🎄🚨: BikeCraft is back! Our holiday gift bazaar happens Wednesday, 12/17 at Migration Brewing on N Williams Ave.
See full vendor list here.

Police plan crosswalk enforcement mission near Parklane Elementary

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Here’s the news on the latest crosswalk enforcement action planned by PBOT/PPB;

Crosswalk enforcement planned Sept. 25th on SE 148th Avenue and Main Street

(September 18, 2013) – The Portland Bureau of Transportation and Portland Police Bureau advise the traveling public that a crosswalk enforcement action is scheduled for September 25th near the Parklane Elementary School in Southeast Portland to raise awareness of pedestrian safety and traffic law and to emphasize safety at the start of the school year.

The enforcement action will be from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. on SE 148th Avenue and SE Main Street. The location has pavement markings, signage, and an overhead flashing beacon to help pedestrians cross safely.

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Washington County commissioner swaps car parking spot for a bike locker

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Washington County Commissioner Dick Schouten tries out the bike locker.
(Photos courtesy Janna Allgood)

This is a guest article submitted by Washington County Sustainability Program Educator Janna Allgood.

When it comes to amenities for people who ride bikes, Washington County learned that it pays to think strategically about who’s on your bike commuter list.

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As CRC re-birth looms, activists launch phone tree campaign

Anti-CRC event at Crank Bicycles-3

Like the project itself, anti-CRC activism is back.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

As you might have heard thanks to reporting by the Willamette Week, the Columbia River Crossing project is very much alive. Oregon legislators who once said cooperation from Washington was imperative, have conveniently scuttled that narrative and are preparing to push the project through regardless of any bi-state partnership.

However, as the CRC readies for another starring role in Salem in a few weeks, a coalition of grassroots activists who have been working for years to stymie the project have once again come together in hopes of convincing legislators that it’s a bad idea. Organized by Bike Walk Vote, a political action committee, their new effort is called, “Operation CRC: Commotion & Ruckus Campaign.”

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Driving dangerously: Police issue over 1,100 citations in back-to-school mission

Beach Elem. School encourages biking and walking-7

School’s back in session and for some folks
the reminder came in the form of a traffic citation.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

During a two-week period that coincided with the start of the school year, the Portland Police Bureau issued well over 1,100 citations to people who violated traffic laws in school zones.

According to PPB Sgt. Tim Sessions, during the first day of “Operation Safe School Return,” photo radar units nabbed 400 speeding motor vehicle operators. After the first week, the number went up to over 800 (word spread fast apparently, because he said by the second week that number went down to 75). At the end of the two week mission, the PPB had issued 1,193 citations.

“I wasn’t surprised at all,” said Sgt. Sessions in a phone interview this morning. “People don’t remember that school is starting,” he said. “It’s like when it starts raining and the first thing you should do is slow down because the roads are slick, but people forget.”

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Two PBOT job openings will shape our transportation vision

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Sullivan's Gulch Corridor Project First Open House-5-4

Former PBOT Planning Division Manager Paul Smith,
standing, was a key figure in drawing up plans like
the Sullivan’s Gulch Corridor project.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

A pair of key job openings, one very large and one quite small, could help the Portland Bureau of Transportation pivot into an agency that, at every level, prioritizes the movement of people instead of the movement of cars.

Or the other way around.

The big position is the city’s transportation planning manager, a role recently vacated by Paul Smith. As head of the team that sets big priorities for the city’s streets and then convenes stakeholders to work out specific plans to change them, the new planning manager will set an important tone for the office.

New PBOT Director Leah Treat said in an interview with BikePortland last week that upon joining the department, she personally rewrote the hiring description to fit her goal of finding “an unconventional person” for the role.

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Black Bridgestone MB-6 Trailblazer 1991

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Year: 1991
Brand: Bridgestone
Model: MB-6 Trailblazer
Color:Black
Size:38cm
Serial: MOKI 36606
Stolen in Portland, OR 97209
Stolen:2013-09-18
Stolen From: Stolen from PNCA (Pacific Northwest College of Art) bike racks at 1241 NW Johnson Street in the Pearl District
Neighborhood: Pearl District
Owner: Elie Charpentier
OwnerEmail: eliepdx( atsign )hotmail.com
Reward: $50.00
Description: Bridgestone woman’s MB-6 Trailblazer mountain bike. Black with hot pink lettering. Has a cat eye front light, water bottle cage, small storage bag, and back red light.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: pending
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Blue Kona Dew 2007

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Year: 2007
Brand: Kona
Model: Dew
Color:Blue
Serial: 08060727
Stolen in Salem, OR 97301
Stolen:2013-09-19
Stolen From: 451 Division St NE, Salem, OR
Neighborhood: Downtown Salem
Owner: Alex Carmichael
OwnerEmail: carmichaelignored(A T)hotmail.com
Description: Commuter bike with black fenders and a ring hitch for a trailer
Police record with: Salem PD
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Job: Pacific Northwest Regional Policy Manager – Safe Routes to School National Partnership

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Job Title
Pacific Northwest Regional Policy Manager

Company/Organization
Safe Routes to School National Partnership

Job Description
Position: Pacific Northwest Regional Policy Manager

Program: Safe Routes to School National Partnership

Institution: Bikes Belong Foundation

Reports to: Regional Network Manager

Employment and Classification: “At will” employment status; full-time salaried position; grant currently funded through December 2015.

Location: Your home office in the Portland, Oregon region

Applications: Applications will be accepted through September 27, 2013 at 5 PM PT and must be sent to hr@saferoutespartnership.org. Specific details on application requirements are provided below. No telephone calls please.

Start Date: October 2013

Summary: Join the Safe Routes to School National Partnership (National Partnership) and use your professional talents and personal passion to advocate for safe walking and bicycling to and from schools, and in daily life, to improve the health and well-being of America’s children and to foster the creation of livable, sustainable communities.

The Pacific Northwest Regional Policy Manager is a new position and will be part of the National Partnership’s Regional Network Project. The Regional Network Project started in 2010 with support from Kaiser Permanente and currently focuses on Southern California; Northern California; Greater Washington, DC area; Denver, Colorado; and Atlanta, Georgia. Continued support allows the National Partnership to deepen our work in these regions, and to expand our efforts to the Pacific Northwest region with the ultimate goal of increasing physical activity and improving safety among students through policy, systems and environmental changes.

The Pacific Northwest Regional Policy Manager will work in the Willamette Valley area, with an initial focus on the greater Portland Metro region, in collaboration with America Walks and Oregon Walks. The Pacific Northwest Regional Policy Manager will build a network and partnerships of diverse organizations and individuals to advocate for improved transportation funding allocations and policies for Safe Routes to School, walking and bicycling at the Metro regional government (Portland, Oregon area), the Mid-Willamette Valley Council of Governments (Salem, Oregon area) and the Southwest Washington Regional Transportation Council (Vancouver, Washington area). Specific attention will be on improving policies for walking and bicycling for children and families, especially lower-income communities most vulnerable to childhood obesity. In addition to regional policy work, the Pacific Northwest Regional Policy Manager will provide technical assistance at the local level to select c ommunities receiving Kaiser Permanente community investments. Funding for this position is through 2015 and the Pacific Northwest Regional Policy Manager will work with the National Partnership to secure continued funding for the project.

Primary responsibilities for the Pacific Northwest Region Policy Manger position include: building and maintaining a regional network; enhancing and advancing regional policies to improve the built environment and increase active transportation; meeting grant-related deliverables; providing technical assistance in specific communities; and assisting in fundraising efforts

For more information about this position, please see the detailed job description.

Qualifications:

Minimum of two years proven success in Safe Routes to School policy, program, planning and/or implementation
Experience with leading coalitions, working with partners, and providing technical assistance to develop leaders to achieve state and/or local policy change and campaign goals
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Strong problem solving skills
Strong project management experience
Ability to travel
Detail-oriented
Highly collaborative
Ability to work from home, to work independently (self-starter) and as a team member across departments with minimal supervision
Ability to follow-up in a timely manner, be proactive and to work under tight deadlines/schedules with attention to detail
Fundraising experience a plus
Proficient with PCs and with MS Office software
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience required
Background: The Safe Routes to School National Partnership was founded in 2005 and is a network of more than 650 organizations, agencies, schools and professional groups. Its mission is to advance safe walking and bicycling to and from schools, and in daily life, to improve the health and well-being of America’s children and to foster the creation of livable, sustainable communities. The National Partnership is hosted by the non-profit Bikes Belong Foundation.

Annual Salary: This “at will” position offers a starting annual salary of $50,000 – $60,000/year, plus health insurance benefits, paid time off and optional participation in a deferred compensation plan. A PC computer, telephone and internet access will be provided. All Safe Routes to School National Partnership personnel are employees of the Bikes Belong Foundation and work from home offices. Presently, this project is funded through December 2015.

How to Apply
To Apply: Interested applicants should submit (via email) a cover letter, resume and three writing samples in one PDF file to hr@saferoutespartnership.org. The PDF file shall be named as follows: [LastName]_PacNW_RPM.pdf. Ensure that the subject line of your email includes the text “Pacific NW RPM.” Applications must be submitted in the format indicated in order to be considered. Due to a high volume of interest in our positions, we are not able to accept email or telephone inquiries.

Receipt of applications will be acknowledged with an email reply. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until Friday, September 27, 2013 at 5 PM PT. Applying soon is encouraged as interviews will be conducted on a rolling basis.

Visit www.saferoutespartnership.org for more information about the Safe Routes to School National Partnership.

Bikes Belong Foundation is an equal opportunity employer.

City Council backs $21 million for better walking and biking, citing boost to economy

Commissioner Steve Novick at Green Lane Project event

Commissioner Steve Novick speaking at a
Green Lane Project event earlier this week.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

The ways people talk about active transportation seems to be changing in Portland, both inside and outside of government.

At a unanimous City Council vote Wednesday in favor of $20.7 million in federally backed walking and biking improvements throughout the city, including $9.1 million to enact parts of the East Portland in Motion plan and $6.6 million for what promises to be a historic upgrade of central Portland bike facilities, people on both sides of the council dais were repeating an idea that isn’t always common: Improving biking improves the city for people who don’t.

Leading the shift: new Transportation Commissioner Steve Novick, who echoed and rephrased some of the observations we shared from his speech two nights before.

“It should be obvious to everybody that the freight improvements are connected to economic development,” Novick said Wednesday, referring to $4.1 million dedicated to efficient truck movement. “But the things that make it easier to walk and bike are economic investments. … There’s a couple of ways to improve your family’s economic position. One is to make more money, and one is to reduce your expenses. Active transportation investments help people reduce their expenses.”

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Via Reddit, man shares account of being hit by MAX train

TriMet released this image of the man who was hit and
the operator who came to his aid.

A man posted on Reddit this morning about his harrowing experience of being struck by a MAX train. He said it happened at a station somewhere near the northeast Portland/Gresham border and that his use of headphones directly contributed to the collision. Here’s “fehu’s” post:

I was on my way to work, and got off at my stop in Northeast Portland/Gresham. I had my headphones in like a dumb ass, and went to cross the intersection before my train had left.

I mounted my bike, like I do every day, and went to cross the intersection. When I noticed the train, it was about 20 feet away, and my body was dead in the center of the tracks. I turned a sharp left, because I knew I couldn’t push past it in time. My front wheel got caught in the track. I unclipped from my pedal, put my foot down, and pushed myself and the bike about six inches back.

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Researcher explores the ‘Language of promoting cycling’

“When it comes to cycle planning and policy, all parties involved (politicians, policy-makers, practitioners, advocates, etc) should remember that they are providing for “cycling”, not “cyclists””.
— Glen Koorey, University of Canterbury

Reader John Lieswyn (an associate at Alta Planning + Design) emailed me a link to an amazing bit of research this morning. A 2007 paper written by Glen Koorey, a transportation researcher based at the University of Canterbury titled, Are You a Cyclist or Do You Cycle? The Language of Promoting Cycling.

This 10-page paper (PDF) blows my mind, not because of the subject matter itself, but because Mr. Koorey explores a topic I have thought and spoken about for many years. It’s as if he crawled inside my brain and then reported back what he found.

From the online abstract, it appears Koorey presented the paper at a cycling conference in New Zealand. Here’s how he introduces the topic:

“Promoting more cycling in New Zealand is still an exercise fraught with much adversity, both from the general public and from decision- and policy-makers. It is therefore crucial that anyone advocating for a better cycling environment is careful in how they present their case, lest they end up “scoring an own goal” or furthering existing mis-conceptions.”

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ArtCrank poster event returns to Portland next month

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This just in from our friends at Artcrank. The show is returning to Portland this year on Ocotber 3rd and 4th at The Cleaners at The Ace Hotel. This is the fifth year Artcrank has come to Portland and it’s a not-to-be-missed event. You can see and buy awesome bike-inspired, affordable (and original) art that also benefits the Bicycle Transportation Alliance.

Check out the flyer below…

Event organizers are on the lookout for volunteers, who’ll get a free t-shirt and free beer at the event. Email Alison Taylor if you’re interested – alison@artcrank.com.

Learn more about the event on their Facebook page.

See photos and coverage from past Artcrank Portland events in our archives.