This week’s Monday Roundup is sponsored by Hassalo on Eighth, now leasing in the Lloyd District.
Hope you enjoyed the holiday weekend. Now it’s time to put your thinking caps back on. Here are the stories that caught our eyes this past week:
New twist on bike share: Two business partners have launched a novel new bike promotion scheme in London: Riders can get a free ‘Buzzbike’ only if they agree to ride to work at least 12 days per month and park the bike in a public place.
Rolling coal goes primetime: Regular BP readers know all about the “rolling coal” menace; now people all over the world are just finding out about it thanks to a front page story in the NY Times.
Road rage across the pond: A road rage video posted online by British journalist Jeremy Vine has the UK talking. Guardian reporter Peter Walker explains why it’s not a surprise to everyday riders.
Bike share and real estate: New research says home prices rise in neighborhoods near bike share stations — just like other transit stations.
Cargo bikes in cities: New study out of Germany says the potential of cargo bikes to transport goods in urban areas is far beyond what most people realize.
Neighborhood arterials: Research out of Denver, Colorado offers fascinating insights into how large arterials with fast traffic and no human presence have negative impacts on surrounding residential areas — even in suburban developments with low-traffic streets.
F you AASHTO: When tens of thousands of Americans spoke up to tell the US DOT that new traffic performance measures should include people walking and biking, the notoriously conservative American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) dismissed the comments.
NACTO’s call to action: Formed in response to AASHTO (see above), the National Association of City Transportation Officials says the worrying uptick in U.S. traffic deaths is a call to action and government’s must offer citizens better street designs.
Portland’s Jekyll-and-Hyde parking policy: It’s baffling: Portland leaders want to spend millions on putting a roof over soon-to-be useless and little-used private automobiles while we have hundreds of humans who need shelter. PDX Shoupistas breaks down the insanity.
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Seattle has similar problems: Our neighbors to the north are also grappling with the fact that city leaders tend to support housing cars over housing people. A recent dust-up about “parking benefit districts” where neighborhoods reap financial rewards from meters (an idea strongly supported by affordable housing advocates) is a prime example.
Killing a freeway: Rochester New York is filling in their 1950s era “inner loop” freeway mistake and taking back their city.
Fossil fuel subsidies: How silly is it for governments to give tax breaks and other subsidies to oil and gas-related industries? The “dumbest” of all, says Bloomberg.
Tragedy in Denver: A Denver Post reporter was killed while biking. Six years ago she wrote a feature story about ghost bikes.
Amsterdam and Giant: Did you know Amsterdam’s Bicycle Mayor (yes, they have that) has a day job at Giant Bicycle?
Bad apples > bunch: Yes it’s likely that one reason road rage persists is that the minority of poorly behaved bike riders poison the waters that we all must drink from.
Climate change is here: Not breaking news at all, but we found it quite appropriate that this NY Times story on coastal flooding shows someone driving through water on a submerged road.
Embarrassing record: While activists organize and governments scramble, the world is noticing how the richest country in the world has the worst traffic safety record.
‘Share the Road’ falls again: Columbus, Ohio is the latest U.S. city to phase out ‘Share the Road’ signs in favor of “Bikes may use full lane”.
Change-maker recognized: Executive Director of the Los Angeles County Bicycle Coalition Tamika Butler is a force to be reckoned with and her approach to bike advocacy is must-have knowledge for everyone in the field.
— Jonathan Maus, (503) 706-8804 – jonathan@bikeportland.org
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