Beaverton’s cycle track looks great, but doesn’t connect the dots – Updated

An SUV speeds by a
cycle track in Beaverton
(Photos: Will Vanlue)

After I shared photos of a psuedo-cycle track in Tigard, and when I visited an actual two-way cycle track in Eugene, some of you contacted me to share your experiences with a cycle track in Beaverton, about two miles south of Tualatin Valley Highway.

I went to check it out for myself and it was nice to have dedicated space for me and my bike. Unfortunately the cycle track is more of a proof-of-concept than it is a valuable piece of a transportation network.

At barely two tenths of a mile long the track is best suited for local traffic and doesn’t do much to connect other bicycle-friendly routes.

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black carbon Land Shark Pro Carbon 2011

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 2011
Brand: Land Shark
Model: Pro Carbon
Color:black carbon
Size:63cm
Photo: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/3/imag0033vs.jpg/
Stolen in Portland, OR 97210
Stolen:2011-12-28
Stolen From: Bike was stolen along with my car from NW 6th and Flanders st. in Portland OR 97210
Neighborhood: China Town
Owner: Meadow Lacy
OwnerEmail: mlacy2@gmail.com
Reward: $500
Description: Custom Carbon Fiber road bike: satin finish clear coat so carbon is exposed, blue “landshark” on downtube and seat tube, gold rings on right fork, left chain stay, down tube and seat tube.

Group: black Ultegra group set, sram cranks, keo carbon pedals, dura ace wheelset, Carbon FSA K-wing handbars, carbon seat tube.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 11112455
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Red/Black/White Wilier Izoard XP Ult. 2011

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Year: 2011
Brand: Wilier
Model: Izoard XP Ult.
Color:Red/Black/White
Size:Large
Serial: 8032478013918
Photo: http://www.google.com/imgres?q=Izoard+XP+Ult+wilier&hl=en&client=safari&sa=X&rls=en&biw=1298&bih=857&tbm=isch&prmd=imvns&tbnid=N00fNKUhNhK6SM:&imgrefurl=http://www.racycles.com/product.aspx%3Fcatid%3D2,913,917&docid=I0M_d_jwSRms3M&imgurl=http://www.racycles.com/store/images/xl/Wilier_Izoard_XP_2011_RedBlack.jpg&w=740&h=475&ei=e9_8TqTAMcfUiALau7WGDQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=180&vpy=163&dur=1978&hovh=180&hovw=280&tx=145&ty=121&sig=114181553930077494186&page=1&tbnh=128&tbnw=199&start=0&ndsp=20&ved=1t:429,r:0,s:0
Stolen in Portland, OR 97212
Stolen:2011-12-29
Stolen From: 27th Ave NE and NE Fremont
Neighborhood: Fremont/Alameda
Owner: Daniel Cook
OwnerEmail: cookd3@gmail.com
Reward: 100
Description: New condition, white water bottle cage
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 11112573
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

2011 OHSU Bike Program Report: People bike to improve health, save time – Updated

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OHSU introduced its popular
free bike valet program in 2011
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

Oregon Health and Science University (OHSU) released its Bike Program Report for 2011, including results from their member survey and an update on their online trip log.

As John Landolfe, OHSU’s Transportation Coordinator, says at the beginning of the report, “2011 was a banner year for biking at Oregon Health & Science University.”

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Reader Story: Passerby helps calm aggressive honker

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Reader MeiLin Miranda recently had a traffic interaction I thought was worth sharing. It’s a story about a display of road rage being defused by a passerby on foot that came to the verbal aid of MeiLin and her daughter while they were biking in Southeast Portland…

“My 14-year-old daughter and I had made a last holiday shopping expedition to the Hawthorne District and were cruising west down Madison on our bikes. I think it was at 37th when this happened — it’s a really narrow street that should have parking removed from one if not both sides of the road, but alas.

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Job: Front End Manager (The Vanilla Workshop)

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Job Title
Front End Manager

Company/Organization
The Vanilla Workshop – Web site

Job Description
The Vanilla Workshop houses three brands: Vanilla Bicycle Co., which specializes in one of a kind custom bicycles; Speedvagen, our limited production race bike brand; and Coat Paint Shop, painting and powder coating for Vanilla and Speedvagen as well as other independent framebuilders.

-We are hiring for a Front End Manager position-

The person we hire for this position will be responsible for both creative and administrative tasks, including:

-Coordinating schedules for multiple arms of the business
-Advanced graphic design
-Writing and publishing
-Photography
-Friendly customer service, both remote and in person
-Inventorying and ordering.

We’re looking for someone that likes challenges, is good-natured and is also comfortable being assertive; someone who knows when a project has not yet reached its full potential and someone who, despite having finely tuned skills, isn’t above chipping in to help with the dirty work.

This job will pay a professional wage. Benefits include health insurance, paid time off and profit sharing.

The deadline for application is January 16th, after which we will respond to qualified applicants with a questionnaire as the first stage of the interview process.

How to Apply
If you are highly qualified in the areas outlined above please send a one-page resume and a one-page cover letter describing your professional experience and your background with bicycles to:

Sacha [at] vanillabicycles.com

white Specialized Myka FSR Comp

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Brand: Specialized
Model: Myka FSR Comp
Color:white
Size:26″ wheel
Serial: WSBC601027215
Stolen in Portland, OR
Stolen:2011-12-27
Neighborhood: NW Portland near Forest Park, Lief Erickson entrance
Owner: stephanie birdsall
OwnerEmail: scb19@comcast.net
Reward: Yes
Description: White w/ Blue accents, SPD pedals
Police record with: Portland PD
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Unofficial sign says “Be Safe,” don’t ride on NE Ainsworth

A new, unofficial sign at NE Ainsworth and 30th (westbound) urges people to ride one block over.
(Photo: Stephen Upchurch)

A new, unauthorized traffic sign attached to a utility pole on NE Ainsworth Street at 30th urges people on bikes to leave the narrow, busy street and take the neighborhood greenway one block over instead. Nearby resident Stephen Upchurch sent in a photo of the sign. It reads, “Bike route one block [arrow]: Be SAFE.”

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What comes first; greenways or bridges?

Bob & Shane in front of
Eugene’s DeFazio Bridge
(Photos: Will Vanlue)

Should a city focus on big, high-profile facilities or should they focus on building a network of safe, low-stress connector streets and trails if they want to make riding a bike safer and easier?

It’s a chicken-or-egg sort of conversation I got into with Shane MacRhodes, Program Manager of Eugene Safe Routes to School, while we were riding around Eugene with Bob Passaro, publisher of Eugene Bicyclist.

Our conclusion was that one can’t exist without the other if either are going to live up to their full potential.

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Maroon Jamis Coda 2011

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Year: 2011
Brand: Jamis
Model: Coda
Color:Maroon
Size:19″
Serial: U11U05840
Stolen in Portland, OR
Stolen:2011-12-27
Stolen From: REI downtown portland, nw johnson and 14th
Owner: Genevieve Daugherty
OwnerEmail: gldaugh@yahoo.com
Description: warped removable basket on front, fenders, nice soft seat, back light tied on
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 11-112-122
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Follow-up: Drivers uproot several bike lane protectors on NW Lovejoy

Last Friday, we shared photos and a story on the new plastic bollards (a.k.a. “wands”) installed by PBOT on the NW Lovejoy Ramp leading into the Pearl District from the Broadway Bridge. According to PBOT, the bollards were installed as an “experiment” in order to “discourage people who drive from entering the bike lane.”

Well, it looks like the experiment has failed on some respects. By Saturday, several of the wands had been hit by people driving cars and were strewn about the bike lane. Upon closer inspection, it appears the wands were attached to the street only by some sort of epoxy. Below are a few more photos of the scene…

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