Get smart: Two nights, six advocacy events

A City Club sponsored panel discussion will look
at who’s riding — and who’s not.

There’s a reason Portland is such a haven for transportation wonks, advocates, and civic engagement superstars. There is never a shortage of advocacy-related events to attend. I have six events on my calendar scheduled for tonight and tomorrow night — all of which offer important opportunities to learn about local bicycle and transportation issues.

Below is a quick guide to what’s in store…

Tonight (11/12)
River View Natural Area Community Meeting/Open House: 5:30 to 7:30 pm at PDX Church, 125 SW Miles
Off-road bicycling advocates are hoping for a big community turnout at this important planning meeting hosted by Portland Parks & Recreation. As we reported last month, a public process is already underway with the aim of developing a 146 acre parcel in southwest Portland in the hills near the Sellwood Bridge. Parks staff will be on hand to answer questions and hear your feedback about whether or not you think bicycling should be a priority as the trail plans get drawn up. Learn more about this project in our archives, then show up tonight between 5:30 and 7:30 at PDX Church, 125 SW Miles. More info here.

Sauvie Island/Multnomah Channel Community Advisory Committee meeting: 6:00 to 8:30 pm at the Grange Hall #840, 14443 NW Charlton Road
Multnomah County is updating the Transportation System Plan for Sauvie Island and bicycling issues have a major role to play. As you might already know, the beautiful roads on Sauvie Island are excellent places to ride a bike; but they are also relatively narrow and traffic conflicts are a common occurrence for some riders. The TSP update is a great place to shape the future of how these roads are managed. More info here.

Portland Bicycle Advisory Committee meeting: 6:00 pm at the Lovejoy Room in City Hall, 1221 SW 4th Ave (second floor)
This is the monthly meeting of the citizen-led group that advises the City of Portland on matters related to bicycling. The agenda for tonight’s meeting hasn’t been released; but there’s always something interesting to discuss and the conversations are a must-hear for dedicated local bicycle wonks. More info here.

Tomorrow (Wednesday 11/13)
Portland City Club: Bikes in Portland: Who Rides, Who Doesn’t, and Why? 6:00 – 7:30 pm at Velo Cult, 1969 NE 42nd Ave
This looks to be a fun evening of learning and exploring on an interesting topic. Here’s the blurb from City Club of Portland:

“We will investigate bicycle transportation, a beloved topic that people nationwide think epitomizes Portlandia. This event will focus specifically on bicycle transportation through the lens of accessibility. What inspires people who ride, and more importantly, what prevents others from joining in?”

Speakers include Mychal Tetteh and Elly Blue and the discussion will be moderated by none other than our news editor (and staff writer for People for Bikes/Green Lane Project) Michael Andersen. Oh, and it’s at Velo Cult, arguably the most fun place for bike lovers to hang out in the entire city. More info here.

Multnomah County Bicycle and Pedestrian Citizen Advisory Committee meeting: 6:30 – 8:00 pm at the Board Room, Multnomah Building, 501 SE Hawthorne
Monthly meeting of the County’s citizen committee for bicycling and walking issues. Tonight’s agenda will include the new speed bumps on SE Madison that have garnered a lot of attention in the past 24 hours. In addition to that topic, general safety improvements to the Hawthorne Bridge and other issues will be discussed. More info here.

20s Bikeway Project Stakeholder Advisory Committee Meeting: 7:00 – 9:00 pm at Pacific Crest School, 116 NE 29th Ave
As we reported last month, the Bureau of Transportation is well underway in their planning of a major street design update along the “20s”. This project will ultimately be over nine miles long, connecting NE Lombard Street all the way down to the Springwater Corridor. Along the way we have the opportunity to create streets where bicycling is comfortable, efficient, and preferable over driving — but it has a lot better chance at success if people show up and make their voices heard. This is the third meeting of the SAC, but there are still many decisions to be made there’s still time to influence the outcome. More info here.

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Choose your interest and do your part to make Portland a better place to ride bikes. And if you do attend one of these events, please report back to let us know what you learned.