Portland Sunday Parkways Presented by Kaiser Permanente will return to East Portland on June 28, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Join the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) and the Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) in celebrating car-free streets for walking, rolling, and playing with neighbors and friends.
The East Portland 4-mile route will feature Verdell Burdine Rutherford Park as a new addition this year in collaboration with the City of Gresham and the Centennial School District. People are encouraged to stop and enjoy vendor marketplaces, free family-friendly activities, and live entertainment at the four activation areas along the route including Ventura Park, Lincoln Park, Parklane Park, and Verdell Burdine Rutherford Park.
New this year, in connection with Kaiser Permanente's role as the official medical provider for the Portland Thorns and Portland Fire, families can stop by the MOVE booth in Lincoln Park for Portland Fire–inspired basketball activities and the PLAY booth in Ventura Park for Portland Thorns experiences, including bench soccer. Visitors can also enjoy healthy treats at the NOURISH booth and contribute to a community mural at the CONNECT booth designed to spark conversation and help reduce stigma around mental health.
"At Kaiser Permanente, we know that being active and connecting with one another are powerful ways to support both physical and mental well-being," said Wendy Watson, president of Kaiser Permanente Northwest. "Sunday Parkways brings communities together in a way that's joyful, active and welcoming for all ages. We're proud to support an event that encourages people-powered transportation, celebrates local neighborhoods and businesses, and inspires people to get outside and exercise. This year, we're especially excited to build on that energy through our new partnership as the official medical provider of the Portland Thorns and Portland Fire, by offering playful activities that promote movement, and interactive experiences that help families connect with the teams in fun, memorable ways."
Try out an e-bike
Visitors can come by the Portland Rides booth and find out if they qualify for an e-bike rebate! Portland Rides provides income-qualified Portland residents with rebates of up to $1,600 for standard e-bikes, up to $2,350 for cargo e-bikes, and up to $8,500 for adaptive e-bikes, plus $300 for accessories like helmets and bike locks.
At the booth, visitors can:
- Talk to program staff who can answer questions about eligibility, the application process, and participating retailers
- Take a test ride and experience an e-bike
- Spin the prize wheel for a chance to win some program swag
Can’t make it? Visit portlandebikerebate.com to learn more about the program and apply.
The East Portland 4-mile route is mapped as a convenient out-and-back journey, for a total of 8 miles. It will showcase Mill Park and Centennial neighborhoods. Participants are welcome to join the East Portland route at any point and head in any direction. This event route is specially designed to highlight the network of neighborhood greenways and other infrastructure, parks, and community resources. You can access the event route from your phone by bookmarking the Google Map link.
Are you heading to the event from Gresham? Join the City of Gresham's "bike bus" (a group ride led by experienced riders) to the event! This ride will depart at 11 a.m. from Gresham City Hall and will end along the East Sunday Parkways event route at Verdell Burdine Rutherford Park. For more information, visit the City of Gresham's webpage.
Try BIKETOWN for free! During the event, there will be unlimited 60-minute rides from BIKETOWN. Rides must start or end along the Sunday Parkways route to be eligible. Please remember to lock the bike before 60 minutes expire and return to the service area to avoid additional fees. Visit the BIKETOWN booth at Ventura Park to learn more!
Traffic impacts during Sunday Parkways
Parking on streets along the East Portland Sunday Parkways route is forbidden on the day of the event. "No Parking" signs will be posted in advance. Vehicles left on the route will receive an $85 citation for violating the temporary no parking zone and will be towed beginning at 6 a.m. on Sunday. Vehicle towing and storage fees can be found here.
During East Portland Sunday Parkways, streets along the route will be closed to motorized traffic from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. with limited local access to homes or businesses on the route. It is best to avoid driving in the area to avoid delays. Intersections will have temporary barricades set up with volunteers available to help people who are driving through to get where they need to go.
The route features designated crossings for motorized vehicles to allow safe passage through the area. Vehicle traffic is permitted to cross northbound and southbound at SE 122nd Ave, SE 135th Ave, SE 139th Ave, SE 148th Ave, and SE 162nd Ave. Vehicle traffic will also be allowed to cross eastbound and westbound at SE Stark St, SE Millmain Dr, and SE Division St.
Free family-friendly activities
Sunday Parkways provides something for the whole family! The four featured activation areas along the route will offer a variety of free family-friendly activities and live entertainment, including:
- The Adaptive Bike Clinic hosted by Shriners Children’s Portland, Adaptive Sports Northwest, and Adaptive BIKETOWN will be located across from Parklane Park at the corner of SE Main St and SE Hawthorne Ct from 11:00 a.m. -1:30 p.m. There will be a fleet of adaptive bikes to ride and trained professionals available to assist with fitting. Join the annual adaptive group ride at this location, starting at 1:30 p.m. to participate in a leisurely ride to Verdell Burdine Rutherford Park. If you do not require an adaptive bike, but would like to ride with the group, free rides are available through BIKETOWN.
- Learn the fundamentals of skateboarding with Dream Big City. Free skateboard rentals, safety gear, and coaching provided from 11:30 a.m. - 3:30 p.m. for youth and families of all skill levels.
- Ride the City of Gresham’s one-of-a-kind bike obstacle course at Verdell Burdine Rutherford Park—and when you’re finished make yourself a smoothie with the human-powered bike blender.
- Enjoy music from DJ Ambush and Majik9 with special guest performers Mat Randol and Wavy Josef, as well as dance performances from Hip Hop Soulsation Academy at Lincoln Park’s Hip Hop Stage.
- Learn how to Fix a Flat hosted PBOT’s Portland By Cycle Team. Half-hour Fix a Flat Demo start times: 11:30 a.m., 12 p.m., 1 p.m., and 1:40 p.m.
Source: Portland Bureau of Transportation