PORTLAND, Ore. — After years of challenges, downtown Portland is showing signs of renewal, with cleaner streets, safer public spaces, and a noticeable return of pedestrians. Yet, while crowds are once again filling sidewalks and festivals, office buildings remain only half full compared to pre-pandemic levels.
A Post-Pandemic Turnaround
According to the latest Portland Clean and Safe report, pedestrian traffic in the city center grew by 22% in January, signaling a strong rebound from years of stagnation. Overall foot traffic downtown has climbed by 5.6% since 2024, reversing a steady decline that began even before the 2020 pandemic.
Local business owners have welcomed the upswing. More people downtown translates to more customers, and many retailers are reporting increased sales. “Weekends are particularly lucrative,” said Sydney Meade, senior director of Downtown Programs for Portland Clean and Safe, noting a consistent rise in pedestrian activity over the past six months.
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Offices Still Half Empty
Despite the encouraging news on pedestrian counts, Portland continues to trail other U.S. cities when it comes to office worker recovery.
The report shows that employee traffic downtown is just 50% of 2019 levels, compared to a 73% national average. Among major American cities, Portland ranks near the bottom, with only Los Angeles and San Francisco recording weaker office recovery numbers.
The lack of office workers continues to impact weekday business, particularly for restaurants and service providers that relied on steady commuter traffic before the pandemic. City leaders and business groups are watching closely to see whether hybrid work models will permanently reshape the downtown economy.
Downtown Hotspots Draw Visitors
Even with office worker traffic lagging, certain downtown corridors have thrived thanks to tourism, festivals, and cultural attractions. According to June 2025 pedestrian counts, the busiest areas include:
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SW 10th and Burnside — Gateway to Powell’s Books, the Pearl District, and the West End, logging 1.2 million visitors.
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SW Park and Burnside — Anchored by the Cart Blocks food pod and North Park Blocks, recording 805,000 visitors.
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SW 4th and Yamhill — Pioneer Place retail hub, with 1.1 million visitors.
These hubs have benefitted from targeted investment in cleanliness, safety patrols, and event programming designed to draw both locals and tourists downtown.
Festivals Fuel Growth
Organized events continue to play a pivotal role in boosting foot traffic. Major attractions such as the Rose Festival, Portland Pride, Cinco de Mayo celebrations, and the Waterfront Blues Festival have all contributed to surges in pedestrian activity, according to the report.
Festival crowds not only fill streets but also provide a spillover effect for nearby shops, hotels, and restaurants, reinforcing the importance of cultural programming in Portland’s downtown recovery strategy.
Looking Ahead
The dual reality of Portland’s revival — bustling weekends and events alongside sluggish weekday office recovery — presents both challenges and opportunities. City officials, business groups, and property owners are working to reimagine downtown as a mixed-use hub that is less dependent on daily office commuters.
For now, the increased pedestrian activity is a welcome sign of progress. But with office recovery still lagging well behind national peers, the city’s long-term revival will depend on how successfully it adapts to new patterns of work, tourism, and community life.
