The City of Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is pushing hard to win a $1.9 million federal grant to fund the Clinton to the River Multi-Use Path. To encourage supportive public comments on the project (that can be made online), and to make the case to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) that the project should be selected, they’ve released a new video touting its safety and livability benefits.
The project would create about a half-mile of a multi-use path and bike boulevard connection “to complete a seamless 2.8-mile bicycle route adjacent to the Portland-Milwaukie light rail alignment”.
Here’s the news that caught our eye last week…
– Gabrielle Giffords, the U.S. Congresswoman who was the target of a mass shooting over the weekend, is no stranger to bicycle transportation issues. She and her husband ride regularly, and she has worked at a state and federal level to pass bicycle safety laws. Read an interview with Rep. Giffords that appeared on Tucson Velo last fall and read more about her from the League of American Bicyclists.
– Do roads pay for themselves, via user fees? Nope.
– In Baltimore, a study has found that, per dollar spent, building bicycle infrastructure creates twice as many jobs as building roads.
Year: 2008
Brand: Trek
Model: Pilot 2.1
Color:blk/gray
Size:58cm
Serial: WTU360SA0222C
Stolen in Vancouver, WA 98665
Stolen:2011-01-9
Stolen From: River Maiden coffee shop parking lot, 600 N. Devine Rd, Vancouver, WA
Neighborhood: McGloughlin middle school across street
Owner: Gus Harmon
OwnerEmail: gus4702@yahoo.com
Description: 2008 Gray/black Trek pilot 5.1 with,red seat & black fenders w/mud flaps,58cm,30 speed,DuraAce rear wheel & Bontrager ft wheel,SPD pedals,Gus 360 991 3686.
Police record with: Ridgefield, WA
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike
Year: 2010
Brand: surly
Model: long haul trucker
Color:bleu
Size:46cm
Serial: m9091568
Stolen in Portland, OR 97204
Stolen:2010-12-12
Stolen From: downtown pdx on sw 6th btwn oak and ankeny
Neighborhood: downtown
Owner: su-lien pino
OwnerEmail: food4thought99@hotmail.com
Description: bought at citybikes annex, so i think the citybike stamp is on the frame.
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike
This year, Washington State lawmakers will consider a new safe passing law. The bill, House Bill 1018 (PDF), is just one part of what’s been dubbed as the “Mutual Responsibility Bill.” It appears to have support from both sides of the aisle (in total, eight democrats and three republicans support it) and seems to stand a better chance of passage than a similar attempt in 2008.
What’s in Washington’s bill, and how does it compare with Oregon’s existing safe passing law?
The Beaverton Bike Gallery is hosting a big Women’s Night event this coming Tuesday (1/11). On their website, the shop says the event is, “The perfect opportunity to talk with knowledgeable staff, industry reps, and other female cyclists about women’s clothing and bikes, family riding, and more.”
I was curious about the event, so Beaverton store staffer Lana Pressey answered a few questions for us. Read her replies below:
We’ve got a few great events to share with you to help you make the most of what will probably be a wet and cold weekend. Ride safely and have fun!
6:00pm-9:00pm: First Friday Art by Bike
This free monthly art gallery tour of inner Southeast and Northeast Portland hosted by Pedal Bike Tours offers visits to a handful of great locations in the Central Eastside Arts District’s First Friday art openings, and they’ll even let you borrow a bike, lights, and a helmet if you need one during the tour. Ride meets and ends downtown at 133 SW 2nd Ave at 6:00pm.
One of the tools we can use to make our streets safer is to get tougher on enforcement. So, what happens when police officers focus on particular violations at specific locations?
Recently, we came across a report detailing five years of crosswalk enforcement actions carried out by the Traffic Division of the Portland Police Bureau. The results (below) show that in most locations, there is either simply ignorance or blatant disregard for basic traffic laws that protect our most vulnerable road users.
