(Photo: mumblion/Flickr)
A fundraising campaign has begun to pay for signage of a popular bike route through River View Cemetery.
People on bikes prefer the route through River View because it’s a safe and pleasant alternative from the high-speed auto traffic on Taylor’s Ferry and other major roads nearby.
Cemetery staff have voiced concerns about unsafe bike traffic through their private property for nearly four years. Back in April 2006, they threatened to prohibit bike access if more wasn’t done to curtail inconsiderate and dangerous riding.
The issue did not go away and tensions flared up again last fall after cemetery staff installed speed bumps which some riders blamed for crashes that resulted in serious injuries.
Thankfully, the River View Cemetery Board of Trustees decided to continue to allow bike traffic through their property. Since November, Cemetery staff has been working with representatives from the City of Portland, Lewis and Clark College (which sits atop the cemetery), and the Bicycle Transportation Alliance to see what could be done to facilitate safer riding.
The ad hoc coalition developed a route that all parties feel will result in a safer experience for riders, cemetery staff, and visitors. Now they need to raise an estimated $5,000 to properly sign and mark that route.
River View’s executive director David Noble says Lewis and Clark College has pledged to match 4 to 1 for each dollar raised toward the project. For instance, a $10 donation will result in $50 toward the project. “Now it is time to help make the route a reality… With your help, we hope to meet our goal and open the route in time for summer.”
Once the route is physically in existence, Noble says, they’ll encourage bikes to stay within the “designated bicycling areas”. He also says, if the majority of people use the prescribed bike route, they’ll be able to remove two of the three “speed bumps” that we reported on last fall.
Here’s how to donate money for a safer, signed route through River View Cemetery:
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Checks should be mailed to:
River View Cemetery Foundation Fund
8421 SW Macadam Ave
Portland, Oregon 97219
You can also stop into the cemetery office next time you’re riding through. Noble says just make sure to indicate your donation is for the “bicycle fund”.
Read more about this issue via our River View Cemetery tag. I’ll keep you posted on progress.