May 2009 Archives

Blumenauer makes Portland bike boulevards a “High Priority” project

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

U.S. Congressman Earl
Blumenauer has made his
transportation project
requests public.
(Photo © J. Maus)

U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer has made his list of “High Priority” transportation projects public, and several of them are for bike-related projects in and around the Portland metro area. According to Blumenauer, the list was created to “ensure communities are full partners” in Congress’s efforts to re-write the federal transportation bill.

Capitol Hill lawmakers are in the process of creating the new bill, and as per usual, there is expected to be a lot of political wrangling and scrambling on how the hundreds of billions of dollars are spent. A small percentage of funds in the bill will go toward “High Priority Projects” that are specifically designated by Members of Congress.

Detail from a plan to make NE Holladay Street a carfree corridor.
Download PDF (2.4MB)
(Graphic by Parametrix)

New bike parking in Northwest Portland at Thurman and 24th in front of Dragonfly Coffee House. (Plans call for rubber bumpers around the edges, like on existing corrals).
(Photos by Dan Liu)

A bike bill of rights; reclaiming public spaces; commutes that suck; federal officials who ride; bikesharing in Canada; and yes, the car is still king.

– The New York Times created a big buzz with a front page article about Vauban, a carfree suburb in Germany. The heated discussion that has ensued in hundreds of comments centers around the possibility of creating similar developments in the United States.

– Colorado has just enacted a Cyclists’ Bill of Rights, including a three foot passing law as well as criminal penalties (including jail time) for throwing objects from a car at someone on a bike. The bill has earned acclaim, though not without its naysayers who complain of “special treatment.”

– Washington State transportation planners are looking for ways to cut the Columbia River Crossing budget. One of their first ideas: reduce the number of lanes from 12 to 10.

The Zoobomb Pyle at
SW 10th and Oak
(Photos © J. Maus)

An idea nearly three years in the making will finally bear fruit later this month when Zoobomb holds an event to dedicate the new permanent home for their “Pyle” of mini-bikes.

As we reported back in October 2007, the Zoobombers worked with Mayor Sam Adams (then Commissioner of Transportation), the Regional Arts and Culture Council (RACC) and the Bureau of Transportation to secure a $10,000 grant for the project.

The new rack will be an officially recognized and sanctioned work of public art. Or, as Zoobomb puts it:

“A new home for Zoobomb’s bicycle lending library and a monument to public space, bicycling,and free fun!”

It’s going to be an incredible weekend!

It’s the weekend! The main event is blue skies and temperatures in the 80s.

It looks like there are also a few organized bicycle rides and events happening.

Ride to the Farmer’s Market from Ladd’s Circle on Saturday with bike2market — and while you’re there, take advantage of a workshop on biking with cargo, presented by Joe Bike, where you can “learn how to haul kids, concrete, kayaks, or a week’s worth of groceries by bike.”

You never know what you’ll
see during Pedalpalooza.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Shift’s eighth annual Pedalpalooza is shaping up fast. A quick browse at the ever-expanding ride calendar (178 events posted as of today!) and you’ll realize that this year’s 17-day fest will once again raise the bike fun bar to unprecedented heights.

This year, the entire BikePortland team will be out on the rides, bringing you daily reports, photos, videos and all the info you’ll need to be a well-informed Pedalpalooza-er. We’ve covered the event since 2005, and this year, local burrito purveyor Laughing Planet Cafe has stepped up to help sponsor our coverage. What that means to you (besides knowing they are helping support our work), is… free burritos!

Throughout this year’s Pedalpalooza, we’ll pass out 40 special tickets good for a free burrito at Laughing Planet. All you have to do is to get out there. Volunteer, lead a ride, dress up yourself or your bike, and we’ll find you.

My view of NE Sandy
this morning.
(Photos © J. Maus)

On crowded Portland streets, where taking the lane isn’t comfortable or necessary, people on bikes are usually expected to ride in a 4-5-foot wide bike lane. With cars speeding closely by on one side, and sometimes with cars parked just inches by on the other, I get pretty sensitive when something degrades the quality of that lane.

We’ve reported about various forms of bike lane disrespect in the past; from their use as loading/drop-off zones, the dangers of “door zones”, to them being the permanent resting place of gravel. (Another big issue with Portland’s bike lanes is the epidemic proportion of lanes where the paint stripe has been completely worn off…but that’s a story for another day).

Metro Councilor Robert Liberty
gets the prize for best-dressed
biking politician today.
(Photos © J. Maus)

It’s not everyday that you get a free spread of food, coffee, free bike tune-ups, and a shot at raffle prizes just for biking into work.

And it’s not everyday that you can see your Congressional representative, your Mayor, and two members of your regional government getting to work under their own power. But that’s what happened this morning at the annual Bike to Work Day event hosted by the Lloyd Transportation Management Association.

Riding to the event down N. Vancouver, I pedaled in a pack of about 12 other people. I also noticed a lot of bike traffic in and around the Lloyd District. The event itself had a solid, yet tame, turnout.

BikePortland Neighborhood Get Together: Milwaukie

When: Monday, May 18th, 5pm – 7:30pm

Where: Cha Cha Cha, 11008 SE Main Street, Milwaukie

Details:

Anyone who lives, works, commutes, or otherwise spends time in Milwaukie or the vicinity is invited to join us.

This is an informal social event for people invested in biking to meet each other, talk shop, compare notes, and generally have a fun evening. Come discuss bike routes, connections, and pavement maintenance, the new MAX light rail line under construction in the neighborhood, and more.

These monthly get togethers are in a different neighborhood each month. So far we’ve visited St. Johns in February, Multnomah Village in March, and Outer Southeast in April. All were great chances to meet people we generally only interact with online, and to learn firsthand about issues in parts of Portland we don’t regularly visit. Check out reports and learn more about these events on our Get Together page.

Sucky commute? Turn the rage into action at new website

Screen shot from MyCommuteSucks.org

“Don’t you wish there were a place where you could just vent all your transportation troubles? Well, the wait is over. Let it all out and take action.”

That’s the battle cry from MyCommuteSucks.org, a new site launched today by non-profit group Transportation For America.

According to E-advocacy Coordinator Stephen Davis, the core purpose of the site is to share and read awful commute stories and then contact Congress to urge them to improve the system (there’s also a section for good commute stories, but ranting is where the passion is).

Today is Bike to Work Day!

Here in Portland, the day isn’t met with the same kind of fanfare as in some other cities (where the idea of biking is much more of a novelty). But even so, there’s at least one big event planned today — the annual Bike to Work Breakfast hosted by the Lloyd District Transportation Management Association (their mission is to improve access and mobility in the Lloyd District).

Portland Mayor Sam Adams, with his new carfree commitment and fresh off a trip to the Velo-City conference in Brussells, might stop by Oregon Square (6th and NE Holladay) between 7:30-9:00 this morning to join the fun.

Blumenauer makes Portland bike boulevards a “High Priority” project

Lloyd District group proposes carfree Holladay Street

City unveils three more on-street bike parking corrals

The Monday Roundup

Zoobomb celebrates: New rack will be official Portland monument

Weekend Guide and Open Thread

Pedalpalooza is coming, are you ready?

Another sign of bike lane disrespect

Electeds get into spirit at Bike to Work Day event

BikePortland Get Together — Milwaukie

Sucky commute? Turn the rage into action at new website

Bike to Work Day open thread

Latest Headlines

Local shop launches mutual aid program to help keep riders on the road

City will build new paved path into Kelley Point Park

Weekend Event Guide: Larch Mountain, BMX Day, and more

Councilor Mitch Green is Portland’s socialist transportation champion

From the Archives

Opinion: If we’re serious about cycling, let’s get serious about cycling infrastructure