Southeast Portland bike shop Seven Corners Cycles was broken into this morning. The thieves (or thief) made out with one new bike (a large, black Surly Long Haul Trucker), seven Chrome messenger bags, and some lights and locks.

According to shop owner Corey Cartwright, they entered the store by carefully removing a glass panel next to the front door — using the same method as the "window pane bandit" that hit several bikes shops back in November.

In that month alone, six Portland businesses (including three bike shops and one bike rack retailer) were broken into via the same method. Following that crime spree, police offered a reward for tips leading to a suspect, but so far no arrests have been made.

Cartwright says the police that responded to his case determined that this, "fits the pattern of the other thefts"; but they were reluctant to say that it was the same suspect.

Seven Corners is a small neighborhood shop with a stellar reputation. Keep your eyes peeled around town and on Craigslist for a 60 cm Surly Long Haul Trucker with 700c wheels and new Chrome bags showing up on Craigslist.

As arguably the most bike and transit-sensitive member of the U.S. Congress, Earl Blumenauer has had a trying week.

Yesterday, the widely-maligned House transportation bill, a bill that eliminates the Safe Routes to School program and basically strips out all of the pro-bike provisions, moved through a marathon hearing and was passed out of committee this morning. Also this morning, Blumenauer saw the House Ways and Means committee debate — and then pass — a bill that severs the 30-year link between gas tax revenue and transit funding.

Reflecting on the actions of his Republican colleagues over the past two days, Blumenauer said, "I don't think they had a clue about what they were doing." While he was understandably baffled at what has transpired, he's already thinking ahead to what this means to the national bicycling movement.

The way Blumenauer sees, the direct threats to bicycling and transit should galvanize a nationwide response. "We're going to see if the networks we've been building around the country translate into something," he said.

"If we do it right," he added, "I think we'll come out of this stronger. If not, it could really complicate the next two years."

What does "doing it right" mean exactly? I asked...

"Now's the time to put the hammer down."

While the news from the Hill was troubling, Blumenauer pointed to the vast coalition of support that came together on very short notice to oppose the transit funding provision. He sees that as a very good sign:

"We had representatives of over 600 individuals and groups from the Chamber of Commerce to the Sierra Club... For the first time in history we are part of a very impressive, broad coalition that is all pulling in the same direction. We've got an administration that has been the most supportive in history and we've got facts on the ground. The work that has been done with the cycling community, to broaden the base, to deal with things like economic development and Safe Routes to School, it's all there...

It's a chance for us not just to beat back this bad legislation, but to educate elected officials."

Blumenauer then told a story (as politicians often do):

"I was in North Carolina a few weeks ago to do some events around livability... In the middle of the morning and with just one weeks' notice, there was a packed room in Durham for a talk about transportation and bicycling... There were business people, local officials, cycling activists... I think it's safe to say it really impressed my colleague [House Rep David Price (D-NC)]... He was really taken aback. He couldn't believe the energy and the interest, and this happens nearly everywhere we go.. it's gone viral."

Now Blumenauer says it's the perfect time to take that support and put it into action:

"This is the time! This is the time to take our game up a step, to make people realize that bashing cycling and pedestrians activities isn't a freebie but there are costs and consequences... That a community doesn't work without transit, walking, and biking."

Blumenauer is already strategizing, meeting with stakeholders, and prepping for a possible vote on the House transportation bill which he says could come within the next weeks. When it does come up for a vote, he figures, "There's an outside chance we could defeat it on the floor."

What's at stake for the U.S. bike movement? "This is chance to prove that the movement is real," said Blumenauer, "There have been a couple of times when they attacked Planned Parenthood and public broadcasting and they got their nose bloody. I think there's an opportunity for us to come out stronger. I think it's a springboard."

For four months beginning this fall, a Federal Highway Administration project in the Columbia River Gorge will come with a road closure that will prohibit vehicle access — including bikes — to popular bicycling routes on the Historic Columbia River Highway (HCRH).

The Crown Point Viaduct Project will replace the aging, 600-foot long "half-bridge" that supports the sidewalk around Vista House, a popular viewpoint and destination. The project area also includes restoration to portions of the HCRH between Larch Mountain Road and Crown Point, and between Crown Point and Latourell Falls. (Fun trivia: The HCRH is one of only two roads in the United States designated as a National Historic Landmark, a National Scenic Byway, and a National Historic District.)

The viaduct.
(Photo: ODOT)

Due to construction, a portion of the road will be closed to all vehicles (that means bikes too) from September 4th through December 31st of this year. Here are the specifics on the two closures that impact bike access:

September 4 - September 30, 2012: From Crown Point to Latourell Falls, the historic highway will be closed to all vehicles, including bicycles

October 1 - December 31, 2012: From its intersection with Larch Mountain Road to Latourell Falls, the historic highway will be closed to all vehicles, including bicycles.

The project is slated to begin in August, so stay tuned to the official project website for the latest info about road closures and other issues.

I've got some exciting news about the continued evolution of the annual BikeCraft event.

You'll recall this year I formally handed over the event to Aaron Kaffen and Amos Hunter after running it for six years (sniff, sniff). Amos and Aaron took it to a whole new level and the event was really solid. Now they're moving forward on the next evolution of BikeCraft — turning it into a curated online marketplace.

Taking the people and product that have made BikeCraft a success through the years and putting them online is something I've wanted to do almost since Day One. Since BikeCraft started in 2005, Etsy has redefined the online marketplace for small, independent makers. Doing something similar (but better!) with BikeCraft is a natural fit.

Here's how Aaron describes it:

"The new site will be an online marketplace where folks everywhere can browse, learn about and buy the kind of unique, high-quality, handmade bike-related goodies that Portlanders have been finding at BikeCraft events for years."

Aaron and Amos haven't revealed many details yet; but they're busy developing the new site and refining their list of vendors. A new URL, BikeCraftOnline.com has been established and they will announce an official launch date in the next few weeks.

They're still interested in hearing from potential vendors. Drop them a line at info [at] bikecraftonline [dot] com if you'd like to be one. You can also sign up via the new site to get the latest news about the launch.

Knowing Aaron and Amos, this news makes me excited about the future of BikeCraft. Stay tuned!

The City of Beaverton and the Beaverton Downtown Association are in the process of redesigning SW Broadway, the street that runs through the heart of downtown Beaverton. The goal of the redesign (one element of their larger Civic Plan) is to make Broadway "more pedestrian, bike, and business friendly."

Last month, the city held two walking tours of downtown and collected thoughts on what should be changed. Next week they're having a workshop to showcase specific design elements developed using those ideas.

The redesign focuses on the section of Broadway between Watson Avenue and Hall Boulevard. It includes improvements to pedestrian and bicycle access and may create a plaza or another type of car-free public space.

The full list of potential improvements includes:

• Sidewalk improvements
• Pedestrian crossings
• Street furniture
• Pavement treatments
• Curb extensions
• Landscaping and street trees
• Bollards
• Public plazas

Anyone interested in the project should plan to come to next week's design workshop. It takes place on February 6th from 6pm to 8pm at the Beaverton History Center.

More information about the project is available at:
BeavertonOregon.gov/Broadway

Later today, the application period opens for the "Green Lane Project," a promising new initiative funded by national advocacy org Bikes Belong.

The project's aim is to help build "world-class cycling networks" in a select group of U.S. cities that are "poised to make significant progress over the next two years in installing cycle tracks and related improvements." To spur the development of high-quality bikeways, Bikes Belong will funnel 70% of their annual grant budget (about $140,000) and provide technical assistance and other resources to the selected cities (study trips are scheduled for Denmark, New York City, and the Netherlands). Cities that are chosen will sign a contract with Bikes Belong committing themselves to the partnership.

Only six cities will be chosen to participate, and you can bet the competition will be fierce.

In order to be selected, Bikes Belong says a city must "have a plan or vision that is supported by elected officials, leading staff, and the community." It's also not just about which city is #1 when it comes to biking. The team behind the project says the cities chosen will range from "known leaders" to ones that are "just embarking on making space for bikes."

Will Portland get a spot on this train? We're certainly a "known leader," but we've stalled when it comes to building world-class urban bikeways. Also, with a new Mayor and new City Commissioners set to take the helm, we need all the momentum and support we can get.

I haven't heard back from Mayor Adams' office or sources at PBOT, but Green Lane Project director Martha Roskowski says they've had conversations with them and that she's, "looking forward to a strong application from the City of Portland."

BTA Executive Director Rob Sadowsky says his organization is "excited about the potential" of Portland becoming one of the focus cities. "The BTA strongly urges the City to get on board," he shared via email this morning. "We need leadership at the local level, now more than ever, to showcase the changes that safe protected bicycle lanes bring to cities."

Other cities sure to vie for a spot will be Chicago, Philadelphia, San Francisco, New York City and Minneapolis.

Roskowski says they'll make decisions by the end of March. Learn more about the project on the official website and watch the video below...

Portland Parks & Recreation has added new pavement markings on the Eastbank Esplanade floating ramps to warn people on bikes to prepare for a bump. The new markings are part of a larger campaign aimed at improving safety of path users.

Back in July of 2010, we brought attention to these jarring bumps after hearing about a friend who had crashed after hitting them. Shortly after that story ran, Parks vowed to evaluate the situation and six months later they installed a less severe "transition strip" to flatten the bumps.

Now Parks has put down a series of pavement markings with the word "BUMP" along with white stripes across the path. I took a closer look at them yesterday and they seem to have an impact. People were noticeably grabbing brakes and slowing down as they approached...

Parks spokesman Mark Ross says the new markings were installed in response to "concerns raised by the Portland bike community," and are part of a larger effort to improve traffic safety on both the Esplanade and in Waterfront Park.

New signs coming soon.

"We are working in collaboration with PBOT on all of these improvements," said Ross via email this morning. He added that Parks is collaborating with bike safety experts at PBOT along with a traffic engineer to make sure the markings are consistent with what folks see on the street."

Other elements of the biking and walking safety effort will include new signs targeted at people on bikes and more pavement markings at "a few key intersections." The work is expected to be completed by this spring.

Have you seen the "Bump" markings? We'd love to know what you think about them.

• Models Who Can Ride Bikes — The PDX Bicycle Show

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ODOT, in partnership with PBOT, will unveil their plans for a I-5 freeway expansion project near the Rose Quarter at an open house in the Lloyd Center Mall tonight.

The plan, which is being done as part of the larger Central City 2035 and N/NE Quadrant plans, would add about 1,500 feet of additional lanes (in each direction) and a breakdown shoulder on I-5 between the I-84 interchange through the Rose Quarter. In addition, a host of other changes are being considered that will have a dramatic impact on surface streets and mobility in the area in general.

Aerial view.
(Photo: ODOT)

While just a planning exercise at this point, officials have estimated the cost of the "recommended base project" at $310 million with an additional $204 million for a slew of other "potential elements."

ODOT and PBOT reps presented details about their plans at a meeting of the City Bicycle Advisory Committee last month. Surprisingly, ODOT planner Todd Juhasz and PBOT planner Mauricio LeClerc said the main thrust of the expansion isn't to relieve congestion and add capacity. They say widening the freeway is being done to improve safety.

Here's how Juhasz explained it when the subject of added lanes came up at the BAC meeting:

"We're not trying to meet the capacity of the CRC [Columbia River Crossing project]... No matter what happens here, if CRC backs up this area will still be a mess no matter what we do... But what this project does is you've got so many on and offs in this area, by adding what we're calling auxiliary lanes, it allows more space for vehicles to get on into the flow of traffic or off with more space... reducing side swipe collisions and rear end collisions."

Juhasz says their modeling shows them that even with the additional lane, I-5 wouldn't get any increased capacity at all. "It's not increasing capacity at all... we're not getting any capacity benefit."

In terms of bicycle access, there are several interesting elements being considered.

Planners have come up with a "lid" concept that would put a cap over the existing freeway to "create a park-like atmosphere" on the streets above. The lid — estimated to cost about $110 million — would be placed over the freeway where it intersects with Broadway/Weidler/Williams The lid would allow for more breathing room to possibly improve the biking and walking access and help mitigate the negative livability impact of a major freeway...

Other ideas being considered are two new overcrossings over I-5. One would be at Vancouver and Hancock...

... and the other would be a biking/walking only overpass between Clackamas Ave (on the east) and Winning Way...

Another element of this project is a new multi-use path (MUP) that would run from NE Multnomah to Weidler right alongside I-5 on its eastern side...

And here's another look at the MUP in relation to the Clackamas Overcrossing (it's the orange dotted line that begins in the lower right):

ODOT and project stakeholders are also looking at removing the existing Vancouver bridge and directing all north-south traffic over to N. Flint Ave...

It's worth noting that the Hancock/Vancouver and Clackamas overcrossings, along with the multi-use path are currently listed as "potential elements" (read: extras) of the "recommended base project."

In addition to these elements, there's also the question of how the new freeway configuration (and on/off-ramp changes) will impact the large volume of bike traffic on nearby local streets as well as existing property owners.

Rich and Betsy Reese, who own the Paramount Apartments on the corner of N Flint and Broadway, penned a letter to the projects Stakeholder Advisory Committee on January 19th. The opening paragraph sums up the feelings of many activists I've spoken with about this project:

"While we question the basic premise of the inevitability of freeway expansion, and in principle are more interested in traffic engineering changes that would enhance our neighborhood through better bike, pedestrian and public transportation connections, we understand the importance of participating in this public process at the point of the current discussion."

This is big and complicated planning process that is trying to accomplish many goals. We'll have more coverage as things evolve. To learn more, come to the open house tonight from 4:30 to 6:30 at Lloyd Center Mall (west end, near Nordstrom) or visit the N/NE Quadrant project website.

Since the House transportation bill has gone all crazy, I've been banging my head against my desk to figure out why Republican members of the House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee are so afraid of including any mention of bicycling, transit (except to strip away dedicated funding for it), walking — or anything that doesn't harken back to the 1950s Interstate Highway era — in the bill.

Then it occurred to me (with some help from sources on Capitol Hill, who say there's a threatening letter going around from House Majority Leader Eric Cantor that there better not be any mention of bicycling in the bill), perhaps they're afraid of Republican party leadership? (Feel free to point out my political naivete if this is an obvious thing.)

This led me to T & I Committee Chair John Mica (R-FL). As we've noted, Mica has clearly been a supporter of Safe Routes and other bicycling and walking-oriented projects in the past. However, now he has crafted a bill that many advocates say will eliminate funding for bicycling completely and roll back their progress several decades.

What gives?

Then I remembered when Rep. Mica attended a fundraiser hosted by Bikes Belong during the 2009 National Bike Summit (at the time, Mica was minority leader of the T & I committee). Here's what I wrote about Mica's brief remarks at that event to a room full of bike advocates:

"He shared candidly that, while he and Rep. Earl Blumenauer "have our disagreements from time to time," he is supportive of biking. Mica boasted that Florida leads the nation in rail-trails and then said in a self-deprecating tone, "That's pretty good for a right-wing, knuckle-dragging conservative." On that note, Mica said that as a Republican he has to support biking "quietly". "I did a path over an interstate years ago," he said, and then began to smile, "but we didn't send out a press release on it.""

So now we have the House member with power over federal transportation legislation doing his best to not simply be "quiet" about his support for bicycling; but to eradicate it from national law altogether.

The debate over this bill is far from over — and without the Petri amendment it's even less likely it will ever pass in its current form — but I think it's important to keep stuff like this in mind. What do you think?

— For more coverage, visit our new Federal Transportation Bill page.