The public school bond would boost
bike project budget.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The Portland Public School district is in the final weeks of pushing for a bond measure and levy that seeks to raise $548 million through increased property taxes. The money would be used to rebuild, renovate, and improve nearly 100 schools throughout Portland.

What does this have to do with bicycling?

Not only are neighborhood schools, biking, and the urban environment linked in important ways, the PPS bond measure offers a much more tangible benefit for our communities: If passed, the bond would set aside $5 million to be spent on transportation improvements administered by the City's Safe Routes to School program.
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Michelle Obama could help bring
Safe Routes to Schools to the table.
(Photo: White House on Flickr)

America has a long legacy of First Ladies who have used their diplomatic profile to further specific causes, so I was very pleased to learn that Michelle Obama's focus would be obesity.

Anyone who has spent time in the bike advocacy world knows that the obesity epidemic is often thrown around as a key reason why our country needs to put a higher priority on biking. So, is the First Lady's focus on obesity and "healthy families" something to get excited about? (more...)

Good spacing, a high visibility
location, and cobblestones!
(Photos © J. Maus)

When students and staff arrive at the campus of Benjamin Franklin High School in Southeast Portland (5405 SE Woodward), they're greeted with an important message: Bikes are respected, encouraged, and accommodated for.

The message isn't something you read on a poster. It's implied — by rows of perfectly spaced staple racks installed on concrete slabs surrounded by attractive cobblestones and located smack dab near the main entrance of the school. (A roof would make this parking perfect, and sources say that's in the works).

There are 18 staple racks, room for 36 bikes. With the generous spacing between them, cargo bikes, bikes with trailers, recumbents and even freak bikes have plenty of breathing room (for themselves and their owners). (more...)

How can the city say no to
a face like this?
-Slideshow below-
(Photos © J. Maus)

Last Friday, about 100 people -- most of them families with kids in tow -- rode to City Hall as part of a special edition of the BTA's monthly Kidical Mass ride. The goal was to raise awareness about the city's budget that currently threatens to lop off about 40% of funding for Safe Routes to Schools programs and is non-committal in terms of funding for promised new bike boulevards.

Riders met up at three locations throughout the city before coming together for a rally and hot cocoa on the steps of City Hall.

At the rally, people held signs that said, "Safe Routes to School is Kids on Bikes", "Funding Safe Routes = Healthy Families", and "Portland Needs Safe Routes!". The BTA's Michelle Poyourow took to the mic and urged the crowd to keep tabs on upcoming opportunities to weigh in on the the budget (the Mayor releases his version on April 28th) and to contact City Commissioners and urge them to fund bike projects and programs. (more...)

Portland's Safer Routes to Schools
program encourages kids to ride
to school -- but budget cuts loom.
(Photos © J. Maus)

The City of Portland's Safer Routes to Schools program is facing a steep drop in its funding for the 2009-2010 fiscal year.

In the past two years (Portland's fiscal year goes from July 1 to June 30) the Safer Routes to Schools program has had a budget of $850,000 and $840,000 respectively. According to the program manager at PBOT's Transportation Options division Linda Ginenthal, a sizable chunk of that budget -- $250,000 -- came from the city's General Fund in the form of "one-time funds" (PBOT-speak for allocations taken from a surplus in the city's budget).
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You're not likely to find a bike
like this at your local shop.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The other day, in the bike rack of my daughter's school, I noticed a very practical children's bike. It had everything a bike needs to be used as a real transportation vehicle -- a chain-guard, generator lights front and rear, a rack, a frame pump, full-coverage fenders, and a bell. (more...)

Crowded bike racks at
Roseway Heights school this morning.
(Photo: Anne Laufe)

Today is International Walk and Bike to School Day and 44 schools in Portland (and more than 150 throughout Oregon) will celebrate programs that encourage kids to get to school under their own power.

In Portland, the day's festivities will be centered at Rosa Parks Elementary School. Rosa Parks is one of 25 schools in the Portland area that receive the comprehensive "Safer Routes to Schools" program (which is funded through City of Portland's Community and Schools Traffic Safety Partnership (thanks to traffic fine revenues)). (more...)