I’ve been sent a link to this video of an automated bike-parking elevator in Japan by at least 10 people, so I figured I should share it…
Month: April 2008
Widmer brothers will help kick off National Bike Month festivities
The Portland Office of the Transportation is gearing up for National Bike Month in May.
PDOT (in coordination with Shift and the BTA) has 13 events planned throughout the month (see full list below) including a bike/car race on May 1st that will pit the Widmer brothers — Rob and Kurt — against each other to see who can get across town faster.
Widmer Brothers Brewing was founded in 1984 and they still brew beer daily at their North Portland location.
PDOT announces National Bike Month events
Press Release below from the Office of Transportation:
MEDIA ADVISORY
For Immediate Release
April 24, 2008Is Biking Faster than Driving to Work? Widmer Brothers Kick Off Bike Month Celebration
(PORTLAND, OR) – Kurt and Rob Widmer will help the Portland Office of Transportation kick off National Bike Month with a friendly bike/car commuter “challenge” on Thursday, May 1st at 8:00 a.m., starting in front of the Cadillac Café (NE Broadway at 18th Avenue) and finishing at Portland City Hall, 1221 SW Fourth Avenue.
The event will highlight biking as a safe, healthy, fun, and quick way to get around. Riding three miles at a no-sweat (10 mph) pace, for example, takes less than 20 minutes while offering a range of health and community benefits.
The Widmer brothers will begin in Northeast Portland in front of the Cadillac Café on NE Broadway at 18th Avenue. Rob Widmer – a bike commuter and avid environmentalist – will bike to City Hall. Kurt Widmer will drive. Each contestant must park their vehicle before crossing the finish line at City Hall, 1221 SW Fourth Avenue, where Commissioner Sam Adams will congratulate the victor.
The Portland Office of Transportation’s SmartTrips Downtown project is sponsoring a month of events to celebrate National Bike Month. See below for the full calendar of events. SmartTrips Downtown has worked with over 75 employers to offer sustainable commuting tools (bike and walking maps, transit schedules, and carpool information) to over 20,000 downtown commuters.
The Widmer brothers will be joined by Kim Seymour, a sustainability specialist with David Evans and Associates. Seymour will be cycling a parallel route, starting on the NE Tillamook Avenue bicycle boulevard, to highlight options for riding with little car traffic.
Widmer Brothers brewing is one of the pioneers of craft brewing in Oregon. Its Widmer Hefeweizen was awarded the 2008 Gold Medal at the World Beer Cup and stands as one of the most popular wheat beers in America.
Press Release: Commissioners File Ordinance to Relocate Sauvie Island Bridge
PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release Contact: Tom Miller, 503-823-1121
April 23, 2008 Or: Shoshanah Oppenheim, 503-823-1125ADAMS, LEONARD, AND SALTZMAN FILE ORDINANCE TO ACQUIRE AND RELOCATE SAUVIE ISLAND BRIDGE
(PORTLAND, OR) – The Portland Office of Transportation (PDOT) announced today that City Commissioners Sam Adams, Randy Leonard, and Dan Saltzman will together file a City Ordinance that authorizes the City to acquire the center span of the Sauvie Island Bridge and relocate it from its current location to Northwest Flanders Street.
Commissioners release details of Sauvie Island Bridge re-use plan
The Sauvie Island Bridge span —
which now sits 11 miles north of
downtown Portland and connects
Highway 30 to Sauvie Island — is
headed to Northwest Portland.
(Photo © J. Maus)
which now sits 11 miles north of
downtown Portland and connects
Highway 30 to Sauvie Island — is
headed to Northwest Portland.
(Photo © J. Maus)
In a press release from City Hall this afternoon, PDOT announced that City Commissioners Sam Adams, Dan Saltzman, and Randy Leonard have agreed on a course of action that will put the Sauvie Island Bridge re-use plan up for a second City Council vote on May 7th.
If all goes according to plan, PDOT and Kuney will begin work on the project — which will relocate the span and put it to use as a bicycle and pedestrian crossing over I-405 at NW Flanders Street — on June 6th.
PDOT also announced they’ll hold a press conference on Friday to announce details of the plan.
Press Release: Press Conference for Sauvie Span Re-use Plan
This just in from PDOT:
COMMISSIONERS ADAMS, LEONARD, AND SALTZMAN ANNOUNCE NEW APPROACH TO ACQUIRE AND RELOCATE SAUVIE ISLAND BRIDGE
(PORTLAND, OR) – A press conference to announce the City’s new approach to acquire the center span of the Sauvie Island Bridge and relocate it from its current location to NW Flanders Street over I-405 will be held on Friday, April 25, at 3:30 p.m. at Chown Hardware, located at 333 NW 16th Avenue (at Flanders Street).
The jury’s out on Portland’s latest Platinum bid
Bike riding is on the rise, but the
jury’s out on Platinum.
(Photo © J. Maus)
jury’s out on Platinum.
(Photo © J. Maus)
The City of Portland is holding its breath as it awaits a decision from the League of American Bicyclists as to whether or not we’ve earned the coveted “Platinum” level Bicycle Friendly Community designation.
A decision from the Executive Director of the League, Andy Clarke, is expected any day now.
On-street bike parking coming to St. Johns
An on-street bike corral, like this one off
N. Mississippi Ave, might be coming
to downtown St. Johns.
(Photo © J. Maus)
N. Mississippi Ave, might be coming
to downtown St. Johns.
(Photo © J. Maus)
St. Johns area residents are hopeful that soon they’ll have an on-street bike corral installed downtown.
Longtime neighborhood activist Joe Adamski says he has met with the City of Portland’s Office of Transportation and members of the local business community on the project.
A BTA chapter in Vancouver?
Riders enjoying SE Columbia Way in
Vancouver. Photo taken from the
I-5 bridge.
(Photos © J. Maus)
Vancouver. Photo taken from the
I-5 bridge.
(Photos © J. Maus)
Advocates and concerned citizens from both sides of the river will meet tonight to discuss how to move bike advocacy forward in the city of Vancouver, Washington.
The meeting will be facilitated by Todd Boulanger, an active Vancouver bike advocate who also works for the City of Vancouver as a transportation planner (although at this meeting, he is acting as a citizen, not as a city employee).
Boulanger says he called the meeting to try and organize Vancouverites who care about better biking conditions. He hopes to someday establish an official, Vancouver chapter of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) or the Bike Alliance of Washington, or possibly an entirely new advocacy group.
Vancouver (WA) Bike Advocacy Meeting
TITLE: Vancouver BTA or Bike Alliance – organizing for advocacy in the
Couv!
DATE: 23 April – Wednesday
TIME: 5.30 PM to 6.30PM
PLACE: Wallis Engineering, 215 West 4th St., Ste 200, Vancouver (2
blocks north of the I-5 bike trail head on Columbia)
BIKE PARKING: Racks and poles outside on Fourth Street/ Columbia and
inside on the ground floor bike parking area (limited space).
WHY: This is an initial social meeting to discuss how to advocate for a
bike friendly Vancouver, share stories, and access help from the BTA and
the Bicycle Alliance of Washington. All bicyclists and friends of
bicyclists are welcome.
AGENDA:
– Pre-meeting social time (food)
– Welcome and Introductions
– Success and Failures for Bicycling Here
– Overview of advocacy resources in the region
– Gauging level of interest in organizing
– Next Steps
Our hosts Bob and Gill Wallis of Wallis Engineering will be providing
snacks and adult beverages for this social organizing meeting (thank
you!). Todd Boulanger will be facilitating and Chad Kays will be on hand
to help. For directions call: (360) 695-7041
LINKS
http://www.bicyclealliance.org/
http://www.bta4bikes.org/
Team Rubicon Roll-out Party
It’s almost time for Team Rubicon’s Fundraising and roll-out party. 100%, every last nickel, dime and penny will be donated to the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF).
But wait! There’s More!
Not only will all the funds raised be donated to the Lance Armstrong Foundation to help fund cancer research along with helping people face challenges and changes that come with cancer . . . The funds raised at the party will also send one lucky individual to the 2008 Portland LIVESTRONG Challenge. So come be part of the party!
AND If you have been looking for that hard to get SRAM Red kit, we have one. Current bid is at $1000.00, the money goes to a good cause, you get a SWEET parts kit . . .how could your significant other say no? Pencil in the 26th on your calendar and come bid on the SRAM Red Kit and or ORBEA OPAL or both.
We have two very special guest speakers on hand for the nights festivities. John Ohnstad, LAF mentor and Dr. Craig Nichols, Renowned Cancer Specialist (and Lance Armstrong’s physician). There will be information on the Portland LIVESTRONG Challenge and more.
Now for the Who, What, Where and When –
Who: Team Rubicion’s Roll out party
Where: Laurelwood Pizza Co, 1728 NE 40th Ave – Portland, OR – 97212
When: Saturday April 26th, 7pm – 9pm
Entry: $20 at the door (includes pizza and one drink voucher)
Raffle tickets are 1 for $5, 5 for $20, 10 for $30.
Dress: Please wear something yellow
Party information:
7:00 – Doors open
7:00 – 7:20 meets and greets -Silent Auction items can be reviewed and bid on
7:20 –7:25 Welcome
7:25 – 7:30 LAF manifesto
7:35 – Guest speaker John the LAF mentor
7:40 – Pete O’Connor shares his story and battle with cancer and what the LAF has meant to him
7:45 – Guest speaker –Dr. Craig Nichols;
8:00 – 8:05 – Meet the riders of Team Rubicon
8:05 – 8:30 Food, drinks are served – more opportunity to biding on silent auction
8:30 Raffle and Silent auction announcements.
9:00 Event over
Silent Auction Items
SRAM Red Kit in custom made cherry wood box in custom Padauk/Cherry wood box –retail price $2,000
ORBEA Opal frame – retail price- $2000
Raffle Items
Flak Jacket LIVESTRONG Oakley Glasses retail value – $150
Radar LIVESTRONG Oakley Glasses retail value – $185
$100 Gift Cert. Bike Gallery retail value – $100
Hammer Nutrition Product; short course fuel kit and long course fuel kit retail value – $200
2 Massages From Kurt Marion retail value – $100
Park Tool Kit retail value – $80
Pair of Schwalbe Tires ultrimo tires retail value – $160
LIVESTRONG Challenge bag from Nike retail value – $50
2 Descente Wool Retro Jackets retail value – $200
3 Descente Jerseys retail value – $100
Rapha items retail value – $375
Please share our invite with everyone, our goal is to fill all 100 seats at Laurelwood.
Special thanks to all our sponsors for giving us this opportunity to raise funds for the Lance Armstrong Foundation! We are so grateful for your support!
ORBEA • NIKE • SRAM • LAF • United Finance • Laurelwood Brewery • Hammer Nutrition • Bontrager • Russ Auto • Schwalbe • Park Tools • Giro • Oakley • Bike Gallery • E-Z Up Tent • Yakima • OBRA
Thank you and hope to see you there!
Norrene and David and all of Team Rubicon