Report: Foot traffic is up in downtown Portland compared to 2021

PORTLAND, Ore. (KPTV) - There has been a dramatic increase in the number of people in downtown area compared to 2021, according to a new report by the Downtown Portland Clean & Safe.

It’s no secret that foot traffic downtown took a hit during the COVID-19 pandemic. The new report shows people are flocking to downtown again, more so during evenings and weekends.

Between March and June of this year, the report shows nearly 7 million people have walked through the downtown area. It’s a 64% increase compared to the just over 4 million people that passed through in 2021. Two million people walked through downtown during the same time period in 2020, during the peak of the pandemic.

The director of Downtown Portland Clean & Safe says this is promising news amid their recovery efforts for downtown. Events like the Rose Festival, CityFair, and the Dragon Boat Festival, all have driven foot traffic in the area.

The report does note during traditional work week hours, it is slower compared to pre-pandemic times when downtown would see an increase of foot traffic starting at 8 a.m. The report attributes the change to employees at businesses downtown transitioning to remote or hybrid work.

Now, the busiest hours downtown are between 6 p.m. and 10 p.m., with more people in the area for leisure and recreation.

The hope is that once students return to class and more employees return to the office, downtown will feel fully recovered.

To view the full report, click here.

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