Portland panel approves temporary mural for Pine and Brackett intersection

A temporary art review panel unanimously approved a proposal from the West End Neighborhood Association to paint a safety-focused mural at the intersection of Pine Street and Brackett Street. The design features silhouettes of pedestrians, cyclists, and families to encourage drivers to pay closer attention at the four-way stop. The panel required modifications to the bicycle imagery to avoid confusion with standard traffic markings.

Key points

• The review panel voted unanimously to approve the temporary art application with two conditions.
• The applicant, Gregory Ferrino, explained the mural aims to improve safety by drawing driver attention to the intersection.
• Panel members suggested changing the standard bicycle silhouette to an old-fashioned bike or a person walking a dog to distinguish it from official bike lane markings.
• Betsy Boyd of Portland Downtown raised concerns about the durability of the paint, noting that similar installations often wear down quickly.
• Jeremiah Bartlett of Public Works confirmed the mural installation will occur in a second phase after the approved bump-out and bollard work is completed.

Next steps

• The applicant must obtain a street occupancy permit to perform work within the right-of-way.
• The applicant will receive a temporary art permit valid for one year, with the option to request an extension.
• The applicant will adjust the bicycle silhouette design to avoid conflict with transportation standards.

Read the full transcript