March 2011 Archives

Summit panel urges stronger connection between mobility, race, health

The panelists: L to R: Dr. Philip Wu,
Olivia Quiroz, Mychal Tetteh, Noelle Dobson.
(Photos: BikePortland/Patrick Croasdaile)

In recent years, the fields of public health, equity and transportation policy have become increasingly linked. At a breakout session at the Active Transportation Summit yesterday, advocates and experts came together to learn more about why these issues are linked and discuss how to make that link stronger.

According to Dr. Phil Wu, a pediatric obesity specialist at Kaiser Permanente, “There’s no way to deal with obesity unless we start dealing with issues of transportation.”

Screen grab from OregonManifest.com.

The list of entrants for the 2011 Oregon Manifest Design Challenge is now posted online. The builders, who will compete to build the ultimate utility bike, include some of the most innovative and respected builders in America today. In total there are 34 builders from 11 states and six student teams.

Last month we were at the event launch where organizers unveiled Levi’s as the title sponsor and introduced a trio of exciting “Creative Collaborations” (select bike builders partnered with leading industrial design firms).

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Looking west into the gulch. The yellow
lines are proposed trail alignments
from a 2004 study.
(Photo: Portland State University)

Next week (4/6), the Portland Parks Board will hold a public meeting in St. Johns. The meeting notice caught my attention because one of the three “important” agenda items is the Sullivan’s Gulch Trail.

Why am I sharing something seemingly so minor as a meeting that will include a discussion of this project? Because for some reason (at least from my perspective), the Sullivan’s Gulch Trail needs all the attention it can get.

Trek CEO John Burke, shown here
riding on Portland’s Eastbank Esplanade,
will make the case for bicycling
on Capitol Hill today.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Today, the CEO of Trek Bicycle Corporation (America’s largest bike company), John Burke, will make the case for bicycling on Capitol Hill. Burke has been invited by the House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee’s Subcommittee on Highways and Transit to be a part of a hearing titled, “Improving and Reforming the Nation’s Surface Transportation Programs.”

Yesterday at the Oregon Active Transportation Summit I sat down with Tim Blumenthal of Bikes Belong to get the scoop on what exactly Mr. Burke plans to share with the men and women who will write our nation’s transportation bill.

Year: 2003?
Brand: Schwinn
Model: Moab
Color:red
Size:19″
Photo: http://img52.imageshack.us/img52/8492/schwinnmoab.jpg
Stolen in Portland, OR 97215
Stolen:2011-03-29
Stolen From: Rear-yard carport, near east side Mt. Tabor, Division/76th area.
Neighborhood: Montavilla
Owner: Andre Mare
OwnerEmail: mares@spiritone.com
Description: Red Schwinn Moab with black fork and handlebar stem. Note funky seat in photo.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: T11002230
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Salem Watch: CRC, bike trailer safety bill in committee

Legislator bike ride at the Oregon Bike Summit-1

The Oregon State Capitol.
(Photo © J. Maus)

A few quick notes about bills of interest working their way through the legislature…

HJM 22, the bill urging the federal government to fund the Columbia River Crossing highway expansion project that has kicked up quite a hornet’s nest of opposition from both sides of the aisle, will continue its public hearing and possible vote today. The bill will be heard at the 1:00 pm meeting of the House Transportation and Economic Development Committee.

See our slideshow below.
(Photo © J. Maus)

It’s been a full day of speeches, conversations, networking and info sessions here at the Oregon Active Transportation Summit. The event is a yearly effort to bring together Oregon’s transportation advocates to share and gain knowledge.

Tomorrow is the climax of the Summit when the few hundred attendees will take to the Capitol building to meet with legislators and explain why investments in biking, walking and transit are important.

Below is a slideshow of the photos I’ve snapped so far…

A slide from Blumenthal’s presentation.

Tim Blumenthal of Bikes Belong (an industry-backed, non-profit bike advocacy group) helped kick things off here at the 2011 Oregon Active Transportation Summit in Salem today by sharing a presentation titled, 12 Trends That Will Help Bicycling Grow.

Here’s the list:

Bike sharing systems linked with infrastructure investment: “It’s a promising trend and a trend that’s coming to cities in your state too.” (News to me. Maybe Tim’s in on a secret?).
Stronger commitments from government officials and more urban bike trips: “There’s no substitute for great support from Mayors.”

“We believe that there are important unresolved questions that demand further scrutiny before the commitment of additional public dollars to this project.”

20 Oregon legislators — 8 Republicans, 12 Democrats — have issued a letter of concern over the Columbia River Crossing highway expansion project. The letter, dated March 28th, comes on the heels of a public hearing for House Joint Memorial 22, a bill that would have urged the federal government to fund the controversial CRC project.

Here’s the opening of the letter (download PDF here):

[BikePortland is down in Salem today for the Oregon Active Transportation Summit. We’ll be reporting from Salem today and tomorrow.]

Still in beta.

Daniella and Elliot Crowder, owners of the Bike Newport bike shop, unveiled their plans for a new iPhone app today. The new ‘Cycling the Oregon Coast’ app is currently in beta form and is set to be released soon (Android platform will come later). The announcement of the new app came at a meeting of the Oregon Bicycle Tourism Partnership held in Salem this morning.

According to Elliot Crowder, he was inspired to create an app after taking a bike tour on the Oregon Coast recently. Like the thousands of other people who ride the famous Oregon Coast Bike Route each year, Crowder relied on the popular Cycling the Pacific Coast guidebook. Trouble is, the book is out of date.

[Publisher’s note: Welcome to Bike Law 101, a new column written for BikePortland by Kurt Jansen. Kurt is the Executive Director of the Animated Traffic Law Center. ATLC is a Eugene, Oregon based non-profit that helps organizations with their traffic law education efforts (the City of Portland hired them to create the “Every Corner is a Crosswalk” animation). Each month, Kurt will tackle a tricky bike law with hopes of adding some clarity to a our vehicle code.]

Entering an intersection on a solid yellow light is illegal in Oregon unless you cannot stop in time safely.

It’s a familiar enough scene. You’re on your bike approaching an intersection and the light is green. But, it’s been green for a while now; any second it will go to yellow (or perhaps it already has). Signal engineers call this the “dilemma zone.” Do you blast into the intersection or do you restrain yourself, slow down and wait?

PBOT has announced the first open house for their N. Williams Ave Traffic Safety Operations Project. Learn more about the project in our story from January and get details on the open house below…

Come take a look at potential N Williams transportation improvements – to the bike lane, auto lanes, bus stops and crosswalks – on Saturday, April 16th, from 1:30 – 4:00 pm. The City wants to know which changes will and won’t work for you.

A drop-in Open House meeting, with:

– Real live traffic engineers
– Big colorful maps and drawings
– Snacks
– Childcare and playground
– Handouts and feedback forms to take for others who can’t attend

The City of Portland wants to make N Williams a safer and more comfortable place to bike, drive, ride transit and walk. With the advice of a Stakeholder Advisory Committee formed for this project, City staff have prepared some alternative designs for your consideration. Come take a look and tell us what you think.

————————

N Williams Traffic Operations and Safety Project Open House

Saturday, April 16th, from 1:30 – 4:00 pm

Immaculate Heart Church, 2910 N Williams Ave

Come by #4 TriMet bus; bike via Williams/Vancouver; or drive and park in the church lot off of NE Stanton.

Summit panel urges stronger connection between mobility, race, health

Impressive list of builders signed up for Oregon Manifest Design Challenge

Putting the spotlight on the Sullivan’s Gulch Trail

What Trek CEO John Burke will tell Congressional leaders today

red Schwinn Moab 2003?

Salem Watch: CRC, bike trailer safety bill in committee

Photo slideshow from Oregon Active Transportation Summit

National leader shares 12 trends that will help bicycling grow

20 Oregon legislators sign letter calling for pause on CRC project

New ‘Cycling the Oregon Coast’ mobile app in the works

Bike Law 101: Guidance for the ‘Dilemma Zone’

Open House set for N. Williams bikeway/traffic improvements

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