Month: January 2010

Brussels, benchmarks, and Portland’s 2030 Bicycle Plan

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Who knew the Charter of Brussels
would figure so prominently in
Portland’s Bicycle Plan?
(Photo: Greg Raisman)

Benchmarks are important in order to know whether or not a plan is successful, especially when a plan — like the Portland Bicycle Plan for 2030 — has a 20-year horizon. That plan has a highly-publicized goal of 25% of all trips by bike by the year 2030. But what about near-term benchmarks, which can be useful to make sure a plan is headed in the right direction?

Back in November, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) expressed concern that the City of Portland’s Public Comment Draft of the Bicycle Plan for 2030 had no near-term benchmarks whatsoever.

In their official comments on the plan, the BTA wrote, “We will not know if the City has succeeded or failed to complete this plan until the year 2030. This makes any corrective action impossible if the City is not following the plan.”

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Newswire: Public comments sought on Mult. Co. transportation capital plan

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Public comments sought on transportation capital plan

Multnomah County welcomes comments on its public review draft of the Transportation Capital Improvement Plan and Program (CIPP) for Fiscal Years 2010-2014. The purpose of the CIPP is to ensure limited public funds are invested in transportation projects providing the greatest public benefit. The CIPP is updated every five years.

The CIPP is a two-part process. The Capital Improvement Plan identifies and ranks transportation improvement needs on County roadways and bridges over the next 20 years. Multnomah County maintains 300 miles of roads and bridges. The network of roads and bridges lies outside the cities of Gresham and Portland, with the exception of five Willamette River bridges within Portland. Projects that accommodate all modes of transportation — motor vehicle, transit, pedestrian and bicycle, and improvements to fish passage culverts — are considered. County staff uses objective criteria to evaluate and score potential projects. Criteria include safety, congestion relief, support of regional land use goals, and community support.

The Capital Improvement Program assigns anticipated revenues to the highest priority projects for a five-year period. The program is reviewed by the County Transportation Division biennially, for programming corrections. The biennial updates adjust anticipated capital revenues to more current projections, and ensure capital project expenditures are allocated appropriately.

The public review draft of the CIPP compiles the list of uncompleted projects and new projects identified through the update process. Candidate projects were identified through public comments, from staff at the cities of Fairview, Troutdale and Wood Village, the County’s Bicycle and Pedestrian Citizen Advisory Committee and from the County’s Road and Bridge staff.

The review draft of the CIPP can be reviewed online at www.multco.us/cipp. Please send comments or questions about the CIPP update to cip@co.multnomah.or.us or by mail to: CIPP Comments, 1600 S.E. 190th Avenue, Suite 116, Portland, OR 97233. Public comments are welcome through February 8, 2010. The Board of County Commissioners is tentatively scheduled to hold a public hearing to consider adopting the CIPP on February 11.

The Monday Roundup

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Here’s the news that caught our eye this week:

China, car capital of the world; Tweeting and driving; immobilizing the poor; Potestio speaks; Jacquie Phelan speaks; garbage bikes; burning cars; motorized wheelchairs on the loose.

– The high-profile “road rage doctor” case has concluded; ER doctor Christopher Thompson, who was found guilty of intentionally slamming on his brakes in front of a group of people on bikes “to teach them a lesson” was sentenced Friday to five years in prison.

– Transit ridership is shrinking in some cities but growing in others during the down economy.

– Meanwhile, rampant transit cuts in cities across the US have been affecting the mobility of many; this story profiles stranded night shift workers in New York City.

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Grey Brodie Romax 2007

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 2007
Brand: Brodie
Model: Romax
Color:Grey
Size:57cm
Photo: http://i617.photobucket.com/albums/tt256/thejakesnakes/20091202-20091202-_E2Z6344.jpg
Stolen in Portland, OR 97201
Stolen:2010-01-8
Stolen From: SW 6th and Jackson
Neighborhood: Portland State University
Owner: Jacob Cummings
OwnerEmail: Thejakesnakes@gmail.com
Description: Disc brakes, Selle SLK saddle, Dura Ace 10spd rear Derailleur, 105 9spd shifters, Locust CX tires,
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

City releases bike count report, explains first decrease since 1995

BTA New Year's Day Ride-9

Bike traffic on the Hawthorne Bridge.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The City of Portland Bureau of Transportation has released a full report and analysis on their 2009 bike counts. Last month, an unauthorized and incomplete version of the report leaked to the Willamette Week revealed that bike ridership in Portland had taken its first dip since 1995.

Many theories cropped up to account for this dip and PBOT’s just-released report (which was also partially leaked to the Willamette Week yesterday) explains what they feel are three key factors leading to the decline.

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How should ODOT spend safety funds? Tell them!

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward
Bike traffic in Portland-9.jpg

ODOT wants input on transportation safety.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has announced two meetings where they will solicit public input on their Transportation Safety Action Plan.

Last updated in 2004, that safety plan is an important part of the Oregon Transportation Plan and it guides ODOT’s safety budget. Anyone with ideas and feedback about how ODOT can improve their safety programs is encouraged to attend. The City of Portland’s top traffic safety staffer, Mark Lear says these meetings are the best place to tell ODOT what you feel is important. Lear adds that PBOT “wants a strategy based on improving safety for all modes” and that he’s most concerned about speed and alcohol related crashes.

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Editorial: Anti-bike group on Facebook needs to go

Screenshot from Facebook group that has
posted this horrific photo and added:
My Way, Get the F%&* Out of It.

A group on Facebook with 32,000 members that is encouraging dangerous behavior and fomenting hate toward people on bicycles violates Facebook’s terms of use and should be shut down.

Among other things, the group named There’s a perfectly good path right next to the road you stupid cyclist!, has posted photos of cars plowing into a group of people racing bikes with words, My Way, Get the F%&* Out of It. Here’s a snip from their group description: “My car is hard, and i am not slowing down!”

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Dispatch from Walla Walla, Washington

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

[News intern Alaya Wyndham-Price spent the recent holiday in Walla Walla, Washington. She checked in on the local bike scene and shares her report below.]

Reggie Gonzales at the Bicycle Barn.
(Photo: Alaya Wyndham-Price)

Like Portland, it snowed in Walla Walla during the holidays, about four inches of the white stuff fell and then slightly froze to the ground — typical weather for this small valley town in the foothills of the Blue Mountains, about 250 miles from Portland. The town of about 58,000 is best known for farming, college, and wine.

I’ve been visiting Walla Walla for seven years now, and riding around the area, particularly on the trails outside the town proper. But it wasn’t till this trip that I realized how invested in cycling the community is here.

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Blue Giant Cyclocross 2007?

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 2007?
Brand: Giant
Model: Cyclocross
Color:Blue
Size:White
Stolen in Portland, OR 97219
Stolen:2010-01-7
Stolen From: Capital Hwy and California
Owner: Alex Accetta
OwnerEmail: alexaccetta@hotmail.com
Description: Blue and White Giant with Blue handlebar tape and Beer sticker I believe. Stolen from my garage in SW Portland in early am on 1/7/10. Also stole red/black Giant at same time the buggers.
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Latest Headlines

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From the Archives

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