2023 Archives

Portland city budget director ‘hopes’ people start driving and parking again

Keep your money. Give us back our streets. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)

Ah, the glory days before Covid and accumulated crises decimated downtown; when drivers filled their tanks and city-owned parking lots with their large, dangerous, toxic vehicles that are inherently incompatible with quality urban life. Don’t you miss those days?! Or maybe you just miss that sweet, sweet money from all that gas and parking revenue.

The Portland Bureau of Transportation sure does. But at least their leaders have the sense to resist the urge to bring it back. Unfortunately the same can’t be said for the director of Portland’s budget office.

Let’s back up a bit…

Last week we shared just how perilous PBOT’s budget situation has become. The agency has just one more year before they reach the end of their line. There will be no more financial reserves to draw from, even deeper cuts, staff layoffs, “dramatic and visible service reductions,” and so on and so forth. Then, as PBOT Commissioner Mingus Mapps puts it, “The cancer which is currently consuming PBOT will start to consume every general fund bureau,” because PBOT will have to borrow from other bureaus just to keep the transportation system on its feet.

Mapps is desperate to find a way out. That’s why, to the surprise of many City Hall watchers, he floated an idea to charge Portlanders about $8 a month for a “transportation utility fee” in hopes of saving his bureau (and his political legacy). The move raised eyebrows because similar revenue-raising efforts by previous PBOT commissioners took months of political alliance-building and public partner-vetting before ever seeing the light of day. The abrupt and audacious move showed that Mapps is willing to throw almost anything at the wall in hopes that something will stick.

At a City Council budget work session Tuesday morning we got another chance to see Mapps wrestle with this issue, and it led to a revealing exchange with the director of Portland’s City Budget Office (CBO).

Mapps, Mayor Ted Wheeler, city staff, and the rest of council came together to learn about the Mayor’s proposed budget for fiscal year 2023-2024. The meat of the meeting was a presentation led by CBO Director Tim Grewe. Grewe was appointed to that position in January by Mayor Wheeler and comes with an impressive resume that includes a recent stint at the U.S. Treasury. Grewe’s 30-year career at the City of Portland (which ended in 2006) included service as the City’s first Chief Administrative Officer, its Director of the Office of Finance and Management, and the Director of Financial Planning.

The respect this background demands is why, at one point in his presentation, Mapps turned to Grewe and ask, “Can you kind of summarize and give us a sense of where PBOT is financially and the implications that has for say, the budget moving forward? And if you have any advice for me to actually manage the bureau that I find to be in a series of economic paradoxes?”

Grewe’s answer raised a few eyebrows:

“Yes. We would hope that going into the future, people would be using their cars more and we’d be getting back to levels of gas tax that we’ve had previously, people would be using our parking structures in our parking places like they used to do previously. I’m not confident that that’s going to be the trend that we see. So I think the PBOT is going to continue to have to economize, be efficient, and continue to reduce services unless we can find a funding source that helps them going into the future.”

The context here, which many of you know by now, is that one of the reasons PBOT is in such dire financial health is because the two main funding pots that have historically funded them — parking meter and gas tax revenue — are dwindling fast. The tension isn’t just financial, it’s that these two sources of revenue come from driving cars, which is something all of Portland’s adopted plans for transportation, climate and land-use say we need much less off.

To have the city budget director so misaligned with a key tenet of Portland’s values and goals is troubling. Furthermore, it underscores just how mentally hitched we are to cars that such an astute financial expert thinks driving is good for our long-term budget. Not to mention the fact that no amount of hope will likely bring back the driving glory days Grewe envisions.

Another thing we learned at the budget work session yesterday? Grewe’s hope for more driving looks less likely than ever. According to PBOT Business Services Group Director Jeremy Patton, the bureau expected downtown parking to have recovered to 80% of pre-Covid levels by now. Their budget reflected this, and back in November they expected a $9 million hole in 2024-2025 as a result. But an updated forecast shows parking has not returned. “Parking has been flat and it’s about the same as it was last year and we’re not showing a huge increase moving forward — a very, very slow incline if any,” Patton shared with city council members. “What we’re showing right now is that’s that’s nowhere close [to earlier forecasts] unless we get a lot more parking and a lot more folks coming downtown.”

When adjusted for the new parking forecast, the 2024-2025 gap balloons to $28 million.

PBOT’s hands are tied. It’s politically infeasible to do anything that even hints at encouraging more people drive downtown, and the politics of a major new transportation fee are daunting. In fact, the politics of any new fee right now are daunting.

Complicating the issue is that fact many taxpayers are burned out. So much so that Mayor Wheeler senses an opportunity and now wants voters to know he thinks the collective tax burden is just too damn high. Could Wheeler’s new anti-tax posture mean that PBOT’s 40-cent parking meter increase — the major feather in their budget cap this year — is in peril? PBOT tucked the 40-cent increase into the 20-cent increase they got through council last summer, so it was sort of hidden. That meter increase is a key way PBOT will stay in the black this coming fiscal year. According to PBOT budget documents, if the increase in not approved, they will have to cut their budget an additional 4.5% in 2024-2025 (from a 7.7% cut to an 11.6% cut).

Suffice it to say, PBOT budget talks are getting pretty dark.

At one point in yesterday’s meeting Mapps asked Patton for the straight dope: “How much do I need to shrink the bureau by given the trends we are talking about?”

“We’re looking at 20%.”

Ouch.

And you know it’s serious this time because the tone has shifted from how to raise revenue to how to survive without it.

“Over the course of the next year, we’re going to have to talk about operational changes,” Wheeler said at the meeting yesterday. “We’re going to have to talk about potential shifts in the way we do business… And yes, when it comes to transportation in particular, really restructuring the revenue model.”

Buckle in folks.

Opinion: NW Examiner continues to mislead Portlanders about cycling in Forest Park

At the start of each Portland Bureau of Transportation Bicycle Advisory Committee meeting, members share general updates and concerns. At the meeting last night, one of the members shared how he had just read an article about the Off Road Cycling Master Plan in the NW Examiner and was worried about what he learned. “The article was about the plan to make trails which are now used by hikers, also open to cyclists… It pointed out that when they did a survey in 2017, 80% of the people opposed this plan. It is a very important issue of concern,” the BAC member shared.

The thing is, the article is very misleading. And unfortunately it’s just the latest example of an ongoing smear campaign. I wouldn’t even mention it here if not for it coming up at the BAC meeting last night and my concerns that NW Examiner Publisher Allan Classen’s work continues to muddy the waters of this very important issue.

It’s clear that as new people cycle into local bike advocacy roles, they might not be aware of Classen’s history. Consider this post another attempt to try and set the record straight.

To refresh, Classen has done admirable work keeping his neighborhood newspaper alive and he is capable of good journalism. But with the issue of cycling, he seems to completely disregard ethics in favor of pushing a specific, anti-cyclist narrative. This is the same person who in 2010 called people who ride in Forest Park “bicycle zealots” in an unhinged op-ed that likened cycling to a religion. That was just one of several efforts over the years where he has crossed the line and made his disdain for cycling and the people who do it crystal clear. And he hasn’t limited it to opinion pieces. He’s referred to the local nonprofit NW Trail Alliance as a “militant” group, coordinated with opponents of cycling in the park for a 2013 story that alleged “illegal cycling” in Forest Park and equated tire tracks in the mud to vandalism, and has repeated a false claim that the ecological health of the park and bicycling are at odds with each other (not only is that untrue but the plan makes it clear that any change to cycling access in the park must have a “net ecological benefit”).

Classen’s latest story completely misrepresents the Off Road Cycling Master Plan, which was officially adopted back in March after languishing in “draft” form since 2018.

Classen takes part in revisionist history about the plan and how the plan came together and in so doing he throws the many hard-working advocates and policymakers who created it under the bus. I’m not here to defend the plan or the process it took to create it, but it should be represented with accuracy.

I’m not aware of the survey he refers to where people were overwhelmingly opposed cycling in the park, but I’m not surprised by that number. It would all depend on how the question was asked. It’s easy to understand how people would respond negatively if the question was framed poorly — especially given how Classen and others in opposition to cycling in the park have spent years misrepresenting the issue.

The article also calls the adoption of the plan a “back room deal.” That’s a stretch given that there were two full years of committee meetings, open houses, and comment periods. This idea that off-road cycling advocates wield great power and influence at City Hall is a common refrain from Classen. But it’s more projection than anything else given the many well-connected, veteran activists who’ve fought cycling in Forest Park for many years — many of whom just so happen to live adjacent to it. The fact that the plan sat on a shelf gathering dust as a non-binding “draft” for six years and we’ve made almost zero progress for cycling in Forest Park in the last two decades shows you were the power truly lies on this issue.

The largest gripe I have with Classen’s latest is the main falsehood he continues to push: that the plan will convert existing hiking trails into shared trails open to bikes. “They’re coming for Wildwood!” (to paraphrase) is what he and others want you to think. But that is not on the table and the plan explicitly says so. Despite that fact, Classen includes a map graphic (at right) with the caption: “Pink lines denote expansion of bike access to trails now limited to pedestrians.” But there’s nothing in that map or the plan itself that says that. This fear-mongering has been a staple of the attack plan from anti-bike voices around this issue for over a decade now and it’s a huge disservice to our city.

To be clear: What bicycling advocates have always wanted is to simply make it easier and more fun to ride bikes in the park. That could take many forms: existing fire roads could be re-aligned to provide a more fun experience; new trails could be built using responsible, modern trail-building methods (of which many of the existing hiking trails in the park don’t adhere to), and so on. And they want to donate thousands of volunteer hours to preserve it and help it sustain a more diverse base of users.

Regardless of what ultimately happens, I have full faith and confidence in NW Trail Alliance. They would be more than capable stewards in the park. That’s clear given the many productive and successful partnerships they already have with agencies like the Bureau of Land Management, Oregon State Parks, Metro, Portland Parks & Recreation, and others. And unlike NW Examiner, they have a long and successful track record of leading — not misleading — our community.

Hopworks’ new IPA supports NW Trail Alliance

Would you stop and grab it, or nah? (Photo: Hopworks)

A longtime and local bike-friendly business has once again shown their support of our community with release of a new beer. Hopworks has released Trail Time Summer IPA, which they say was inspired by “the thousands of miles of bike trails that wind through the forests and mountains of Oregon and Southwest Washington.”

If just any old brewery released a bike-oriented beer, I wouldn’t put it on the front page. But Hopworks is legit when it comes to Portland’s bike scene. Not only have they been a BikePortland advertiser in the past (hi guys, let’s talk again!), but they’ve sponsored lots of bike racing and other events, and their co-founder Christian Ettinger is a daily rider and racer himself. And it’s not even their first time making a bike-themed beer.

When it comes to this latest effort, Ettinger says, “NWTA builds trails that flow like beer—smooth and refreshing with a lot of hops!” Yes that’s sort of cringey, but we love the enthusiasm! And Ettinger has earned the right for some corny copy because he’s shown up for our community so much since the start of his company 15 years ago. Remember the “Bike Bar” that opened on North Williams Ave in 2011 and became an instant hot spot? That was a Hopworks thing. And who remembers the Hopworksfiets beer bike? Or the Biketobeerfest event? Or the Handmade Bike & Beer Festival? All that stuff happened at Hopworks.

And with their new Trail Time IPA, Hopworks collaborated directly with Northwest Trail Alliance, Portland’s off-road cycling advocacy group. A portion of all 4-pack sales of the new beer will benefit NWTA. You can grab them through August at Hopworks’ locations on SE Powell Blvd (at SE 29th) or Vancouver (17707 SE Mill Plain Blvd).

For NWTA, the money raised will help them boost morale of trail maintenance crews as they keep the over 250 miles of trails they maintain in good shape.

If you’re a beer person and want to know what to expect when you grab a Trail Time, here are the tasting notes:

Trail Time is a crushable, fruit-forward IPA with notes of pineapple, orange zest and papaya. It finishes light and crisp, with a nice, drying bitterness. The hop profile is a balanced blend of Chinook, El Dorado, Centennial, Strata and HBC 638 hops, providing a big, fruity boost. 6.5% ABV/50 IBU.

This new collab builds on a strong legacy of Portland cycling culture and beer. In 2016, Base Camp Brewing wrangled a platoon of cargo bikes for a group ride from their brewery in the Central Eastside to a farm in the Willamette Valley for the “Fresh Hop Century.” We collected bags of hops and then rode home and dumped them directly into the brewing tanks.

If you’re a mountain-biking-beer-lover, or just love good beer that’s good for our community, show up to the Trail Time IPA release party tonight (Wednesday May 10th) from 4:00 to 9:00 pm at Hopworks on Powell. A share of all beer sold at the event will be donated to NWTA.

‘It’s a great day’: Police chief re-instates traffic division after more than two years without one

What time is it? Time to bring back the Traffic Division. PPB Public Information Officer Lt. Nathan Sheppard checks his watch before a press conference today as Chief Chuck Lovell looks on.

“We’re in a different time now. I think we’re moving away from some of the thoughts of 2020.
– Chuck Lovell, Chief of Police

What a difference a few years (and shifting political winds) makes. In the parking lot of a building where many arrests and protests took place just a few years ago, Portland Police Chief Chuck Lovell stood in front of a half-dozen officers and two motorcycles to announce a plan beef up enforcement of traffic laws.

It was a show of confidence and positive vibes from the PPB that would have been unheard of in 2020 or 2021.

“I’ve waited just over two years for this day,” Lovell beamed as he looked out at about a dozen reporters who came out to the Penumbra Kelly Building on East Burnside to hear the news. “Starting Thursday the 11th of May, we’ll be bringing back our traffic division… It’s a great day, it’s a day I’ve looked forward to for a long time.”

The new Traffic Division will hit the streets this Thursday with 10 motorcycle officers, two officers in patrol cars, and two sergeants. The officers will be split up into two groups that will cover the city seven days a week from 5pm until 3am. It will mean Portland will have a fully-staffed and dedicated Traffic Division for the first time in 27 months. By comparison, in 2008, before PPB began to reduct Traffic Division staff levels, they had about 35 motorcycle officers and 10 to 12 patrol car officers. Another detail offered today was that the division will be reevaluated every few months and PPB hopes to add officers as trainees become ready for duty.

Asked at the press conference if the current budget proposal from Mayor Ted Wheeler that will allow the PPB to hire 43 more police officers had anything to do with the announcement, Chief Lovell said no.

Lovell dissolved most of the Traffic Division in 2020 in what he called a “reorganization” that put officers back out into general patrol. It happened less than two months after the leader of the Portland Police Association, the union that represents PPB officers, warned that looming budget cuts would spell its demise. Some Portlanders, and at least one former city council member, said the move was a political ploy to show the consequence of reducing the police budget. It happened during a time of very heated emotions at City Hall and on the streets — emotions that have cooled way down.

When a reporter asked Lovell how he’d respond to folks who have concerns about racial profiling, Lovell said,

“We’re focused on driving behavior, not demographics, or things of that nature. We’re always as an organization looking to reduce disparities… And you know, we’re in a different time now. I think we’re moving away from some of the thoughts of 2020, and it’s more like, ‘Hey, we as a city really need certain things, and we miss certain things that have an impact on our lives when we don’t have them.’ And I think, you know, when we look back on the last couple of years, there’s many things that kind of fall into that category. And I think for a lot of people, traffic would be one of them.”

Today, Lovell said moving officers away from traffic enforcement came as a response to low staffing levels. But he also tamped down the idea that that issue is resolved. “I want to let people know we’re not making this move out of abundance, or an excess of officers,” he said. Moving officers into full-time traffic enforcement duty, he added, would have a negative impact on precincts. The primary reason for the move, he said, is to address a backlog of 97 trainees who need to learn traffic-related skills (like processing DUIs, traffic crashes, and so on) in order to move on in their training. Lovell also cited the upcoming Rose Festival as a reason he thinks now is the right time to make this shift. Traffic control is a big part of Rose Fest activities and PPB will beef up traffic officers even more for the one-month period of parades and other events.

“We’re really glad to see this.”
– Dylan Rivera, PBOT

The sole remaining motorcycle officer dedicated to traffic duties for the past two years has been Sgt. Ty Engstrom, who was the only other person to speak at today’s press conference. “We have speed racing events going on, we have fatal crashes that are setting record numbers each year… hundreds of citizen initiated traffic enforcement requests have gone unanswered. I didn’t have the resources to send officers to go and deal with those neighborhood complaints,” Sgt. Engstrom said.

The focus with the new officers will be DUIs, streets and intersections on the city’s high crash network, and what Engstrom referred to as, “dangerous driving behaviors.”

Two years ago Engstrom was at another press conference where he willingly broadcasted the fact that PPB had little to no traffic enforcement at all. I asked him today whether he thought that had an impact on driving behaviors. “Some of it is people just think they’re not going to get caught,” he acknowledged. “So yeah, absolutely, I think that all played a role. And we’re hoping that with your help, we can get the word out that we’re back. And we’re going to be out there as often as we possibly can.”

Dylan Rivera, a public information officer with the Portland Bureau of Transportation, also attended the press conference (although he was just there to listen and take notes as it appears there wasn’t coordination of the announcement with PBOT). “We’re really glad to see this,” Rivera said when I asked him the role of police in transportation safety. “And we are hopeful that this will help us kind of set a new trend, post-pandemic, of less traffic violence on the streets, less of the sort of lawlessness and dangerous driving people have seen during the pandemic.”

And unlike his predecessor Jo Ann Hardesty, PBOT Commissioner Mingus Mapps welcomes a larger police presence focused on traffic laws. “I am grateful that the traffic division is returning,” Mapps shared in an email to BikePortland today. “I have advocated for this since taking on the Bureau of Transportation. We have had record traffic-related fatalities in the last three years, and I hope this helps the current trend of lowering the rate.”

Governor Kotek just gave all Oregon cities permission to install speed cameras

Traffic cameras can expand statewide in Oregon thanks to a bill signed Monday by Governor Tina Kotek.

Currently just ten cities are permitted to use cameras to enforce speed limits — Albany, Beaverton, Bend, Eugene, Gladstone, Medford, Milwaukie, Oregon City, Portland, and Tigard. House Bill 2095 gives that power to all cities in the state. Beyond just the use of cameras use, the bill also eliminates the limitation on the number of hours per day photo radar can be used at any one location. The bill also gives jurisdictions the authority to set designated speeds on certain types of residential streets at up to 10 miles below the statutory speed (provided it’s not less than 20 mph), instead of doing so in increments of five miles per hour at at time (as current law allows).

HB 2095 builds on years of lobbying by City of Portland officials to expand the use of cameras and to give cities more flexibility in how speed limits are set.

At a February legislative hearing, the bill received support from many city leaders. Beaverton Mayor Lacey Beaty told lawmakers at the Joint Committee on Transportation that cameras have been very helpful in reducing speeds. One stat that jumped out of her testimony was that 75% of the citations were given to drivers who lived outside of Beaverton. “Which tells me that education and awareness is high among our residents, and visitors need to slow the heck down in our neighborhoods.” When it comes to the law that required city transportation engineers to only notch speeds down by five miles per hour at a time, Beaty said, “Cities that want to adjust 10 miles an hour reduction from say 35 to 25 must go through the entire process twice. The two-step process not only adds time and cost to cities looking to improve our own traffic safety; but it makes no sense to community members looking for safer streets.”

One of the chief proponents of HB 2095 was the League of Oregon Cities. Their Legislative Director Jim McCauley said, “All 241 cities should have access to mobile and fixed radar. It’s as simple as that.”

Salem Mayor Chris Hoy said after they installed cameras at three intersections and saw a 51% decrease in red light running and an 87% reduction in traffic crashes (even taking into account increased traffic volume). “Think of what we could do if we could use this tool at more locations,” he shared with legislators in February. “Think of the lives we could save.”

Several concerns were raised about this expansion in camera use. Taylor Steenblock with Mutnomah County said they worry the location of cameras can “be a little bit of a regressive effect.” “Our BIPOC and lower-income communities have been pushed further out into the margins and because they often rely on roads that haven’t had safety improvements and more often rely on [cars], they can be subject to impacts from traffic cameras.”

Joint Committee on Transportation member House Rep. Lew Frederick (D-Portland) voted in support of the bill, but these concerns. “We need to make sure that you’re tracking just how it’s being used, who’s being charged, and how much money is being generated,” he said, citing irresponsible use of the cameras by some Oregon cities in the past.

If cities implement proper oversight and implementation, traffic cameras can be a boon for behavior change and safety on our roads. It will be very interesting to watch how and and if cities across Oregon approach the use of speed cameras.

Learn more about HB 2095 here.

Job: Senior Software Engineer – Ride Report

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Job Title

Senior Software Engineer

Company / Organization

Ride Report

Job Description

Ride Report is a small software company based in Portland, dedicated to accelerating the transition to a sustainable and efficient transportation system. We provide government agencies worldwide with the tools they need to manage the emergence of innovative transportation modes, particularly shared micromobility options like electric scooters and bikes. Our **[Public Micromobility Dashboard](http://public.ridereport.com/)** allows us to share valuable datasets with a broader audience while tracking the global impact of micromobility. We believe that with the right tools, public agencies can harness the power of micromobility to rapidly transform their transportation systems for the better.

If this mission excites you, we’d love to hear from you!

As a Senior Software Engineer at Ride Report, you’ll have the opportunity to:

– Work across various systems, making a significant impact on the engineering team and company direction.
– Own the end-to-end delivery of products, from defining features to designing database migrations to developing and styling React components.
– Collaborate with external partners, company stakeholders, and customers to design and build high-quality projects.

Recent engineering projects include developing new ways to evaluate and share the **[impacts of infrastructure projects](https://www.ridereport.com/impacts)** and redesigning our **[public dashboard](https://public.ridereport.com/)**. Our product roadmap is filled with exciting initiatives that will not only benefit our customers but also provide engineers the opportunity to work on cutting-edge advancements in our industry.

Our team is distributed across the United States, with a concentration in Portland, OR. You can work remote or with us at our office in Portland.

How to Apply

Find the full posting and how to apply here.

Portland-based Vvolt unveils ‘Utility Series’ e-bikes

See one in person

If you want to see one for yourself, swing by Bike Happy Hour tomorrow! (Weds, 5/10). A Vvolt staffer will be on hand to answer questions.

Portland-based electric bike company Vvolt has launched a new line of utility-focused models. The three new bikes signal an exciting new direction for the company, one that embraces a goal of helping people ditch cars for many trips and use bicycles to get more things done.

“We designed the Utility Series as sensible choices for daily transportation that are less expensive and more fun for riders and their families!” reads a statement from Vvolt. “These efficient and affordable vehicles are designed from the ground up to help folks ride more and drive less.”

All three models offer a single-sized frame that fits a wide range of riders, low standover heights, interchangeable cargo and accessory attachment options, integrated lights, belt drives instead of greasy chains, and hydraulic disc brakes. Prices range from $2,049 to $4,499.

Vvolt launched two years ago and today’s announcement is a sign that the company, which was founded by Showers Pass CEO Kyle Ranson, is poised for growth.

Here are the details on each model:

Slice Lite ($2,049)

The essence of the Utility Family, with a super-simple singlespeed drive system powered by a rear hub motor. It’s the most simple and fun daily transportation we could imagine. Riders can use pedal-assist mode or twist the throttle for added boost when starting. That boost comes in handy when toting up to 40lbs of stuff in the Cargo Module, and the party keeps going into the night thanks to front and rear Multivision integrated lighting. Highlights:

Class 2 ebike | 20mph on pedal assist or throttle

500wh integrated+removable battery provides up to 50-mile range

Torque, speed and cadence sensors provide smooth motor assist

3″ tires front and rear provide passive suspension

Hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors for safe stopping

360º visibility with front and rear integrated lighting

Preorders for Slice Lite are open at $2049, with deliveries beginning in July. Each preorder includes a free front cargo module (a $200 value.)

PIE

A cargo powerhouse. With 100nm of mid-drive torque on tap, riders will flatten hills with up to 440 lbs of total load. Hit the road to an outdoor concert, skip the school drop-off line, or load up for an overnighter at your local state park. The dual-battery system provides 1000+wh of power, supplying 80+ miles of real-world range.

Class 3 ebike | 28mph on pedal assist, with a boost button for easy starts

1000+wh dual battery system | 80+ miles range

Torque, speed and cadence sensors provide smooth motor assist

GPS+4G connected smart system provides theft deterrent and enables OTA updates

3″ tires front and rear provide passive suspension

Quad-piston hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors for safe stopping

360º visibility with front and rear integrated lighting

A multitude of cargo configurations- compatible with common rear rack accessories as well as Vvolt custom cargo solutions

PIE reservations are open, with a refundable $200 reservation locking in the early bird launch price of $4499 for the premium dual-battery edition. Specifications subject to change prior to production. Deliveries will begin in late 2023.

Slice DLX

Personal urban transportation, optimized. Don’t just believe us, check the results– it’s already won an IDA Design Awards Silver medal and made the final jury at the IF Design Awards. These honors are due in part to the shared attention to accessible sizing, ride quality and visibility shared by the rest of the family, but Slice DLX takes it to the max. We put the powertrain from PIE in a more compact package, offering more torque, power and range than you probably need, then topped it off with sleek integrated rear dropout lighting, premium wheels and powerful quad-piston brakes. Slice DLX will also feature premium finish options including paint-matched fenders and front cargo module.

Class 3 ebike | 28mph on pedal assist, with a boost button for easy starts

600+wh integrated battery | 80+ miles range

Torque, speed and cadence sensors provide smooth motor assist

GPS+4G connected smart system provides theft deterrent and enables OTA updates

3″ tires front and rear provide passive suspension

Quad-piston hydraulic disc brakes with 180mm rotors for safe stopping

360º visibility with front and rear integrated lighting

Premium colorways w/paint-matched accessories

Slice DLX will be available in late 2023, with a target price of $3999. Interested riders can join Vvolt’s Utility Fam waitlist for additional news as we finalize development.

These bikes look great. We are so excited to see these from a Portland-based company!

They aren’t available for purchase yet, but preorders are open and deliveries are expected later this year. If you want to see one for yourself, the only place you can do that at the moment is by swinging by the Bike Happy Hour tomorrow (Wednesday, May 10th). Vvolt’s Nick Wood will roll over with a late-stage prototype so everyone can kick the tires and ask questions. Hope to see you there!

Portland Police say they will bring back Traffic Division

“Great news! PPB is partially bringing back the Traffic Division!”

That was the opening line of an email sent to local media outlets this afternoon from the Portland Police Bureau’s public information officer.

After hearing rumors about this inside City Hall for a few weeks, it appears a deal has been struck to build back a special traffic law enforcement detail at the PPB.

You might recall that in late 2020, while protests against policing and racial injustice were still a nightly occurrence the PPB decided to dissolve their Traffic Division. Chief Chuck Lovell said it was due to budget cuts (both realized and threatened), but the commissioner-in-charge of the Portland Bureau of Transportation at the time, Jo Ann Hardesty, said it was a political stunt by Lovell to curry public sympathy. The way Hardesty put it in an interview with BikePortland in February 2021, “We have not impacted traffic enforcement at all. Because any patrol officer can write a ticket.” Either way, it was one of the first major steps by PPB to establish a narrative that they were no longer able and/or willing to enforce traffic laws at traditional levels.

About six months after the Traffic Division was shut down, the PPB announced they would de-prioritize enforcement of many minor traffic violations. For about two years, the PPB has said they are down to only one full-time officer whose sole job is to enforce traffic laws.

Now, more than two years later, politics at Portland City Hall has shifted dramatically. New PBOT Commissioner Mingus Mapps and Mayor (and PPB Commissioner) Wheeler are much more comfortable and supportive of the PPB in general. Asked about traffic enforcement and the PPB in my interview with Mapps two months ago, he said, “I think the city needs to step up its traffic enforcement work. In the last five years, traffic deaths in Portland have roughly doubled. It’s not like our infrastructure has gotten dramatically worse during that time. Frankly, it’s not really even like, you know, the amount of car traffic on the roads has dramatically increased. What has increased or changed during this time is the fact that we got out of the business of traffic enforcement.”

“So you want more police on the street enforcing traffic laws?” I asked.

“Yeah. I think I can say that,” Mapps replied.

A more intentional focus on traffic citations by PPB officers would be combined with recent progress in non-police enforcement methods likes traffic calming and other community-based interventions. Portland transportation officials, including Mapps, have also recently promised to double the amount of automated enforcement cameras on Portland streets by the end of this year.

The PPB said today that Chief Lovell will share more details at a press conference Tuesday where he’ll announce a “partial return” of the Traffic Division.

Stay tuned for more details.

Sunday Parkways season kicks off in east Portland

Portland’s 2023 Sunday Parkways season is off and running.

On Sunday, the first in a series of three open streets planned this year, was held and thousands of people turned out. They took advantage of (mostly) carfree streets on a 3.3 mile out-and-back route that connected to three parks: Gateway, Ventura, and Lincoln. Each park was full of activities and food vendors and there were fun surprises and welcoming neighborhoods around every turn.

I rolled out to check the vibes and didn’t cover nearly as much ground as I’d hoped. Turns out when trying to make video and stopping to talk with so many people makes the day go by very quick (so does having to leave early to coach a basketball game!). From what I did manage to see, the Sunday Parkways spirit is alive and well.

You might recall that it was the east Portland event last year when a road-raging man flashed a gun at a volunteer at a traffic checkpoint and drove through the course. Thankfully, so far I haven’t heard of anything that terrible happening yesterday. On the contrary, I saw a lot of joyous Portlanders who seemed happy to emerge from winter hibernation and see their friends and neighbors.

Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson. (Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)

Even Multnomah County Chair Jessica Vega Pederson was out with her family. Riding a light orange Specialized road bike, Pederson seemed very in her element. “Today’s been a fantastic day. I’m so happy the first Sunday Parkways starts in east Portland. The route starts right near my house.”

A big goal of these events for the Portland Bureau of Transportation is to show off recent street updates they’ve made to make it easier and safer to walk and bike. I chatted with Chair Pederson at the new enhanced crossing of NE Glisan and 108th where PBOT has added protected bike lanes around an off-set intersection. “We have so many more designated pathways that are separated from the traffic,” Pederson noted. “We’ve got so many green routes that are going in. And I think that shows that people who live out here can do a lot more cycling then they might think they can.”

On that note, the route gave me an opportunity to see the new little connector path between NE 107th and 106th. NE Wasco used to dead-end just one block from (the absolutely amazing) Gateway Discovery Park. Luckly it was blocked by a parking lot (not a private residence), so PBOT was able to cut out a bit of right-of-way and make a bike path. We first wrote about this project two years ago, and here’s how it came out…

If you missed this one, there are two more Sunday Parkways coming up: June 25th in northeast Cully and September 10th in southwest. More info on the City’s website.

More photos below…

Comment of the Week: Take the street in front of my house, please

Welcome to the Comment of the Week, where we highlight good comments in order to inspire more of them. You can help us choose our next one by replying with “comment of the week” to any comment you think deserves recognition. Please note: These selections are not endorsements.

Last week’s big winner for number of comments was Jonathan’s post about the City of Portland’s new plan to create a transportation utility fee and raise up to $54 million in new revenue. Many commenters proposed their own ideas for how PBOT can fund itself, and there are a lot of good ideas out there! It is a fun thread to read through.

But sometimes a comment has an irresistible bravura flair. It puts a smile on your face and you would probably offer to buy the person a beer if you were sitting on the stool next to them.

So here’s to you SD:

Residential car and truck infrastructure is too expensive to maintain. Our monstrous arterials are too large as well. PBOT needs to start planning for a more sustainable budget and future by replacing roads with green spaces and narrowing stroads. They can start by removing the street block in front of my house. This reckless pavement party has gone on long enough. It’s time for PBOT to be the adults in the room and start phasing out cars and trucks.

Thank you SD. You can find SD’s comment and the rest of the great ideas under the original post.

Monday Roundup: Equity wars, BBC’s bike bureau, Austin Killips, and more

Welcome to the week. Here are the most notable stories our writers and readers have come across in the past seven days…

But wait, we want to give a special thanks to our new sponsor, Cyclepath PDX, a great local bike shop that is ready to welcome the entire community to their location on NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd and Brazee.

And now, your roundup…

The Austin Killips debate: Killips is a bicycle racer who recently became the first transgender person to win a major UCI race, an accomplishment that she relishes, but that also re-fueled a heated debate over competitive cycling and gender. (Cycling News)

How to save lives: If cities are serious about reducing vehicle speeds they should start with their own fleets and use readily available Intelligent Speed Assist technology. (Streetsblog)

The case for place: This one is from 2021 but it jibes so well with the recent opinion I shared about how transforming our streets and public spaces could help revitalize our city, that I think it’s worth sharing. (Brookings)

Not everyone drives: Big news for our friends at the Disability Mobility Initiative, who’ve partnered with America Walks to take their Week Without Driving program national. (America Walks)

About equity: Portlanders could benefit from a more open conversation about how best to make sure our projects and policies reach equitable outcomes because right now it’s often a war of words where neither side is making progress. (Vox)

News by bike: Here’s one that’s very close to my heart: Two BBC journalists have created a mobile news station on a cargo bike and dubbed it the “Bike Bureau”. (BBC)

Covered bike path: It’s truly a win-win-win-win when you provide cover for a bike path and the cover is made of solar panels like this new one in Germany. (Electrek)

Historic bicycles: There is such an interesting history around bicycle designs and inventions that I’m always keen to share a story about a vintage bike collection. (CBC)

Thanks to everyone who shared links this week.

10 great Portland bike rides (from our friends at PBOT)

Oh, the places you’ll go! (Maps: PBOT, Photo: BikePortland)

One of my favorite pastimes is poking around the Portland Bureau of Transportation website looking for nuggets of interesting news and information. A few days ago on one of my daily hunts, I stumbled upon a nice little treasure…

The thing about PBOT is that they are really good at marketing what we have; but because their website (like mostly all government sites) is not super easy to navigate, much of their great work gets buried. Speaking of which, in a section of the site devoted to safety was a page titled, “Suggested bike rides around Portland.” On that page was a list of 10 (actually 11) expertly-crafted routes that take you through all corners of the city. In many ways, these 10 routes represent the best (and worst, depending on your outlook) of what Portland has to offer: great neighborhoods, interesting destinations, world-class parks, public art, excellent bike infrastructure, and more.

If there was a Portland passport everyone was required to have, we should aim to get it stamped with every one of these rides. Put another way, consider the completion of all 10 as a cheat code shortcut to instant official Portlander status no matter how long you’ve lived here. I plan to do all these rides in the coming weeks and months. If you do the same, I guarantee you’ll come away happier, healthier, and with a greater amount of pride and perspective for our city.

Check out all the routes below. And hope to see you out there!

Note: PBOT only offered PDFs of the route maps so I took the liberty of creating a GPS map for each route for folks that want to use a device or smartphone for navigation. Check the PBOT page for more details.

The Classic Waterfront Loop Ride

You’ll enjoy a scenic ride along Willamette River trails between the Sellwood and Steel bridges on this classic waterfront loop. START/END: Vera Katz Eastbank Esplanade trail behind OMSI (1945 SE Water Ave)
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The Art of Foster Ride

This ride is like a treasure hunt of more than a dozen vibrant murals and street paintings that dot the Foster-Powell area. How many can you spot? START/END: Portland Mercado (7238 SE Foster Rd)
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(*Note: If you do this ride, refer to PBOT’s route map for clues on where to look for murals.)

Four Parks of East Portland Ride

This ride takes you on a tour of four East Portland parks and features the new HOP Greenway serving the Gateway District. START/END: Gateway Discovery Park (NE 106th Ave and NE Halsey St)
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Heart of St. Johns Peninsula Ride

Enjoy the views from Willamette Bluff, quiet Neighborhood Greenways and two great parks that bookend this tour of the St. Johns Peninsula. START/END: Columbia Park (N Lombard and N Woolsey)
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Ladd’s Key to SE Portland Ride

Unlock to discover the unique neighborhoods of Southeast. Experience bike infrastructure of new and old Portland and enjoy unique views from the Bob Stacey Crossing and Lafayette St overpasses. START/END: Ladd Circle Park and Rose Garden (SE 16th Ave and SE Harrison St)
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North Portland Bike to Books Tour Ride

Suitable as a family walk or bike ride, you’ll spy a strawberry, a family of chickens and a school of fish on bikes along this tour of 2020 Bike to Books street art, all originating from North Portland libraries. This route brought to you by biketobooks.com. START/END: North Portland Library(N Killingsworth St and N Commercial Ave)
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North Greeley and Greenways Ride

This 8-mile North Portland ride offers a little bit of everything. Discover Neighborhood Greenways of Albina and Arbor Lodge, the Bryant St bike and pedestrian bridge, enjoy views of the river from Willamette Blvd, and squeal with joy as you ride downhill on the new protected bike lanes on lower Greeley. START/END: DeNorval Unthank Park (N Kerby Ave and N Failing St.
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Parkrose Pedal Tours

A great route for families, this tour of the Parkrose neighborhood highlights the I-205 multi-use path in Maywood Park, with access to Gateway Green. START/END: Parkrose Middle School (11800 NE Shaver St)
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This route connects all Parkrose School District schools and adjacent parks. With bike lanes on busier streets, this loop is for families able to ride together in a straight line alongside traffic. START/END: Parkrose Middle School (11800 NE Shaver St)
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Roses, Parks and Greens Tour

Enjoy a tour along residential streets and greenways of northeast to the many diverse green spaces of the Rose City, including a community orchard and a hydro park. START/END: Rose City Park (NE Tillamook St and NE 62nd Ave)
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Sellwood-Moreland Nature Ride

Enjoy a short ride along the Springwater Corridor Trail through Oaks Bottom Wetlands and Wildlife Refuge and Neighborhood Greenways of Sellwood-Moreland. Take time for a picnic or visit nearby Westmoreland Park along the way. START/END: Sellwood Riverfront Park (SE Spokane St and SE Oaks Park Way)
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SW Multnomah-Vermont Ride

You’ll ride through the heart of the Hillsdale and Multnomah Village business districts, past Gabriel Park, and discover some Neighborhood Greenways in the quaint Maplewood neighborhood on this SW Portland ride. START/END: Hillsdale Library (1525 SW Sunset Blvd)
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