Weigh in on proposed bike shelter/art project in Woodlawn

Artist Buster Simpson’s rendering of covered bike rack and green street features. See more at BusterSimpson.net/Dekum


Remember the artistic bike corral project we highlighted back in November? The design raised a few eyebrows and many of you hoped for a chance to formally weigh in on the project. Well, here’s your opportunity…

The City of Portland Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) has announced an informational meeting on January 18th. At the meeting, you’ll be able to learn more about the plans for a covered bike rack at the corner of Durham and Dekum Streets and about the green street elements the rack and the surrounding sidewalk will include. The artists who are designing the bike parking structure will be in attendance to hear your questions and feedback.

(Graphic: BES)

The project is a collaboration between BES, the Bureau of Transportation’s bike parking team and the Regional Arts and Culture Council. The meeting (1/18) will start at 7:00 pm at the Classic Foods gallery space (817 NE Madrona Street). More information here.

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.

Subscribe
Notify of
guest

19 Comments
oldest
newest most voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
snolly
snolly
13 years ago

Looks like a maintenance nightmare.

Spiffy
Spiffy
13 years ago

wow, I don’t think I’ve ever been to that intersection… but looking at the street view on Google it looks like a mess…

noname
noname
13 years ago
Reply to  Spiffy

Google Street view shows what is now Breakside Brewery under construction…you should check it out now…looks a lot different & the beer/food is good too! 🙂

Ethan
13 years ago

Looks like cargo bikes and Burley trailers will not be welcome.

Steve B
Steve B
13 years ago
Reply to  Ethan

Are you able to fit one of these in the standard corrals? It would be great to have special facilities for cargo bike and bike trailers, but I feel like we’re the big SUV’s of the bike world — in that we take up so much space. I just park my ride on on a sidewalk (locating it somewhere where it won’t interfere with walking traffic) and lock it to itself, like they do in cargo-bike metropolises.

beth h
13 years ago

It’s in my neighborhood. And while aesthetically it’s not quite to my taste, I really like the truth it points out: cars are so 1965 and are on their slow, awful way out. So no, I don’t mind the quirkiness at all.

sabernar
sabernar
13 years ago

It’s ugly. Putting a broken down car on top of it is stupid.

Steve B
Steve B
13 years ago

Love it! Makes a much bolder statement than a simple staple-rack corral. Can’t wait for this to become a destination on many out-of-towner bike rides. This is a great symbol of young Portland culture, like it or not!

Spencer Boomhower
Spencer Boomhower
13 years ago

I got a laugh out of the car with the weeds growing through it. A bike shelter with a sense of humor, go figure! And kind of an iconic image. I love the sight of plants growing up through things – sidewalks, old buildings, old cars.

Steve B’s right, it would likely become a destination.

On the practical side of things, I would expect a problem with people trying to climb up on the thing.

cyclist
cyclist
13 years ago

I think it’s butt ugly, art can make a statement while remaining aesthetically pleasing. I don’t live in the neighborhood though, ultimately so long as the residents in the community think it’s cool then I’m cool with it.

Aaron V.
Aaron V.
13 years ago

Like I said in October when this first came up, it’s an ugly eyesore that detracts from the Breakside Brewery behind it.

Unlike some people, I don’t like decay and neglect. Us Woodlawn residents take pride in our homes and businesses, and try hard to get rid of the effects of decay and neglect such as junk cars, litter, and graffiti.

I don’t want someone putting an image of decay and neglect in my neighborhood, and worse, using public money to do it.

Toby
Toby
13 years ago

I don’t like the car up top but I like how you can apparently hang some bikes from hooks. Not that I’m going to be heaving my beast up there with any sort of frequency, but I like the versatility.

Spiffy
Spiffy
13 years ago

I think having an actual car carcass will be a challenge, making it aesthetically pleasing enough…

also, I know a lot of people don’t care, but those upper hooks to hang the bikes from assume that you don’t mind your bike being scratches by posts…

and those bikes look awfully long… if the design is too deep people will lock 2 bikes be side, one to the front pole and one to the back…

cargo bikes and trailers? we’ll have to park our SUB’s and trailers on the ends I guess…

Augustus
Augustus
13 years ago

I also think that the car on top is incredibly ugly! This lame attempt at irony is just stupid. I can’t even find a nicer way of saying so. I would chose not to patronize the facility on principle. There are enough cars and car paraphernalia in my life with out it accosting me at bike racks as well.

peejay
peejay
13 years ago

I vote yes. It makes a point, and will become an icon, like Seattle’s Fremont Bridge Troll, at a smaller scale. Anyone who doesn’t like it — well, they’re welcome to their opinions, even if they’re wrong.

mello yello
mello yello
13 years ago

What message does this send to drivers? How would cyclists feel if a big truck had a mangled bicycle mounted underneath its chassis to share with other drivers in the humor of running over “those pesky cyclists?” If the artists are going to proceed, I’d prefer the car be in constant flames.

CaptainKarma
13 years ago

The vehicle on top would not have to be permanent. Perhaps something else could be rotated every year or so, like a zoo-bomber pile of minibikes, or a solor powered kinetic sculpture made of bike stuff. There are lots of possibilities.

Anyway, if there is to be a vehicle, it should be an upside down Escalade, like the dead parasite they represent. And if it’s a living eco-roof, judicious planting of “weeds” would both enhance the symbolic intention, at the same time softening the jarring juxtaposition. Did I really say that?

Todd Boulanger
Todd Boulanger
13 years ago

I love Buster’s past work in Seattle with water issues. This installation attempts to channel Richard Register’s EcoCity Berkeley theme.

Though the difficult part of art is implementation of an artist’s and communities vision – I worry that in order for this corral to be well covered for rain protection that the car carcass trellis will not be well seen from the street. Perhaps this can be mitigated by picking the car frame well – perhaps a VW micro bus?

Ted Buehler
13 years ago

Two thumbs up.

If ya’all would rather see a different art piece on covered bike parking, I highly encourage you to go to your neighborhood meetings and build a constituency to install the signature bike parking sculpture of your choice outside your favorite pizza joint. I’ll come, I’ll park, I’ll spend, I’ll eat. And so will a lot of other people.

I hate forgetting a plastic bag and coming out to a wet bike seat.

Ted Buehler