Good morning everyone. I hope you are staying home, staying well, and making the best of these difficult times.
Here are the stories from the past seven days that will keep you be informed and inspired…
Biking FTW (again): As we’ve reported for years, during times of disaster and crisis, bicycling reigns supreme. In New York City, biking rates have increased dramatically as people avoid subways and buses due to virus fears.
Bogota’s response: It’s not the “permanent ciclovia” we first thought, but the city that invented the open streets miracle (that inspired our Sunday Parkways) has announced 22 km of new bikeways to help encourage and manage a surge in biking.
#Atención Este es el mapa de ubicación de las ciclovías temporales que se habilitarán a partir de mañana.
Los corredores con nuevas ciclovías habilitadas operarán de 6:00 a.m. a 8:00 a.m. y de 5:00 p.m. a 7:30 p.m.#CuidemonosDelCoronavirus #AlertaAmarilla pic.twitter.com/xOc3yTEUJx
— Movilidad Bogotá (@SectorMovilidad) March 16, 2020
Urban planning and pandemics: “Rethinking density management is a key for long-term survival in a pandemic,” says a professor of global urban politics in the School of Design at the University of Melbourne in a discussion of city design and the spread of disease.
Snot rocket 411: As I’ve mentioned, issue of bodily fluids being shared during group rides is real.
Better scooters: Jump (Uber) has released a new model of e-scooter in Paris. Could we see these in Portland soon?
Mr. Tesla strikes again: Is it any wonder that a man who has no qualms about unleashing dangerous technology onto our streets thinks coronavirus is a joke and is downplaying the entire thing?
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Transit is hurting: Amid virus fears, transit systems are taking a huge blow due to lost revenue and their brands could suffer long-term negative impacts depending on how this all shakes out.
Fare enforcement vacation: King County, Washington’s Metro transit agency has suspended fare enforcement during the virus outbreak. No word yet if TriMet will do the same.
Biking bans in Spain: Our friend Carlton Reid reports in Forbes that Amsterdam is forcing the closure of most small businesses, while keeping bike shops open. And in Spain, authorities are enforcing a ban on “leisure cycling” in an effort to keep people from crashes and injuries that might add to the demand for hospital beds.
Cargo bikes can change the world: I never tire of reading the latest from Europe about the potential of cargo bikes to transform our cities, especially when it comes from the World Bank. We can only hope the trend makes it way onto our shores.
Bike culture in an occupation: The simple act of cycling is a daring political and social act in Palestine, where people face violence and ridicule for exercising what many of us take for granted.
The lives we’ll save: This virus outbreak is exposing many truths about our way of life — including how deadly and toxic our air is when so many people use fossil fuel vehicles, and how clean it is when they don’t.
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
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