Month: February 2010

Bike traffic advisory for streetcar construction detours

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

February 12, 2010
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

CONTACT:
Kay Dannen
Portland Streetcar Inc.
503-478-6404

BICYCLE ADVISORY

N Broadway/Weidler: Benton to Williams (Sewer work) – continuing the week of February 15, 2010 through March 5, 2010:

  • Westbound bike lane will be closed at times both during the day and night. Westbound bikes will be detoured at Wheeler one block north to Dixon and back to Broadway at Benton.
  • Eastbound bike traffic on N Broadway/Weidler, from Benton to Williams, will be re-routed onto the sidewalk from 7AM to 4 PM. Bikes must yield to pedestrians on the sidewalk.
  • Crews will generally work on one half of the road at a time on one street at a time (Weidler or Broadway).

N Broadway: Victoria to Williams (Water work) – Starting the week of February 15, 2010:

  • Monday 2/15 – the bike lane and right travel lane will be closed from 10AM-1PM to sawcut for a water line. Bikes must ride in the vehicle travel lane for this three hour period.
  • Wed (2/17) and Thurs (2/18) – The bike lane and two travel lanes will be closed at night on Broadway between Victoria and Williams. Lanes will be closed starting at 8PM and continue into the morning commute for these two days. All lanes will be open by 8AM. Bikes must ride in the vehicle travel lane. No work is expected on Tues and Fri nights due to the Blazer games.

N Larrabee: North of N Broadway (Rail welding work) – Continuing the week of February 15, 2010 through February 19, 2010:

  • Cyclists should use caution as the southbound bike lane will merge into traffic

NE 7th: Weidler to NE Oregon (Sewer work): Starting in late February 2010:

  • Sewer work will alternate from the east and west sides of the street and will typically occur one block at a time. Either a flagger will be present or the work will require closing parts of the street and detouring cyclists around the construction zone. More details related to bike impacts (and timeline) will be provided as they are known. Sewer work is expected to occur from late February through June 25, 2010.
  • Water work is expected to occur from June 4-June 21, 2010. Track work is expected to occur in Feb-June 2011

    • .

Visit Portland Streetcar for more information at www.portlandstreetcar.org.

These dates are subject to change depending on construction or weather conditions.

Thank You

Below are the faces and names of just a few of the people who have worked hard for over three years to develop the Portland Bicycle Plan for 2030 — the best bike plan in America.

It has been a long road to get here, and without the dedication of our advo-crats in the Portland Building it would not be as stellar as it is. There are obviously many, many more people that helped make this plan great. To everyone who was a part of this effort: Thank you.

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Details on the new Sustainable Transportation Finance Task Force

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

In case you’re curious about the “finance task force” I’ve mentioned several times in my recent 2030 Bike Plan coverage, I now have more details.

According to the City Council resolution passed yesterday, the official name of the group with be the “Sustainable Transportation Finance Task Force.” The group will be corralled by the Bureaus of Transportation, Planning and Sustainability, Environmental Services, Parks & Recreation and the Portland Development Commission. Their aim will be to:

“… form a finance task force to identify and pursue multiple strategies to increase funding for sustainable transportation and bicycle transportation; and promote the implementation of the Portland Bicycle Plan for 2030…”

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With ODOT’s help, City will tackle dangerous arterials

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The Leftbank Project-5

ODOT grant will boost City’s efforts
to tame dangerous roads.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The City of Portland Bureau of Transportation has received a $98,000 grant from the Oregon Department of Transportation that will go toward development of plans and processes to tame dangerous traffic corridors citywide.

According to PBOT traffic safety specialist Sharon White, the money is part of a new, three-year initiative that will focus on “high-crash corridors.” City Council formally accepted the grant at their meeting on Wednesday.

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State awards $495,000 grant for PBOT’s Safe Routes program

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Safer Routes to School event-3.jpg

New funds will install crosswalks and other improvements.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The Portland Bureau of Transportation has just announced that their Safe Routes to School program has received a $495,000 grant from the Oregon Department of Transportation to build engineering improvements at seven local elementary and K-8 schools.

In a press release, PBOT Safe Routes program coordinator Gabe Graff said:

“We are excited and proud to have been selected for this funding… By bringing in this funding, Portland’s Safe Routes to School program will help make walking and biking a more realistic, safer option.”

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The Morning After: Bike plan media coverage roundup

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In case you’re interested how the newly adopted 2030 Bike Plan is being covered by other media outlets (and what’s being said about it by commenters), here is a quick round-up.

Willamette Week – Bike Plan: City Council Exacts Revenge on Saltzman. Cyclists Win. Did Saltzman, Too?

Bojack.org – Your sewer bill dollars at work — for bicyclists

Portland Business Journal – City Council OKs $613 million bike plan

KGW-TV (NBC) – PDX bike plan approved with a $20 million kick-start

Portland Mercury – Portland Bike Plan: Round Two! Updated: Details on 5-0 Vote & Adams’ Surprise $20 Million “Kickstart” Fund

KATU-TV (ABC) – Bike plan approved; funding still up in the air

The Oregonian – Portland’s 2030 bicycle plan coasts to approval

A new way to think of the Bike Plan: It’s all business

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Many local bike folks (myself included) have been trying to think of ways to talk about the 2030 Bike Plan that clearly explain why it’s so important, without getting into all the wonky details. On that note, I came up with an analogy today (just before going on camera with a local TV station) that I want to share.

Think of the Bike Plan as a business plan. Everyone knows what those are right (if not, check Wikipedia).

So here’s the analogy: PBOT has this amazing product (a bike network) that they know will revolutionize Portland — but without a plan, they’re just like every other entrepreneur with a big, crazy dream. Before they can even approach investors, start hiring employees, expand the product line, reach out to new customers, and so on — they must have a plan.

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Your Big Bike Weekend Guide

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What a lovely group.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Rejoice in tons of great bike stuff to do this weekend! The 7th annual Mini Bike Winter starts tonight and goes through Sunday. If you’ve never checked it out before, this would be an excellent year to do so.

Check out the listings below:

Thursday, February 11th

8:30 pm: Mini Bike Winter (MBW) – Opening Gala
“We will be sharing with you a panel of exciting speakers, a collection of bicycle films, and the ever popular DIY stencil station.” This is the kickoff event for Mini Bike Winter!

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How they roll (across the tracks) in Seattle

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Screen grab from new Streetfilm
showing Seattle’s track treatment.

Streetfilms’ latest video comes from our neighbors to the north in Seattle. The film takes a closer look at how the Seattle DOT is helping people who ride bicycles avoid a common problem — falling on streetcar and rail tracks.

The film features John Mauro from Seattle’s non-profit bike group Cascade (he narrates the short video below). Here’s a quote from the film that stood out to me (watch the vid below the jump):

“The Seattle DOT has taken a pedal-by-pedal approach to getting people across the cross by taking sharrows and marking every couple feet of the cyclist’s path.”

Read more

Latest Headlines

Transportation advocates say lawmakers ‘betrayed public trust’ with budget bill support

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Weekend Event Guide: Gold sprints, Springwater cleanup, and more

Guest opinion: ‘Bikeable Portland’ plan will get more people riding

From the Archives

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