NOTE: The answers shared in this post have been highly edited for brevity. Please read the full responses at Bike Loud’s website.
Local bike advocacy nonprofit BikeLoud PDX asked all City of Portland candidates* to answer eight questions gleaned from their members. The first question, “How would you work to increase the bike mode share?” was answered by 40 candidates, including four mayoral hopefuls.
Here’s the full question:
The City’s stated goal is that 25% of trips be made by bicycle by 2030, but we are currently far short of that goal. How would you work to increase the bike mode-share?
I’ve gone through the submissions and pulled out 1-2 particularly salient sentences from each candidate. The very abbreviated (in most cases) answers below are based on what I personally found to be the most interesting/notable/newsworthy parts of their responses. (For the full answers, visit BikeLoud’s website). I’ve also shared photos of each candidate in the order their responses were shared. The photos were taken from the Rose City Reform candidate tracker.
City Council District 1
Timur Ender
I would continue to champion popular programs… this includes a mix of aggressive support for PBOT’s transportation wallet, neighborhood greenways, protected bike lane infrastructure investments, street lighting, Sunday Parkways, and expanding Biketown to cover the entirety of East Portland… I would work to address housing affordability and production which I believe is key to increasing mode share.
Sonja Mckenzie
I would recommend more bike parking infrastructure for bikes in addition to better traffic signaling for bikes/pedestrians.
Steph Routh
Right now, people can’t realistically choose anything other than driving. That’s the work before us. To build true choice into our transportation system.
David Linn
Much of the outer city was designed for cars and we have not done a good enough job of extending the bike and bus routes that the inner parts of the city have. Continued efforts to slow down cars will help.
City Council District 2
Elana Pirtle-Guiney
When biking feels easier than driving we will get more people out of their cars.
Christopher Olson
I would look to a city like Paris that has seen an increase in biking since investing in bike infrastructure.
Nat West
I don’t think we will hit 25% by 2030. That is too aggressive and may create burnout among policymakers since it appears impossible. I would advocate for adjusting that number to rolling goals based on a combination of aspiration/vision and reality.
Michelle DePass
…the real meat is in bringing people along, and making cycling more accessible, rather than more elitist. The gap between those who cycle, and those who don’t could be explained in terms of race and income; we have the data to prove it.
Debbie Kitchin
We need more connectivity in bike routes because having 2/3 of the trip feel safe but harrowing sections in between safe areas absolutely discourages more biking.
Mariah Hudson
Let’s prioritize early engagement by ensuring every child has access to bikes and learns safe riding practices. Safe riding is just as important as swim lessons.
Jonathan Tasini
Along with physical investments… the city must invest by partnering with community members and organizations to expand effective and culturally relevant bicycle programming and services. The only way to meet the goal of 25% of trips is to make bike ridership reflect Portland.
Mike Marshall
Use PCEF funds to provide subsidies for bike purchases.
Laura Streib
Accessibility programs for free/reduced cost bikes and e-bikes.
Will Mespelt
If people feel safe riding their bikes and simple quick routes exist, they will see the benefits to riding a bike.
City Council District 3
Tiffany Koyama Lane
I would bring attention to and personally participate in powerful organizing tools like Bike Buses, bike events and Bike Happy Hours to draw attention to groups who are fighting for safer streets.
Rex Burkholder
Create parking fee districts to reduce traffic in business districts… expect our elected leaders to lead by example and ride their bikes, walk or take transit!
Theo Hathaway Saner
Ensure that bike lanes and paths connect key areas of the city, such as residential neighborhoods, business districts, schools, and public transit hubs.
Daniel Gilk
The city is happy to implement easy wins for bike transit but hesitant to make tough decisions that might impact car travel. We need to start thinking bigger, which likely means repurposing existing space dedicated to cars for the use of cyclists and pedestrians.
Angelita Morillo
Work towards a bike lane going down Sandy Boulevard. As an obligate transit user, I know how critical these investments can be in our communities towards making our communities more livable, more person-oriented, and more safe.
Jonathan Walker
We need to increase our investment in true protected bike lanes. We need to make it so people feel they can safely travel nearly anywhere in Portland on a bike without fear of cars.
Matthew Thomas Anderson
Improve the road surface.
Daniel DeMelo
To hit the 25% goal by 2030, we need to target an even higher mode-share during the summer months, possibly around 50%, to balance out the winter drop-off. We’ll make winter cycling more appealing by improving bike lane maintenance and implementing weather-resistant infrastructure, ensuring that cycling remains a viable option year-round.
Philippe Knab
To increase the bike mode-share in Portland, I would advocate for the expansion of protected bike lanes and safe bike infrastructure to ensure cyclists feel secure on the roads.
Sandeep Bali
I’d like to champion bike riding in our city but find a healthy balance between biking and car transport. Sometimes one just needs a car, others one needs a nice bike ride.
Jesse Cornett
Specific actions to be considered include enhancing bikeways, lowering speed limits, creating more buffered bike lanes, public awareness campaigns that highlight the benefits of cycling both on the rider and the community, adding more bike-friendly traffic signals, and incentivizing builders to invest in more secure bike parking and business to have amenities such as showers will all work to increase the bike mode share in Portland.
Chris Flanary
I would push the thoughtful, researched and community approved solutions proposed in the 2035 Comprehensive Plan. I’d love to pilot a free bike share program.
Council – District 4
Mike DiNapoli
Reboot Trimet’s Fareless Rail downtown.
Olivia Clark
More traffic calming efforts and dedicated bike lanes.
Ben Hufford
What Portland lacks is follow-through and commitment to getting things done. A five-foot bike lane on a major traffic collector, with blackberries and trash and gravel is NOT a bike centered infrastructure, it is checking a box.
Chad Lykins
Affordability: The market is driving down the price of entry-level bikes and ebikes. Low-cost and no-cost bike-share programs can also be expanded to cover more neighborhoods. We should also have well-lit, secure storage next to bus and train stops to encourage multi-modal transit.
Sarah Strawberry Silkie
…. increasing access to e-bikes for people with physical limitations.
Michael Trimble
I want to double down on fining cars parked in bike lanes and reinstate the street cleaners to keep the bike lanes clean and free of tire puncturing debris. In addition to lowering the costs of bike ownership, I will work with TriMet on fare free transit for all cyclists bringing their bikes on board.
Eli Arnold
I believe improving road safety, improving the public perception of safety on Trimet, and looking for new routes which separate bikes from vehicular traffic is key.
Andra Vltavín
First, we need to streamline zoning and permitting to make it more possible to have a walkable/bikeable city.
Eric Zimmerman
Riding a bike regularly shouldn’t require advanced knowledge of the various types of bike lanes, signage, and bike friendly streets vs non-friendly. I think making the choice to ride a bike in Portland has got to be easy to understand and common across neighborhoods if we are going to see more people make a choice to ride instead of drive.
Lisa Freeman
I would seek funding for the projects identified in the SW and NW In Motion plans for short term solutions to safety and stress reduction for bikers and walkers.
Bob Weinstein
Increase bicycle parking and end-of-trip facilities. Improve integration with public transit.
Mayor
Liv Osthus
As Mayor, I will encourage council to advocate for their neighborhoods (particularly in east Portland) for safer bike avenues.
Durrell Javon Kinsey Bey
One thing for sure is I would like to assist with providing all Youth from at least 3rd grade to 12th with an e-bike or regular bike of their choice.
Keith Wilson
I want to prioritize accommodating e-bikes in all forms of public transit and double TriMet ridership by 2030. Bicyclists will prioritize other transportation options when facing routes blocked with tents, unregistered cars, and derelict RVs. We must end unsheltered homelessness in Portland, which I will do within the first twelve months of taking office.
Carmen Rubio
Prioritize the identify routes in high-need areas that have capacity to serve the most potential new riders and set public timelines for development – for transparency and consistency for the public. We also need the state to look at creating a [e-bike purchase subsidy] program and to sufficiently resource it. I would want the City’s legislative agenda to include lobbying the governor and legislature for such a program.
BikeLoud will post more responses in the weeks to come. If this summary was useful to you, let me know and I’ll consider posting the same thing for the rest of the questions.
*BikeLoud sent the questionnaire to all candidates that had filed a letter of intent as of May 27th.