A bill introduced in Salem this morning, HB 3622 (PDF), is being watched by biking and walking advocates for its possible impact on school transportation funding.
Authored by Rep. Betty Komp of Woodburn, the bill seeks to revise the method of calculating transportation block grants from the State School Fund distributions by allowing "district school [boards] [...]

One of their priorities is a $1.3 million request to make SE Foster Road safer for all modes.(Photos © J. Maus)

Today, Portland Mayor Sam Adams published the City's list of federal legislative priorities. Among them are several transportation projects that include bike-related infrastructure.
[As an aside, we are pleased to note that Nils Tillstrom, a former [...]

Portland hopes new law will lead to 20 mph limit on streets like these.(Photo © J. Maus)

As we reported back in October, the City of Portland is working the legislature to gain more control over speed limits. Mayor Sam Adams is aware of the impact high speed motor vehicles have on our neighborhoods and has [...]

Should it be illegal?(Photo © J. Maus)

Lost in last week's kerfluffle about a potential ban on biking with kids, was another bill proposed in the current Oregon legislative session that deserves our attention.
House Bill 2602 (text), sponsored by Representative Michael Schaufler (D-Happy Valley), would create a new traffic violation for "unsafe operation of a bicycle" [...]

State Representative Jules Bailey has just told us that he has been in touch with Rep. Mitch Greenlick about HB 2228, the controversial bill that would create a new Oregon law making it illegal to transport a child six years or younger on a bicycle or in a bike trailer.
Bailey says that the two [...]

Below is the official statement on HB 2228 that Rep. Mitch Greenlick is sending out to people who've contacted him about the bill. The statement was preceeded by a form email from Greenlick's Legislative Assistant Justin Freeman:
Thank you for writing to express your concerns about HB 2228. Our goal in introducing this legislation was to [...]

Oregon House Rep. Ben Cannon has weighed in, urging people to keep reactions civil.(Photo © J. Maus)

Oregon House Representative Mitch Greenlick's idea to start a discussion about child bike safety by proposing a new law (HB 2228) that would make transporting kids six and younger by bike illegal has resulted in a massive response. The [...]

Senator Jeff Merkley (L).(Photo © J. Maus)

Oregon's rookie Senator Jeff Merkley continues to live up to his potential as active transportation's greatest hope in the U.S. Senate. The Livable Communities Act (S.1619), which he introduced in the Senate back in March, passed out of a key committee yesterday and will now head to a [...]

More money for more of this.(Photo © J. Maus)

Congressman Earl Blumenauer has introduced new legislation that will create a $2 billion competitive grant program for communities to promote eco-friendly transportation options. The bill, which we first reported on back in December, is now known officially as the Active Community Transportation Act of 2010.
In a [...]

Bringing control of speed limits to the local level is one law the BTA is considering.(Photo © J. Maus)

At their Member Forum last week, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance shared a list of nine proposals they're evaluating for the 2011 legislative session.
Here's their draft list of topics currently under consideration:

Vehicular Homicide
Local control over speed limits
Insurance [...]

Awareness of transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions is on the rise.(Photos © J. Maus)

A new study by NASA and a bill passed by the Oregon Senate yesterday have at least one thing in common. They both sound the alarm that transportation-related greenhouse gas emissions (a.k.a. too many cars and trucks on the road) are harmful [...]

Bike parking at Franklin High School in Southeast Portland.(Photos © J. Maus)

U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer announced a new bill yesterday that would expand the existing Safe Routes to Schools program to high schools. The Safe Routes to High Schools Act would enable high schools to vie for federal grants that would help them build [...]

Well, it looks like Travel Oregon does have money after all to maintain their recently launched Ride Oregon Ride! website.
This just in from PSU's Institute for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation:

Paid internship at Travel Oregon
Travel Oregon is seeking an intern to enter route information for roads and trails into a WordPress-based cycling website. We're [...]

Earl Blumenauer(Photo © J. Maus)

With bipartisan support, U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) has introduced a new bill -- the Orphan Highway Restoration Act -- aimed at improving state highways that run through America's main streets.
According to Blumenauer, "orphan highways" are former U.S. numbered highways that over the years have lost traffic volume to [...]

Blumenauer demonstrating one of several green ways to getto work.(Photo © J. Maus)

U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) introduced the Green Routes to Work Act of 2009 into Congress yesterday.
The bill looks to promote "low-carbon" transportation options by providing tax credits for both employers and individuals.
In a press release about the bill, Blumenauer states:
"With [...]

Sen. Floyd Prozanski.(Photos © J. Maus)

Recently passed House Bill 3271 -- a bill that addresses a number of types of harassment -- includes language that establishes the new crime of "Aggravated Driving While Suspended or Revoked".
The bill passed through the Oregon Legislature late Thursday and the language to address aggravated driving was added as an [...]

Oberstar this morning.

U.S. Congressman Jim Oberstar (D-MN) has thrown down quite a gauntlet in his public standoff with the Obama administration about the prospects of a new transportation bill.
Oberstar released his bill earlier this week (he's Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee) and he (and other House members) has rebuffed Department of Transportation [...]

The House Climate Bill that is set for a vote this Friday could help fill a transportation investment pot that states could put toward bike projects.
The American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454) would raise money from polluters that go over their allowed emissions levels, an amount estimated to be $70 billion by 2010. [...]

"The use of cell phones is increasing so much that we have to get a handle on it now."-- Ginny Burdick (D-Portland)

After several years of trying, the Oregon Legislature has passed a law that will make the use of cell phones while operating a motor vehicle illegal. House bill 2377, sponsored by Rep. Carolyn [...]

"Over reliance on automobiles can have adverse impacts on public health, both through lessened physical activity and from increased pollutants."-- from the bill's description of the Office of Livability

U.S. Rep. Jim Oberstar, Chairman of the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee has released the full text of the federal transportation bill. Calling it the "Surface [...]