April 2012 Archives

Portland Afoot ranks area’s best places to work for ‘low-car commuters’

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

The bike parking at Stoel Rives.
(Photo: BTA)

For the second year in a row, local publication Portland Afoot has released a ranking of the top local employers for low-car commuters — that is, people who get to work primarily via transit, by foot, or by bike.

Atop the list is a three-way tie for first between downtown law firm Stoel Rives, Metro and the Lloyd Transportation Management Association (both are based in the Lloyd District). Rounding out the top-tier of employers were: SERA, an architecture firm; Elemental Technologies, a video software developer; Bonneville Power Administration; Ecova, an energy consulting firm; Multnomah County; Interface Engineering, a mechanical engineering firm; and Beth Allen Law.

(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

The article below was sent to BikePortland via email by reader Lisa M. I didn’t ask her to submit the piece it was just there in my inbox one morning a few days ago. I’ve chosen to share her story here on the Front Page because I think she captures some important issues and emotions that I and others share (not to mention it’s well written).

During my commute home from work yesterday, a day that had turned beautifully sunny and clear after a sporadic spring hailing, I was involved in a car accident.

The latest installment in our ongoing People on Bikes series takes us to SW Stark St. in downtown Portland. These images were taken between about 5:20 and 5:45 pm yesterday evening just east of the intersection of SW Stark and 3rd.

This section of the street has two travel lanes — one of them is a standard vehicle lane and the other is a buffered bike lane. I’ve numbered the images to help you refer to them in comments. As with all the posts in this series, it was a lot of fun simply observing people riding their bikes and even more fun taking a closer look via the photographs.

The Upper Echelon Team post-race.
(Photo: Emily Haddad/Rapha Cycle Club)

After 114 miles and over seven hours in the saddle, a Portland-based team was victorious in the Rapha Ladies Prestige Race held Saturday in San Francisco.

Fashioned after their Gentleman’s Race, the Rapha Ladies Prestige is an unsanctioned, unsupported race that features teams of six riders. Unlike traditional road races, this was more of a time trial and each team was required to finish the grueling course with all their riders together in order to be counted. This format means team unity and cohesion can often lead to more success than pure strength.

Out of 13 teams that entered, the winning team was fielded by Upper Echelon Fitness, a sports medicine and training center in northwest Portland. The team included Tina Brubaker (whom you might recall from her UPS bike delivery stint), Susan Peithman (a BTA staffer who is also training for the Reve Tour), Megan Chinburg, Elise Huggins, Alexandra Burton, and Amy Campbell. Other teams from Portland included Sorella Forte and Rapha’s own women’s team.

These green spaces around Happy Valley would be
tied together with the newly proposed
Mt. Scott/Scouter Mt. Trail Loop.

Metro is prepping for the public unveiling of an exciting new network of paths that span from just south of the Powell Butte Nature Park all the way down to the Clackamas River. The Mt. Scott/Scouter Mt. Trail Loop is one of twenty “Connecting Green trail packages” proposed by Metro’s Blue Ribbon Committee for Trails.

According to a document and maps released by Metro today, the plans call for a combination of paved multi-use paths as well as hiking and biking trails. In all, the network would encompass about 17 miles of paths winding around the city of Happy Valley and between a corridor bordered by the Springwater path, the I-205 multi-use path , SE 172nd Avenue and SE Sunnyside Road.

It’s hard to believe that Portland’s bike film festival — Filmed by Bike — is set to celebrate its 10th anniversary. The festival kicks of this Friday night and continues through Wednesday with nine screenings and 75 movies on the schedule.

In addition to the usual weekend slate of films, organizer Ayleen Crotty has added two additional days of screenings. Tuesday (4/17) will be a special program dedicated to the “relentless creative spirit of Cyclocross.” And on Wednesday there will be two showings of the “Best of the Best!” — a mix of favorite films of the past decade.

With more movies than ever, Crotty says she also expects an unprecedented number of filmmakers to attend the event this year. Among them are a trio of bike-loving movie makers from France who are in the middle of a three-year global bike tour. The way Crotty tells it, these guys made a movie while taking a respite in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico and, upon getting it accepted to Filmed by Bike, decided to change course and ride to Portland for the event! You can meet these adventurous Frenchmen after the Sunday 7:00 pm showing. There’s also a filmmaker Q & A session following Saturday’s 5:00 pm showing.

Typical conditions on one of Portland’s busiest bikeways.
We can and should do better.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

I won’t be satisfied with Portland’s progress as a bicycling city until our transportation system provides the same level of safety, efficiency, and respect to people on bicycles as it does to people who drive or take transit.

I can walk to my car and drive to my office downtown in a few minutes, enjoying comfort and safety on streets made just for me. Or, I can walk a few blocks to a bus or a light rail train and have a similar experience. But on my bike, my experience is vastly different.

Contrary to popular belief, bicycling in Portland isn’t all unicorns and rainbows. Cars still dominate the streetscape. In fact, there isn’t a single A-to-B route in this city that has the type of dedicated, connected, safe, easy-to-use facilities like we provide for motor vehicles and transit.

Is it really any wonder that well over 60 percent of Portlanders still drive alone to work everyday? (Or that a mayoral candidate saw fit to do it in an election ad?)

This is the place I started from when GOOD asked me to come up with an urban challenge for Portland as part of their GOOD Ideas for Cities project.

Year: 2011
Brand: Specialized
Model: Sirrus
Color:Gray/yellow
Size:18.5
Serial:D092131248B
Stolen in Portland, OR 97213
Stolen:2012-04-09
Stolen From: NE Glisan St. at NE 80th St.
Neighborhood: Montavilla
Owner: Michael Fortune
OwnerEmail: Michael_Fortune@verizon.net
Reward: $104
Description: Bicycle is a dark-grey "Specialized Sirrus" brand of city bicycle; with yellow fenders, a large luggage rack, and a carrying bag under the seat.
Bicycle was chained to a street sign pole with two locks and two chains. I arrived at 6:10 pm to see that both had been cut, and the bicycle had been taken in daylight.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 12-152245
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

700 Rolf Wheelset 2000

Year: 2000
Brand: Rolf Wheelset
Color:700
Size:Blue
Stolen in Portland, OR
Stolen:2012-04-9
Stolen From: 1750 Harbor Way Portland
Between 9 am & 1:30 pm from a private parking garage.
Owner: Tom Kruger
OwnerEmail: Satoride@gmail.com
Description: Rolf wheelset anodized blue, with paired bladed spokes. 3 sets of labels evenly spaced around the rim in yellow. Look for small reflective tape strips next to the labels. Had a set of Continental contact tires mounted when stolen.
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Advisory: SE Umatilla Street closed to bikes tomorrow

From City of Portland Bureau of Transportation:

BICYCLE TRAFFIC ADVISORY
SE Umatilla bikeway closes tomorrow for construction, detouring traffic

PORTLAND, Ore. – The Portland Bureau of Transportation announced a bicycle traffic advisory due to the closure of SE Umatilla Street tomorrow between SE 7th and SE 11th avenues. SE Umatilla is a popular on-street bikeway linking the segment of the Springwater Trail on the Willamette River with the southeast bikeway network and eastern segment of the Springwater Trail.

People on bicycles will be detoured from SE Umatilla is scheduled to be closed from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. tomorrow. The traveling public is advised to follow detour signs and use caution in work zones. Construction is due to sewer line work in the area.

Black Specialized Ariel Sport 2011

Year: 2011
Brand: Specialized
Model: Ariel Sport
Color:Black
Size:Medium
Serial: wsbc608046492f
Stolen in Boise, ID 83706
Stolen:2012-04-9
Stolen From: Morrison Park Apartments in Boise, ID. Near BSU.
Neighborhood: BSU Area
Owner: Chloe Lombard
OwnerEmail: lombardchloe@yahoo.com
Reward: 100
Description: The bike also has black fenders and red and white detailing. My phone number is (208)440-8256.
Police record with: Boise PD
Police reference#: 208070
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Portlanders make the most of a sunny cycling weekend

Bunnies! On Bikes!
(Photo: Greg Raisman)

This past weekend here in Portland was the warmest and sunniest in recent memory. There also happened to be tons of bike rides and other events going on. In an attempt to make it last just a little longer, I thought I’d share a few photos of the adventures and good times had by readers and friends (and myself!).

—

Local graphic designer Gabriel Amadeus grabbed some friends and headed north on a 44-mile loop (route map here) that landed them on some fun backroads near Ridgefield Wildlife Area in Washington…

Portland Afoot ranks area’s best places to work for ‘low-car commuters’

Guest Article: Bike boulevard bliss shattered and a call to action

People on Bikes: SW Stark Street

Portland team wins ‘Rapha Ladies Prestige Race’ in San Francisco

New system of paths, trails would connect Springwater Corridor to Clackamas River

10th anniversary Filmed by Bike kicks off Friday

A GOOD Idea: Make bicycling as easy as driving or taking transit

Gray/yellow Specialized Sirrus 2011

700 Rolf Wheelset 2000

Advisory: SE Umatilla Street closed to bikes tomorrow

Black Specialized Ariel Sport 2011

Portlanders make the most of a sunny cycling weekend

Latest Headlines

Bill moves forward despite concerns over Safe Routes and rail program funding

Sarah Iannarone steps down as leader of The Street Trust

Monday Roundup: Oil shock, counting pedestrians, and more

Bill seeks to cut $25 million from Safe Routes and bike path program to balance ODOT budget

From the Archives

With six kids and no car, this mom does it all by bike