I got an early look at PDOT’s new educational video — On the Move with Mr. Smooth — which is slated to debut at tomorrow’s bike box press event.
Month: March 2008
Non-profit hopes ‘Baristas for Bikes’ leads to bikes in Rwanda
Local non-profit Bikes to Rwanda has launched a new effort to raise awareness and funds for their programs.
A farmer on one of the Bikes to Rwanda cargo bikes.
(Photo: Bikes to Rwanda)
(Photo: Bikes to Rwanda)
Bikes to Rwanda was founded last year by Stumptown Coffee’s Duane Sorenson. Their mission is to provide cargo bikes to coffee farmers in Rwanda and to establish bike shops in the communities once the bikes are there.
Their new effort, dubbed “Baristas for Bikes” will launch at the upcoming Western Region Barista Competition being held in Berkeley, California at the end of March.
Police “very pleased” with bike box compliance
Unlike their morning shift, the Traffic Division of the Portland Police Bureau was busy yesterday afternoon at the intersection of SE Hawthorne and 7th.
Urban fixed-gear scene alive and well in Portland
Ben Ficklin practices tricks on
the Eastbank Esplanade.
(Photos © J. Maus)
the Eastbank Esplanade.
(Photos © J. Maus)
Portland’s urban fixed-gear scene is on a roll. A new fixed-gear website has been launched and two upcoming events are testament to the growing community of riders who enjoy the challenges and thrills of riding track bikes in the city.
Alex Kroman announced the debut of PDXFixed.com yesterday. He says he created the site to, “unite the different groups of fixed gear riders in Portland and give them a place to congregate, talk about bikes, and plan group rides.” Kroman says fixed-gear riding is on the rise in Portland and that, “it’s hard to pass a bike rack in this city without seeing at least one fixie locked up to it.”
Portlander wins national tall-bike jousting competition
Tiller at a Portland event in 2006.
(Photos © J. Maus)
(Photos © J. Maus)
Portland resident and regular Zoobomber Gabriel Amadeus Tiller, dueled his way to victory at the recent St. Ratrick’s Day tall-bike jousting competition in Chicago.
Held each year since 2002 by Chicago’s infamous Rat Patrol bike club, St. Ratrick’s Day is celebratory event that features a freak bike parade and other shenanigans.
To win this year’s coveted crown, Tiller outlasted his opponent in what was reportedly an “epic joust” held at midnight amid sub-freezing temperatures in Logan Square. On his way to victory in the finals, Tiller endured a second round match that took six jousts to declare a winner. In the final contest, Tiller said it was a close call, with both men hitting the pavement at nearly the same time.
PDOT ponders fix for dangerous intersection
NE Broadway looking west across Williams.
(Photos © J. Maus)
(Photos © J. Maus)
The intersection of NE Broadway and N Williams is notorious among many Portlanders.
The intersection (view on Google Maps) is a high-volume, high-speed, five-lane, one-way thoroughfare with a bike lane sandwiched between two right-turn lanes (one is also a through lane). That makes it bad enough, but several other factors make it even more of a nightmare;
Share the Road license plates finally back on track
Order yours today!
After a tumultuous design revision process, the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles says they’re ready to start re-issuing the Share the Road license plate.
The plate was approved by the Legislature in the 2008 session and was supposed to be made available on January 1st, 2008. However, due to a misunderstanding between the plate’s designer and the DMV, the plate was put on hold while design issues were dealt with.
U.S. House exec. will talk bike-sharing on Portland visit
House CAO Dan Beard
(Photo House CAO Office)
(Photo House CAO Office)
Dan Beard, the Chief Administrative Officer of the U.S. House of Representatives will be in Portland later this week. Beard is slated to speak about House Speaker Nancy Pelosi’s “Green the Capitol” initiative at the Better Living Show coming to the Portland Expo Center on Sunday (3/29).
Pelosi’s “Green the Capitol” program is intended to make the U.S. House “a showcase for sustainability,” and was announced last May by Congressman Earl Blumenauer. A large component of the plan includes improved parking, showers, and changing facilities for Capitol Hill cyclists.
Police begin enforcement of new bike box
Officer Voepel keeps a watchful
eye on the new bike box.
(Photos © J. Maus)
eye on the new bike box.
(Photos © J. Maus)
This morning, officers from the Portland Police Bureau’s Traffic Division began a series of targeted enforcement missions at the new bike box on SE Hawthorne Blvd.
Traffic Division Lieutenant Bryan Parman and three of his officers were on hand to watch the intersection and make sure road users complied with the newly installed traffic control device. As per their strategy, the officers are only giving out warnings and the plan is to follow up this mission and issue citations when necessary after a two week grace period.
The CRC and sprawl: A tale of two regions
One thing that makes the Columbia River Crossing (CRC) project such a headache for policy makers, and for anyone trying to make sense of the debate, is that it involves two places with very different ideas about planning for transportation and population growth.
Bikes don’t merit a mention in Governor’s ‘State of the State’
Governor Ted Kulongoski addressed Oregon residents with his ‘State of the State’ speech on Friday.
(Photo © J. Maus)
In it, he talked about how transportation is one of his top five policy priorities. He mentions the importance of funding roads and bridges, seaports, airports, and railroads. All good places to invest for sure.
But in all of his talk about our transportation, congestion, traffic safety and climate change problems, the bicycle — a particularly cheap and readily-available solution to all of the above — didn’t even merit a mention.
Debate Club: Columbia River Crossing
The Bus Project and the Portland Mercury present for March’s Debate Club: The Columbia River Crossing.
Location:
The edge of Belmont
Street:
3350 SE Morrison St.
City/Town:
Portland, OR
Phone:
5032333018
Email:
tara.sulzen[at]busproject.org
Description
Join the Bus Project and the Portland Mercury for our monthly hot topic debate with Dialogue, Democracy and Drinks.
What’s your take on what could be the largest public works project in Pacific NW history?
With Metro Councilor Rex Burkholder as Moderator and experts on both sides of the issue, (including economist Joe Cortright, Washington’s Clark County Commissioner Steve Stuart, Jill Fuglister from Coalition for a Livable Future and a rep. from the Columbia River Crossing Task Force) come to find out for yourself what the options are for the Columbia River Crossing.
Who decides if we’re building a new I-5 bridge? What are the options on the table now? How much will it cost? Who is involved in the planning?
Contact Tara Sulzen at the Bus Project (503 233 3018) with questions.