If the number and variety of people out enjoying Portland’s bike paths over the weekend is any indication, the state of these cherished facilities is much better than you might think.
Given all the stories I’ve posted on here lately about people driving cars on the paths and other scary situations that have happened recently (not to mention the persistent problems associated with people living along the paths), you might think the Eastbank Esplanade and Springwater Corridor were lifeless hellscapes where only ne’er do wells dare tread.
I rolled out to the riverfront on Sunday to feel the vibes myself and hear folks out riding. I began at the Steel Bridge and rode out just beyond Sellwood. I talked to six people who represent a pretty solid cross-section of riders. (It’s a lot harder than you think to get folks to pull over and stop, so I don’t have much control over who I talk to.)
I met Parker, Aruna, Ariel, Ruben, Jeff, Holly and Dotty. Despite all the doom-and-gloom I’ve been reporting about lately, none of these folks had anything negative to say. In fact, what really came through is how much people love these paths and the valuable role they play in our community.
Note that I was careful when talking to folks to not bias their responses in a certain way. I would also start our chats with, “What is your experience riding these paths.” That prompt it totally objective and allows people to answer naturally, instead of me leading with, “A lot of terrible things have been happening. Does that worry you?” That being said, I also tried to bring up some of the incidents I’ve reported on, just to see if folks had heard about them or if they had a reaction.
I also asked each person what they’d tell someone who was afraid to ride these paths.
“As soon as you’re on a bike you kind of forget about it — at least that’s my experience,” Parker said. Then they added: “You see things as you go by but you just kind of go by and do your thing. My best advice is just get out here and see it for yourself.”
Aruna said she rides the paths often and carries pepper spray, but hasn’t experienced anything too scary. “It’s better to be prepared than sorry,” she offered as advice.
For Ruben, the paths have been life-changing. He actually bought a house near the Trolley Trail in Milwaukie because he likes biking on the paths so much. And Ruben, like Parker, said they are cognizant of people living alongside the trail but that they generally keep to themselves.
It was clear from folks I talked to that “safety in numbers” definitely applies to riding on these paths. Several folks mentioned that as the Springwater heads east and there are less eyes on the path, they get more concerned. A few folks said they don’t bike east of Sellwood after dark because of the heavily forested area without a lot of development and other users nearby.
But for young Dotty, who was riding on the back of her mom Holly’s electric cargo bike, these more secluded spots are the most interesting.
“When we go down that way,” she said, pointing eastward across a bridge over McLoughlin Blvd, “We see animals like nutria and bunnies. And we even say a snake!”
I hope this video gives you more context to judge the state of our local paths and decide if they’re safe enough for you to ride.
Thanks for reading.
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I am surprised at how disorienting it is to read a story that is positive and reflects the reality that I experience every day.
Thanks for doing this Jonathan!
you’re welcome. I really enjoyed it. I think next time I’ll put myself in the frame. I’ll also be set for rolling interviews so folks don’t have to stop. And I need some sort of system to encourage folks to pull over. Maybe a small sign or something… although my hi-viz vest that says “Media BikePortland” helps!
We really need this kind of reporting. I’m sure I’m not the only one who thinks this, but it’s time well spent.
Yeah a sign on the front and back might be helpful for approaching people.
What’s the new camera? Gopros aren’t ideal because they have such a wide angle lens, but they do have really amazing stabilization. They’re good for the riding part, but a digital SLR with external mic might be best for interviews.
Thanks eawriste.
The new camera is a DJI Osmo Pocket 3. I love how compact and usable it is. In the future I’ll definitely use the GoPro while riding, I was just curious how this would work and I didn’t have a mic for the gopro so that what I used. And yes, a DSLR and external mic would be optimal, but I also am trying to find the setup that is the lightest and quickest. Also, I find that for work like this, the form factor of a DSLR can make most people nervous and they don’t act natural as a result. The Osmo is so small and cute folks don’t even realize they’re on camera!
Let’s be honest, people are afraid to speak out. The narrative that’s been pushed by progressives is that any criticism of Portland is “Fox News hysteria”. If you mention anything other than sunshine and rainbows and sympathy you’re likely to get branded a nazi and shunned from every social group you’re a part of. That’s just how rotten this discourse has become (and not just in Portland, but all over the US).
You know, I don’t watch Fox News nor does any Portland cyclist that I’ve met. What I do know is what I see every day on our shared paths, and a good amount of it is appalling. I’ve been threatened, run off the path, had knives, machetes and improvised weapons brandished at me, simply for minding my own business. And I’m hardly alone, despite activists’ attempts to silence our experiences out there.
I know a lot of folks who won’t take the paths anymore at all, and my own usage has cratered as well– I’d rather risk my life on streets shared with cars, most of the time.
Why would people be afraid to speak out? People criticize Portland all of the time, especially in “progressive” circles (you and I certainly would disagree on what that actually means). Jonathan made this reporting specifically because he felt that his own coverage was a bit on the negative side.
So you both know a lot of people who won’t take the paths anymore at all, and that you rarely use them, but also can speak authoritatively on the state of them now? I’ve had a fair number of less than ideal run ins on paths in Portland, but would also say that things are way way better than they were a few years ago. I had a bad experience on the Slough Trail in 2021, didn’t ride it for 2 years, but have since re-incorporated it after having a few good experiences in a row. Same goes for the Peninsula Crossing Trail.
Come on down to the 205 path.
https://www.reddit.com/r/PDX/comments/1fd94x1/we_need_to_take_back_our_public_spaces/
I’m well aware that the 205 path is in a sorry state! I don’t ride it because I think it’s sketchy (and I’m not overly fond of the noise and fumes from 204 either).
You are making blanket statements about all paths in Portland, and I’m telling you there is significant local variation that really matters and that is generally trending upwards. If you write off the Esplande and Springwater because of bad experiences on the 205 path, that’s fine I won’t stop you, but just know you’re missing out on some quality riding with tons of other people.
Remember, this a very small sample on a Sunday afternoon and limited to people still suing the trail. I think you would get fairly positive comments if you stopped cyclists on the Greeley or Going MUPs but you missed the large number of cyclists who will no longer ride their because of the repeated negative interactions. With that caveat, I DO appreciate this post and I believe things are getting better and our paths are wonderful useable some of the time. I look forward to Portland developing a plan to getting these paths and bike routes to be more safe more of the time
There’s a difference between talking about problems and solutions in a constructive way and dehumanizing people.
There’s plenty of “speaking out” on this website even:
https://bikeportland.org/2024/09/10/opinion-none-of-this-is-normal-389425
I feel safer on the Springwater Corridor than on the streets I have to take to get to/from the Springwater Corridor, where every single day drivers who are exceeding the speed limit, running stop signs and stop lights, otherwise driving illegally/aggressively, or are stopped/parked illegally endanger my life. Not to mention the danger of huffing car fumes. If we think the bikeways are scary, that speaks in part to how much we have normalized how dangerous our streets are.
I totally agree, Lois. I’m frustrated by the focus on safety on the paths proper when my experience tells me it can be a lot sketchier to get to the path.
If you’re wondering where all the opposing viewpoints are… Jonathan censored them.
hahaha! That’s a good joke Jeff. We don’t censor opposing viewpoints on here. That is a statement completely removed from reality and I welcome any attempt to demonstrate otherwise.
I’ll take you at your word if you take me at mine: this is a sample of people already willing to ride the Springwater, speaking with a man who wants them to stop and be recorded.
That’s a lot of nope for me tbh.
There’s a name for this:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Survivorship_bias
Hey Champs,
It’s a limited sample. It’s hard to generalize from 6 people and 2 kids. And I like the skepticism. That was my first reaction as well. But aside from designing a methodology for doing actual research, what would you suggest to expand the sample? My point is, for an afternoon plus of riding, it’s decent journalism. On the tvs you often get one or two people (often disgruntled) shaved down to sound bites. So I see a lot of value in this kind of reporting.
How else are you supposed to report on people riding the path in question? What other method could he possibly have used? You can surmise that there’s implicit bias in the reporting, but that is an entirely different issue than overt censorship.
On a clear weekend morning, the biggest issue I face riding on the Springwater/Esplanade between the Sellwood and Steel bridges is overcrowding. There are a lot of people riding on the paths, especially along the river in central Portland
Exactly. This is slice-of-life, not a survey with results that can be generalized.
I would love to see a similar project done on the I-205 trail.
Yeah I hear you. This is what it is. I’m not portraying it as anything else.
So where’s my comment talking about the many times I’ve been threatened on the path? Did it just magically disappear? Or are we back to gaslighting?
https://bikeportland.org/2024/09/10/video-riders-speak-out-on-portland-bike-path-safety-389446#comment-7528538
That one, from 23 hours ago?
Is gaslighting the word you wanted to use?
Jonathan only “found” my comment after I called him out for not approving it.
He has a documented history of muting comments that don’t agree with the narrative he’s promoting.
Just read your comment. It might have automatically been put in trash because you used a hot-button word which may have been flagged. If JM fished it out of trash, well, that’s kinda nice, and you should say “thank you.”
You’re wrong Jeff. If reality and truth doesn’t conform to your narrative, that’s a you problem, not a BikePortland problem.
We simply do not — and never have — muted or deleted comments solely because they disagree with a specific narrative.
Yes, we do reserve the right to delete comments for any reason we choose. But as long as you don’t cross various lines of inciting violence and/or being insensitive to others, etc… you can comment here. If you don’t like that policy, too bad! It’s my right as a business owner to manage this space however I see fit. Thanks.
People who use and enjoy the Springwater are preselected to be positive about Portland and life. To find an opposing viewpoint Jonathan would’ve had to bike out to Beaverton or Vancouver and interview people who spend a beautiful late summer weekend locked in their air-conditioned media room watching football and doom-scrolling social media.
Great post! Thanks.
I appreciate this point, but there is clearly selection bias so I’m not sure I would use ‘objective’ to describe the results. The same prompt could yield different results on the kid-friendly bike paths in Lake O or a Mega-low-mart parking lot, etc.
The Springwater is great. I feel like the I-205 and Marine Drive paths are significantly worse than the Springwater, but like the guy said: you see behavior that is not healthy for the people doing it, but they are not dangerous to path users. (And lets face it, being homeless has to be incredibly stressful: if I was homeless I’d probably turn to various substances to help numb my brain too!)
It’s a chicken and egg issue. For some people the drugs came first, for other people, they came second.
99.99% of the time I’ve ridden, I’ve seen behavior that does not threaten me. It’s the .01% of the time that I have been threatened that stick out, though. It’s hard to get out the bike and head down that way after having a large battle axe swung at me, or having a car full of junkies drive directly at me, then turn around and do it again. I’d rather go ride in the West Hills and deal with a few cars along the way.
I think I would be comfortable between the entrance of the path to Sellwood with my family.
Great video!
Sure, on a sunny Sunday, the path is packed with shiny happy people, and the creepers are in hiding. Talk to folks, especially women, who commute, ride for exercise, or run, on the path early morning, or at twilight…it’s an everchanging story. Yes…the City has done multiple camp removals along the river this year, making it safer overall, and this summer has been less “scary” than 2023. But, it still doesn’t feel as safe as 10 years back.
I distinctly remember using the Springwater and I-205 paths in 2014, as I left town in late 2015, and in both years the paths were crowded with campers and drug addicts – I didn’t feel safe until I got to Gresham which did a much better job patrolling the trails back then. Lots of garbage along the trails too. The downtown area was full of tourists and weirdos.
Portland seems to go through cycles of rampant homelessness with periods of relative lack of noticeable homelessness. I do remember the turf war between the Bloods, Crips, and the various other gangs in the early 2000s when the city was overly prosperous – people need money to buy drugs hence the illegal drug market and drug war – and there were hardly any visible homeless, the camps still hidden away, the paths really quite safe, and inner NE Portland full of drive-by shootings. It was much safer to ride on the paths than the street.
I was in Raleigh a couple weeks ago, a city of 450,000 in a metro of 3 million, and the trails were clean, no homeless camps whatsoever, very little litter, still a bit of silt from Tropical Storm Debby, but otherwise fairly busy with walkers, runners, dog walkers, and other cyclists, but like Portland they still had network gaps to finish, one of which they use a converted traffic lane with concrete barriers – unfortunately that had some trash. https://www.google.com/maps/@35.7910123,-78.6850357,3a,75y,238.94h,107t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1sn0yxwEpLjZGoPqUpbXHIdg!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1?coh=205409&entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI0MDkwNC4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D
I agree – I think many women who run on these paths would have a lot to say about the creeps they encounter. I’ve had some gross things said to me by men riding by on bikes. The thing with bikes is you can get away quickly, whether you are avoiding a sketchy situation or instigating one. I was shaken to read the stories about recent incidents involving women running and harassment from men on bikes. But I’ll continue to run on the Springwater as long as I’m carrying pepper spray.
Portland needs to have a bike cop unit that rides bike paths/trails/greenways EVERY day and reports on conditions, camps, dangerous people, etc., and this action needs to be publicized. This could be done with e-bikes, ATVs, golf carts, parking meter utility vehicles, whatever. It’s the only way to get the paths viewed as “safer” and to get more people to use them. It’s disheartening to ride the same section of a path for months, see no change in the sketchy conditions, and then be forced to stop riding the paths.
Is this a police function?
They’d be rolling in pairs, and it would take dozens of officers on two shifts to show up regularly on some pretty far flung paths (allowing for time in court, administration, training, commute to trailhead, booking the clients, etc). We’d also encounter more cop cars on bike paths because sooner or later there would be a call for backup.
There’s a potential budget issue, and it’s a big enough deal that the union might kick. Who knows?
Except for the car issue I’m all for it. Seems to me that cops on bikes are closer and more engaged with the community than cops in cars.
They’d be on e-bikes for sure. Maybe we could get that sponsored.
“Note that I was careful when talking to folks to not bias their responses in a certain way.”
Jonathan,
Have you gotten a lot of flak from your “Everything is just fine in Portland” acquaintances over your recent posts describing some of the dangerous events occurring our trails?
I’m glad some people are willing to still use the trails but to attempt to portray these interviews as an unbiased survey which proves that our MUP’s are safe is quite the stretch.
Selection Bias
occurs when individuals or groups in a study differ systematically from the population of interest leading to a systematic error in an association or outcome.
Hi Angus.
No I haven’t.
And I didn’t say this post proves anything. My comment you quote was just describing that I asked an opening question that didn’t give people a clue to what I was there to learn about. In other words, I didn’t mention anything unsafe or dangerous so as not to lead them into a specific response. By just asking, “How is your experience riding these paths?” I gave them ability to fill in with whatever they want.
This wasn’t a study. It was talking to whoever stopped.
What about if you aren’t cruising at 20 mph? Like you get a flat or you have kids.
I didn’t have health insurance most of the time I lived in Lents and so I rarely rode my bike.
But I did walk the paths as I lived by them. In 2012 when I moved into my house I walked all over all the time. By 2022 when I moved out (still kept the house–I believe Portland will come back!)
By that time I had been jumped twice, once on the Springwater right west of Powell Butte and once in Lents Park.
My last experience on the Springwater in the 80 numbers was of a big sketch vibe as people were camped everywhere–I haven’t been over east of the freeway in a long time, that area has nowhere to run, little view in from the outside, large areas of vegetation and is frightening as fences are on both sides so theres nowhere to run.
Its scary to me. others may not be scared. what to do? Both things are true.
I think there are categorical differences between different parts of the Springwater. I’ve found it to be safe and enjoyable up until ~the 80s, and then safe and enjoyable again once you’re east of 122nd or so (around Powell Butte). I suppose this lines up pretty well with what you’ve said as well. So people sharing their experience riding the Springwater north of the Sellwood Bridge are going to have a markedly different experience than those out in Lents.
I’ve ridden the Waterfront/Eastbank Esplanade/ Springwater Corridor 14 times since April. Like another user said, the scariest part is riding on the streets (downtown Harvey Milk Blvd/Oak) to get there and back. On the trail I often see 1 or 2 stolen bikes chained to a pole, and probably 3 times I’ve seen a person with cans or lots of stuff. No tents. No loitering. IMO, the area on the Waterfront by the Steel Bridge is as bad as it gets, with bike chop shops, folks sleeping on park benches, some screaming at the clouds. There are always lots of tourists and others around the Waterfront, so if you can deal with that, everything else is fine.
I (45f) will not ride east on the Springwater Corridor or the I-205 path.
Thanks for this. This reflects the reality that I have seen and which contrasts so starkly with the fear some others try to promote.
To the concerns about “bias” and being an unfair sample: that’s nonsense. It is a perfectly reasonable sample of people who are out there riding, which is exactly the people to talk to as a counter to those who are simply not out riding. Who else could you ask? The question is not “why are you too afraid to ride”, it’s “how does it feel to ride” and the only people you can ask is those who are doing it.
I think it is very reasonable to critique the riding of 6 miles along the river and making any conclusion at all about the wider path network.
Now, a video done after the clocks get turned back, at rush hour, during the week, out to Gresham and then back to the 205 path, north in the dark to even Mt. Tabor, would be much more illuminating to the conditions that may keep people from using these paths more frequently than a lazy late summer weekend afternoon.
yes and no. For many riders, this 6 miles is all they ever ride. Their experiences are very valid. Also, some of the worst recent incidents happened on this exact stretch of path in broad daylight.
Obviously a longer ride in the dark further afield would also be very useful! I plan to do that as well. Stay tuned.
I’m glad JM did the piece, but agree that further east, on the 205 MUP, N&S of Division, it remains sketchy and JM would see a different reality. Sad, because the 205 MUP has been a “go to” route for me over the years. I’ve recently started riding the 100’s greenway, or the 80’s greenway to go north, or south from where I live to avoid the high crash corridor streets and the 205 MUP. I do ride it weekly to see how the conditions have changed from Foster north to the Columbia. It changes weekly depending on where different camps have relocated.
My partner and I attended Art In The Pearl last weekend, with a stop in at Powell’s and were pleasantly surprised to see how tidy the area was. Life is coming back to the central city!
We, as cyclists need to own the MUP’s and continue to ride them. It’s the pedestrians who don’t feel safe. Especially the elderly. I walk and ride the Springwater regularly from 122nd to Gresham. Always humbled by my partner when a cyclist approaches with no warning while we’re walking. ASSHOLE CYCLIST! Be courteous with a warning. Please.
JM, let me know when you venture out to east Portland next and I’ll show you the issues out here.
Thank you Jonathan! I needed this jolt of community and humanity this morning. People! Community! Bikes! Paths!
I live east of I-205 and utilize both the Springwater and I-205 paths regularly, commuting on the Springwater from 111th to Inner SE and using the I-205 path on trips to N/NE.
There are specific areas on both paths which tend to ebb and flow with regards to people experiencing homelessness. Yep, I’ve seen automobiles on the path — generally at the junction of Springwater & I-205 — and I’d certainly appreciate any efforts to curb the further entry of automobiles onto the path, but I have never encountered anyone aggressive towards me.
I just…roll on by and always telegraph my intent to pass with a bell. Nobody gives me flack, nobody yells. /shrug
I 100% agree with the folks interviewed and most of the commenters here – I think Portland’s paths are great, fun to ride, and better than even protected bike lines. They’re a place of peace from the sounds of combustion engines! More paths, please!
I think there is a totally different view of the paths from people who walk/run on them. So I personally have no complaints about paths, but when I hear that people are being harassed and attacked on them while running/walking, that rings alarm bells for me. That said, I haven’t seen anything shady/suspicious on the Esplanade this week. That’s a good thing!
I also agree that there is an overly negative view of the city and its infrastructure, and I hope that Jonathan’s video will give some people the reassurance that it’s not apocalyptic here. It’s actually really nice! One of the nicest places in which I’ve lived, actually. I would still advise people running on the paths, especially solo women, to take an extra precaution or two, and I would say that in any city.
I must be lucky or something. My work day starts well before sunrise and I see things all the time that I wish I hadn’t. Walking over the Burnside bridge and through Old Town/Chinatown has shown zero improvement. If anything the past couple weeks I’ve seen tons more sleeping on the sidewalk than I’ve seen in a long time.
Maybe by the time people go through there people are off the sidewalks and people declare “Everything is splendid in town. See, I don’t see the problems.” Yeah, it’s all a matter of perspective.
You and others see awesome Portland, I get to see the underbelly and it ain’t pretty.
Things are definitely getting better around town. It’s very noticeable. I think we still have some work to do to reel in deadly drivers but things do seem a lot safer in Portland otherwise compared to a couple years ago
I know we’re not supposed to say good things about Mayor Wheeler, but a lot of the improvement we’re seeing is a direct result of his Public Environment Management Office (PEMO), who have been very active cleaning up trash, graffiti, and getting folks into shelter.
If you’ve got a problem in related to livability, give them a call and see if they can help. I’ve found the to be very responsive.
https://www.portland.gov/pemo
I have ridden Portland bike trails for many years (27 year resident). Currently for the past 15 years or so my rides start in the Concordia neighborhood to connect the Marine Drive bike path. From the Marine Drive bike path to I205 I take I205 bike path to Springwater Trail, connect the Springwater Trail to Sellwood and back to Eastbank Esplanade, then meander my way back to my house in Concordia neighborhood. I am a regular rider. I see and witness a lot. I have many stories to tell of my rides.
For those who ride the non-hazardous safety areas I go through which starts at Marine Drive I205 and continues to Gateway Transit Center all the way through until you hit Sellwood, and think that the trails are safe and beautiful – you don’t get out much.
Hazards I regularly deal with are: broken glass piles everywhere, trash piles, unstable people wandering the paths (some with machetes and weapons), near miss assaults of people trying to attack me with fists or objects, pit bikes, dirt bikes, motorcycles, tacks and bent nails as booby traps, occasional car, complete sections of the path unusable due to glass trash and camps with obstructions, open air chop shops at some of the wandering camps that get moved around, homeless person took water bottle out of my bag and asked for cigarette and followed me on bicycle at Glisan I205 and accosted me 09-09-2024 same day I was almost assaulted by three punks riding their bikes on the I205 bike path by Gateway Transit Center, and endless safety hazards on the road from unsafe vehicular drivers when crossing areas where the bike path crosses traffic. It’s like a war zone where I tell my dad “I love you” each time I leave for a bike ride, because I never know if I will return or what condition I will return in.
To say all this is rosy and dandy is misleading. I have seen drastic changes over the past several years which include less to zero riders when I ride through these areas. There is a complete disregard for civility and law and order and I feel like if anything were to happen to me I have no one to call and no help will come.
I am upset that my 1 of 2 means of getting exercise involves taking risks that are a threat to my health and safety because these areas I go through are uncontrolled, unpatrolled, and are dystopian in nature from the lack of oversight in maintaining trails that are meant for cyclists and joggers.
Robert Coffeen
Concordia Neighborhood
Portland Oregon is One Major Dysfunctional Shithole
I’m a Democrat by the way.