Pop-Up Demonstration Road Diet and Plaza, Portland, Oregon Publications and Resources

Project Pop-Up Road Diet and Plaza

Location Northwest 3rd Avenue Portland Oregon

Photo by Greg Raisman Ping-pong tables set up on the plaza south of Burnside Street attracted lots of players, including Mayor Charlie Hales (in sunglasses, above left).

The Goal

Turn a troubled and underutilized three-lane vehicle roadway into a vibrant but safe shopping, dining and entertainment destination

The Backstory

The downtown district of Portand, Oregon, is populated by bars, restaurants, offices and social services. The busy area, which is plagued by a street grid of roads that were built for mid 20th-century traffic, features overly wide, three-lane one-way streets that have become a setting for gangs, drug dealing, gun violence and prostitution. Seeking to attract more people and legal activities, the city began to promote Old Town Chinatown as an and it closed three blocks of the area to traffic from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m., every Friday through Sunday. The closures, while successful in curbing the number of late-night crime incidents, received harsh criticism from who disliked the construction zone vibe of the constant closures. Frustrated by city officials saying it would take several years to even consider a major redesign of 3rd Avenue through Old Town, a coalition of 30 Old Town bars, restaurants and entertainment venues teamed up with the advocacy organization to develop a district redesign plan.

The Project

Better Block PDX transformed the roadway into a single lane for autos. The lane was then bordered by wooden planters that helped define a protected bikeway, and opened up more than 1,000 square feet of new "pedestrianized" spaces for people to walk, socialize, eat and relax. The new people-friendly spaces featured sidewalk cafes, a marked crosswalk and a huge, new public plaza in front of , a popular tourist destination. In the adjacent one-block-long , cars were prohibited so people could sit outside several eating and drinking establishments. The plaza space proved particularly popular during the demonstration since it was decorated with ping-pong tables, art activities and hay bales for temporary seating. A unique mix of people — residents, workers, tourists and the homeless — shared the space.

The Timing

The project was open for a three-day period in October 2014.

The Logistics

In order to ensure accessibility along the narrower Ankeny Alley roadway, the event organizers collaborated with the city's fire department, which successfully maneuvered a fire truck down the single vehicle lane.

The Costs and Crew

The 3rd Avenue Better Block project cost roughly $8,000. The Better Block team raised funds for the materials, partnered with local businesses and property owners to secure meeting and storage space, and organized dozens of volunteers to construct the installation. The advocacy group also worked directly with the to approve the design and support the rollout of the project.

The Outcomes and Next Steps

The project highlights the economic case for people-oriented streets. Within a year of the demonstration project, the city invested roughly $140,000 in the area by painting crosswalks where there had been none and by re-striping Northwest 3rd Avenue to remove an auto lane and add a double-buffered bike lane. The city also installed its first (at Northwest 3rd and Davis streets), featuring a pattern of raindrops and a large umbrella. The provided an $80,000 grant to the to develop a public plaza. Discussions are happening about creating a Local Improvement District in which local businesses tax themselves to raise funds for implementing safety, livability and other projects.

Learn More

t Page Published Summer 2016 Photo by Greg Raisman The temporary plaza was conveniently located in front of the famous Voodoo Doughnuts.

Stay Informed — For Free

The weekly, award-winning AARP Livable Communities e-Newsletter provides local leaders with information and inspiration for making their town, city or neighborhood more livable for older adults and people of all ages.
Visit the Pop-Up Tool Kit Home Page

AARP org Livable

Enter a topic, name, place, etc. See past issues:

Our Free Publications

See the complete list at

Follow Us

Facebook: Twitter:

Contact Us

Email AARP Livable Communities at .

Ask about the AARP Livability Index by completing this .

AARP Members: For questions about your benefits, AARP The Magazine or the AARP Bulletin, visit the page or call 1-888-OUR-AARP (1-888-687-2277). Cancel You are leaving AARP.org and going to the website of our trusted provider. The provider’s terms, conditions and policies apply. Please return to AARP.org to learn more about other benefits. Your email address is now confirmed. You'll start receiving the latest news, benefits, events, and programs related to AARP's mission to empower people to choose how they live as they age. You can also by updating your account at anytime. You will be asked to register or log in. Cancel Offer Details Disclosures

Close In the next 24 hours, you will receive an email to confirm your subscription to receive emails related to AARP volunteering. Once you confirm that subscription, you will regularly receive communications related to AARP volunteering. In the meantime, please feel free to search for ways to make a difference in your community at Javascript must be enabled to use this site. Please enable Javascript in your browser and try again.