(Photo: J. Maus/BikePortland)
East Portland is where it’s at these days. We all know how the future looks in the Central City because the changes are happening right before our eyes. But the story of east Portland is still being written. And if the first few chapters are any indication it’ll be a bestseller.
From a bicycling standpoint the possibilities are endless: Activists (like Jim Chasse) and the City of Portland have laid a strong foundation, there’s plenty of right-of-way to work with, and there’s strong demand for a more affordable and healthy way to get around.
If you want to have a powerful voice in this future, the City of Portland Bicycle Advisory Committee wants to hear from you. They have an opening and need to fill it with a person who lives and/or works east of 82nd Avenue.
The committee (BAC) meets monthly and its official role is to, “review and make recommendations on transportation projects as well as planning and policy issues that affect bicyclists in the City of Portland.” The BAC is where staffers from city, county, regional, and even statewide offices bring their projects seeking endorsement and input. Its members also help prioritize PBOT funding. Think of it as the Jedi Council of biking in Portland.
I’ve been sitting in on the BAC for many years now (it’s the one monthly committee meeting I have set as a rigid date on my calendar) and the folks around that table are both smart and pretty nice to hang out with. The meetings are on the second Tuesdays of the month from 6:00 to 8:00 pm.
If you’re interested, check out the official committee description (PDF) then fill out this application (PDF). Then send in your completed application to BAC Vice-Chair Rithy Khut, khut.rithy [at] gmail.com.
For more on the state of bicycling east of 82nd, check out our East Portland Week coverage.
— Jonathan Maus, (503) 706-8804 – jonathan@bikeportland.org
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