Here are the most notable stories we came across in the past week…
Fewer cars = more business: New research from London (once again) proves that businesses on streets with bikeways do better than those located on streets dominated by auto users.
Plazas for whom?: Public plazas are sought-after amenities, but cities that have them are struggling to manage the presence of homeless people who sleep in them and sometimes make others feel uncomfortable. (You can bet this is one reason why Portland hasn’t created more of them.)
Bike shop closures: Nearly half (40) of Performance stores across the country are going to close because its parent company has filed for bankruptcy. There’s one Performance store in Portland (Mall 205) and one in Beaverton and Tualatin as well, but no final list of closures has been published.
Cars are over: Young adults don’t love cars as much as automakers want you to believe, making them ripe for the mobility revolution we all know is coming.
The truth about driving: Recent wildfires where thousands of people tried to flee on car-choked streets inspired this amazingly candid assessment of what it’s like to drive in Los Angeles in 2018.
Pink tax: A new study found that women spend more on transportation than men, largely because of the behavior of men.
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Lime cars: Not satisfied with just scooters and bikes, Lime is poised to drop 500 cars on the streets of Seattle.
Cool helmet: The new Hexo is a 3D printed, customizable helmet made from a new type of aerospace industry material.
Anti-driving leadership spreads: Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo has an unlikely endorsement of her strong policies against driving in the city: Mayors from suburban cities who have agreed to ban the use of diesel cars in the name of better air quality.
UCI’s new sock regs: Looking to stem the scourge of long socks, pro cycling’s governing body now says they can only go half way up your lower leg.
Ayesha McGowan: She wants to be the first black female professional road racer; but she’ll gladly accept merely inspiring other people of color to take up the sport.
Farewell Faraday?: Makers of one of coolest e-bikes on the market, Faraday, appears to be shutting down.
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
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