Year: 2011

Bikes figure into local politics this Saturday – UPDATED

Mayoral candidate Charlie Hales
is organizing a bike convergence
ride to his campaign kickoff
event Saturday.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Two events this Saturday speak to how bikes are a part of politics here in Portland.

Two Oregon state representatives — House rep Michael Dembrow and Senator Jackie Dingfelder — will lead a bike tour of their Northeast Portland districts in their third annual “Bike Town Hall” event. Also on Saturday, candidate for Portland mayor Charlie Hales is organizing a massive “convergence” bike ride to his “Party in the Park” campaign kick-off party.

For Rep. Dembrow, his bike town hall is a “chance to encourage folks to utilize the great bike infrastructure that we have in Portland.” The tour will include stops at the newly completed Cully Blvd. green street project and its state-of-the-art cycle track, various Safe Routes to Schools projects, and “an example of the latest pedestrian and bicycle-friendly intersections.”

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Event: Free Bike Maintenance Class (9/21/11)

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Free Bike Maintenance Class at Western Bike Works
9/21/11
5:30 PM

Details: We will begin a series of Wednesday night maintenance classes that will be on the 1st and 3rd Wednesdays of the month.

Participants will receive a 10% off coupon to purchase items for the next 30 days (some exclusions apply).

The first Wednesday class will focus on hands-on flat repair, lube and bike cleaning. The 3rd Wednesday class will focus on front and rear derailleur adjustment, brake pad and brake lever adjustment; Including micro adjust with barrel adjusters, brake pad placement and adjustment/toeing for maximum braking efficiency.

Please visit our web site for more details.

River levee work forces temporary closure of Marine Drive path

A portion of the popular Marine Drive bike path near the Portland airport is closed for a construction project. According to the Portland Bureau of Transportation, Multnomah County is working on a Columbia River levee maintenance project and the path is closed about 2.5 miles east of NE 33rd Drive and about 700 feet west of I-205.

Here’s more from PBOT:

“Bicyclists should also be aware that this work has created some restraints on the shoulder of Marine Drive from NE 42nd Avenue to NE 172nd Avenue where the Drainage District has installed jersey barriers to discourage parking.

We recommend bicyclists exercise extreme caution.”

PBOT adds that a “bike turnaround” area is signed 3,350 feet west of I-205. According to The Oregonian, a representative from the Multnomah County Drainage District says the path could be re-opened as early as tomorrow.

How much to use bike sharing in Portland? About $60-$95 per year

This guest post is by Michael Andersen of Portland Afoot, a 10-minute newsmagazine and wiki for public transit riders in Portland.

—

Bike share demo-24-24

If bike sharing comes to Portland as expected, it won’t really be for cycling devotees, many of whom already take their bicycles everywhere.

No, bike sharing will be for people who rode in on buses, trains, planes or automobiles. That’s what makes it so interesting, especially to transit people like me. That’s also why the price for using Portland’s future bike sharing system is going to be very, very important.

Nobody cares more about price than a newbie.

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Advocates fight for key funding pot as debate heads to Capitol Hill

East Sunday Parkways-33

The Springwater Corridor Trail is one of many
projects around the region funded
by the federal Transportation
Enhancements program.
(Photo © J. Maus)

National bike advocacy and transportation groups are pulling out all the stops to help preserve the Transportation Enhancement (TE) program, a vital source of funds that has existed for two decades and this year alone pumped about $700 million into bicycling and walking projects (which is just a paltry 2 percent of the total spending).

The transportation bill is long overdue for a re-authorization, but yesterday the House and Senate agreed to yet another six month extension. Advocates breathed a sigh of relief when the agreement was a “clean” extension, meaning all existing programs would remain in tact. However, that agreement is set for debate in the House today on Capitol Hill, and advocacy groups’ worries now shift to making sure it stays clean.

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Black Motobecane Fantomcross Uno 2009

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Year: 2009
Brand: Motobecane
Model: Fantomcross Uno
Color:Black
Size:54cm
Stolen in Portland, OR 97232
Stolen:2011-09-13
Stolen From: NE Davis between 17th and 18th.
Neighborhood: Kerns
Owner: Anna Melichar
OwnerEmail: annamelichar@gmail.com
Reward: $100
Description: Black frame with white/red lettering. Silver fenders w/ electrical tape, neon green handlebar griptape, flat resistant tires. Dent/rust on bar between saddle and stem from accident, saddle torn, adhesive remnants from stickers.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 11-154992
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Navy Blue/Creme Novara Transfer 2006

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Year: 2006
Brand: Novara
Model: Transfer
Color:Navy Blue/Creme
Serial: U62Y01724
Stolen in Portland, OR 97209
Stolen:2011-09-12
Stolen From: Stolen outside of 2 NW 2nd Avenue.
Neighborhood: Chinatown
Owner: Alyssa Kessler
OwnerEmail: acekessler@gmail.com
Description: There was a bike rack on the back, with a Portland Fire Bureau sticker on the rear fender.
Police record with: Portlan PD
Police reference#: 11-79074
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Silver Diamondback

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Brand: Diamondback
Color:Silver
Stolen in Portland, OR 97203
Stolen:2011-09-11
Stolen From: Outside of Christie Dorm @ University of Portland
Owner: Aaron Monto
OwnerEmail: aaronmonto@hotmail.com
Description: Silver Diamondback with tears near back of seat… Not sure about other details but I can identify.

360-991-2765
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Black Surly 1×1 2007

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Year: 2007
Brand: Surly
Model: 1×1
Color:Black
Size:18
Stolen in Portland, OR 97214
Stolen:2011-09-08
Stolen From: The porch of a house on 38th and Hawthorne SE
Neighborhood: SE Hawthorne
Owner: Jacob Foucault
OwnerEmail: jakefoucault@gmail.com
Reward: Cash, can be negotiated based on condition of bike, But I really really want this thing back.
Description: Frame: Black Surly 1×1, 18" frame
Wheels: WTB Disk, all black no breaking surface.
Brakes: AVID Disk Brakes
Cockpit: Easton ~100mm Stem w/ generic black risers and clear oury grips
Saddle: WTB
Tires: WTB Nano Wolf
Crank: Single Speed, can’t remember the brand, no bashguard.
Feel free to call me at Six one Two, five08-4310 if you see this bicycle or have any information at all.
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

PBOT announces three month closure of SW Broadway

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Beginning tomorrow (9/13), SW Broadway Drive just south of downtown Portland will be closed to all traffic for three months.

The closure is for an unscheduled retaining wall project that will be conducted by the Bureau of Transportation. PBOT says the work is necessary to prevent a future landslide and/or roadway failure. SW Broadway is not the main road in this area, but it is a popular alternate bicycling route to SW Terwiliger.

To accomodate bicycle traffic during the closure, PBOT will sign a detour. The route uses SW Hoffman and then switchbacks up to SW Davenport. See a detailed map below and download a PDF of the detour here.

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From the Archives

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