information removed by request of bike lister.
Year: 2011
Oregon lawmaker says safety concerns prompted child biking bill
(Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
Portlander takes unlikely road to new bike business
Eric McGraw can work on them,
but a medical condition prevents
him from driving.
(Photos: Eric McGraw)
but a medical condition prevents
him from driving.
(Photos: Eric McGraw)
Eric McGraw loves cars. In fact, the 28-year old Southeast Portland resident has built and restored almost 25 of them. But two years ago he was diagnosed with a rare (and only recently known) medical condition called Vertical Heterophoria Syndrome. The condition caused Eric to get dizzy spells and blurred vision while driving, so doctors told him he could no longer do it. So, he started biking instead and has been hooked ever since.
Now, he’s transferred the skills he perfected on cars and is putting them to use on bikes. Eric has just launched a new business, Portland Bike Refinishing, based out of his shop near SE Foster and Gladstone.
“I had all this body work and painting skill, then I started riding bikes around more… And the more I looked at it, I realized there wasn’t anywhere to get this type of work done affordably. There weren’t a lot of options for the bike community. ”
Metro gets funding to do Latino-focused bike/walk map project
Biking in downtown Hillsboro.
(Photo © J. Maus
(Photo © J. Maus
Metro has been awarded a $75,000 grant from health care company Kaiser Permanente for a biking and walking map project in Cornelius, Forest Grove and Hillsboro.
The goal of the project, which Metro staffer Katie Edlin says is currently called, “Vámanos! Let’s explore Cornelius, Forest Grove and Hillsboro by bike and foot,” is to promote existing biking and walking routes to those communities. The project would also have a specific focus on connecting with Latino families.
Oregon House bills would prohibit wearing headphones, carrying kids under six while biking – Updated
House Bill 2228 would prohibit
towing kids under six in
a bike trailer.
(Photo © J. Maus)
towing kids under six in
a bike trailer.
(Photo © J. Maus)
The 2011 session of the Oregon State Legislature officially kicked off in Salem yesterday. While it’s too early for any significant action to have taken place, there are already some interesting bills that have emerged. Today, I’ll share two that have come to my attention..
House Bill 2228 — which I first heard about from the BTA advocacy manager Gerik Kransky — would prohibit anyone from carrying a child under six years of age on their bicycle or in a bicycle trailer. The infraction would come with a maximum fine of $90. The legislation was introduced by Mitch Greenlick, a Portland Democratic who represents District 33 (Northwest Portland/Forest Park).
Portland puts bike-sharing system back into play
Portland is once again rolling
forward on bike-share plans.
(Photo © J. Maus)
forward on bike-share plans.
(Photo © J. Maus)
After being mum on bike-sharing for about 18 months, the City of Portland Bureau of Transportation has now taken the idea back off the shelf.
At a meeting of the City’s Bicycle Advisory Committee last night, PBOT shared plans for a bike-sharing system that would blanket the Central City with 74 kiosks and 750 bikes.
The plan came up during a discussion of which projects the City of Portland will look to fund with their allocation — expected to be anywhere from 3 to 5 million — from about $18 million in federal Regional Flexible Funds (RFF) that Metro will hand out specifically to “Active Transportation” projects (I’ll share more about the other projects in a separate post).
$2.3 million ‘Going to the River’ project nears funding finish line
Detail from PBOT grant application for Going to the River project. Dotted lines show locations of new bikeways to be constructed.
(Full size image here)
(Full size image here)
TriMet announces “A Bridge Conversation”
With just five months until start of construction on their Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Bridge, TriMet has announced a public event to “re-engage the community.” Check the details below:
A Bridge Conversation
Tuesday, January 18, 2011, 3–5 p.m.
2100 SW River Parkway
(DEA offices, Willamette Room, 1st floor)In July 2011, construction will begin on the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Bridge, the largest span in the country dedicated to transit, bikes and pedestrians. As the first Portland bridge built across the Willamette River in more than 35 years, this structure is an important and visible project for our region.
We recognize that bridge construction will engage a complex community of existing river and waterfront stakeholders over the next four years. Let’s explore potential opportunities for coordination and synergy in our relationship to the river during this project.
Please join us to:
– Learn more about construction
– Meet the bridge contractor
– Look ahead to bridge milestones
– Brainstorm partnership opportunitiesWith your assistance, we can make the construction of the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Bridge a rousing and interactive success in terms of public awareness, education and involvement.
R.S.V.P. to Gwen Snyder at snyderg@trimet.org or 503-962-2150.
Portland’s first bioswale bike corral and more bike parking on Williams
BES has taken an on-street bike corral…
(Photo © J. Maus) |
And integrated it with a bioswale!
(Photo: PBOT) |
New bumps installed on Esplanade ramps: What do you think?
The existing “transition strips” on the
Esplanade ramps. See the new ones below…
(Photos © J. Maus)
Esplanade ramps. See the new ones below…
(Photos © J. Maus)
The City of Portland Parks and Recreation Bureau has installed new bumps — a.k.a. “transition strips” — on one of the ramps (gangways) that leads to the floating portion of the Eastbank Esplanade. The installation is a pilot to determine if the new strips improve the experience of bicycling on the ramps.
Back in July, we detailed the problem with the existing bumps and ten days later I met at the site with Parks Bureau staffer Bob Downing to talk about the issue. The problem with the old bumps is that they are jarring, loud, and so severe that they catch many riders unaware and can lead to crashes.
‘Circulus’ mini-velodrome finds a home in Portland
The Circulus is moving to Portland.
(Photos: Emily Lace – More images here)
(Photos: Emily Lace – More images here)
The Circulus, a 132-foot circumference wooden velodrome made as a senior thesis project by an art student in California, will get a second life thanks to a Portland-based bike company.
Artist Samuel Starr is a graduate of Pomona College who created the unique track as a senior capstone project last year. When Dan Powell, one of the founders of Portland Design Works saw a video of the track online this past summer, it left a lasting impression. When he heard it was for sale, he got in touch with Starr and the rest is history.
Here’s another photo of Circulus: