Floyd A. O'Reilly Blog: First look: Nike’s new bike path through the woods connects light rail to World HQ

Tuesday, March 1, 2016

First look: Nike’s new bike path through the woods connects light rail to World HQ

View from the new path looking south at Beaverton Creek MAX light rail station.
(All photos by Adam Herstein)

Nike has just opened a new bike path through a forested parcel adjacent to their world headquarters.

The path, which we first reported on back in November, is formally known as the Nike Woods Connector Trail. BikePortland reader Adam Herstein rode the path yesterday and provided us with his thoughts and photos:

The path has lighting throughout to improve visibility and safety during the dark winter months. The path connects directly to the MAX platform on the south end and to Jenkins Road on the north. Unfortunately, there is no cycle-specific signaling to cross Jenkins into Nike; people cycling are expected to use the pedestrian signal.

Overall, the ride is nice. The path is all paved asphalt. There’s a few feet of gravel at the north end before reaching the paved portion. There is also a grouping of bike parking staples adjacent to the MAX. Overall a vast improvement for people who take MAX to Nike and bike the last mile. The new multi-use path offers a much safer ride than on the substandard bike lanes along Washington County arterials surrounding the Nike campus

Looking north from the Beaverton Creek MAX light rail platform.

Looking south from the path toward the MAX platform.

Looking south towards MAX platform.

A closer look at the bike parking that’s been built near the MAX station.

The junction of the Hollister Trail running path and the new bike path.

Looking north at entrance to the woods.

Where the path spills out onto SW Jenkins road. An entrance to the Nike World HQ is in the background.

The path is about one-third of a mile long and it bisects a wooded parcel that’s ringed with a dirt running trail open only to Nike employees. While this parcel was previously closed to the general public, a source within TriMet has confirmed for us that the new path is open to everyone. At least for now. There’s a new path being built near the Beaverton Creek MAX light rail station on the south end of the parcel. Once Tualatin Hills Parks and Rec finish that path, it’s likely that Nike will close this new Woods Connector Trail to the public.

— Jonathan Maus, (503) 706-8804 – jonathan@bikeportland.org

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