Cover of ODOT’s new manual.

Here’s some good news on a little thing we care a lot about: The power of words.[Read more…]

(Photos: Transportation Research and Education Center at Portland State University)

Did you know the vaunted urban planning department at Portland State University hosts a free, week-long summer camp for high school students? [Read more…]

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A PBOT maintenance staffer installs a character on North Blandena Street.
(Photos: City of Portland)

The latest members of Portland’s cute and quirky cast of bikeway characters have come to life.

Earlier this month Portland Bureau of Transportation crews installed the three winners from the 2020 Bike to Books contest. Launched in 2017, the competition is a partnership with Multnomah County Library (with funding from Metro) to encourage youth cycling during National Bike Month.

The three new designs were installed in north Portland.

As you check them out below, notice how good PBOT crews have gotten at implementing the designs. They’ve become highly-skilled thermoplastic artisans!

Design by Nathan Monroe-Ramberg.

“Rainbow Trout,” was designed by Nathan Monroe-Ramberg is the winner in the 7th – 12th grade category. This design is swimming along on N Concord Avenue at Ainsworth Street. Swipe to see this design come to life.

Design by Lola May Watters.

“Too many babies,” designed by Lola May Watters is the 3rd – 6th grade winner. This is design is clucking away on N Blandena Street at N Kerby Avenue. Swipe to see this design come to life.

Design by Corinne Barclay.

“Strawberry on a bicycle,” designed by Corinne Barclay is the Pre-K to 2nd grade winner. You can find this berry good design jammin’ at N Bryant Street west of N Missouri Avenue. Swipe to see this design come to life.

Portland has been creating bike lane characters since 1999. It started on a whim by a maintenance employee and has evolved through the years to become a “museum of random bike art” and beloved tradition among PBOT staff and the public. Learn more about the Bike to Books program at Portland.gov.

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
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[Read more…]

Lindsay Caron in Portland in 2009.
(Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)

Lindsay Caron is in a San Diego hospital after being hit from behind by a driver while riding her bike on Monday.

According to news reports in San Diego, Lindsay was hit from behind while riding on Ingraham Street in Pacific Beach around 10:20 pm Monday Night. The driver of what authorities think is a dark, four-door SUV fled the scene and is still on the loose. If you have any information about what happened please contact San Diego PD’s traffic division at 858-495-7805 or Crime Stoppers at 888-580-8477.

The collision caused life-threatening injuries and Lindsay is still at the hospital. A friend who set up a Facebook support group for Lindsay said she’s in a medically-induced coma and is scheduled for several surgeries.

Lindsay lives in Seattle and is a prodigious traveler and adventurer who attended Portland State University from 2009 to 2012. When not working toward her environmental studies degree, she was active in the cycling scene. In 2010 she wrote a few stories for BikePortland. In 2011 she earned a professional development grant from Portland Society. [Read more…]

The 2021 bike industry hiring boom continues this week with four fresh opportunities posted to our job listings.

Learn more about them via the links below, and good luck with your applications!

– Sales & Installation Technician – Rack Attack

– DevOps + Sysadmin – Ride with GPS

– Machinist/Production Assistant – TerraCycle, Inc.

– Assembly/Production Assistant – TerraCycle, Inc.
[Read more…]

Steel beams surrounded by a cage in the middle of ODOT’s I-5 path tunnel.
(Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)

The path that gets bicycle riders and walkers across the Columbia River adjacent to I-5 between Portland and Vancouver is notoriously terrible. Riders are routed onto dangerous crosswalks, sidewalks, and are forced to use “beg buttons” just to get onto the narrow path that goes across the river.

With my parents in town for a visit this week, I recently met them at their hotel on Hayden Island for a walk across the river to Vancouver (their new riverfront developments are wonderful!).

On our way back, as we walked down the path on the southbound side of the bridge, I was very surprised to see a huge obstruction in the middle of the tunnel that goes under the freeway.

This tunnel is not well-lit and is poorly maintained in general. It was never a favorite part of the crossing to me. Now there’s a huge steel cage structure that protrudes well over half the width of the path. I didn’t notice any temporary or permanent warning signage of any kind. The only safety measures that have been taken by ODOT thus far are two small white reflective strips placed about eye level on the structure itself.

I also don’t recall ever being notified by ODOT about this project and how it would impact path users.

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I asked ODOT Region 1 Public Information Officer Don Hamilton for more information.

He said ODOT had to install steel beams to support the tunnel structure so the agency would not be forced to place a weight restriction on trucks using I-5. “We placed the cage around them so the homeless community would not be able to access the area and cause a safety issue with the system.”

The tunnel wasn’t well lit or very safe even before the cage was built.

The beams and cage were installed sometime between December and April. Hamilton said they have no plans to remove it and it’s likely it will remain in place until a new bridge is constructed.

While my family and I were walking near the cage a few days ago, two bicycle riders rolled by and we had to step back against the railings to get out of their way.

If you ride this tunnel, please slow down and be aware of this obstruction — especially in the southbound direction as downhill speeds might make it harder to turn away from the steel bars at the last second.

One reader already told us they almost hit it. “I had a close call with it for the first time just this week. Let’s just say If you’re coming off the southbound ramp with some speed and there’s other people milling around and an on-coming rider it would come as a bit of a surprise.”

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
— Get our headlines delivered to your inbox.
— Support this independent community media outlet with a one-time contribution or monthly subscription.