Photo: Ford, Brad
The Portland Bureau of Transportation welcomes the MLS Cup to Providence Park at noon on Saturday, and urges the traveling public to plan ahead if traveling to or through the western side of downtown, and be extra mindful of traffic and parking rules.
If you're traveling to the game, taking public transit is your best option. Some streets in the immediate vicinity of Providence Park have been posted for "no parking" for the event: Vehicles parked in that area Saturday morning will be subject to a citation and towing. Expect to see a high level of pedestrian traffic in the area throughout the day.
Anyone driving in the area should go slow, use extreme caution and look out for people biking, walking or using a mobility device.
“This is an exciting weekend for Portland as we gear up for our Portland Timbers to take on NYCFC in the MLS Cup Championship," Portland Transportation Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty said. "Whether you are an Oregonian or visiting New Yorker, I encourage everyone attending to skip the hassle of traffic and parking. Instead, take advantage of the various options available that will get you safety to and from Providence Park, from utilizing our bikeshare program BIKETOWN to taking TriMet. Staff at PBOT are working hard across the City and with regional partners to ensure a smooth operation this weekend.”
For travel tips on how to reach the game, see the Portland Timbers website ptfcmap.com for site and street details, and timbers.com for general information. Consult travel tips from TriMet, and check the websites for BIKETOWN and Portland Streetcar when traveling in the area.
PBOT has worked with Uber, Lyft and taxi companies to establish designated locations for orderly and safe passenger pick up and drop off around Providence Park:
- On SW Alder St. at the corner of SW Alder and SW 18th Ave. in front of Scrap PDX.
- On SW 21st Ave. near Levine’s Cleaners, heading north towards Burnside.
People who choose to drive to the area around Providence Park -- and people who leave their cars parked on city streets in the area in the coming days -- are advised to check on their vehicles daily and obey all posted parking signage. PBOT will have extra parking enforcement staff patrolling the area on Saturday to ensure safe access for the traveling public.
Streets immediately surrounding the stadium have been posted with "no parking" signs along the sidewalks, or parking signs have been covered with a sign posting "no parking" in these areas:
- North of the stadium: SW Morrison Street, between SW 18th and SW 20th avenues.
- West of the stadium: SW 20th Avenue, between SW Salmon St and SW Morrison St,
- West of the stadium: SW 20th Place and SW Yamhill, between SW 20th Ave and SW Morrison St.
Any vehicle cited and towed by parking enforcement would have a tow charge of $206, plus storage and gate fees if recovered on weekends. Citations will also be charged. A citation for violating a temporary no parking zone is $85.
Parking enforcement staff will be focused on parking violations that pose a threat to the traveling public. This effort could include a variety of violations: blocking a fire hydrant (citation $155), wrong way parking (citation $55), parked within a crosswalk (citation $95) and blocking an ADA ramp (citation $215).
To locate an abandoned vehicle that was towed, call Police Auto Records at 503-823-0044.
Source: Portland Bureau of Transportation