01/26/04
AMY HSUAN

When it comes to being pedestrian-friendly, Portland may soon have another leg to stand on as one of the country's best walking cities.

The Portland Development Commission is developing a pedestrian sign program aimed at helping people find their way around the city. The program will include signs that point visitors to various landmarks and maps to orient people on foot.

The program falls in stride with other guide programs established in pedestrian-friendly cities such as Boston and Philadelphia, rated third and fourth in the American Podiatric Medical Association's survey of best cities to walk in. Portland came in ninth.

"We're known as a great walking city; this will only enhance it," said Ashley Heichelbech, retail manager of the Portland Business Alliance, one group that is working with the development commission on the project.

So far, $500,000 in urban renewal money from four districts has been set aside for planning and installation of the project. The commission has hired Joel Katz Design Associates, designers of Philadelphia's sign program, to consult on the project.

Coordinators promise that the signs will be simple and subtle and reflect Portland flavor.

"We're going to try and make sure that it's distinctly Portland,"Heichelbech said, "that it blends with Portland and says who we are."

Long-term costs weighed
Designs have yet to be unveiled, as coordinators of the project wrangle with preliminary questions, such as what neighborhoods will be represented, the number of signs to include and the long-term costs of the program.

"We don't know just how much signage that money will buy. It will depend on how they look," senior project coordinator Sara King said.

Most of the signs will be downtown, with maps leading walkers to other areas, possibly the Convention Center, the Lloyd District, Chinatown or the Pearl District.

Also in question is the cost of maintenance and which department will foot the bill. Philadelphia's sign program, which is being used as the model for Portland's program, costs about $15,000 to maintain each year.

"How signs get treated in different cities depends on the city," King said. "Lower vandalism rates lower the cost of replacing signs; we don't know how Portland will compare to other cities."

A boost to business
Retailers say the cost of maintaining the signs will be paid back by a boost in business. The hope is that by catering to pedestrians, downtown will be more attractive to shoppers and tourists, encouraging people to linger and explore while shopping and visiting the sights.

"We're trying to make the central city a real destination, a place where people feel comfortable," Heichelbech said. "There's a real need for it." Tourist dollars spent in the Portland area amount to about $2.4 billion a year and account for about 29,900 jobs, according to the Portland Oregon Visitors Association.

With an extra 1 percent hotel/motel tax being spent on marketing and promoting Oregon tourism, some say extra signs will help promote the city as tourist-friendly by giving guidance to the growing number of visitors.

"People all over the world will be hearing a lot about Oregon soon. Tourism is picking up in a big way," said David Schargel, a concierge at the Portland Hilton and president of Portland Walking Tours, a tour company.

"Over time, I could see that one of the things a tour book would say about Portland is how easy it is to get around. It will really benefit the people who can't afford the advantages of having a full-time concierge."

Amy Hsuan: 503-221-8330; amyhsuan@news.oregonian.com
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