May 2013 Archives

Region’s first-ever ‘Active Transportation Plan’ set for open house tomorrow

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

The “spiderweb” of Regional Bicycle Parkways
as envisioned in Metro’s plan.

Metro will host an open house tomorrow (5/23) for their Regional Active Transportation Plan. The plan will be the region’s first specifically tailored to bicycling, walking and access to transit. The planning effort has been underway for well over a year and is set to wrap up by the end of next month. In summer of 2014 the plan’s recommendations and a list of prioritized projects will be proposed for adoptions into the Regional Transportation Plan.

The plan’s ambitious scope includes: the creation of a new set of design guidelines for bicycle facilities; an update to regional biking and walking maps; integration of the existing active transportation network; identification of a network of ‘Regional Bicycle Parkways’; a recommendation of strategies for implementation, and more.

In other words, this is a big deal. As its projects get adopted into the RTP, Metro’s Regional Active Transportation Plan will give regional policymakers the crucial political breathing room and decision-making framework they need to make real and significant investments that could vastly improve bicycling conditions.

Brand: bianchi rode bike
Color:white/sliver
Stolen in Portland, OR
Stolen:2013-05-21
Stolen From: Llyod center by 13 and multonama
Owner: Chris Nielsen
OwnerEmail: chriskarlnielsen( atsign )gmail.com
Description: Bianchi frame with a black Thompson stem. Blask seat and black pedals. The right pedal is partially broken
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Pedalpalooza is coming! Ride highlights and a reminder

Pedalpalooza kicks off in just over two weeks and the buzz is really starting to build. The official calendar already has 129 events listed and I can sense growing chatter and excitement amongst lovers of bike fun throughout the city. I wanted to bring your attention to some nifty rides and remind you that the deadline for submitting one of your own — if you want it to appear in the printed calendar — is tomorrow (5/22) at midnight. The benefit to having your ride in the printed calendar is that it gets inserted into an issue of the Portland Mercury and gets passed out all around town.

Below are a few gems I noticed on the calendar so far…

The 8-Bit Bike Ride (June 8th) will be a “ride down retro lane, 8-bit style.” The ride leader, Zed Bailey, is encouraging everyone to show up wearing their favorite retro video game costume. The ride meets at Avalon Nickel Arcade on SE Belmont for pre-ride video-game playing. He even made this cool video promo…

Cargo bikes to the rescue!
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

The City of Tigard is planning a major, region-wide “mock emergency” exercise on Thursday and they want to include cargo bikes. Tara Harper, a consultant working on the event, was inspired by her involvement with the Disaster Relief Trials in Portland last summer and says cargo bikes would be uniquely suited to the task.

The exercise is based on a bioterrorism attack that creates a massive public health emergency. The entire population will be at risk unless they receive medicine that’s doled out at a “Point of Dispensing station”. Tigard will test the POD station concept for the first time on Thursday and officials from many other regional jurisdictions will be on hand to observe it. The medicine would be flown in from other areas and the challenge is to get the boxes of treatments and supplies to the POD stations as fast as possible. With traffic jams and other unforeseen circumstances, vehicles are needed that can operate regardless of traffic conditions.

Sierra Club Oregon Chapter
Director Brian Pasko.

Our story last week about a lawsuit against the Timberline Mountain Bike Park has sparked a lot of conversation. Several people commented and contacted me to express concerns that I failed to offer adequate context to the story. The Sierra Club and other environmental groups that have signed on as plaintiffs to the lawsuit, strongly maintain that their stance is not about bikes at all. Rather, they say their concerns are about the broader environmental impacts, the private developer that will construct the park, and a feeling that the U.S. Forest Service has not fulfilled its obligations within the public process around the project.

In our story last week, I included an email from Kenji Sugahara, the executive director of the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association, to Brian Pasko, the director of the Sierra Club’s Oregon chapter. In that email, Sugahara questioned the Sierra Club’s actions and requested their immediate withdrawal from the lawsuit. Today I want to share Pasko’s response to Sugahara because I it adds some important context to this debate (emphases mine):

Bicycle frame and component manufacturer
Chris King Precision Components employs over 100
people in northwest Portland.
(Photo: Chris King Precision Components)

Earlier this month we learned that bicycle-related travel pumps $400 million into Oregon’s economy each year. Now Travel Oregon, the state’s tourism development and marketing organization, has embarked on the second part of that research project: a comprehensive look at the economic impact of bicycle-related industry.

Travel Oregon released the Bicycle Industry Survey yesterday to begin data collection for the study. Here’s more from them from the email announcement:

The bicycle industry in Oregon is a unique and growing part of our economy. To get a better handle on the size, characteristics and growth of this industry, a research project has been launched to gather current data that is not available from any existing sources.

Year: 2006
Brand: Trek
Model: 4500 WSD
Color:Blue
Size:14″
Photo: http://kolo.cz/media/katalog/2006/full_trek06_4500wsdv.jpg
Stolen in Portland, OR 97211
Stolen:2013-05-21
Stolen From: Stolen from a home garage; cross streets are close to 13th and Dekum.
Neighborhood: Woodlawn
Owner: Mary Smardo
OwnerEmail: mss1221(A T)hotmail.com
Description: This bicycle had front and rear lights attached, but those can be easily removed.
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Black Specialized Globe 2009

Year: 2009
Brand: Specialized
Model: Globe
Color:Black
Size:53 cm
Serial: 390170WUD80
Stolen in Portland, OR 97212
Stolen:2013-05-13
Stolen From: Around 16th and SE Ankeny from the street.
Neighborhood: Kerns
Owner: Jacob Hayes
OwnerEmail: basilhayes(at sign)yahoo.com
Reward: yes
Description: A commuter with black fenders and a shimano seat.
Police record with: Portland PD
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Red and Black Specialized Stumpjumper 2007

Year: 2007
Brand: Specialized
Model: Stumpjumper
Color:Red and Black
Size:Small
Photo: http://flic.kr/p/en2TQ7
Stolen in Portland, OR 97202
Stolen:2013-04-5
Stolen From: Stolen out of locked storage unit within locked apartment basement of Ashley Court Apartments on Powell and SE 36th Pl. Lock to storage unit was cut.
Neighborhood: Powell and 36th (SE Portland)
Owner: Rochelle Comeaux
OwnerEmail: ellemeaux(at sign)gmail.com
Reward: $100
Description: Maxxis Tires
All other components were stock
Some scratches on body of bike
S size sticker still on frame
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 1327293
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

charcoal/gray Trek 7.1fx 2012

Year: 2012
Brand: Trek
Model: 7.1fx
Color:charcoal/gray
Size:22.5
Serial:WTU351C2493H
Stolen in Portland, OR 97205
Stolen:2013-05-15
Stolen From: in front of Mark Spencer building 902 NW 11th (stark and 11th)
Neighborhood: Downtown/SW
Owner: Michael Merrill
OwnerEmail: mmerrill_2000@yahoo.com
Description: BONTRAGER NCS FENDERS; Gray with blue/red strapping/pad baby seat (back mounted); detachable metal mesh basket up front; cable lock
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 13-039192
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Trails, backroads and the charms of Vernonia

One of the best things about bicycling in Portland isn’t even in Portland. It’s a small town called Vernonia. Situated a perfect day’s ride from Portland (about 50 miles, or less if you take MAX to HIllsboro), Vernonia is nestled in the woods at the end of about 20 miles of the smoothly paved Banks-Vernonia Trail.

This past weekend I packed up a few panniers and joined some friends for an overnight bike ride out to Vernonia. On the way out we rode through some great new trails and rural backroads through Washington County; and on the way back, we opted for logging roads and dirt trails that led us to Scappoose. Even under grey and wet skies all day Saturday, it was fantastic riding.

But what made this weekend so great wasn’t just the pedaling and the good company, it was the town of Vernonia itself. From the easy and comfortable camping at Anderson Park, to the hospitality of locals we experienced at Black Bear Coffee and the Cedar Side Inn.

People who ride bikes at night consistently overestimate their visibility to other road users, a new study has found.

They also overlook a few tricks, like reflective strips around the ankles and knees, that can help the most.

The report, led by Joanne Wood of the Queensland University of Technology in Australia and published in next month’s issue of Accident Analysis & Prevention, asked both regular and occasional bike riders wearing black clothing, fluorescent or reflective vests, and vests with reflective strips to estimate the point at which an approaching driver would be able to spot them. Different lighting setups were used, too.

People wearing black clothing on their bike at night, or just a reflective vest, were far too optimistic. They thought drivers would see them from nearly twice the distance drivers actually tend to.

Region’s first-ever ‘Active Transportation Plan’ set for open house tomorrow

white/sliver bianchi rode bike

Pedalpalooza is coming! Ride highlights and a reminder

Cargo bike responders wanted for Tigard mock emergency drill

Director of Sierra Club explains rationale behind MTB park lawsuit

State embarks on effort to quantify Oregon’s bicycle industry

Blue Trek 4500 WSD 2006

Black Specialized Globe 2009

Red and Black Specialized Stumpjumper 2007

charcoal/gray Trek 7.1fx 2012

Trails, backroads and the charms of Vernonia

You’re not as visible on a bike at night as you think, new study shows

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