The last, and most innovative of the BTA’s three legislative proposals is just one minor step from being an official bill.
Their “vulnerable users” proposal will be turned into the House Judiciary Committee in Salem today.
Here’s the official wording of the bill summary:
Next weekend (March 2-4) in San Jose the world’s best bicycle craftsmen will come together at the third annual North American Handmade Bicycle Show.
Portland will have a strong presence at the show this year with five exhibitors making the trip.
Headset and hub manufacturer Chris King Components, along with custom bike builders Ira Ryan, Tony Pereira, Joseph Ahearne and Sacha White will join an international list of exhibitors in showing off their latest and greatest creations.
The current issue of Wend, a Portland-based adventure magazine, includes a photo spread on wool bike clothing modeled by several local bike builders.
The photos were shot at Kruger’s Farm on Sauvie Island and include Ira Ryan of Ira Ryan Cycles, Tony Pereira of Pereira Cycles, and Natalie Ramsland of Sweetpea Bicycles.
The builders look sharp and are decked out in the latest wool togs, including a sweater from Castelli and jerseys from Portland Cyclewear, both locally-based companies.
Until the whole world shares our bike-friendly fantasies, it’s up to us to show people the way. This advocacy can take many forms, including the good, old-fashioned, well-mannered letter.
Jessica Roberts is a pro at writing such letters. She’s had many of them published in newspapers and probably hundreds sent to various bureaucrats and elected officials during her tenure as the BTA’s policy advocate.
She now works at Alta Planning and she’s still writing great letters.
The other day she was disappointed in the bike racks at her local drug store so she sent the management a letter. I thought it was something we could all learn from.
“Parks Department planners see the thousands of cyclists commuting over the Hawthorne Bridge daily and imagine that a shower, storage and repair facility might be a good use.”
-from Oregonian article
Bikestation board member and City of Vancouver Transportation Planner Todd Boulanger noticed an Oregonian article last month that he thinks offers the perfect opportunity to bring a bicycle-related tenant to a centrally-located, unused building on the waterfront.
And the Portland Parks and Recreation Department agrees with him.
The building in question is an architectural relic initially built in 1949 as the old Portland Oregon Visitor’s Center and most recently known as McCall’s Restaurant. The building sits just north of the Hawthorne Bridge and directly adjacent to the Salmon Street Fountain (map below).
Shift is a grassroots, all-volunteer group that promotes bike fun in Portland. If you ride a bike in this fair city, you’ve probably heard of them or taken part in one of their events (whether your realized it or not).
Shift is behind Breakfast on the Bridges, PedalPalooza, bike moves, and much more. They’re infectious brand of bike fun promotion has made them the gateway drug into the bike community for many Portland pedalers (including myself).
green 10-speed NYC bikes road bike with a woman’s saddle and no decals
More Info on Finetoothcog
Thieves ransacked The Community Cycling Center on NE Alberta and 17th this morning. Communications director Alison Hill says,
“We came in this morning to a ransacked shop and offices. Bikes, our safe, parts, and accessories stolen. Plus a day lost in the shop at a slow time of year. A big hit for a small organization.”
Alison says that neighbors and police, have noted a trend of other break-ins on the street.
Staff and volunteers have been cleaning up all day and will work into the night to put things back in order.
The Columbia River Crossing project is moving into a crucial phase, and it’s headed in the wrong direction.
A few weeks ago, I expressed concern about this project. Since then I’ve learned more and heard from many experts who share my concerns.
It’s now clear to me that we need to do something to stop the current course of action.
At this point, ODOT and WashDOT want to spend (a recently estimated) $6 billion to increase motor vehicle and freight capacity between Vancouver and North Portland by building an immense, new I-5 bridge and by re-designing the interchanges that access it.
So what’s the big deal? Where’s the controversy?