Van Orden, seen here at a Pedalpalooza
ride in 2006, is running for
Multnomah County Commissioner.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Paul Van Orden is running for Multnomah County Commissioner Seat #2 (North and Northeast Portland district). Van Orden is a political neophyte but he's no stranger to community organizing and working in the public policy realm. As someone who I've noticed at many bike events through the years and who has garnered a lot of support from bike shop owners, bike advocates, and other in our community who care about biking, I figured I'd share a bit more about him here on the Front Page.

Van Orden is currently employed by the City of Portland as a Noise Control Officer. Acting more in a volunteer capacity than in an official City role, Van Orden organized a bike ride leaving the final screening at Filmed By Bike's recent opening night. That street party has gotten complaints from nearby residents and Van Orden wanted to encourage folks to leave the area and take the party elsewhere. (more...)

Public comments sought on transportation capital plan

Multnomah County welcomes comments on its public review draft of the Transportation Capital Improvement Plan and Program (CIPP) for Fiscal Years 2010-2014. The purpose of the CIPP is to ensure limited public funds are invested in transportation projects providing the greatest public benefit. The CIPP is updated every five years.

The CIPP is a two-part process. The Capital Improvement Plan identifies and ranks transportation improvement needs on County roadways and bridges over the next 20 years. Multnomah County maintains 300 miles of roads and bridges. The network of roads and bridges lies outside the cities of Gresham and Portland, with the exception of five Willamette River bridges within Portland. Projects that accommodate all modes of transportation — motor vehicle, transit, pedestrian and bicycle, and improvements to fish passage culverts — are considered. County staff uses objective criteria to evaluate and score potential projects. Criteria include safety, congestion relief, support of regional land use goals, and community support.

The Capital Improvement Program assigns anticipated revenues to the highest priority projects for a five-year period. The program is reviewed by the County Transportation Division biennially, for programming corrections. The biennial updates adjust anticipated capital revenues to more current projections, and ensure capital project expenditures are allocated appropriately.

The public review draft of the CIPP compiles the list of uncompleted projects and new projects identified through the update process. Candidate projects were identified through public comments, from staff at the cities of Fairview, Troutdale and Wood Village, the County’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Citizen Advisory Committee and from the County’s Road and Bridge staff.

The review draft of the CIPP can be reviewed online at www.multco.us/cipp. Please send comments or questions about the CIPP update to cip@co.multnomah.or.us or by mail to: CIPP Comments, 1600 S.E. 190th Avenue, Suite 116, Portland, OR 97233. Public comments are welcome through February 8, 2010. The Board of County Commissioners is tentatively scheduled to hold a public hearing to consider adopting the CIPP on February 11.

The Morrison Bridge will soon be a connection for walking and biking, rather than a barrier. (Photo © Elly Blue)

The long-planned bicycle and pedestrian facility on the Morrison Bridge has progressed tangibly in the last two weeks. Multnomah County has announced that the new path is expected to be completed by December. (more...)

The County installed these markings
in November 2005.
(Photos © J. Maus)

A recent crash between two people riding over the Hawthorne Bridge has raised concerns about the safety of the facility for non-motorized users -- and it's far from the first time these concerns have come up.

In December of 2006, we published an editorial by Elly Blue titled "Re-thinking traffic on the Hawthorne Bridge," where she wrote, "...traffic congestion on the Hawthorne Bridge is a serious problem."

Last summer, Vancouver BC resident Ron Richings visited Portland. Richings is an avid rider who contributes to Momentum Magazine, volunteers in the bike scene, and makes an annual visit to Portland to take part in Pedalpalooza and other events. (more...)

[Note: I reported this news yesterday as an update to a previous story. This post is being done to clarify the latest development.]

After they initially planned to suspend their Bicycle and Pedestrian Citizen Advisory Committee due to declining transportation revenues, Multnomah County has now announced that the committee will not be suspended and that it will continue to meet.

Senior Transportation Planner Jane McFarland sent out an email to committee members Wednesday stating that, "through a partnership with the Office of Citizen Involvement, we will be able to continue staffing the Bicycle/Pedestrian CAC in the near term." (more...)

[**See updates below**]

Multnomah County has admitted an error in their decision to temporarily suspend their Bicycle and Pedestrian Citizen Advisory Committee.

Yesterday, after seeing an email that was forwarded to committee members from Senior Transportation Planner Jane McFarland, I reported that the county had decided to not replace their bike/ped coordinator staff position and, as a result, would suspend the all-volunteer committee.

That decision surprised committee members and many in the community who were concerned that the county would be missing out on a very important part of how their transportation policy is made. (more...)

Members of the Multnomah County Bicycle and Pedestrian Citizen Advisory Committee were surprised this weekend when they received an email saying the committee will be "suspended until further notification".

The email came from the county's principal transportation planner Jane McFarland. McFarland wrote that "due to declining transportation revenues" Multnomah County has no plans to replace their recently departed bike/ped coordinator Jennifer Dederich and that, "regrettably, a consequence is that we are unable to staff the Bicycle and Pedestrian Citizen Advisory Committee..."

McFarland assured committee members that the County will "continue planning, constructing and maintaining bicycle and pedestrian facilities." (more...)

Multnomah County is looking for members to serve on its bike and ped citizen advisory committee. This is a great opportunity for an engaged community member who wants to help make sure that County owned properties (like the Burnside, Hawthorne, Broadway, Morrison, and Sellwood Bridges) continue to function well for bike traffic.

Members sought for county bicycle and pedestrian committee

Multnomah County is seeking members to serve on its Bicycle and Pedestrian Citizen Advisory Committee who live or work in East Multnomah County. The committee advises the county on bicycle and pedestrian issues related to the county’s road system, which includes: (more...)