Street plazas in Portland, Oregon
The American city of Portland, Oregon has 21 public street plazas administered by the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), as of 2025. The plazas are collectively referred to as the Portland Public Street Plazas. PBOT's public street plaza program started during the COVID-19 pandemic to help businesses and community members host activities in public spaces. According to the city, "The program uses PBOT's Livable Streets Strategy, adopted by Portland City Council in 2017 as its policy foundation to turn streets into inclusive public spaces that foster public life. In 2022 PBOT’s Planning team started work to turn the temporary, pandemic-era program into a permanent Street Plaza program."[1]
Notable plazas include the Cart Blocks, which functions as a food cart pod on Burnside Street in southwest Portland, and the Arleta Triangle in southeast Portland's Mt. Scott-Arleta neighborhood.
Plazas
[edit]There are 21 public plazas administered by Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), as of May 2025.[2]
In 2021, PBOT received $1.2 million from the U.S. Economic Development Administration via the American Rescue Plan Act to fund the creation of 32,000 square feet of street plazas for the purpose of economic development and tourism. In her role as Transportation Commissioner, Jo Ann Hardesty had supported[3] and directed the city to apply for funding.[4][5][6]
In September 2023, PBOT partnered with the nonprofit trade association MusicPortland to host live music at three of the plazas: Ankeny Rainbow Road in southeast Portland as well as the Cart Blocks and Pride Plaza in southwest Portland.[7]
North Portland
[edit]Plazas in north Portland include Fenwick Plaza, Kenton Plaza,[1] and St. Johns Plaza.[8]
Fenwick Plaza is on Fenwick Avenue between Willis and Interstate Avenues.[8] The plaza opened in April 2021 and the city has considered re-opening the space for car traffic.[9][10]
Kenton Plaza is on Denver Avenue at Interstate Avenue.[1]
St. Johns Plaza is at Lombard Street and Philadelphia Avenue.[8]
Northeast Portland
[edit]Plazas in northeast Portland include Concordia Commons, Dream Street Plaza,[1] Harold P. Kelley Plaza, Outer Space Plaza, and Stoll Plaza.[1][8]
Concordia Commons is at 30th Avenue and Killingsworth Street.[8]
Dream Street Plaza is on Sumner Street at Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.[1]
Harold P. Kelley Plaza is on Hancock Street between 42nd Avenue and Sandy Boulevard.[8] The plaza has a Benson Bubbler fountain and has hosted chess.[11]
Outer Space Plaza is at 26th-27th Avenue Alley and Alberta Street.[8]
Stoll Plaza is on 41st Avenue between Sandy Boulevard and Broadway.[1]
Northwest Portland
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In northwest Portland, the 13th Avenue Plaza (or NW 13th Avenue Plaza)[1] is on 13th Avenue between Everett and Irving Streets, in the Pearl District.[8][12] The plaza has hosted First Thursday, which showcases works by local artists.[1] In 2025, PBOT announced plans to reduce the size of the plaza and restore car traffic to the street.[13][14][15]
Southeast Portland
[edit]
Plazas in southeast Portland include Ankeny Rainbow Road, Arleta Triangle Square (72nd Avenue and Woodstock Boulevard), Clinton Street Plaza, Montavilla Plaza, and Spokane Plaza.[2][8]
Ankeny Rainbow Road is on Ankeny Street between 27th and 28th Avenues,[2][8] in the Buckman neighborhood at the boundary with Kerns. In mid 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Jonathan Maus of BikePortland said Ankeny Rainbow Road was the city's "best distanced-dining street plaza".[16][17] Volunteers repainted the plaza in April 2025.[18][19]
Clinton Street Plaza is on Clinton Street between 25th and 26th Avenues.[2][8]
Montavilla Plaza is at the intersection of 79th Avenue and Stark Street.[2][8] It was created in 2021, in collaboration with the Montavilla East Tabor Business Association.[20] The plaza hosted a makers' market in 2023.[1]
Spokane Plaza is at the intersection of Spokane Street and 13th Avenue.[8]
Another plaza is slated to open at the intersection of Hawthorne Boulevard and 37th Avenue in 2025.[21][22]
Southwest Portland
[edit]
Plazas in southwest Portland include Ankeny Alley, the Cart Blocks (Park Avenue between Burnside and Oak Streets), Main Street Plaza, Montgomery Street Plaza, Pod Plaza, Pride Plaza, and the Yamhill District Plazas.[1][8]
Ankeny Alley is on Ankeny Street between Second and Third Avenues.[8] The Ankeny Alley Labor Day Festival was held in 2023.[1]
Main Street Plaza (or SW Main Street Plaza)[1] is on Main Street between Park Avenue and Broadway.[8]
Montgomery Street Plaza (or SW Montgomery Street Plaza)[1] is on Montgomery Street between Broadway and Sixth Avenue.[8]
Pod Plaza is on 10th Avenue at Burnside Street.[8]
The Yamhill District Plazas are on Yamhill Street between First and Third Avenues.[1]
Pride Plaza
[edit]Pride Plaza is located on Harvey Milk Street, between Burnside Street and 12th Avenue,[8] along a portion of Stark Street commemorating LGBTQ rights activist Harvey Milk. Pride Plaza was designed "to be a 'safe space' for community gatherings, commerce and public art during the pandemic", according to KOIN.[4] Hardesty met with PBOT officials at Pride Plaza in 2022 to discuss making the Healthy Businesses and Portland Public Street Plaza programs permanent.[6]
The event "Pride on the Plaza" was held at the plaza in 2022 in conjunction with Pride celebrations.[23] In 2023, a rainbow-themed street painting extending to the People's Bike Library of Portland was added to commemorate the street's LGBTQ history.[1] In 2024, Nautilus Deep Sea by Heather Dawn Sparks and Sparks Designs was installed in the plaza after being displayed near Salmon Street Springs at Tom McCall Waterfront Park during the Portland Winter Light Festival. The work was moved to Pride Plaza with funding from the Portland Environment Management Office and PBOT.[24][25][26]
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p "Fall in Love with Portland Public Street Plazas | Portland.gov". www.portland.gov. 2023-10-02. Archived from the original on 2025-04-21. Retrieved 2025-06-01.
- ^ a b c d e "Reserve a Street Plaza For Your Event | The Southeast Examiner of Portland Oregon". Southeast Examiner. Archived from the original on 2025-06-01. Retrieved 2025-06-01.
- ^ Russell, Michael (2022-03-15). "Outdoor seating for Portland restaurants, bars could be made permanent, for a fee". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2022-04-25. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
- ^ a b "$1.2 million grant to make Portland's street plazas permanent". KOIN.com. 2022-10-03. Archived from the original on 2022-12-06. Retrieved 2025-06-01.
- ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2022-03-14). "City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty Wants to Make Portland's COVID-Era Patios and Plazas Permanent". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2023-12-06. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
- ^ a b Villanueva, Mia (2022-03-14). "Hardesty and PBOT move to make outdoor eating programs permanent". KPTV. Archived from the original on 2023-03-31. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
- ^ "City brings live music to street plazas all month long". BikePortland. 2023-09-14. Retrieved 2025-06-01.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s "Reserve a Plaza | Portland.gov". www.portland.gov. 2024-12-13. Archived from the original on 2025-05-31. Retrieved 2025-06-01.
- ^ "Kenton business owner fights to save carfree street plaza". BikePortland. 2024-07-18. Archived from the original on 2025-05-01. Retrieved 2025-06-01.
- ^ "Debate over street plaza revolves around costs and public benefits, PBOT says". BikePortland. 2024-07-22. Archived from the original on 2025-06-03. Retrieved 2025-06-01.
- ^ Bowie, Clint (2008-11-06). "Hollywood: Tables welcome pawns to plaza". The Oregonian. Retrieved 2025-06-01.
- ^ Jackson-Glidden, Brooke (2020-09-23). "With New Outdoor Plazas, Portland's Pearl District Plays Around With a Pedestrian-Centric NW 13th". Eater Portland. Archived from the original on 2020-10-04. Retrieved 2025-06-01.
- ^ Ariel Iacobazzi. "Neighbors, PBOT fed up with NW 13th outdoor plaza". www.koin.com.
- ^ Dominique, Leslie (2025-06-03). "PBOT downsizes NW 13th plaza due to public concern; locals, businesses react". KPTV. Archived from the original on 2025-06-03. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ "PBOT pulls plug on NW 13th Avenue pedestrian plaza, citing uncooperative businesses". kgw.com. 2025-06-02. Retrieved 2025-06-03.
- ^ "The 'Rainbow Road' on SE Ankeny is Portland's best distanced-dining street plaza". BikePortland. 2020-06-26. Retrieved 2025-06-01.
- ^ "Let's talk bikes at bike-friendly businesses on a bike-friendly street". BikePortland. 2023-04-04. Archived from the original on 2025-06-01. Retrieved 2025-06-01.
- ^ "Volunteers repaint 'Rainbow Road' car-free plaza in SE Portland". KPTV. 2025-04-19. Retrieved 2025-06-01.
- ^ "Neighbors repaint Portland's 'Rainbow Road' in Kerns". kgw.com. 2025-04-18. Retrieved 2025-06-01.
- ^ "Montavilla's New Public Plaza". Montavilla News. 2021-07-22. Archived from the original on 2023-02-05. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
- ^ "Pedestrian Plaza to Come to Southeast Hawthorne Boulevard This Summer". Willamette Week. 2025-03-16. Archived from the original on 2025-05-19. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
- ^ Todd, Tatum (2025-03-18). "New plaza will encourage strolling, hanging out near Portland's Hawthorne Boulevard, restrict cars". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2025-04-07. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
- ^ Hanson, Zella (2022-06-10). "Celebrate Pride at these events from Portland to Pendleton". The Oregonian. Archived from the original on 2022-08-19. Retrieved 2025-06-02.
- ^ "Iridescent Nautilus Sculpture Activates Downtown Portland's Pride Plaza With Rainbows". Willamette Week. 2024-05-30. Archived from the original on 2025-06-01. Retrieved 2025-06-01.
- ^ "Sculpture unveiled at Pride Plaza in downtown Portland". kgw.com. 2024-05-30. Retrieved 2025-06-01.
- ^ New sculpture lights up Portland's Pride Plaza. 2024-05-30. Retrieved 2025-06-02 – via www.kptv.com.
