🚨 Please note: BikePortland is currently on hiatus and only publishing guest posts. Learn more here. And please join us at our 20th Anniversary and Beer Collab Release Party on May 13th 🎉 Thank you. - Jonathan 🙏

Year: 2008

Council passes landmark funding proposal; Romain will refer

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

[Updated: 7:26pm]

Romain strikes again.
(Photo © Jonathan Maus)

Earlier today Portland City Council passed Commissioners Adams’ Safe, Sound and Green Streets funding plan.

The plan would be a huge boon to bicycling in Portland, with nearly $30 million (out of $400 million total) going toward bike safety improvements. But don’t start the celebration yet…

The Willamette Week is reporting that, in a surprise move, Oregon Petroleum Association lobbyist Paul Romain will seek to gather signatures and refer the proposal to the ballot.

In the weeks leading up to the Council vote, seeking to thwart opposition and the threat of referring the proposal to the ballot, Adams struck what was thought to be a workable compromise with Romain. Adams staffers working on the proposal believed they had a firm agreement from Romain’s group that in light of the compromises they would not attempt the referral effort.

Read more

Smith turns in 1,180 signatures, certification likely

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

This just in from the Chris Smith campaign:

Chris Smith Submits 1,180 Signatures for VOE Certification

This afternoon Chris Smith formally requested certification as a publicly financed candidate under the city’s “Voter Owned Elections” system. Smith, who is running for the Position 1 seat of the City Council, turned in 129 additional qualifying signatures and accompanying five-dollar contributions from registered Portland voters for a total of 1,180 qualifying contributions. Candidates running for City Commissioner qualify for an initial $150,000 in public financing from the City by collecting a minimum of 1,000 verifiable signature-contributions and adhering to a strict code of conduct when campaigning. The City Elections Officer has already verified 921 of Smith’s first 946 forms.

Read more

NAHBS preview: Jordan Hufnagel/Hufnagel Cycles

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward
NAHBS teaser - Jordan Hufnagel

The hand and the work
of Jordan Hufnagel.
(Photos: Jonathan Maus)

Jordan Hufnagel made his debut back in November at the Oregon Handmade Bicycle Show.

Since then, the 26 year-old behind Hufnagel Cycles has been very busy. I stopped by his shop just off SE Madison and 7th to see what he’s got up his sleeve for the North American Handmade Bicycle Show (NAHBS).

Jordan says he’ll bring five bikes: a mixte (with a very new and not currently available in the U.S. SRAM iMotion internal 9-speed hub) and a singlespeed for around town; two track bikes (including one for himself); and one road racing bike.

Read more

Stolen Surly Karate Monkey

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Unusual Surly Karate Monkey with LOTS of reflective tape, drop handlebars, studded tires, Titanico saddle, high power homebrew light system w/ running lights, Chariot Sidecarrier child trailer mount.

More Info on Finetoothcog

Momentum bumps up Portland distribution

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Momentum is based in
Portland’s sister cycling city,
Vancouver BC.

Vancouver, BC-based Momentum Magazine, has expanded their distribution in Portland.

Editor Amy Walker says she wants to get the magazine in front of more Portland faces and to do it, they’ve contracted with the same distribution service used by the Portland Mercury.

In addition to Portland, Momentum has also expanded into New York, Chicago, Minneapolis, San Francisco and Seattle.

Read more

Update on Share the Road license plates

[Updated: 1/30, 3:31pm (see end of article)]

As I reported on Monday, the status of Oregon’s new Share the Road license plates are in temporary limbo.

I have since learned from the man behind the plates, Jerry Norquist, that the issue stems from a need to “fine tune” the design. Norquist says there has been a series of “miscommunications” about the design between himself, the plate’s designer (Sanstrom Design), and the Oregon Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV).

Read more

Car hits woman on bike, driver flees

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Please keep your eyes peeled for a motor vehicle involved with a hit-and-run collision that took place about an hour ago at SE 8th and Stark.

According to officers I spoke to on the scene, a woman was riding her bike southbound on SE 8th when a man in a car turned his vehicle in front of her onto SE Stark. The collision resulted in minor injuries and the woman on the bike was taken away in an ambulance.

The officers said a witness stepped forward and claimed the driver of the car was “driving aggressively” prior to the incident.

Read more

Local recumbent accessory maker expands

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Southeast Portland based TerraCycle has purchased FastBack Designs of Fort Collins Colorado.

Here’s more from the press release:

TerraCycle, of Portland, Oregon, and FastBack Designs, of Fort Collins, Colorado, two leading companies in the design and manufacture of accessories for recumbent bicycles, have announced that TerraCycle will acquire FastBack and expand its successful line of hydration packs and frame bags.

Read more

Vancouver Council will go for all-ages helmet law

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

(Photo © Jonathan Maus)

Last night, Vancouver City Council decided to postpone their vote on a new helmet ordinance. The ordinance, which initially sought to only apply to kids under 18 years old, is now likely to apply to everyone.

Jan Bader at the City Manager’s office told me that the Council did not pass the ordinance last night and instead, “sent it back to staff for revisions to make it all ages.”

“We’re going to rework it,” she said, “and look at suggestions from testimony received last night from local bike clubs.”

Read more

Latest Headlines

What does our city need? And how can BikePortland help?

I’m going on hiatus

Come to BikePortland’s 20th birthday and beer collab release party!

Big day for PBOT budget as new revenue proposals head back to Council Wednesday

From the Archives

The 10 busiest bicycling spots in Portland