Fix Fell Group Ends Protests, Leader Reflects on Impact & Activism

Stuart Matthews at BP/ARCO protest earlier this year

Weekly demonstrations attracted 10 to 100 individuals upset with oil spill and oil addiction

Fell traffic problems prior to additional traffic calming measures

Last spring when the country was reeling from news of the environmental disaster in the Gulf, local advocates for sustainable living organized the first of many weekly protests outside the BP/Arco service station at Fell and Divisadero. The activists named their group Fix Fell and announced their intent to continue the protests until the BP oil spill was stopped and the city designed a much safer westbound bike lane on Fell between Scott and Divisadero. Every Friday afternoon demonstrators appeared on the Fell sidewalk with signs calling for an end to oil addiction, protection of the country's natural resources, and a re-thinking of how the cheaper gas at Arco helps create a traffic maze that endangers bicyclists. On several occasions protesters blocked motorists from entering Arco. A few clashed with the station owner and police arrested several.

The oil leak has now been capped, and the city installed several traffic and bike lane changes that were in the works before the protests began. Nearby neighborhood associations, the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, and individuals had pushed for safety improvements at Fell and Divisadero for several months prior to the bike lane improvements. Fix Fell's protests added to the review -- and criticism -- of the changes. Few observers have been wholeheartedly satisfied with the current traffic design, but an initial study suggests some improvements have resulted. Although Fix Fell members believe the street remains dangerous for cyclists, they ended the protests after 14 weeks.

BIKE NOPA interviewed Stuart Matthews, one of the leaders of Fix Fell, last September about the group's intentions and viability. I asked him recently to explain why the protests stopped. His reply follows. Matthews also reflects on the realities of taking direct action -- a term activists have employed for 100 years to protest political, social and environmental injustice.

I have been appealing, through actions and words, both written and

spoken, for more folks to get involved in direct action. Direct action
can't be sustained when only five people are willing to risk arrest and
deal with the legal consequences.

People in a privileged class - whether it is white, middle/upper class,
male, American - need to take more responsibility for their class's
destruction. Folks in our city and around the world suffer because of
our excesses, and we need to use our privilege for good and make
sacrifices to work to fix the destructiveness of our culture.

So, what I am saying, is that we will continue to work on this issue,
and there will probably be more direct action. But we could do so much
more if more folks felt compelled to take their responsibilities to the
world seriously.

We all have better things to do - that is true. Myself, for instance, I am busy taking care of my Mom, protecting civil liberties at my day job, and taking care of myself. If we had more folks in our movement that were willing to do the things that are needed, it would be a lot easier to keep our protests going at a high level.

BIKE NOPA asked Matthews about the accomplishments of Fix Fell. He believes the greatest impact of the protests have been to influence the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition (SFBC) and the Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA).

The SFBC has launched their Connecting the City campaign, with its
first priority being Fell/Oak, and their vision for Fell and Oak is a
good one. They didn't consult us on this, so I can't know for sure how
much of an impact we had on this, but I can't imagine it is a complete
coincidence.

The MTA has been paying more attention to the problems in that area (Fell Street between Scott and Divisadero), although clearly they haven't made any additional changes since the various paint treatments that they did.

For the future, Matthews anticipates a return to more visible advocacy.

The shift to behind the scenes stuff basically means that this is all
we, as a group, can afford (as far as time/energy) to take on right now.
In the new year we will be implementing an updated strategy and should
be able to invest fresh energy in it. It'll include more street
actions/direct action.

For additional stories on Fell Street changes and advocacy, search BIKE NOPA for Fell ARCO.

Return to the Cool and Green

In Portland: a green "starter" box perhaps or saving on paint

In San Francisco: The full treatment on Fell Street

After a long weekend trip to Portland, I'm almost back to blog mode with news of all things biking, walking, and livability in NOPA. I liked being in that top bicycling city but I seldom saw as many bikes as I had expected. Perhaps it was a coincidence or being in a distant part of the city during the morning and evening commutes.

I also noticed a few odd patches of green pavement in downtown Portland (see photo). Maybe Portlanders are so accustomed to the full, solid green bike lanes around the city that even a hint of green triggers their bike awareness. I prefer the newly painted green swath along Fell Street. We won't know for awhile whether this newest colored bike lane will make road use safer on that block, but I'm optimistic that the additional green lane will prompt more motorists to think bike safety when they "see green" anywhere else in the city.

Look for a new BIKE NOPA series next Tuesday.

Fell Street Bike Lane Gets the Green; Crews Close Arco Entry and Exit for Several Hours

This morning city crews painted the much-discussed block of Fell Street between Scott and Divisadero a long-awaited green stripe -- actually a solid green lane to mid-block and then a dashed green lane for the rest. This latest iteration in the traffic configuration on the block represents one more attempt to lessen the risks to road users, especially bicyclists, and to pedestrians needing safe passage along the Arco station property. The green lane on Fell is the first since Market Street was re-striped to created a more noticeable, safer bikeway. Workers explained that the green paint sprayed on Fell contained less epoxy than the substance applied to Market Street to reduce the odor that can linger for days.

During the morning and early afternoon, the Arco entry and exit along Fell were closed to customers while the bike lane was painted and new bike icons were added.

The Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA) will study the impact of the green lane on vehicle and bicycle traffic on the block. At the same time the durability and visibility of the paint itself will be measured to determine its usefulness for other locations in the city, especially those with vehicle traffic on the painted areas.

Fell Street To Get Green Bike Lane Week of August 2nd

Soon to be a green stripe for the full block, Fell between Scott and Divisadero

Update, 5:30 pm: SFMTA has clarified an earlier message about the green bike lane coming to Fell Street. James Shahamiri, traffic engineer, wrote that the agency will not be painting the entire lane solid green. Instead, the green lane will incorporate the dashes in the current white-striped lane. "Where the bicycle lane has solid stripes, the green will be solid," Shahamiri explained. "Once the dashing starts, the green will be dashed too; the white stripes, whether solid or dashed, are the bounding areas for the green color." The end result will be a solid green lane from Scott to the middle of the block and then dashed green areas to the Divisadero intersection.

The much-scrutinized Fell Street bike lane between Scott and Divisadero will be much easier to see when the SFMTA paints it a solid green during the week of August 2nd. James Shahamiri, SFMTA traffic engineer, wrote in an email message that the agency will make one more change before the bike lane goes green.

"Next week two "DO NOT BLOCK BICYCLE LANE" signs will be installed along the approach to the Arco gas station. The week after, the bicycle lane will be painted green."

Shahamiri also explained the changes made to the bike lane yesterday, reported by BIKE NOPA this morning.

"Yesterday, 7/22, we changed the solid bicycle lane striping to a dashed pattern. We thought this would encourage cars to move over the queuing area. We realized that many drivers don't feel comfortable crossing two solid lines, and that by dashing the lines, it's more intuitive that cars can cross over to the queuing space. We also added three more turn arrows in the queuing space to make it clear that the area is a travel lane."

The green bike lane will be installed as bicyclists have expressed increasing frustration with the traffic lane configuration on Fell for motorists approaching Arco. Many cyclists believe that the only way to make the approach to Divisadero safe is to close the Fell entry and exit from Arco altogether. A protest at Arco -- with complaints about the unsafe biking conditions, excessive oil consumption, and the BP Gulf Oil spill -- has been underway for several weeks on Friday afternoons. The Fix Fell and Oak group provides updates on the protests at its Facebook page.

Only one block of Fell, from Scott to Divisadero, will be painted green, but the segment is the most tangled and risky for people on bikes and those who drive due to the Arco station with its curb cuts along the street. The Fell bike lane connects the much-used Wiggle bike route with the Panhandle multi-use path and serves as a primary bikeway in the city.

MTA Tweaks Lane Striping to Direct Drivers into Arco Queue

The arrows and dashed bike lane begins mid-block

The new configuration might nudge more drivers into the queue for Arco

One of the safety advantages of the parking removal is open views for all road users

The San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) added another feature to the weeks-old traffic lane configuration on Fell Street between Scott and Divisadero. To dispel any reluctance motorists might have had about crossing the solid white lines of the bike lane to access the queue for the Arco service station, SFMTA installed dashed stripes instead. A full 100 feet of dashed lines were added, starting at mid-block. The dashes are wider and easier to see at a glance.

Although SFMTA does not explicitly inform Arco customers about the curbside line-up with street markings, the agency added more left turn arrows beginning at mid-block as well for a total of six. The extra arrows begin about 75 feet before the Arco entry, and were not needed to direct drivers into the left turn onto Divisadero. This fine-tuning of the approach to Arco and Divisadero -- combined with more outreach and media alerts to drivers -- may tip the scale to greater use of the queue.

Bicyclists who took some comfort in the solid stripes of the bike lane along this section of Fell may be frustrated by the change to dashes for half the block. However, the SFMTA still plans to paint the full lane a solid green once impact studies are completed for the lane changes. This new variation to the configuration will require its own evaluation which may result in a slight delay to the installation of the city's first green bike lane other than along Market Street.

Mural In Progress: New Green Bike Lane on Fell to Have San Francisco Panorama for Company

Surface prepped, sketched, and advisory posted

From this to the wall, a profusion of iconic San Francisco and flowers to match diversity

The block of Fell Street between Scott and Divisadero -- an essential link in the Wiggle Bike Route -- will soon greet pedestrians, cyclists, and motorists with a bright splash of color featuring iconic San Francisco sights and symbols of the city's diversity. With great timing, a new mural is being sketched and painted along the block that has been the focus of much frustration, contention, and risk. Earlier this month the SFMTA advanced a traffic plan that the agency hopes will improve safety for all road and sidewalk users. One element of the proposal is a green-painted bike lane to guide cyclists and give motorists a visual cue to share the road with bikers. Weather permitting, the mural will be completed this week to make the block a visual treat for all.

Marina Perez-Wong, 3rd generation San Franciscan and muralist

Marina: and a bicyclist too!

Marina Perez-Wong's portfolio convinced the owners of the building at the SW corner of Fell and Scott that she was the artist they wanted for their mural. Perez-Wong has been painting murals for four years since graduation from the California College of Arts. She is a third generation San Franciscan who grew up in the Mission with murals all around her. She applied to the Street Artist Program of the San Francisco Arts Commission and was selected to join a pool of artists ready to create murals at selected locations in the city.

"The owners had a few requirements," Perez-Wong explained. "They wanted the Golden Gate Bridge, a cable car, and a bike rider in the mural." The Alamo Square Neighborhood Association (ASNA)* wanted the mural to reflect the neighborhood, its postcard-row houses and its stunning park. And Perez-Wong was hoping to include a political statement. In the end, she included the owners' wishes, tried to accommodate ASNA's interests, and muted the political angle. "Most people travel this block on bike or in a car," she said. "I want the mural to be an easier read for them while travelling."

Perez-Wong decided to focus on the historic diversity of neighborhood residents. In the middle of her work she placed the Hall of Flowers from Golden Gate Park, a structure that houses a rich mix of plants from all over the world. She will also feature flowers geographically associated with Western Addition populations: African violets, dahlias from Mexico, Japanese cherry blossoms, and several native flowers too. "Now everybody is here in the neighborhood," she added.

To complete her work, Perez-Wong ("Micho P") had help yesterday from Rashad, who was doing some brush work, and from Ernesto Aguiler who laughed when Perez-Wong described him as "an assistant who saves Marina's ass."

Street art, a traffic-calmed corridor, and a green bike lane -- all signs of another more livable space in the city. But, does anyone in NOPA have potential mural space for Perez-Wong's more political vision?

* ASNA will cover the cost of the graffiti-resistant coating for the mural, according to board member Gus Hernandez. Something new: ASNA has a new website here.

You might also want to view BIKE NOPA's "Murals of NOPA" series.

Saturday Surprise: Green Bike Lanes on Market Street

Green paint still drying on Market Street this afternoon

From Gough to 8th Street on both sides of Market Street

Working OT and a very long day but these guys are excited about this job

New green bike lanes attract the best people; here, Bryan Goebel, editor of SF Streetsblog

Since posting the story on the new green bike lanes on Market Street this morning, I had to get out there and see them for myself. By mid-afternoon the paint crews were still on the job painting blocks or half-blocks at a time. And they will keep at it until both sides of Market go green from Gough to the west and 8th to the east.

Painting the city's first green bike lanes today was a well-kept secret. Most advocates were focused on the potential "first green" honor going to Fell Street between Scott and Divisadero as part of the MTA's proposal for the traffic tangle at the Arco gas station. But Market Street is where the city's most important trials are underway in an attempt to make city streets safer and more suitable to various uses.

Rather than a weekend analysis of what the new green lanes signify, we're going to sit back and enjoy the introduction of what so many people have worked so hard to get implemented.

San Francisco's First Green Bike Lane Now on Market Street

Green bike lane: savor the color, appreciate the enhanced safety

This morning painters gave San Francisco its first green bike lane, beating out the one proposed for Fell between Scott and Divisadero by several months. A race like this -- to be first with the green -- is one NOPA don't mind losing.* The broad expanse of green has been added to the existing bike lane between Gough and 12th Street. That block also features soft-hit posts and double white stripes to separate the traffic lane from the bike lane. The double-white lines, the posts and now the green lane are all meant to enhance the safety for bicyclists on Market and to cue motorists to stay within the traffic lane.

Thanks to Dan Nguyen-Tan for his early morning eye-on-the-street report. He said the two crew members he spoke with were very excited about the project. They indicated another block would be painted green today but did not specify which one.

*Bike advocates expected that the improvements proposed for Fell Street between Scott and Divisadero would include the city's first green bike lane. That green segment is unlikely to appear before June of this year. San Francisco already installed its first green bike box.

MTA's Fell/Arco Proposal Clears Hurdle; Funding Secured, Implementation Expected In June with Green Bike Lane in August

One more review and then a curbside queue and a safer green bike lane

Plan to address "hazardous conditions" created by Arco: Supervisor Mirkarimi

The traffic design changes proposed by the MTA for Fell Street near the Arco gas station cleared a significant hurdle Friday morning when an MTA hearing officer approved the safety plan and sent it to the agency's board of directors for final review. A curbside queue will be created just east of the entry to the Arco station for motorists waiting to purchase gas. Two parking spaces between the Arco entry and exit on Fell will become permanent tow-away zones and parking in four residential spaces just east of Arco will be a designated tow-away zone from 7am to 7pm daily. The MTA, along with bicycle and pedestrian advocates, hope the changes will significantly reduce the current hazardous conditions that result with motorists lining up for Arco and blocking a traffic lane and the busy bicycle lane on Fell Street. A warning sign to keep the sidewalk clear will also be posted. MTA traffic engineer James Shahamiri told BIKE NOPA that the full MTA board would likely consider the proposal in June. He hoped to see implementation "immediately" once the board approves the plan as expected.

Yesterday Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi sent a letter of support for the plan to Bond Yee, MTA Director of Transportation Engineering. Mirkarimi described the current conditions on Fell Street represented risks that are "unacceptable and must be rectified." He emphasized that the problems were created by the Arco gas station and the Quality Tune Up shop, not the nearby residents. Mirkarimi applauded the compromise proposal that limits the tow-away period for the residential parking spaces. "I believe this is a good compromise that should address the safety issues while minimizing impact on parking in the neighborhood."

At this morning's hearing, three individuals spoke in favor of the compromise. Jeremy Pollack, aide to Mirkarimi, presented the supervisor's position. Marc Caswell of the San Francisco Bicycle Coalition, said the plan was a reasonable compromise that should be monitored for effectiveness, and NOPA resident Dale Danley noted that the changes will begin to accomplish some of the goals to protect cyclists using the bike lane. No one spoke in opposition.

With no opposition, hearing officer John Newlin approved the plan and sent it to the MTA Board. James Shahamiri expects the board to hear the proposal in June. "I hope it will be implemented immediately afterwards," he added. The agency obtained approval for funding to initiate the plan last week, according to Mirkarimi. The Fell/Arco changes will be financed with grant funds as most MTA projects are.

Bicycle advocates have been following the MTA plan closely for its improved safety aspects and also because it includes the city's first green bike lane for enhanced safety. The painted lane will extend a full block from Scott to Divisadero Street. Shahamiri said the agency intends to conduct a before-and-after study related to the bike lane and thus will delay the green swath for two months for the initial study phase. If implementation and approval follow according to plan, cyclists could be going green by August of this year.

MTA Proposes One Mitigation to Fell/Arco Traffic Design

North side view of Fell Street traffic

Four sub-standard spaces like this one will become tow-away 7am to 7pm

The Municipal Transportation Agency will change its proposal for a safer traffic design on Fell Street between Scott and Divisadero to accommodate the concerns of nearby residents and other neighbors. Two parking spaces will become tow-away zones 24/7 while four others will prohibit parking from 7am to 7 pm daily. The revised plan results from an analysis of mitigations that a MTA hearing officer suggested following a public meeting on April 2nd. The new design is intended as an experiment to determine whether the approach to Arco and Divisadero can be made safer for motorists, cyclists, and pedestrians.

MTA traffic engineer James Shahamiri explained that parking would no longer be allowed in the two spaces between the entry and exit driveways of the Arco gas station. However, the four parking spots directly east of Arco will be part of a tow-away zone from 7am to 7pm, the periods of heaviest vehicle and bicycle traffic. The removal of parking will accommodate a curb-side queue for motorists awaiting entry to Arco and for better visibility when exiting the station. Other elements of the plan include posting a sign advising motorists to not block the sidewalk and a green-painted bike lane -- the city's first -- to guide cyclists and alert motorists for safer passage on the traffic-heavy block.

At the April 2nd hearing nearby residents and Alamo Square neighbors complained that removing the parking spaces would create a hardship for the immediate households and the neighborhood. John Newlin, MTA hearing officer, declared a continuance for the proposal and directed the agency to consider five possible mitigations as reported in this BIKE NOPA post. Only two of the options were reasonably feasible: a reduction in the period of time for tow-aways and removal of one or more of the parking meters on the north side of Fell near Divisadero. Shahamiri explained that removing any of the meters would simply shift the parking problem from the residents to the businesses along Divisadero. "It solves one problem by creating another."

Nearby households will be notified within the next day or two of the proposal and of the next hearing date: Friday, April 30, in Room 416 at City Hall.

Proposed Mitigations for MTA's Fell/Arco Plan: One, Maybe Two, Might Be Feasible

Spaces not large enough for most vehicles without blocking driveways

Five parking meters on north side of Fell: important for Divisadero merchants

Arco access designed for two distinct entries and exits

Arco situated at prime Fell and Divisadero intersection

Analysis

As reported earlier, the MTA has proposed a set of safety measures to address the dangerous traffic conditions on Fell Street near the Arco gas station and Divisadero Street. The city's plan includes posting a sign to warn motorists to not block the sidewalk at the Arco entry, striping the existing bike lane so it is more visible, and creating a curbside queue along the west-end of Fell for motorists waiting to get gas. The last measure involves removing four parking spaces in front of residences and two others between the Arco driveways. At an April 2nd MTA hearing about parking removal, the hearing officer issued a continuance and directed MTA staff to consider five primary mitigations for their plan. The feasibility of adopting these measures is considered below; only one, perhaps two, holds much promise.

• Limit the no-parking period to specific hours rather than the current 24/7 proposal. This mitigation appears to be the most feasible as a compromise, although it has drawbacks. A few neighbors have proposed an effective period of less than 24 hours, perhaps from 9am to 9pm, for the six parking spaces. But leaving out the morning commute hours for those who travel Fell to get to jobs exposes them to the same risks that exist now. Opponents to a shortened time period offer two arguments against it: changing motorists' behaviors with variable traffic designs during the day is difficult and late night hours are risky due to limited visibility in the darkness.

• Implementation of a Residential Parking Permit (RPP) area for the block of Fell between Scott and Divisadero. Adding this block to the current RPP system will be difficult and time-consuming. MTA regulations require that a new candidate block must be contiguous with an existing RPP area. The nearest RPP areas are 2 1/2 blocks away at Scott and Haight Streets and another at Divisadero and Page, 2 blocks distant (see map). More than 50% of the residents on the Fell block as well as on the linkage blocks would have to petition to join the existing RRP area. Once a petition is submitted, a fairly extensive review begins.

• More outreach to Arco operators and management to engage them in a solution. Several neighbors at the April 2nd MTA hearing complained about extraordinary efforts by the city to accommodate a safety problem caused by Arco. But MTA staff and city attorneys -- as well as Supervisor Ross Mirkarimi -- have reported several attempts to engage Arco without a satisfactory response.

• Elimination of the parking meters on the north side of Fell near Divisadero. Five metered spaces are currently in place: 2 for 30 minute periods, 3 for regular time periods. Removing meters runs counter to the city's attempts to preserve existing sources of revenue and secure new funds. While nearby neighbors might appreciate five more non-metered spaces, merchants on the busy and increasingly popular Divisadero corridor will likely take exception to the plan for reducing turnover in parking for customers.

• Close access to Arco from Fell altogether and permitting Divisadero access only. This proposal seems to hold promise except Arco would likely resist it as much as possible. The current configuration of the pumps at the station serves the two different entries with easy access, but that arrangement would have to change for all vehicles to enter from Divisadero. Currently it is very difficult to maneuver from the Divisadero access to the pumps at the Fell side. With the current popularity of its low gas prices and lined-up customers, Arco has little motivation to undertake such a change. Adding more traffic and congestion to Divisadero runs counter to MTA's efforts to improve Muni travel times on primary bus routes. And it's not clear the city wants to pursue this option for various legal, political and regulatory reasons.

A Closer Look at the Existing Residential Parking. At the MTA hearing, 12 San Franciscans who travel on Fell Street -- in cars or on bikes -- supported the safety measures including the parking removal. Five neighbors opposed it. Previous to the meeting 41 individuals notified MTA of their support; no one registered opposition. In addition the North of the Panhandle Neighborhood Association board of directors supported the plan on a trial basis.

Those against the plan at the MTA meeting reported their observation that the area already lacked adequate parking and could not afford to lose more spaces. But, in effect, hardly anyone in the greater neighborhood can even use the parking in front of the residences just east of Arco. These four spaces are sub-standard in length and are large enough only for a mini-size vehicle; anything larger would block one of the driveways. As a result, the only neighbors who can use the spaces are the specific residents who live in those few buildings since they are allowed to park in front of their own driveways.

The fact that the spaces proposed for removal primarily serve just a few residents does not mean that parking should be removed, but it does provide some perspective on a problem that has no easy solution. As several supporters of the MTA proposal noted at the hearing, "Parking is not a right, but safety is." At some point, public safety for all road users in San Francisco must be weighed against the real difficulties for a few Fell Street residents who would lose parking spaces and for a neighborhood that might experience tighter parking.

MTA staff have not yet revealed their own assessment of the proposed mitigations or whether they are considering other options. They are certainly aware of the basic consensus among all westside neighbors: the current situation is dangerous and something must be done. Staff will likely present their review of proposed mitigations at an upcoming, not-as-yet scheduled follow-up public hearing. Nearby residents will be notified of the hearing, and the information will be posted on BIKE NOPA and other sites.

Let's Go Green: MTA Hearing on Making Fell Street Safer

Photo: BikePortland.org

We can't use a photo of San Francisco's green bike lane for this post because there aren't any. But this morning the Municipal Transportation Agency will conduct a hearing on one of the first steps toward making Fell Street safer -- and paving the way, so to speak, for San Francisco's first green bike lane. The proposal intends to direct motorists awaiting entry to the Arco service station on Fell at Divisadero to a queue along the curb. The current traffic design presents a risk to all road-users and pedestrians trying to get safe passage Between Scott and Divisadero.

BIKE NOPA will be at the MTA hearing and will report the testimony and decision later in the day.

Fell/ARCO Traffic Plan Well-Received by NOPNA Members

Drivers would queue along curb and out of the bike lane and off the sidewalk with new MTA plan

The new, proposed design for traffic on Fell Street between Scott and Divisadero was well-received by members of the North of the Panhandle Neighborhood Association (NOPNA) Thursday night. James Shahamiri, Assistant Traffic Engineer for the Municipal Transportation Agency (MTA), presented the plan to an audience of sixty neighbors. A few members asked questions about the number of parking spaces to be removed, but no one voiced opposition to the proposal.

The outreach to NOPNA represented the start of MTA's outreach to residents most directly affected by the planned shifting of motorists waiting to enter the ARCO gas station to a curbside queue. Shahamiri said the agency would also distribute information to the households along the block of Fell Street. A public hearing will be scheduled to consider the removal of the four parking spaces directly east of the ARCO driveway. Shahamiri told BIKE NOPA before the meeting that the MTA would also post a sign at the ARCO entry on Fell that advises drivers to not block the sidewalk. (The current sign directs motorists to keep the driveway clear with no mention of the sidewalk). As reported here earlier, the MTA plan may include the city's first green bike lane to guide both bicyclists and motorists on the block. Implementation of the new design could occur in June of this year.

Portland already has several green bike lanes. Flickr photo by BikePortland