The folks that manage Portland’s innovative South Waterfront neighborhood have planned a special transportation fair that will focus on sustainable ways to get around.
Part of the event will be a panel discussion titled, Give Sustainable Transport the Green Light that will focus on getting around Portland without a car.
A staffer at Oregon’s largest bicycle advocacy organization wants budget airline JetBlue to change their baggage policy.
In a story published on the BTA blog yesterday, Carl Larson described what happened when he tried to check a box for his flight from JFK to Portland:
The Portland Bureau of Transportation just issued their latest press release about the big winter storm. This time, the focus is on potholes.
PBOT is urging residents to report potholes* because the “heavy snowfall caused treacherous conditions for motorists…” (Hey wait, don’t potholes pose an equally, and even more severe potential hazard to cyclists?).
Since the outset of what has become an epic Storm of 2008 (stories, photos), we wondered how the Bureau of Transportation would handle the perennial problem of gravel on the roadways — and especially the gravel that inevitably ends up all over the bike lanes.
“Where sweepers could get to the curb, our first priority was bike lanes.”
— PBOT spokeswoman Cheryl Kuck
On December 16th, we reported that the City had their hands full with the storm, telling people who bike that they’d just have to wait until crews could clean it up.
In Portland, sometimes it seems like there are nearly as many yoga instructors as people on bikes. In fact, those two populations often seem to co-mingle.
A number of yoga studios around town offer deals for patrons who show up to class by bike, and a growing number of yoga instructors are taking the yoga-bike connection a step further by offering classes specifically tailored to the needs of everyday bikers, with particular attention on the muscles that are used the most in cycling. (These bike specific issues, and some suggested yogic solutions, were thoroughly outlined in Yoga Journal a few years ago.)
As part of their ongoing Central Portland Plan and the Central Portland Transportation Plan, the City’s Bureau of Transportation commissioned an analysis of parking conditions in the central city.
As part of that work, Kittlelson & Associates, Inc. (the planning firm the city hired), did a survey to find out which travel modes people use to get to the central city. [Note: The boundaries of the “central city” used in this analysis were Johnson/Naito Parkway/Burnside and 15th in the northwest and Burnside/Naito/Jackson and 18th in southwest.]
During his speech at the swearing-in ceremony at Parkrose High School yesterday, Mayor Sam Adams laid out his top three priorities; jobs, education, and sustainability.
There was no mention of bikes specifically, but it’s clear that “sustainability” is where Adams plans to push two-wheeled travel. Here’s a look at what he said about sustainability, interspersed with my thoughts.
After painting a picture of this planet’s “potential environmental doom”, Adams said there’s a “silver lining to this toxic cloud”:
“Portland is the ideal starting place for this nation to get serious about environmental sustainability. We can show what’s possible, setting an example the rest of the world can follow. And we can prove sustainability pays off.”
The speech below was given by Mayor Sam Adams at his swearing in ceremony at Parkrose High School on January 5, 2009.
BETTER TOGETHER: BECAUSE PORTLAND BELONGS TO ALL OF US
Thank you Portland! My name is Sam Adams. I am honored to be your mayor.Thank you for the introduction. And thank you Parkrose High School Broncos for your hospitality!
What a glorious and quirky city we have. Where else can you buy a donut designed to look like “dirt?” Or browse one of the world’s largest bookstores and then walk a couple of blocks to the world’s smallest park. There is a reason experts always seem to rank us so high. As the nation’s most livable city, the best city for seniors, the best city for walkers — a city known for its bikers and hikers; food and flowers; beer and bridges.
The reason for all this is clear: That reason is you. Us. All of us. Because we have created this think-different, keep-it-real, improve-the-world kind of culture; a culture of sustainability, a culture you can’t find just anywhere else. It is the reason why Portland is a city we can love. And it’s those values that position us to thrive at this moment of transition and transformation.
Portland has also become what it is, in part, because of our leaders. Like Mayor Tom Potter. He brought youth, immigrants, Portlanders of color into civic decision-making. Like Mayor Bud Clark. He boosted the city’s rainy day fund from a few thousand dollars to $20 million.And like my dear friend, Mayor Vera Katz. She created beautiful Portland places like the esplanade that circles the Willamette. Thank you. We are better people and a better place because of you.
In yet another sign that bikes are good for business…
The venerable Sunset Magazine (devoted to “Living in the West”) shares a trip to Portland with readers in their January 2009 edition. Their “Northwest weekend” section features a day trip to North Williams Avenue and the focus is on the area’s bike-ability and bike-friendly vibe.
Last night at City Hall was the big, public welcome party for Portland’s new mayor Sam Adams. There was lots of food and free beer and by all accounts it was a wild and zany night.
Before things really started getting crazy, Adams and each of the four commissioners addressed the crowd briefly. Adams said he feels Portland’s authenticity and quirkiness (that was on display all night) will help us stave off economic hard times and that he has “faith in Portland’s willingness to take on challenges”.
With a broad grin, Randy Leonard told the crowd he’s been holding himself back for the last few years (a joke, given his outspoken demeanor) and that, “Now Sam’s going to let me go.”
The Retro Image Apparel Company is the latest addition to Portland’s growing “bicycle industrial complex”. The company designs and markets bike jerseys adorned with vintage poster graphics and iconic characters like The Grinch and Popeye.
I spoke with the owner of the company, Roger Mallette, yesterday. Mallette said he has moved into a 4,000 square foot warehouse on SE Madison (at 2nd) that he’s sharing with bike apparel retailer Doug Dugay and his BicyclingHub.com business (I profiled Dugay in November 2007 at his previous location on SE Water Street).
