The streets of Portland are set to become more accommodating for those on foot or two wheels with the SE 52nd Avenue Crossing Improvement Project, intended to enhance the safety of pedestrian and cycling traffic along a key urban corridor. With the imminent construction, six curb ramps at the intersection of SE Gladstone St and SE 52nd Ave will be built, and a duo of new crosswalks will be set to facilitate safer street crossings, outlined in a document by the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), as per the City of Portland, Oregon.

This infrastructure update is not merely a makeshift addition but is a recognized void in the existing Gladstone/Center Neighborhood Greenway, serving as a vital juncture connecting neighborhoods, parks, schools, and business districts; the project's benefits extend to the creation of two-way cycle tracks buffered bike lanes, protected by concrete curb separators, this supporting a network where pedestrian and bicycle movement is prioritized over vehicular flow. Among the most significant alterations is the removal of roughly 300 feet of parking on the west side of SE 52nd Ave and tree removal for the installation of mid-curb ramps.

Outlined in the same PBOT document, this greenway project also aims to align with the Americans with Disabilities Act by ensuring the new pedestrian crossings are accessible to all. These improvements are a stride toward creating a traversal space between SE Gladstone and SE Center Streets across SE 52nd Avenue that can be navigated with ease and safety, especially by those who walk or roll.