A recent flap over Sunday Parkways funding at City Council underscores what seems to be a growing reality for people who run active transportation programs: You better start looking for private funds because city/state/federal budgets are shrinking fast.

Portland would not be getting a bike-sharing system (at least right now) if it weren't for the fact that all of its ongoing operations costs will be privately funded. Sunday Parkways will only get one-third of its total operating budget from the City this year — the rest will come from private sponsorships.

Now the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) is adding to its traditional funding sources for its youth education programs — state and federal grants — by turning to popular discount site Groupon.

BTA Development Director Lisa Anguilla says they were contacted by Groupon's "G-Team" to run the promotion. "Having the reach of a Groupon campaign holds the opportunity to get the story about the benefits of biking to people outside our normal range of communication," she says.

In 2010, the BTA brought bike education to 5,000 4th-7th graders at 60 schools; but many can't participate, Anguilla says, due to a lack of funding.

"The BTA would like to see every child receive Bike Safety Education," she adds, "In order to achieve that goal... we'll have to increase funding from many sources."

If 30 "G-Team" members donate $10 through the Groupon campaign, the BTA can host a biking and walking safety program for 20 students at a Portland-area school. Donations are being matched up to $5,000 by Madison's Grill and each additional $30 raised will pay for another two students.

There's still time left to donate; but act fast because the campaign expires tonight! Head over to Groupon for all the details.

Bikes Belong just announced that Volkswagen will donate "significant funding" to support their ongoing People For Bikes campaign and other programs the organizations funds like like the Safe Routes to School National Partnership.

Here's an excerpt from the press release:

"We are working with VW as part of its Think Blue initiative, which encompasses all of the company’s efforts to promote eco-friendly mobility and encourage environmentally conscious behavior. VW has a history of working to improve its sustainability. Its factory in Chattanooga is the only auto manufacturing plant in the world to be LEED Platinum Certified. The VW factory in Wolfsburg, Germany has 5,500 bikes for employees to use for transportation."

VW president and CEO Jonathan Browning says they are pleased to partner with Bikes Belong in order to, "ensure that people of all ages can safely share the road, saving fuel and reducing pollution and traffic congestion."

Bikes Belong says they've already signed up over 500,000 people on their People For Bikes petition that launched in March 2010 and VW's help could allow them to reach their goal of 1 million people by the end of this year.

"Mainstream support like this is huge for bicycling in America," says Bikes Belong.

It's also interesting to note that earlier this month Bikes Belong hired their first ever full-time Director of Government Relations. That position is held by Ivette Rivera Hayes, who joined Bikes Belong after 20 years as the Executive Director of Legislative Affairs for the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA).

Remember the old saying, "If you give someone a fish, they will eat for a day. Teach a person to fish and they will eat for a lifetime"?

The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) is applying the idea in their Walk+Bike Jump Start program by training teachers in bike safety curriculum and giving schools a fleet of bikes to use for a full year. What makes this new program even more interesting though, is that the equipment for the program is being purchased with private donations instead of the state and federal grants the BTA usually relies on.

The BTA has partnered with the Gresham-Barlow School District and other organizations for a pilot of the program which will launch in September.

Although the pilot program in Gresham doesn't start for a few months, planning is already under way.

LeeAnne Fergason, Education Programs Manager for the BTA, is working with the school district to find space for their bike fleet. She's also enlisting volunteers to design and build a trailer to carry bikes and tools.

Current BTA program offerings include bicycle safety training for school-aged kids and instructional training for teachers.

For those classes, the BTA provides a fleet of bikes, helmets, and instructors who teach bike safety skills to students and teachers. Once the training sessions are complete, the instructors and the bikes leave.

With the Walk+Bike Jump Start program, students and teachers will receive full curriculum training from the BTA and the schools get access to a fleet of bikes, helmets, and tools (plus a trailer to carry it all) for a full school year. In exchange, teachers who have received instructional training commit to running bike safety classes throughout the school year. As the year progresses, the BTA will help the schools find ways to fund their own bike fleet to use after the first year is through.

Stephanie Noll, the BTA's Programs Director, says funding for the Jump Start program differs from their traditional training programs as well (see the update below for more information on the program's funding):

"Most of our current teacher training opportunities are funded through ODOT Bike Safety funds or Safe Routes to School funds that schools and school districts have received through the state. We are relying on private donation funding to support the initial start-up costs of the Jump Start program."

Launching the program with private funds may be a smart idea at a time when ODOT, faces an unprecedented budget crisis and federal funds are in serious jeopardy.

To get the program started in Gresham, the BTA is partnering with Juan Young Trust, Intel, Sugar Wheel Works, Wheelz, and the students, teachers, and staff at Dexter McCarty and Clear Creek Middle Schools.

Fergason expects that bikes, helmets, and tools for the pilot program will be purchased and assembled by August. Training of teachers and students in Gresham will begin in September at the start of the 2012-2013 school year.

If you want to know more about the BTA's programs or sign up to help with Jump Start in Gresham, you can contact LeeAnne Fergason at leeanne [at] btaoregon [dot] org.

UPDATE: Fergason contacted me this morning to clarify that the staff time and teacher training for Jump Start will still be funded by a grant from ODOT. Private funds are being used to purchase equipment (bikes, helmets, tools, and trailer).

Last month we took a look at reflective warning stripes installed by the City of Tigard to warn people on bikes to the presence of hazardous drains in the bike lane.

Those stripes were installed, in part, because of attention brought to the issue by citizen activist Jim "K'Tesh" Parsons (a man whose efforts have garnered him headlines both here and in The Oregonian). Parsons recently turned his attention to a sunken storm drain grate that has been annoying him for years. Below is the story of how, after years of nagging ODOT to fix the bike-crash causing bump, he recently took matters into his own hands...

Towards the end of 2009, Parsons started a series of conversations with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) about a drain well at the southern end of Hall Blvd in Tigard. He explained that the depth of the drain presented a hazard to people riding bikes and the drain was particularly hard to see, especially at night or when the sunlight on the road is uneven.

Sunken drains like this one
pose hazards to bike traffic.

At one point Parsons remembers running into an ODOT crew who said they were going to investigate the drain; but ultimately no action was taken.

In September of last year Parsons took photos of the drain and sent them along with a note via email to contacts at ODOT, Washington County and others. His message pointed out that page 174 of the State of Oregon's Bicycle and Pedestrian Plan (PDF) addresses how drainage grates impact bike safety. "A bike-safe drainage grate at the proper height improves bicycle safety," reads the plan. The plan itself recommends that cities, "Raise catch basin grates flush with pavement."

While raising deep drain grates isn't immediately feasible, Parsons pointed out how the Cities of Tigard and Tualatin have started using reflective striping to warn approaching bike riders of the hazard (Hall Blvd. is managed by ODOT, unlike those other examples).

Several months passed and Parsons was disappointed that ODOT had still not addressed the hazardous situation. Then, shortly after the start of the new year, we received an email from Parsons with a photo of the drain marked with white and yellow paint.

Were the new markings the work of ODOT?

As it turns out, no. Parsons decided to take matters into his own hands and marked the drain himself with paint he purchased at the hardware store for less than $20 (and he's got the receipts to prove it).

While he was painting the drain he talked with a homeowner who has seen a number of people crash on the grate over the years they've lived in the area. Here's more about their conversation from Parsons himself:

"I talked to the owner of the house immediately adjacent to this grate, and he told me that he's witnessed crashes, and has even scraped up people from the pavement (including one within the last few days) after they wipe out...I told him that ODOT has been made aware of the issue in the past, and that anybody else hurt here should be advised of that."

In a conversation I had with him later, Parsons wondered if ODOT might have acted more quickly if the hazard impacted auto traffic in the same way.

ODOT has yet to respond to Parsons' emails to explain their plans for addressing the hazard presented by the drain, but at least for now it's a bit easier to see.

For less than $20, Parsons is helping everyone who rides a bike on Hall avoid one big bump in the road.

In many ways, Portland resident Maria Schur epitomizes the die-hard Portland bike lover. She averages 120 miles a week in the saddle, commutes by bike to her job at BikeTiresDirect, spent two years as a bike messenger in San Francisco, participated in the first ever Critical Mass ride in 1992, operates a bike-centric blog and has a grandfather who traded his car for a bike in 1942.

What makes the 45-year old Schur stand out from her Rose City peers is her position as president of the 500-member Vancouver Bike Club (VBC), Clark County’s oldest and most active cycling organization.

To those that may find it odd that a Portland resident leads a Vancouver cycling group, Schur points out the proximity of the two cities. "Even though Portland and Vancouver are in two separate states and separated by a river, we are still the same area," she said (on a side note, Portland Wheelman Touring Club president Ann Morrow is a Vancouver resident).

Schur’s goals as president of the largest cycling organization in Vancouver include keeping the club active while exploring bike advocacy options. "My number one goal as club president is to keep the ride calendar as full as possible and get more people on bikes… a secondary goal is to get the VBC to support my advocacy for bikes as transportation in Clark County," she said.

Although bike advocacy is not typically associated with the VBC, it is actually part of the VBC’s purpose, per Article 2 of the club’s bylaws:

The purpose of the Bicycle Club shall be as follows:
(1) Educating members and the public in safe riding habits and bicycle etiquette;
(2) Promoting the use of bicycles in the community for recreation, transportation, and physical fitness;
(3) Provide bicycle rides at various levels of challenge so that every bicycle rider can participate in group activities;
(4) Encouraging the addition of bike lanes, bike paths, and other facilities for bicycle riders.

With bylaws supporting advocacy and a growing number of community minded members, Schur believes the VBC has advocacy potential. "The VBC isn’t a bike advocacy organization but i'ts fertile ground for advocacy," she said. Advocacy is a natural progression once a person starts to engage in utility cycling, according
to Schur. "Once you get recreational riders to use bikes for transportation, they become advocates," said Schur.

Riding near Fort Vancouver with
the I-5 Bridge in the distance.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The pending Fourth Plain Transit Improvement Project (which has raised concern from some bike planners) is a "good example" of where a bike advocacy group could provide the missing voice for people in the area who care about bike access, according to Schur. "The BRT Fourth Plain issue is a good example of a bigger challenge in Clark County where they are doing bike projects as an add-on rather than as equals with other vehicles," she said.

As for her chosen vehicle, Schur isn’t bashful with her love of bikes. "I am a Bicyclist with a capital B… I identify with bicycling as part of my identity," she said. According to Schur, her self-describe metamorphosis into a "Bicyclist" occurred during a Critical Mass ride twenty years ago. "Going to the first ever Critical Mass in San Francisco in 1992 is when I become a Bicyclist with a capital B, before than I was a person who arrived by bike," she said.

As Schur starts the journey in exploring bike advocacy in Vancouver, she is mindful of the inherent differences between Portland and Vancouver. "I don’t think the solutions that worked in Portland are necessarily what will work best in Vancouver."

Schur said she wants the VBC to increase its advocacy efforts, but doesn’t want it to cease being a recreational riding club. "I don’t want to change the platform of the club, it’s already an awesome club."

Check out the ride calendar and information on how to join the VBC here (Note: rides are open to everyone, club membership is not required.)

—

Our Vancouver correspondent Marcus Griffith can be reached at Marcus.Griffith[at]gmail.com.

Earlier this week the Westside Transportation Alliance (WTA) gathered a group of advocates and citizens from around Washington County to write thank-you notes to people who have helped promote and improve conditions for bicycling, walking, and public transit in the region.

The WTA hosted the event at Billy's Bar, a new locally-owned business in Beaverton.

The focus of advocacy work is often on activities before a project takes place: letter writing, testifying at meetings, calling elected officials, and etc. After a project is complete it's easy to move on to the next big thing while forgetting to take the time to thank everyone who made past projects successful.

In September of last year, Active Right Of Way (AROW), the Bicycle Business League, and Icicle Tricycles demonstrated the impact you can make by saying "thank you" when they handed out free ice cream to construction crews working on the NE Cully cycle track.

The WTA's event this week had the same goal — making sure people know their work is appreciated — but the evening was tailored to the unique landscape of the transportation network and political structure in Washington County.

Transportation projects in Washington County can involve a large and complex group of stakeholders.

The list.

Twenty-six different city-level jurisdictions (Beaverton, Hillsboro, Tigard, and many others) along with various county and state agencies have control of different sections of the county. Most projects on roads, trails, or other pieces of the transportation network cross more than one city line. Each jurisdiction has its own group of citizens, political leaders, and businesses all with their own needs, preferences, and opinions.

With the long list of people at the table during Washington County's transportation projects it's easy to lose track of some of the people involved in a particular project.

To help everyone at this week's event sort that list out, and to offer creative fodder for the thank-you notes, the WTA had a list of over 50 people who help promote and encourage bicycling, walking, and public transit in Washington County. The list included each person's name, the group they work for, and what they've accomplished recently.

As the notes were being written I heard a lot of comments along the lines of, "I had no idea they were the ones who painted that bike lane near my house!"

There are many people to thank for
everything that happens in Washington County.

Heather McCarey, the WTA's Executive Director, highlighted how important it is to stop and reflect on successes and to connect with other people in this often-overlooked way:

"It’s easy to point out things we want to change, but we often forget to acknowledge all the great work that’s already happening. The Westside Transportation Alliance wanted to bring attention to the positive efforts that are pushing the active transportation movement forward in Washington County... This is our way of offering well-deserved thanks.

When I was growing up my mother always told me that I should write thank-you notes after my birthday, otherwise people might not give me presents the next year.

Politics and advocacy are similar: if you're only focused on the next thing you want, people may not realize the difference they've made with their past work. The effort people spend on public projects is like a gift to the community. The WTA's event made sure those people received some well-deserved thanks.

— Read more stories from contributor Will Vanlue here.

Tomorrow's 'N17 - Occupy the Banks' actions of civil disobedience throughout downtown Portland can count on an assist from a cadre of people on bikes. A ride dubbed 'Swarm the Banks' will look to play a similar role to the 'bike swarm' that made its presence felt at the big standoff at Chapman and Lownsdale Squares this past Sunday.

Here's a snip from the ride description:

"As busy bees, we can fly through downtown and check up on the various actions of nonviolent civil disobedience, protect the march with our buzzing mobility, serve as a pesky distraction for cops seeking to break up the actions, and possibly even participate in actions if we need to rest our wings for a bit."

Katherine Ball, seen here at
Occupy Portland standoff early
Sunday morning.

This ride was conceived by Katherine Ball, the same woman who spearheaded the very successful 'bike swarm'. Ball was recently featured in a column by Steve Duin in The Oregonian. As someone who rode with Ball at Sunday's standoff, I can attest to her positive approach and infectious enthusiasm for this movement.

To join Thursday's bike swarm, meet at Salmon Street Fountain at 10:45 am. There will be an open discussion prior to the ride "to determine our exact tactics". More info on the Shift calendar or on the Facebook event page.

Bike. Walk. Vote. — Portland's only political action committee that focuses solely on how candidates stack up on biking and walking issues — is about to awaken after a hiatus in the last election.

The group is planning a re-launch party on December 4th in Southeast Portland and they've already got Oregon House Representative Jules Bailey and Multnomah County Chair Jeff Cogen lined up as speakers.

Bike. Walk. Vote. was first active in the 2004 elections. Between 2004 and 2008, they helped turn out sympathetic voters and endorsed bike and walk-friendly candidates. The group worked on races in the city of Portland, Multnomah County, and in Salem.

According to Evan Manvel, one of the group's founders, there was a lull in activity after 2008 when several of the board members became busy with other work and didn't have time to participate. Manvel served as Executive Director of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance from 2005 to 2007 and now works as a communications consultant for conservation groups.

Manvel says since Bike. Walk. Vote. went dormant, there have been a number of developments on issues he feels show the urgent need to elect more candidates that will make biking and walking a priority. Manvel points to recent decisions by Metro to add thousands of acres of forest and farmland to the Urban Growth Boundary, "despite a $40 billion backlog for funding sidewalks, cycling paths, transit, and other essential infrastructure," as one of those issues.

The group's logo.

Manvel also points to Metro's recent support for the Columbia River Crossing highway mega-project and the City of Portland's largely unfunded Bike Plan for 2030 as other issues that signify the need for more political activism in the region.

A Bike. Walk. Vote. volunteer
works the Hawthorne Bridge
in 2006.
(Photo: Bike. Walk. Vote.)

"The same year the Plan was approved, the popular bike corral program was scaled back and unable to meet the demand for new installations due to a lack of funding," Manvel told us in a recent email. "If we have trouble funding something as simple as bike corrals, one wonders how will we fund world-class facilities like cycle tracks (or, for that matter, even the basics like sidewalks in East Portland) and reach our goal of 25% of trips by bike."

Despite these "setbacks," Manvel says support for biking and walking from citizens and grassroots activist groups is at an all-time high. "It had become clear that the active transportation community needed to re-enter the political realm, and that the community’s demand and energy are ready for it."

Bike. Walk. Vote. now boasts new energy, a new mission (expanding to include health and transit) and new faces including Willamette Pedestrian Coalition director Steph Routh, BTA Advocacy Director Gerik Kransky (although he'll be representing himself during BWV activities since the BTA is not allowed to participate in promotion of political candidates), and Portland State University graduate Peter Welte.

With potentially three seats turning over on Portland City Council (including mayor) and three Metro Council vacancies that need to be filled, there's no shortage of work that lies ahead. The launch party on December 4th will be a great time to plug into this group as they'll need all the help they can get.

"We'll be as big as our supporters make us," says Manvel. "We want to be involved in making sure Portlanders elect candidates who best support biking, walking, and transit."
—
The Bike. Walk. Vote. website will be relaunched soon. For now, head on over and enter your email address to stay posted and get involved. For details on the December 4th launch party, see the event page on Facebook.

Below are some of the many opportunities to get involved and make a difference on transportation projects and issues throughout our region this week…

Tuesday, November 15th

Adult Bike Riding Class, Part I
PBOT is sponsoring classes to get adults riding bikes. Do you know healthy adults that would like to ride, but never learned how as a child, or are concerned about riding after many years off their bike? Come to Harvey Scott School, 6700 NE Prescott from 3:00 – 4:30 and learn, with confidence. More info.

Portland Plan Public Hearing
5:30 – 9:00 pm, Parkrose High School (12003 NE Shaver St)
The Portland Plan is a road map for what the city will prioritize in the next 20 years. Rather than a geographic plan, it’s more of a business plan or management plan. According to Planning and Sustainability Commission member Chris Smith, “The Portland Plan will create the strategy that drives the update of the Comprehensive Plan (which includes the Transportation System Plan). The “Comp Plan” will be finished in about two years, but if you want to see a policy in the Comp Plan you better look for the strategy that supports it in the Portland Plan.”

If you think bicycles should be prioritized in the city’s decisions over the next 20 years, come to the public hearing and speak your mind. There are two remaining Public Hearings tonight in East Portland and downtown on the 29th.

Clackamas “Transportation System Plan” update
6:30 – 9:00 pm, Clackamas County Services Building, Room 115 (150 Beavercreek Road, Oregon City)
A county’s “TSP” dictates how and where it spends its money on transportation. Clackamas is updating its plan and this is the second of several meetings. The public is invited to attend. More info.

You can also take a survey to let officials know if you support bicycling improvements.

Portland Pedestrian Advisory Committee meeting
7:00 – 9:00 pm, Pettygrove Room, City Hall
The PAC addresses the issues important to people traveling by foot in Portland. Expect about 15 members of the committee, staffer April Bertelson, and a handful of observers.
More info

Wednesday, November 16th

Adult Bike Riding Class, Part II
3:00 – 4:30pm at Harvey Scott School (6700 NE Prescott)
PBOT is sponsoring classes to get adults riding bikes. This is the second half of the course. More info.

BTA Legal Clinic

6:00 – 7:00pm, BTA Offices (618 NW Glisan, Suite 401)
Bicycling Lawyer Ray Thomas hosts a periodic legal guide to bicycling, sponsored by the BTA. Come learn your rights, your responsibilities, and what you should do if you ever get threatened or hit by a car. This is a terrific service offered to the bicycling community. If you haven’t attended one of Ray’s seminars in the past, come to this one, or make plans to attend one in a future month. RSVP to stephanie[at]btaoregon.org. More info.

Thursday, November 17th

Bicycle Brownbag Discussion Series
12 noon (bring your lunch!) City Hall, Lovejoy Room (1221 SW 4th Ave)
This month’s topic: Bike Train Lessons. From the website: “Kiel Johnson will talk about his experiences organizing bike trains, group rides to school along prearranged routes. Last year he helped organize bike trains at 12 Portland schools, resulting in parents and children riding over 3,200 times.” More info.

N/NE Quadrant Stakeholder Advisory Committee Meeting
This committee is about widening I-5 through the Rose Quarter and reconfiguring all the bicycle routes around Broadway/Weidler and Vancouver/Williams. Call for time and location details. More info.

BTA Office Open House & Give!Guide Kickoff
6:00 – 8:00 pm, BTA Headquarters (618 NW Glisan, Suite 401)
The BTA has moved into new offices on NW Glisan. Come to their open house to mix and mingle. Special guests include five Oregon Manifest entrants.

Have you wondered what the BTA is doing? Do you have suggestions for what they could be doing more of? Come to the Open House. More info.

East Portland Action Plan (EPAP) Meeting
6:30 – 8:30 pm, Muchas Gracias (1307 NE 102nd Ave)
EPAP is a community group seeking to accelerate the advance of bicycling infrastructure and culture into East Portland. Come join the movement! More info.

Friday, November 18th

PSU Lecture: Methods to understand road safety
12:00 – 1:00 pm, PSU Urban Center, Distance Learning Wing, Room 204
For the extra-wonkish, the PSU weekly transportation seminar looks to be a good one. Visiting researcher David Noyce will talk about how we can assess road safety. As you might imagine, it’s a complex topic, with a wide range of factors. When you ride through an intersection and fear for your life, can you articulate exactly what makes it dangerous? Can you place the danger in a family of dangers? And could you propose changes to policy or standard designs that would prevent this type of engineering error from being made again?

From the web page: “This lecture will consider several safety issues facing transportation agencies, namely median crossover crashes, permissive left-turn crashes, and roundabout safety, presenting thoughts and findings on related research. Additionally, this lecture will integrate the attributes of full-scale driving simulators and explore how this tool can effectively enhance understanding related to traffic control devices, design decisions, road safety audits, and the most important variable in transportation – the road user.”

Monday, November 21st

Deadline for applications to serve on the North Portland Greenway Committee
Would you like to help shape the North Portland Greenway? The city is taking applications for the stakeholder committee. You’ll get to attend regular meetings, learn about trail options, and help with public outreach. More info

Successfully Starting a Bike Train (workshop)
5:30 – 7:00 pm, Rigler School (5401 NE Prescott St)
Do you want to help kids ride their bikes to school? Consider starting a “bike train” to have them do it in a supervised group. Learn how at this workshop sponsored by the Portland Bureau of Transportation. More info.

Upcoming

Mon Nov 28
* North Williams Community Forum More info.

Tues Nov 29
* Portland Plan Public Hearing, 1900 SW 4th More info

Wed Nov 30
* Streetcar Open House More info.
* Deadline for comments on The Portland Plan

Comments, corrections, additions?

What are in your plans this week?

A reader brought to our attention a great story about the power of bicycles and how one person can make a difference.

The head custodian at Poynter Middle School in Hillsboro, John Sarrazin, has turned a chance encounter with a student who needed help fixing his bike into a full-fledged afterschool program. Here's how a teacher at the school described to us how it all came about:

"Last year, a student was having trouble with fractions — and he needed work done on his bike. John taught him fractions while also teaching him how to fix his bike. Pretty soon, this student's friends were bringing John their bikes, and he was teaching them how to fix them. And with that, the bike club was formed at my school. Now he has student crew leaders leading teams of students who are fixing up bikes and donating them to charity. We don't have a Community Cycling Center in Washington County, so this is a pretty unique program..."

So unique in fact that Sarrazin's efforts caught the attention of KATU-TV. They recently featured him on the evening news as one of their "Everyday Heroes." Watch the video below...

Sarrazin donates his time and doesn't charge students to join the club.

The Hillsboro School District says that the club has grown from eight kids last year to 50 this year. With more students to teach, the club needed more bikes; and that's where this story gets even better... Poynter's School Resource Officer (SRO) from the Hillsboro Police Department heard about the program and decided to donate an entire room full of unclaimed bikes from the police station.

It's a great story and one that will hopefully inspire many others.