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Peggy & Brian Manning, proprietors of Revolutions Bookshop, smile beneath their masks in their Healthy Businesses Parking Plaza on N Lombard Street in St. Johns. Photo by PBOT.

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is offering free permits so businesses can use public space and expand their square footage during the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic.

The Healthy Businesses permit allows businesses and organizations to temporarily take up portions of sidewalks, parking spaces, or streets in order to meet the requirements for physical distancing to limit the spread of Covid-19.

Did you know? Staff from PBOT can support you through the design and permitting process for the Healthy Businesses permit program, as part of PBOT’s Safe Streets Initiative in response to the Covid-19 public health crisis.

Is your business owned by people who are Black, Indigenous, or People of Color (BIPOC)? If so, you may also qualify for free professional design resources for your outdoor business space, free use of limited temporary street equipment, and free paint for decorative uses in your Healthy Businesses project.

Whether you are looking for a solution for a single business or a whole block, PBOT's Healthy Businesses team will work with you to find the best option for your location. We encourage businesses to work together to find solutions that will work for multiple businesses. 

Contact us today at

(503) 823-4026 or

PBOTBusinessToolkit@portlandoregon.gov

Each location will be considered uniquely for what is possible. Here are four possible designs and examples:

Above: Pick up & drop off, temporary short-term pickup and drop-off spots to support curbside commerce. Image 1 shows a parking space with a sandwhich board next to it with a sign on it indicating pick up and drop off parking. Image 2 shows a pickup and drop-off priority sign showing someone carying a bag to a car with someone waiting in the driver's seat. Parking Plaza, On-street parking spaces converted to seating, space for lining up, or other business activity. Image 3 is a angled birds-eye view of a main street showing example parking plaza areas on the street in front of certain businesses, but not continuously taking up all the parking on the street. Image 4 is a photo showing a parking plaza at N Mississippi Ave with picnic-sytle tables and a sun umbrella in a parking space. Side Street Plaza *can be configured with a travel lane in one direction. Streets adjacent to commercial areas converted to support business activity. Image 5 is an angled birds eye view of a side street t...de the street closure area there are tables on half of the street and not on the other so that emergency vehicles could get through if necessary. Image 6 is a photo of a Side Street Plaza at N Mississipi Ave with road closure barracades across the whole street and tables with sun umbrellas filling half the street. Main Street Plaza *Requires coordination PBOT will do with TriMet and Portland Fire and Rescue. Commercial main street converted to a car-free plaza that supports a range of commercial activity. Image 7 is an angled birds-eye view of a main street that is closed using temporary barricades. Inside the street closure area there are tables on both sides of the street and some pop-up tents on one half as well. The center of the street is clear but still blocked off to cars. Image 8 is a Main Street Plaza at SE Ankeney St with picnic-style tables on both sides of the street. One of the tables on the far side of the street has a sun umbrella and the center of the street is clear.

We need your help: you can make a difference

Please help us with our outreach by sharing this information with businesses that may need it right now, and especially please help us reach out to the BIPOC-owned businesses in your neighborhood so that everyone knows about these opportunities.

Thank you so much!

Are you a business interested in providing resources or support to Healthy Business applicants and permit-holders? 

Companies may sign up with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) to provide additional resources for permit holders with the Healthy Businesses program--construction materials, design, installation, maintenance, labor, or discounts.

Click here to sign up to provide support for the Healthy Businesses program.

Thank you to the companies already providing support. See the list here.

Want to learn more about the Healthy Businesses Permit?

Visit PBOT's Safe Streets Initiative website SafeStreetsPDX.com for more information about the program and to apply.

It is the policy of the City of Portland that no person shall be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination in any city program, service, or activity on the grounds of race, color, national origin, disability, or other protected class status. Adhering to Civil Rights Title VI and ADA Title II civil rights laws, the City of Portland ensures meaningful access to City programs, services, and activities by reasonably providing: translation and interpretation, modifications, accommodations, alternative formats, and auxiliary aids and services.  To request these services, contact 503-823-5185, City TTY 503-823-6868, Relay Service: 711.