Doug Parrow speaking for the BTA at
the 2010 Oregon Bike Summit.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Doug Parrow has resigned from the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) Board of Directors after 13 years. Parrow was the longest serving board member in the organization's history and also served as Chair of the BTA's Legislative Committee. (more...)

You've got to have a lot of
bike parking at a Bike Commute
Challenge pary.
(Photos © J. Maus)

At a packed party in the Central Eastside last night, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance announced results and gave out awards for winners of their annual Bike Commute Challenge. The month-long event that took place in September pitted businesses against each other in a friendly competition to see who could log the most trips to work by bike. Companies and non-profits competed in categories based on number of employees and other factors. (more...)

The Bicycle Transportation Alliance announced today that following a vote last month, their Board of Directors now has eight new members. The BTA received a record number of ballots with 486 people weighing in. The new board members will be seated officially on October 26th and they join six existing members who were re-elected.

Here are the eight new members of the BTA Board of Directors:

• Martina Farhner
• David Forman
• David Kottkamp
• Randy Miller
• Rick Potestio
• Susan Remmers
• Cecil Reniche-Smith
• Kenji Sugahara

(more...)

Roopal Patel
(Photos: Elly Blue)

Roopal Patel, who was hired as the first ever Finance Director of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance back in April 2009, has decided to leave the organization. Patel becomes the fourth BTA director-level staffer to have either resigned or be fired in the past year.

Rob Sadowsky, the BTA's new Executive Director, confirmed Patel's resignation and said she'll stay on through August to help with the hiring process. No reasons were cited for the resignation. Sadowsky says Patel was simply "ready to move on."
(more...)

Mayor Sam Adams addressed the crowd.
- Slideshow below/Gallery -
(Photos © J. Maus)

About 500 people turned out in their bike-chic best last night for the Bicycle Transportation Alliance's 15th annual fundraising gala, the Alice Awards.

In marvelous outfits (see them in the slideshow below), bike lovers from around the state rubbed shoulders with fellow activists, politicians, bureaucrats, and industry luminaries. The mood was celebratory and optimistic and the energy was directed at one purpose: to raise money for the BTA. After signing in and perusing a number of raffle options and other items up for purchase, attendees gathered outside the venue under warm clear skies to watch a performance by The Sprockettes. (more...)

As reported yesterday, the City of Vancouver has put its Bike Program on the chopping block. In response, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance is mobilizing its forces in Southwest Washington in an effort to save it.

In an action alert sent out via email and posted on their blog last night, the BTA says their plan is to encourage Vancouver City Council to dedicate $200,000 of what the draft Transportation Improvement Program labels as "presently uncommitted revenue" to the Bike Program.

That $200,000 is called out on page 28 of the TIP document under a chart that shows the five transportation programs (which includes the bike program) that are not slated for funding beyond 2010. Here's the full excerpt: (more...)

Eileen Trudeau
(Photo: Elly Blue)

The Bicycle Transportation Alliance's development director, Eileen Trudeau, has resigned. Incoming Executive Director Rob Sadowsky confirmed Trudeau's decision today, saying "She felt it was a good time to move on."

Trudeau joined the BTA in April 2009 and is the second of three directors to resign from the organization this year. Former Operations Director Angela Koch left the organization in March after being first hired to lead their Safe Routes to Schools program in May 2007.

Sadowsky says the tumultuous recent history of the BTA has taken a toll on staffers: (more...)

Stephen Gomez, Vice-Chair of the BTA board,
is managing the elections process.
(Photo: Adams Carroll)

The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) is currently accepting applications to be evaluated for election to their Board of Directors. These elections are important because the board has significant sway and oversight into the policies and direction of the organization. We have gotten emails and phone calls from people in the community who wanted to know more about the election process, so I asked Board Vice Chair Stephen Gomez to explain how it works.
(more...)

Rob Sadowsky, photographed in
Washington D.C. last week.
(Photo © J Maus)

It's been a big day for bikes in Portland. This morning City Council unanimously passed a funding plan that will give a $20 million "kickstart" to building bike boulevards identified in the 2030 Bike Plan. A few hours later, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) named a nationally recognized leader of the bike movement as their new executive director.

I spoke with BTA board chair Mary Roberts and their newly appointed executive director Rob Sadowsky on the phone earlier today. Below is the rough transcription of our interview.

I begin with questions for Roberts:
(more...)

Rob Sadowsky, the new leader of Oregon's
largest bike advocacy organization.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The Bicycle Transportation Alliance has announced that Rob Sadowsky will be their new executive director. Sadowsky comes to the BTA from Chicago, where he is currently the executive director of the Active Transportation Alliance (formerly known as the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation).
(more...)