(File photo)
A week after they published a story about the Sullivan’s Gulch Trail gaining steam, the Oregonian has written yet another pro-bike editorial.
In today’s issue (also, don’t miss the Mia Birk profile on the front page), the Oregonian admits that their “snide and snarky” comments about the Eastbank Esplanade back in 2001 were wrong.
Back then, when the Esplanade was just unveiled, the Oregonian commented unflatteringly at the path’s $419 per inch cost.
Today’s article not only admits they were wrong, but now they’re asking for more.
Here’s how the Oregonian describes the Esplanade:
“Why, with what it contributes to everything from our air quality to our daily smile quotient, many have come to think of the esplanade as Portland’s quality-of-life spine. Now it’s time to connect some ribs.”
The last line of the editorial puts the cost of — and their position on — bike/ped infrastructure into perspective:
“Amsterdam spends about $36 per citizen a year on its bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure. Portland spends about $2 a person, per year. We have, in other words, only just begun.”
Support and understanding from the local media outlet will be a key component as we rise to the challenge of being a world-class bicycling city.
(FYI, I tag all bike-related articles from the local media. They run in my sidebar and you can see an archived list of them on this page.)