Hawthorne from above_w-art laid in.jpg

A rendering of a dedicated bus lane and parking-protected bike lane proposed on Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard, just east of the Hawthorne Bridge.

(Portland Bureau of Transportation)

A short stretch of Hawthorne Boulevard just east of the bridge could get a protected bikeway and a dedicated bus lane.

The Portland Bureau of Transportation is seeking $2.6 million for the project in a fall budget adjustment. The funds would also pay for a traffic signal in downtown Portland, designed to ease traffic on the west side of the bridge.

The budget request requires approval from the Portland City Council, and the City Budget Office hasn't yet weighed in on the idea. It will compete for funding with other proposals from the transportation bureau and other city agencies.

The project would reduce Hawthorne from three auto lanes to two -- matching the number of lanes coming off the Hawthorne Bridge -- between Southeast Grand Avenue and 12th Avenue.

From Grand to 7th Avenue, the third lane would be turned into a bus-only lane, a rarity in Portland. Beyond 7th, it would be a parking lane, separating the bike lane from other traffic.

That part of Hawthorne Boulevard is one of the city's heaviest bike-traffic corridors, and it also sees a high number of crashes. The six-block stretch saw 55 bicycle crashes, the transportation bureau said, four of which resulted in serious injuries.

It also serves three busy bus lines which currently have to weave into the bike lane to reach stops. The redesigned street would have buses pick up passengers at raised "island" platforms, eliminating their need for buses to cross the bike lane.

"You've got one of the busiest bike routes in North America and one of the busiest bus routes in the Portland area and, unfortunately, quite a bit of conflict because of that intensity of uses," transportation bureau spokesman Dylan Rivera said.

Buses would also get traffic signal priority through the area, allowing buses to jump ahead of traffic and allowing the Line 4 bus to turn right at 7th Avenue before other traffic gets a green light.

The project budget would also pay for a traffic signal where the northbound ramp from Naito Parkway meets the Hawthorne Bridge. It's intended to improve traffic flow along Naito.

The budget request requires approval from the Portland City Council, and the City Budget Office hasn't yet weighed in on the idea.

The bureau's fall budget adjustment wish-list also includes $500,000 to continue the program known as "Better Naito," which turns a northbound lane of Naito Parkway over to cyclists and pedestrians during the summer festival season, and $2.9 million for projects related to the city's Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic fatalities.

-- Elliot Njus

enjus@oregonian.com

503-294-5034

@enjus