Month: March 2009

Press Release: BTA opposes Columbia River Crossing project

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Below is the full text of the BTA’s press release in opposition to the CRC project:

BICYCLE TRANSPORTATION ALLIANCE FORMALIZES OPPOSITION TO COLUMBIA RIVER CROSSING

Monday, March 22, 2009 – The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) announced today our opposition to the massive freeway expansion, known as the Columbia River Crossing, that is being planned between Portland and Vancouver.

Widening the freeway to move more cars will generate more traffic in Portland and in Clark County, will speed up climate change by releasing more greenhouse gases, and will spew pollutants into the air around N Portland and Vancouver neighborhoods.

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BTA shifts tone, issues statement opposing the CRC project

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

“Expanding the freeway and constructing six new massive interchanges will do tremendous damage to the bike friendliness of communities around the project.”
— From a press release issued today by the BTA

The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) issued a statement today in opposition to the Columbia River Crossing project. The statement is by far the BTA’s most strongly-worded criticism yet in the 18 months they’ve been tracking the project.

After Mayor Sam Adams and Portland City Council (and soon thereafter the Project Sponsor’s Council) voted in support of building the new I-5 bridge to a size that could accomodate up to 12 lanes, many BTA members and others in the community felt like the project had taken a major turn for the worse.

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Why the City of Eugene opposes the Idaho Stop law

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

The letter from Eugene’s
bike program coordinator in
opposition to the Idaho Stop bill.
(Download PDF)

Last week, when the Idaho Stop Law bill — which would allow bikes to treat stop signs as yields (adopting a law similar to one already on the books in Idaho) — was in its first hearing down in Salem, one surprise that emerged was a letter of opposition sent from the City of Eugene to the House Transportation Committee.

The Bicycle Transportation Alliance‘s government affairs director Karl Rohde said he was “surprised” about Eugene’s move. Rohde told me this morning that none of the people the BTA works with in Eugene had warned him that there might be opposition to the bill.

Rohde said Eugene’s opposition to the bill also came as a surprise to BTA board member and Eugene resident Paul Adkins (Adkins is also president of Eugene’s local bike advovacy group, the Greater Eugene Area Riders (GEARs)).

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The Monday Roundup

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Intextication; more “resisting arrest”; slowing growth; failed bike lanes; the true cost of driving; coffeeshop on the Hawthorne; make your own bike bell

Time for the news roundup, folks:

– A bad sign for the bike economy? Trek has furloughed 300 employees from one of its plants.

– Is “intextication” the new drunk driving?

– Virginia has outlawed the cul de sac, saying all new subdivisions must have through streets.

– In Millville, Pennsylvania, three police officers caught themselves on video tackling a teenage woman from her bike and beating her in the course of pulling her over for riding on the sidewalk. She was convicted of resisting arrest and has now filed a civil suit.

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Bikes will take center stage at City Club

Tony Pereira's new singlespeeds-23.jpg

New bikes await customers in
Tony Pereira’s SE Portland shop.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The City Club of Portland is set to host a special edition of their Friday Forums series entitled, “It’s All About the Bike”.

The City Club is a Portland institution that began nearly 100 years ago and whose members read like a who’s-who of social and political power brokers in the city. It’s where Mayor Sam Adams gave his first “State of the City” and it’s a common forum for Governors, statesmen, and titans of local industry.

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Mayor announces first of four bike corrals promised in “100 Days” plan

Kryptonite Racks in the Pearl-2.jpg

PBOT will remove and then reconfigure
these racks on NW 13th at
PNCA. They will also add 13 more.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Mayor Adams can tick an item off his list of promises to fulfill in his first 100 days as Mayor.

Adams’ office has announced the first of four new bike corrals that will go up around Portland in the coming weeks. The new racks are coming to NW 13th street adjacent to the Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) in the Pearl District. Slated for installation on Tuesday of next week, the City of Portland Bureau of Transportation plans to install 13 new staple racks in the place of two motor vehicle parking spaces.

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Lovejoy crash victim asks for help with bills, bike

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Asha Laura Whittle.
(Photo: Asha Laura Whittle)

Asha Whittle’s story could have been tragic.

Judging from the nature of the collision (she and her bike were dragged across the intersection), photos taken at the scene, and comments from police and other first responders, when I first reported about her crash earlier this month, I expected that she had sustained major injuries.

Fortunately, she suffered only minor injuries. She left a comment a day after the crash saying she was “miraculously fine” and is now out of the hospital and trying to get back to life as usual.

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More details on Morrison Bridge bike improvements: Construction starts next week

The (very) long-awaited bike and pedestrian improvements to the Morrison Bridge will begin construction next week.

In the plans are a 15-foot wide shared path that will be added (only) to the south side of the bridge (it will be a two-way facility), from SW Alder Street to SW Naito Parkway on west side and SE Water Ave. on the east side. This $1.9 million project will vastly improve biking conditions on this bridge. Currently, the Morrison has only five-foot sidewalks (even narrower at pinch points) on each side.

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Idaho Stop rolls on: Committee work session scheduled, vote likely

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

[Update, 10:50am: According to a comment from Karl Rohde of the BTA, the work session has been delayed for a few weeks.]

A day in Salem-2

The BTA’s Karl Rohde, seen here
on the steps of the capitol
earlier this week.
(Photos © J. Maus)

The House Transportation Committee has scheduled a work session for the Idaho Stop law proposal (HB 2690).

The work session will take place this Wednesday (3/25) and the BTA’s government affairs director and lobbyist Karl Rohde says it’s very likely a vote will also take place.

I spoke with Rohde about the news this morning. Just yesterday, he expressed major concerns that biased and inaccurate media coverage of the bill was jeopardizing its chances.

Rohde said that scheduling a work session means that committee Chair Terry Beyer feels strongly enough about the bill that she’s willing to discuss it further. Work sessions are closed to public testimony but Rohde will be on hand to answer any questions that might arise from committee members.

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From the Archives

With six kids and no car, this mom does it all by bike