One of the goals of the Bike Safety Workshops the City put on over the summer was to inspire neighborhoods to form their own bike safety groups. They even gave out some grant money to make it happen. Well, leave it to the folks at Southeast Uplift (SEUL) to be the first to run with the idea.
SEUL were the folks that organized the guerilla public education event during the October Breakfast on the Bridges . They’ve been meeting monthly since September and they’ve already started scoping out sites to advocate for bike and pedestrian-friendly development.
Their meetings are open to everyone. For more info call Steve Hoyt at (503) 232-0010 x321 or email steve@southeastuplift.org. To start a bike group like this in your neighborhood, contact Mark Lear Greg Raisman at PDOT, (503) 823-1052 or contact your neighborhood district coaltion.
Thanks for publicizing this effort, Jonathan. A couple of things:
First, there is not grant funding available directly for the groups. Southeast Uplift’s group is a grassroots group that is powered by volunteers who care about bike safety in their neighborhood, not money. (that’s not to say that they won’t advocate for how they think money should be spent related to bike safety)
Second, people could either contact me or their neighborhood district coalition if they would like to get a group going in their neighborhood. If people would like to find out which neighborhood district coalition they live in, check out http://www.portlandonline.com/oni/index.cfm?c=35789
One last thing, if people would like to get in touch with Mark Lear, his number is (503) 823-7604. My number is (503) 823-1052.
Thanks again for all of the great work you do for cyclists in Portland.
Greg Raisman
Community and School Traffic Safety Partnership
Portland Office of Transportation
(503) 823-1052
Greg, thanks for clearing that up. I mis-read an email from SEUL about the grant money. My mistake. I’ve changed the post to avoid any confusion.
One more thing that I forgot to mention:
TOTAL PROPS to Southeast Uplift for pulling the group together. It’s quickly turning into an effective voice for bike safety in their neighborhoods. Steve Hoyt has particularly done an incredible job facilitating the safety group.
If this web site is any indication, it looks like Portland is becoming one hell of a bike town.
Hi Jonathan,
Thanks for spreading the word! My apologies, but the information I sent you had my phone number wrong.
If folks want more information on the Southeast Uplift Bike/Transportation Group, you can call me at (503) 232-0010 x321 or email me at steve@southeastuplift.org. I’d be happy to email you a list of potential ‘spot fix’ bike grant projects that the committee is developing that we’ll be advocating for PDOT to fund as part of their Community Schools and Traffic Safety Partnership project.
For the southeast there’s a group which has the beginnings of a bike support space (mostly repair) on Clinton around 16th or 18th. (Corner lot beige building with angled doorway.)
I talked to them a little and offered some help, but they need someone with a lot more get-up-n-go than I have.