‘Sunday Parkways’ rolls across outer East Portland, snarls traffic

INCLUDES LEISURELY VIDEO | It sure was a nice day for this annual bike event that featured three parks, all in the Hazelwood neighborhood …

This Portland Sunday Parkways, in the Hazelwood neighborhood, features vendors – like these, alongside Gateway Discovery Park.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

The 2023 Portland Sunday Parkways, put on by the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), rolled out under relatively sunny skies on Sunday, May 7, to the delight primarily of bicyclists – who toured outer East Portland from Gateway Discover Park to Ventura City Park, and south to Lincoln City Park.

Families and individuals traversed the route astride bicycles, on foot or other non-motorized means.

However motor vehicle drivers along NE Glisan Street, East Burnside Street, and SE Stark Street seemed largely not aware of the event, and often appeared to exasperated at the lengthy delays they experienced at the Sunday Parkways guarded crossings.

At the Ventura Park crossing along SE Stark Street, traffic stacks up east to 122nd Avenue.

No one from PBOT was permitted to speak with East Portland News at the three hub locations about the Sunday Parkways. However, the Bureau’s press release had described it this way:

Coinciding with National Ride a Bike Day and Bike Month, this free, accessible, and family-friendly event features 3.3 miles of mostly car-free streets and parks that host food carts and retail vendors.

At Gateway Discovery Park, DJ Prashant leads a high-energy ‘Bollywood’ dance party in the plaza.

“Sunday Parkways is one of my favorite city events,” remarked Portland’s Transportation Commissioner, Mingus Mapps, by way of a press release.

“I love riding the open streets with my kids, as we explore the neighborhood and enjoy the music, entertainment, and delicious treats along the route. Whether you walk, bike, roll, or stroll, you are guaranteed to have a great time!” exclaimed Mapps, in writing.

Bikers pull into Ventura Park, the midway point in this Portland Sunday Parkways tour.

At Ventura Park, family activities are provided by Circus Cascadia.

During the event’s hours of 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., each of the three involved parks featured free entertainment and/or fitness programming.

Watch our tour of the three hubs along this outer East Portland Sunday Parkways event:

The few food vendors at the hub locations saw brisk business; some ran out of things to sell by mid-afternoon.

Alongside Lincoln Park, Sunday Parkways participants visit booths set up by vendors, governmental agencies, and nonprofit organizations.

To learn more about upcoming Sunday Parkways tours, including Northeast Cully on Sunday, June 25 – and a new route in Southwest Portland on September 10 – see their official webpage: CLICK HERE.

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