Concerned citizens and traffic safety advocates held signs on SE Foster last night at a notorious crossing just east of 80th.
(Photos © J. Maus)
(Photos © J. Maus)
Month: November 2009
Planning Commission “enthusiastically” endorses Bicycle Plan
Planning Commissioner Chris Smith tried some
bold proposals, but his colleagues
weren’t quite ready to get behind them.
(Photo © J. Maus)
bold proposals, but his colleagues
weren’t quite ready to get behind them.
(Photo © J. Maus)
Yesterday, the Portland Planning Commission voted 5-0 to endorse the Portland Bicycle Plan for 2030. The unanimous vote is not surprising, but the important thing to note are their specific reommendations for the Plan that they’ll forward to City Council for official adoption in January.
In part due to testimony they heard at a public hearing for the plan back in October, the Commission put forth several recommendations along with their endorsement of the plan.
black Freakbikes Unusually large tallbike and chopper ?
Year: ?
Brand: Freakbikes
Model: Unusually large tallbike and chopper
Color:black
Size:HUGE
Serial: none
Photo: www.myspace.com/deadbunnybackflips
Stolen in PORTLAND, OR
Stolen:2009-11-9
Stolen From: 43rd and division
Neighborhood: se
Owner: Kyle Blume
OwnerEmail: kristopherblume@gmail.com
Reward: yes
Description: so, my dickhead ex landlord thought a couple of hand made freak bikes in the backyard were mine, and since i left portland for a seven month job, he moved them out to the curb. however, they were not mine, but the current tenants. he would like the back.
Police record with: none
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike
‘Papergirl’ brings art to the people, by bike
Still from Papergirl Portland video.
-Watch video below-
-Watch video below-
I just heard about an interesting project, Papergirl, that combines several of my favorite things: art, the streets and people of Portland, and bicycles.
Papergirl started in Berlin and was brought to Portland by artist Abe Ingle. Over 200 artists donated original, two-dimensional art to a gallery show that ran in September and October. Then, three weeks ago, all the pieces were rolled up and delivered by bicycle to random people throughout downtown Portland.
Newswire: Pedestrian Advocacy Organization Calls for Caution, Safety Improvements
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Steph Routh
Willamette Pedestrian Coalition
Office: (503) 223-1597
steph@wpcwalks.orgPEDESTRIAN ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION CALLS FOR CAUTION, SAFETY IMPROVEMENTS
A Number of Recent Crashes Involving Pedestrians Indicate the Need for Immediate Response and Change
PORTLAND, Ore., Nov. 5, 2009 – It has been a deeply troubling week . On Saturday morning, Oct. 31, Benjamin Story was struck in a hit and run collision when on Highway 99E just north of Aurora. On Sunday afternoon, Nov. 1, John Thomas Nelson was hit and critically injured on Highway 217. On Sunday evening, Nov, 1, Lindsay Leonard was killed and Jessica Finlay suffered serious injuries while
crossing in a marked crosswalk on 80th and SE Foster. On Monday afternoon, Nov. 02, Susan Ogilvy was struck while crossing Scholls Ferry Road near Beaverton Hillsdale Highway.“The sheer number of serious collisions between pedestrians and cars this past week demonstrates that our traffic safety deficit is not found in one person’s error,” says Steph Routh, Director of the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition. “It is not about one specific engineering problem. Our region continues to grapple with broad-spectrum traffic safety issues that jeopardize all road users. We need to invest far more funding in developing a network of streets that accommodate all users – pedestrians, cyclists, transit riders and motorists – throughout our region as well as raising awareness about everyone’s rights and responsibilities as road users.”
Funding is essential to improving our region’s pedestrian environment. Entire neighborhoods remain without sidewalks. Pedestrian connections to bus stops and business centers are incomplete or absent in many areas. Additional funding is necessary, and our elected officials need to prioritize transportation that is used by everyone, for everyone is a pedestrian at some point in their day. The recent transportation bill that passed the state legislature, for example, did not raise the minimum spending on bicycle and pedestrian facilities from 1% to 1.5%, which would have been a small but a positive step. Instead, we received earmarks for highway projects. This is recessive and needs to change.
Awareness is also an important aspect of traffic safety. Pedestrian needs are real, and both pedestrian and motorists need to be more aware of each other. The number one cause of pedestrian injury in Portland is failure of drivers to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk. Many drivers are unaware that every corner is a crosswalk, even if the crosswalk is unmarked, and that drivers in Oregon must stop and stay stopped for pedestrians at any corner.
There will be a quiet safety awareness action along SE Foster Rd near 80th Ave. on Tuesday, 10 November 5:00-6:30pm. If you would like to participate, you are invited to bring a homemade sign that asks everyone to watch out for one another and to share the road safely. Please contact the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition with any questions or comments: HYPERLINK “mailto:steph@wpcwalks.org” steph@wpcwalks.org.
As we move into fall and winter months, it is imperative that pedestrians and drivers alike be cognizant of their surroundings, and that drivers recognize their added responsibility due to greater speeds and vehicle weight.
Let us keep each other safe, and let us invest in a safer streetscape for everyone. As we grieve the loss of one young woman and think of others in serious condition, we should be more vigilant in our safekeeping of our fellow citizens.
About the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition:
The Willamette Pedestrian Coalition (WPC) is a non-profit community-based membership organization in the greater Portland, Oregon area dedicated to promoting walking and making the conditions for walking safe and attractive. The WPC advocates for better laws, enhanced enforcement, more sidewalks and signed crosswalks, education programs, community improvements designed for pedestrians, and increased funding to support these activities. For more information about the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition, please visit www.wpcwalks.org.
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Mayor Adams releases statement on pedestrian safety
Mayor Sam Adams.
(Photo © J. Maus)
(Photo © J. Maus)
As we hinted at yesterday, Mayor Adams has released a statement in response the fatal collision on SE Foster last week.
Adams was expected to share plans for “immediate changes” to a crossing of SE Foster that was the site of two collisions last week (one woman died and another remains in critical condition) and has a hazardous history for people trying to walk across it. In the statement released just a few minutes ago, Adams says he was “saddened” by this tragedy. He then listed examples of initiatives taken by the Bureau of Transportation — which he has been in charge of since 2005 — to improve traffic safety.
Bike Cozy handmade goodies keep you warm and snug as you ride
[This is the first of several vendor profiles we’ll share in the next month as we prepare to entice you to attend our super-excellent BikeCraft V event coming up on December 5th.]
Bike Cozy’s “Toe Cozies to Keep Feet Dry”
were a hit at BikeCraft IV.
(Photo © J. Maus)
were a hit at BikeCraft IV.
(Photo © J. Maus)
Do you ever wonder how to solve that problem of cold, wet feet on your bicycle? Or do you have trouble finding a cycling cap that will actually fit your head and your sense of style? Ever wish you could carry and organize your cycling tools in a practical (yet oh-so-aesthetically-pleasing) way?
No problem! Check out Bike Cozy, a local, NE Portland based business that sells handmade cycling caps, tool rolls, shoelace wranglers toe cage covers, and more for “the fashionably practical rider.” Bike Cozy’s tag line doesn’t lie: its products come in a variety of colors and patterns and are made from practical, durable materials such as wool, canvas, and cordura.
Newswire: Mayor Adams: Portland is Committed to Pedestrian Safety
Below is a press release from the Office of Portland Mayor Sam Adams
November 9, 2009
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT:
Roy Kaufmann
Office of Mayor Sam Adams
503-823-4799
roy.kaufmann@ci.portland.or.usMAYOR ADAMS: PORTLAND IS COMMITTED TO PEDESTRIAN SAFETY
I was saddened to hear about the death of Lindsay Leonard and the critical injury of Jessica Finlay. My thoughts are with Lindsay’s family as they mourn a much-loved member of our community and Jessica’s family as they support her.
When I became the commissioner-in-charge of transportation in 2005, I set traffic safety as my top priority. The Portland Bureau of Transportation works with Portlanders to make all pedestrian crossings in the city as safe as possible through a resourceful and community-focused combination of engineering, enforcement and education. The crosswalk at SE Foster and 80th is no exception.
Transportation safety is very important to the Bureau of Transportation and to me. The following are just a few examples of positive steps we’ve taken:
- Initiate an annual Traffic Safety Summit attended by over 300 Portlanders.
- Lead City Council to spend $11.6 million of one-time funds for critical safety and maintenance projects.
- Build partnerships through the Traffic Safety Coordination Council, which brought together neighborhoods, the Bureau of Transportation and Portland Police Bureau, five public school districts, the Oregon Department of Transportation, TriMet, Multnomah County Courts and Sherriff’s office, emergency responders, bicycle and pedestrian advocates, and Elders in Action.
- Construct more than 300 Green Streets, curb extensions, pedestrian refuge islands, and speed bumps, including speed bump installation for SW Capitol Hill Road on Sept. 25, 2009.
- Install 15 pedestrian islands on multi-lane streets near bus stops.
- Implement comprehensive Safer Routes to Schools services at 70 schools.
- Install 15 permanent speed reader boards and support of program of 4 additional speed reader boards.
- Enhance PBOT’s partnership with Police, resulting in more than 100 crosswalk enforcement actions (including two at SE Foster and 80th), and five new red light cameras.
- Initiate safety campaigns, including: I Share the Road, I Brake for People, and See and Be Seen.
Budget challenges threaten our abilities to continue key safety efforts related to traffic calming, Safer Routes to Schools, and enforcement programs. I have recommended that the City allocate $400,000 of new revenue from State of Oregon House Bill 2001 annually to improve pedestrian crossings such as the one at Foster and 80th. We will remain vigilant in our pursuit to make Portland the safest, most livable, and most sustainable city in the nation.
Although these efforts do not bring back Lindsay and the other members of the Portland community who have died in crashes, progress is being made and the data we are receiving is encouraging. Fatality trends are declining three times faster in Portland than the rest of the state and six times faster than the rest of the country. Transportation For America unveiled a report, “Dangerous by Design: Solving the Epidemic of Preventable Pedestrian Deaths (and Making Great Neighborhoods)” that ranks Portland as the 9th safest city for pedestrians out of the 52 largest metro areas in the U.S.
Because this crash is still under investigation, I cannot comment beyond what has already been reported by media. I can, however, say that City staff and I are looking at the environment around the crosswalk for any possible improvements that would increase sightlines and overall visibility for both pedestrian and drivers. PBOT engineers will further investigate the location once they receive a report from Police, which is standard operating procedure following a transportation fatality. The City of Portland remains totally committed to the safety of all our road users.
####
Portland’s TerraCycle unleashes their ‘Cargo Monster’
TerraCycle owner Pat Franz shows off his Cargo Monster rear end attached to a Catrike recumbent.
(Photos © J. Maus)
(Photos © J. Maus)
celeste Bianchi Reparto Corsa cyclocross 2001
Year: 2001
Brand: Bianchi
Model: Reparto Corsa cyclocross
Color:celeste
Size:55cm
Serial: A90902505
Stolen in Portland, OR 97217
Stolen:2009-11-8
Stolen From: PIR cross crusade race
Between 5:00 and 5:30 pm
Owner: Doug Moak
OwnerEmail: damnyouwaltwhitman@hotmail.com
Description: celeste frame w/ prominent bianchi badging
Blue steel straight blade fork
Single speed drivetrain
Campagnolo record brake levers
tufo tubular tires
Police reference#: 09100804
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike
blue secialized hardrock sport 2008
Year: 2008
Brand: secialized
Model: hardrock sport
Color:blue
Size:white
Serial: P8DGK1791
Stolen in Ashland, OR 97520
Stolen:2009-11-7
Stolen From: was stolen from SOU campus. Both cable locks were cut and bike stolen
Neighborhood: SOU OREGON CAMPUS ASHLAND
Owner: Lisa THOMAS
OwnerEmail: mmcamaro@c-zone.net
Reward: 100.00
Description: it is a new/barely used bike. contact 530-241-3286, 971-678-4465
Police record with: REPORTED TO CAMPUS POLICE AND ASHLAND PD
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike
BTA: Bike Master Plan “does not live up to Portland’s potential”
“We ask that an immediate analysis, reevaluation and reallocation of transportation dollars spent by the City of Portland become an action item in this Plan.”
— The Bicycle Transportation Alliance, in a letter to PBOT
In their official comments on the Portland Bicycle Plan for 2030, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) says the City is not doing enough to realize bicycling’s potential. The BTA is also calling for several “near-term benchmarks” to keep the City on task before 2030.
In a letter to the Plan’s project manager Ellen Vanderslice, BTA Executive Director Scott Bricker and BTA Board Member Jim Middaugh write that in the fifteen years since the previous Bicycle Master Plan was adopted in 1996, the City “has not demonstrated a sufficient commitment to bicycling investments nor to making the fundamental shift required to make bicycling a realistic travel option for all.”