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Year: 2014

State’s $1.9 million gift says it: flashing beacons are the safety tool of the moment

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An active warning beacon in North Portland.
(Photo: City of Portland)

Two state legislators’ announcement this week that $1.9 million from the state’s general fund would pay for new flashing beacons and traffic islands at 18 East Portland crosswalks communicated two things about Portland streets.

First: that street safety is one of State Rep. Shemia Fagan’s core issues, something she’s consistently putting political capital behind. Second: that rectangular rapid-flash beacons, which communicate a person’s desire to cross without using red lights to stop traffic completely, have become one of the city’s go-to safety tools.

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PSU grad students want to ‘Activate’ Waterfront Park

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Waterfront Park is typically considered a bright spot in Portland’s urban planning legacy. And it should be. After all, it used to be an urban freeway known as Harbor Drive that was closed in 1974. In its place is the tree-lined park we now enjoy and that has become one of the city’s best public spaces.

But how can take Waterfront Park from good to great? How can we make it a more attractive and accessible place for all Portlanders? Those are some of the questions being asked by a new project dubbed “Activate the Waterfront“.

The effort is being led by Watermark Planning, which is six graduate students from Portland State University’s vaunted Master’s of Urban and Regional Planning program (MURP). They’ve partnered up with city agencies (including Portland Parks and Recreation and the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability) to develop a Downtown Portland Waterfront Activation Plan. The project is a six-month endeavor that will fulfill the student’s degree capstone requirement.

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Job: Mechanic/Sales – Beaverton Bike N Hike

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Job Title
Mechanic/Sales

Company/Organization
Beaverton Bike N Hike

Job Description
Beaverton Bike N Hike is currently hiring for multiple positions in both sales and service. Bike mechanic applicants must have shop experience. Sales position applicants must have a positive attitude and a love for bicycles, no shop experience required.

How to Apply
Drop off a Resume at our Beaverton shop, located at 10120 SW Beaverton-hillsdale Hwy, Beaverton, OR 97005. Or email a Resume to beaverton@bikenhike.com.

Washington County commissioner says adjacent landowners should help pay for sidewalks, bikeways

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Washington County Commissioner Greg Malinowski.

In a ringing reminder that the ballots arriving May 2 in Washington County will offer residents a choice between two very different futures, a county commissioner is calling for what sounds like a big change in the way street infill projects are paid for.

District 2 incumbent Greg Malinowski, who represents northwest Beaverton and the nearby unincorporated areas, suggested in an Oregonian op-ed Monday that the county should be able to bill property owners for at least some of the cost of “sidewalks and bikeways” along their property.

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Red Raleigh Grand Prix 1976

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Year: 1976
Brand: Raleigh
Model: Grand Prix
Color:Red
Size:large mens
Stolen in Portland, OR
Stolen:2014-04-23
Stolen From: Downtown, in front of the Gus Solomon Courthouse @ Sixth & Madison.
Neighborhood: downtown
Owner: John Mulvey
OwnerEmail: john.s.mulvey(replace with at sign)gmailcom
Description: Large frame Raleigh Grand Pix, red and black. Modded for single speed and with “moustache” handlebars, taped with black tape.
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Red Cannondale R400 1990s

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Year: 1990s
Brand: Cannondale
Model: R400
Color:Red
Size:54-56?
Stolen in PORTLAND, OR 97212
Stolen:2014-04-12
Stolen From: Front porch of house in inner NE Portland. Off MLK on Monroe St.
Neighborhood: inner NE Portland
Owner: Alex Joyce
OwnerEmail: alex.joyce1(A T)gmail.com
Reward: 100
Description: Originally a road bike, I converted the bike to a commuter bike, with black rack and rear folding basket on rack. It has cruiser bars and a few stickers. it is decently beat up with dings and scratches. It should have a larger u-lock on the back rack.
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

PBOT adds physical separation to Williams Ave bikeway plans

Plastic bollards on Hawthorne Bridge-3

Separation similar to this is coming to
Williams Ave north of Broadway.
(Photo J. Maus/BikePortland)

As the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) gets closer to breaking ground on their North Williams Avenue Traffic Safety and Operations Project, they’ve released a set of new plans that include some key modifications. Among them is a protected bike lane in one of the busiest and and most important sections of the entire bikeway: just north of Broadway where bicycle riders will merge from right to left as a high volume of traffic enters the I-5 freeway.

And strangely enough, the idea came at the request of the Oregon Department of Transportation.

In an email to members of the project’s Stakeholder Advisory Committee late last week, PBOT project manager Rich Newlands shared the 60% plans and highlighted several changes from the 30% plans released back in January. Back then, we noticed that the plans didn’t call for any physical separation. Instead, PBOT’s plans were to rely on buffer zones on each side of the six-foot bike lane in order to create separation from auto traffic.

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Dark blue Urban X-press KHS 2011

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Year: 2011
Brand: Urban X-press
Model: KHS
Color:Dark blue
Size:18
Photo: http://www.citybikes.coop/bikes/citybikes-custom-urban-xpress/
Stolen in Portland, OR 97211
Stolen:2013-04-22
Stolen From: Alberta Co-Op bike rack1500 NE Albera St, Portland, OR 97211
Neighborhood: NE Alberta
Owner: Sanna Riikka Salonen
OwnerEmail: sannariikkasalonen@gmail.com
Reward: Yes
Description: Frame material:
Reynolds 520 double-butted Chromoly
Sizes:
Colors:
Pearl White Lettering, Citybikes Blue
Wheels:
Weinmann sp-17 Shimano Rear Hub, Formula Front Hub, 36 spokes.
Tires:
Panaracer Pasela Tourguard, 700×32
Shifters:
Microshift trigger shifters
Front derailleur:
Microshift
Rear derailleur:
Shimano Acera
Cassette:
Shimano HG31, 8 speed (11-30)
Crankset:
Shimano 52/42/32
Bottom bracket:
Square taper with sealed cartridge bearings
Pedals:
Alloy body, steel cage.
Handlebar:
Alloy swept-back.
Brake levers:
Tektro
Brake calipers:
Shimano Altus v-brake
Saddle:
KHS Ultra Comfort
Light:
Cygolite Metro 360, red back lights
Fenders, rack on the back, water bottle holder
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 14-32782
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Black Trek Soho 2010

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Year: 2010
Brand: Trek
Model: Soho
Color:Black
Size:56″
Stolen in Portland, OR 97204
Stolen:2014-04-23
Stolen From: Stolen out of the PGE parking garage at 1st & Salmon (WTC 2 building).
Neighborhood: Downtown (SW)
Owner: Peter Vidito
OwnerEmail: petervidito(at sign)gmail.com
Description: Matte black, aluminum frame Trek Soho. Identifiable by the Misfits “skull” logo on the front of frame.
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Recap of PBOT Director Leah Treat’s first major speech

PBOT Director Treat

PBOT Director Leah Treat at the Sentinel Hotel today.
(Photo J. Maus/BikePortland)

Portland Bureau of Transportation Director Leah Treat hit mostly familiar notes today during her first major speech since taking over the agency last summer. Treat was hosted by the City Club of Portland and the event was included in the agenda of the annual Oregon Active Transportation Summit.

While she didn’t make any major policy commitments or launch new initiatives that might have sent the crowd of local transportation advocates and insiders abuzz, Treat gave us a glimpse of her perspective and offered clues about where she might take us during her tenure. She laid out her justification for investing in better biking and walking access and touched on big issues like Vision Zero, bike share, Safe Routes to School, getting tougher on speed enforcement, equity and investment in east Portland, the City’s efforts to pass a transportation fee, and more.

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