First, vandals hit the I-205 bike path, making off with metal and copper from light fixtures. Now, someone has set off an improvised explosive device (IED).
From Oregon City News:
Authorities are searching for the person or people responsible for setting off an improvised explosive device (IED) on a bicycle path that runs parallel to I-205 last night.
Just a quick reminder about a few stories you might have missed over on Page Two:
This just in, from the Bike, Walk, Vote political action committee:
Bike Walk Vote Co-Endorses Chris Smith, Jeff Bissonnette for City Commissioner District 1 Seat
Bike Walk Vote PAC, the political arm of the Portland area’s bicycling and walking lobby, has endorsed two of the seven candidates in the Portland City Commission District 1 race.
Chris Smith and Jeff Bissonnette received the endorsement based on their records and their answers to an extensive questionnaire.
According to an article in the Oregonian over the weekend, Portland City Council will delay their vote on the Safe, Sound, and Green Streets funding proposal one week.
The vote was supposed to happen this Wednesday (1/16), but, Commissioner Sam Adams wants to put the vote on hold to work on some changes.
Pedicab entrepreneur Jonathan Magnus has expanded his offerings. In addition to regular service downtown, his company, PDX Pedicab, now offers special tours.
Here’s the menu:
Because of their bike-centric policies and staggering amount of bike traffic, Portland has an ongoing love-affair with Amsterdam.
So, it might come as a shock to learn that a senior health official from The Netherlands (where riding a bike is safer than taking a shower) recently came here in search of guidance and inspiration.
Back in August, Loek Hesemans — the Senior Policy Officer at The Netherland’s Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport — made a trip to Cascadia (he visited Portland and Vancouver BC). His goal was to learn how our policymakers promote and plan for bike use, and to examine the role our bike culture plays (or doesn’t) in increasing ridership.
Over the weekend, Portland’s roads got a little safer thanks to a bit of effort and a bag (or two) of chalk.
Daniel Johnson (in photo) and Heather Andrews took to the streets over the weekend to literally draw attention to potholes and other road hazards. “I personally have gotten bruised ribs, a broken arm, and a concussion from pothole related accidents,” says Johnson, describing his motivation for the effort.
Thanks to good folks at Seattle Bike Supply, for the past several months I’ve been the lucky caretaker of a Batavus “Old Dutch”. I hoped the Portland sales rep who loaned it to me would have forgotten about it, but unfortunately, last Friday it was time to give it back.
New hybrid bike, purchased at the Beaverton Bike Gallery. Lite blue hybrid. 13″.
More Info on Finetoothcog
A few minutes ago, I posted a story about a potentially new directive within the Police Bureau that would call for all bike-involved collisions to be investigated.
Now I have confirmed with the PPB’s Public Information Officer Brian Schmautz that yes, there will be a modification of their policy, but it is a bit different than what I first assumed.
According to an experience this morning by a reader, a potentially significant and positive change has been made at the Portland Police Bureau: a new directive that says all bike-related collisions will be investigated.
I share his story below (more analysis follows):
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A little after 8:00 am this morning, Jasun Wurster was riding his bike westbound on SE Madison Avenue, approaching the intersection with Grand before pedaling over the Hawthorne Bridge.
Jasun was riding in the bike lane when a Subaru Legacy cut in front of him, causing him to run into the rear bumper and get knocked to the ground. Luckily Jasun was not hurt, but it’s what happened next that’s important.
As part of their campaign to roll out bike boxes at 14 major Portland intersections, PDOT is soliciting bids from the community for a new video that would explain the why, what, and how about bike boxes.
Greg Raisman from PDOT’s community traffic safety department says the video will be posted online and that the messaging will include bicyclists, but will “likely be geared more towards motorists”. He says they want something that is “fun and hip” that will get through the dull, wonky nature of the subject (bring up “bike box” at a pub and watch your friends cringe).