Northwest Examiner.
Click headline below BoltBus Creates Logjam (August 2016)
2.5mb pdf

NW examiner Aug 2016

Comments

2 responses to “PBOT: Suck it Up, Unhappy PDX Drivers Citywide”

  1. Stacy D Brady Avatar
    Stacy D Brady

    I took the Bolt Bus two weeks ago on one of the hottest days of the year. I sought refuge in World Foods, not because I wanted too, but because I could get out of the 95 degree heat for the hour wait until my bus left, sit down and get a cold drink. I ended up waiting 15 minutes curb side because I didn’t want to miss the bus and was panhandled the entire time, aggressively I might add. At 5PM come November, you can count me out. At least downtown, there are numerous places to eat and/or seek shelter not to mention, buses and MAX in or out of the city which means easier access to and from the bus. A move to the Greyhound station would be worse. Have you seen that place lately? Probably one of the worst and most unsafe places in Portland. I tried to exit the green line MAX several weeks ago and had to step over sleeping and drugged out homeless people. I like the idea of the stop being closer to Union Station, but I can’t see Amtrak going along with this as it would infringe on their territory and Bolt Bus is already giving them a run for their money). I see no real clear solution, but I’d like to see the city open to having them downtown again. I never witnessed an issue in the over 2 year period that I rode the Bolt Bus regularly.

    Reply
    1. NPB Avatar
      NPB

      Stacy,
      Thanks for taking the time to share your observations.

      We agree that the bus terminal is a mess. See our post Terminal Chaos Forces Bolt Bus To Street Corner The irony that Bolt Bus disrupts our quiet park, then goes to the terminal to clean and gas up, drives us crazy.

      Until the city / Greyhound can take control of the terminal, Bolt could be moved back downtown close to transit mall.

      Reply

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