2014 Archives

In letter to PBOT, BTA says Williams Ave work zone has led to injuries

Current conditions on Williams Ave.
(Photo by Carl Larson/BTA)

The Bicycle Transportation Alliance is fed up with the dangerous work zone conditions on Williams Avenue. Claiming that bicycle riders have been injured and put in danger due to misplaced construction materials and a poorly implemented traffic control plan, the Portland-based non-profit group penned a letter today to the Bureau of Transportation with a laundry list of demands to improve the situation.

While the BTA supports the city’s North Williams Avenue Safety Project and says they are excited to see the finished product, the letter (written by BTA Engagement Manager Carl Larson) points out several specific and ongoing safety concerns — some of which have led directly to injuries.

A slide from Seeing & Believing in Bike Equity

Like many of you, I’ve been following the events in Ferguson and around the country very closely these past two days. Flipping from headlines to my social media feed, my head has been spinning with thoughts on issues ranging from racism and white privilege to our justice system and media culture. As last night’s protests spilled into the streets and freeways across America last night, this story came even closer to my own sphere of activism.

The shooting of Michael Brown and the decision by a Grand Jury to not indict Officer Darren Wilson isn’t a BikePortland story. We cover bike news and culture. But we also cover social issues — like sexism, racism, gentrification, and so on — that often intersect with bicycling.

So this morning, when I followed a link (shared by Elly Blue on Twitter) that led to a publication of the League of American Bicyclist’s Equity Initiative, I knew it was something I wanted to share here on the Front Page.

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

A map of existing (solid lines) and planned (dotted lines) bike access to Portland’s airport. Green lines are multi-use paths; blue are on-street lanes.
(Click to enlarge)

Portland International Airport’s new bike-pedestrian plan is probably thicker than the average city’s.

Fifteen years after a rising bike-commute rate among airport workers led PDX to begin a strategic focus on its biking and walking connections, links to the airport keep getting better. Now, the airport is preparing to double outdoor bike parking, and, in the longer term, help the City of Portland pay for a multi-use path looping the entire airport plus three bike lanes that’ll greatly improve airport access from the city.

Damage to Gladys Bikes’ front door.
(Photo: Leah Benson)

Bike shop owner Leah Benson is Portland’s latest bike theft victim.

Benson owns Gladys Bikes at 2905 NE Alberta Street. She shared the bad news earlier this evening: “I received a call in the wee hours of the morning telling me that someone had shattered our front door and broken into the shop.”

The thieves made off with two bikes and Benson is urging everyone to keep an eye out for a Giant Liv Alight city bike and a Bianchi Lupo drop bar road bike. We know how stolen bikes tend to turn up shortly after being stolen, so time is of the essence! (Scroll down for photos of the bikes.)

Shop break-ins are all too common in Portland. We’ve reported on several in the past few years. Between November 2011 and February 2012, a thief known as the “window pane bandit” hit four separate shops.

Team Muscles with Brussels won Best Costume.
L to R: Ben Salzberg, Erinne Goodell, Kirk Paulsen, Josh Guttmacher.
(All photos by Mick Orlosky/Redfishingboat Photography)

Think of it as doubling down on doing good.

We all know that just by cycling we are doing a good thing for our community; but what happens when you actually do good while cycling? We found out during last Saturday’s annual ‘Cranksgiving’ food drive.

Started in New York City in 1996, Cranksgiving rides have spread to over 60 cities across the United States. Described as a “food drive on two wheels,” the event is part scavenger hunt, part food drive, and part alley cat. Participants show up in teams and they’re given a list of stores and food items to buy. At the end, all the food and other items from the manifest lists are collected back at the starting point and given to charity.

As many of you have noticed, after nearly a decade of reporting on and working on bike theft here in Portland, we’ve recently been trying to raise the profile of the issue.

On that note, I’m excited to announce the first Portland Bike Theft Summit. It will be held at Velo Cult Bike Shop and Tavern (1969 NE 42nd) on Wednesday, December 10th at 6:00 pm.

We are still working on a proper flyer and detailed agenda; but wanted to get word out as soon as possible in hopes that everyone who wants to come can get the date on their calendar.

A curb-protected bike lane proposed for Walker
Road would serve Nike’s campus, but has
been delayed until 2019.
(Image: Washington County, modified by BikePortland)

Nike is planning to spend millions of dollars to build parking garages for 2,500 cars on its growing Washington County campus, but it’s not yet clear whether the sportswear giant will also be backing investments that would help its employees bike to work.

Today, 3 percent of Nike’s more than 8,000 payroll and contract workers typically walk or bike for their commute, according to a transportation plan covered last week by The Oregonian. Another 6 percent ride the bus or MAX, 1 percent telecommute, 12 percent carpool and 78 percent drive alone.

Metro active transportation planner Lake McTighe, center, at Oregon Walks’ annual fundraising dinner and awards.
(Photos: Nina Johnson for Oregon Walks)

After a significant grant victory that’ll see the group partnering with biking advocates to advance street safety plans across the state, Oregon’s largest walking advocacy group had plenty to celebrate Saturday.

As it heads into the first year with a new executive director, Oregon Walks toasted its supporters, members and other advocates for ambling at the group’s annual Weston Awards.

(Photo: Johnson Family)

It turns out that Kirke Johnson, the man killed last Thursday when a truck driver turned his vehicle into Johnson’s path while he rode on NW Cornell Road, was a regular commenter here on BikePortland.

Given how involved Kirke was in the regional bike advocacy scene, I thought he might have sent us an email or two over the years. When I checked my inbox archives, sure enough an email address belonging to “kirkej” popped up; but it was only a CC’d message, not one directly to me. Then, out of curiosity, I copy/pasted his email address into our comment database. A few seconds later I was reading the 100 or so comments left by “bikesalot” — which was Kirke’s screen name here on BikePortland.

BikeCraft, where you can always find
wonderful bike-inspired things.
(Photo by J. Maus/BikePortland)

BikeCraft, the holiday gift fair for bike lovers, is back.

This will be the 10th time we’ve gotten together to highlight the best local, bike-inspired makers and artisans. Time flies when you’re having fun doesn’t it? I can still remember that icy-cold December night in 2005 when I invited a handful of creative folks to a coffee shop to share their wares. When we ended up with 20 vendors and a huge, happy, crowd I knew we’d struck a nerve.

Yikes!
(From VengeCycle.com)

Here are the bike links from around the world that caught our eyes this week:

Modest anti-theft proposal: VengeCycle.com promises to “make thieves think twice about taking your bicycle” by strapping a GPS-activated explosive to the handlebars. (“Damage is generally limited to the hands and is not considered lethal. … You will have to purchase a new handlebar. … Make sure to check that unlicensed use of explosives is legal in your state beforehand.”)

Open streets: Here’s a map of every ciclovia festival in the Americas, Sunday Parkways included.

As more Portlanders get sick-and-tired of the bike theft-related activities happening in broad daylight all over our city, we’re hearing more incidents like the one just shared by reader Spencer B. this morning on the OBRA Chat email list:

SUBJECT: accosted, chased, chased suspect, then recovered high end MTB fork- Portland

long story short, this AM i rode underneath the Burnside Bridge where a group was finishing up chopping a high end bike. I yelled, they stalled, skeazy mkskeazo took the fork and bolted on his bike while I was surrounded. I broke free, chased the guy down in Old Town, the man proceeded to chuck the fork in the gutter when I got close.

Its expensive, its what I’d race MTB’s on. If you’ve lost anything recently send a message soon, otherwise its going into the black hole bike vault of the Portland Police Bureau.

Lock that business up.

Cheers

Spencer

— Read more Bike Theft Chronicles.

In letter to PBOT, BTA says Williams Ave work zone has led to injuries

Ferguson, equity, and active transportation

Does your airport have a 50-page bike plan?

Thieves break into Gladys Bikes on Alberta, steal two bikes

Portlanders pedal to help others at annual ‘Cranksgiving’ ride

Save the Date: The Portland Bike Theft Summit is on December 10th

As Nike expands, so too could nearby biking options

Oregon Walks celebrates Vision Zero plan and honors livable-streets visionaries

Kirke Johnson’s BikePortland comments are chilling and inspiring

Tenth annual BikeCraft set for December 6-7

The Monday Roundup: Extreme anti-theft measures, mapping ciclovias and more

Bike Theft Chronicles: Accosted, chased, then recovered

Latest Headlines

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From the Archives

The 10 busiest bicycling spots in Portland