2008 Archives

Gresham will put more cops on bikes this summer

A Portland bike patrol unit
at work on SE Hawthorne in 2006.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The City of Gresham Police Department has just announced that they will bolster police bike patrols during the summer months.

Gresham PD spokesman Sgt. Claudio Grandjean says the move was made possible by utilizing School Resource Officers who are available to supplement regular patrol units during the summer months while kids are on break.

Four officers will begin the bike patrols on June 23rd and will continue until school starts in September. According to Grandjean their patrols will focus on the Springwater Corridor, parks, schools or any other areas identified by the patrol division as areas suitable for patrolling by bike.

Here in Portland, we could also use more bike patrol officers. Back in January of 2007, Officer Robert Pickett of the SE Portland Bicycle Patrol Unit wrote a guest article asking community members to write the Police Chief in support of adding more officers to the bike patrol program.

Gresham is a neighboring city to the east of Portland.

Penalosa inspires, gives Portland a reality check

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Gil Penalosa at the
Carfree Cities Conference.
(Photos © J. Maus)

During his inspiring keynote speech at the Carfree Conference yesterday, Gil Penalosa gave Portlanders a lot to think about.

Penalosa is the former Commissioner of Parks, Sport, and Recreation for the city of Bogota, Colombia. During his tenure, he transformed that city (population 7 million) by creating hundreds of acres of new parks, developing a connected network of greenways (linear parks) and bike paths, setting up an ambitious public transit system (utilizing Bus Rapid Transit) and establishing the “Ciclovia”, a carfree streets program adored by millions of Bogota residents each week (and by urban planners around the world).

The Sprockettes Dance Party Ride
leaves the PSU Park Blocks at
6:00 tonight!
(Photo © J. Maus)

Below is a list of Pedalpalooza events for Wednesday (6/18). More information at Pedalpalooza.org.

Bike to Skate
Oaks Park, Rose Quarter fountain Take Trimet (1 center court)
5:00pm – 9:00pm
Meet at the Rose Quarter at 5pm leave at 5:30, Bike the Esplanade to Oaks Park. Pot Luck Picnic at Oaks Park. Learn Rexing skating or just akate for fun. Very Family friendly

Sprockettes Dance Party Ride!!
South Park Blocks , South Park Blocks & PSU (SW Market & SW Park Ave.)
6:00pm
Come kick it with your hometown homegirls – the Sprockettes. We leave from PSU downtown and ride to the east bank esplanade for dancing to our bumpin’ mobile sound system. Bring snacks and drinks and play with our hula hoops, chariots, bikes, and trade sweet moves! Wear hot-pink and black to rep!

The scene here at City Hall tonight is on fire… literally.
(Photos © J. Maus)

In his speech addressing an international crowd at the Carfree Cities Conference, League of American Bicyclists executive director Andy Clarke announced that his organization will launch a Bicycle Friendly Business program.

In his address, Clarke also said the League plans to release the initial rankings of their recently launched Bicycle Friendly States program in September.

To a packed room of carfree and transportation advocates, Clarke sang the praises of Portland. He said one of the reasons Portland is “so awesome” is that we’ve “had the courage to lead.” He also laid out the many facets of our vibrant and diverse bike culture.

Hard at work in a street
redesign workshop.
Photo Gallery
(Photos © J. Maus)

After depaving a former parking lot in North Portland yesterday, the Towards Carfree Cities Conference marched on this morning at Portland State University.

The first half of the program dealt with two topics of major interest to urban planners (and anyone interested in healthy communities): families and freeways.

[via Biking Bis]

Johaan Bruyneel, one of the men behind Lance Armstrong’s eight Tour de France victories, has a new book and he’ll be stopping in Portland to talk about it on July 8th.

The book is, We Might As Well Win.

Here’s info on his Portland visit:

Johan Bruyneel Book Signing/Talk

Are ‘Fixies the new Roller Blades’?

Spotted at Colonel Summers Park
over the weekend.
(Photos © J. Maus)

In the bike world, few topics elicit as much heated conversation and interest as fixed gear bicycles (a.k.a. “fixies”).

BikeSnobNYC, one of the most well-known bike blogs in the world, has made a career out of skewering the fad, and my coverage of them — whether it’s about their legality or about their rising popularity in Portland — always garners a lot of comments.

I’ve only tried a fixie once or twice, so I’m no expert on the topic, but I still find this fascination with them rather interesting (if not strange). On that note, I came across two things recently that we can add to the fixie cultural notebook.

In an illustration that the political winds on transportation are shifting comes news of two bike-friendly bills that have recently passed through the U.S. House of Representatives.

In an effort to make Amtrak more bike-friendly, last Wednesday (6/11), the House passed H.R. 6003, “The Rail Passenger Improvement and Investment Act.” The bill reauthorizes Amtrak’s funding through 2013 (the the first re-authorization in 11 years).

This bill included an amendment to include funding for bike racks and increased bicycle access into rolling stock (i.e., railcars).

[Submitted by Ashley Mitchell. More on Cycle Seen at CycleSeen.org]

More photos
(Photo: Rachel Siegel)

Around 40 folks met up at Stumptown Roasters on Division this past Saturday around 10am. An early start, we checked out the art, drank some coffee and then headed to A Better Cycle to view the Ghost Bike installation and Bike Life. Just down the street was New Seasons, and the Friends & Family bike art show.

I realize it’s already Tuesday and there are new events to cover and rides to join, but I can’t resist sharing some photos, video and a few thoughts about a Saturday I’ll always remember.

It started at Colonel Summers Park in Southeast Portland. On the schedule was the 2nd Annual Stumptown Joustdown. The event was billed as the Pacific Northwest’s only organized bike jousting tournament, a “full day of metal on metal carnage and warfare” that promised, “smashed bikes, smashed bodies, and nudity.”

Pedalpalooza is in full swing! Below is a listing of events for Tuesday (6/17).

The highlight is the free, public day of the Towards Carfree Cities Conference. Tuesday’s Program highlights include: a panel on the defeat of the Mt. Hood Freeway moderated Portland Mercury news editor Amy Ruiz, a family transportation panel, a discussion of the Columbia River Crossing project, and keynote speeches by several stellar leaders of the carfree movement.

If you can’t make it to the Carfree Conference (and you’d rather be pedaling in the sunshine), join urban historian/adventurer/artist Shawn Granton for his famous Dead Freeways Ride. Shawn will share his knowledge on a tour of freeways to nowhere and other highway infrastructure lore.

Gresham will put more cops on bikes this summer

Penalosa inspires, gives Portland a reality check

Pedalpalooza Events for Wednesday (6/18)

Bike culture takes over City Hall

Bike League will launch Bicycle Friendly Business Program

Families, freeways, among topics as Carfree Conference kicks off

Johaan Bruyneel book tour will stop in Portland

Are ‘Fixies the new Roller Blades’?

Congress passes bills to make trains, schools, more bike-friendly

Ride report: Cycle Seen Art Ride

A Saturday to remember: Bike jousting, daytime nakedness, and a cycling circus

Pedalpalooza Events for Tuesday (6/17)

Latest Headlines

‘Better Sheridan’ project brings safer street to South Waterfront

Your guide to finding the ‘Wildwood’ crows by bike

My journey to that ‘Hard Rock glow’

Off-Road Cycling Master Plan: A decade later, what has changed?

From the Archives

The 10 busiest bicycling spots in Portland