4/21: Hello readers and friends. I'm still recovering from a surgery I had on 4/11, so I'm unable to attend events and do typical coverage. I'll post as I can and should improve day-by-day. Thanks for all your support 🙏. - Jonathan Maus, BikePortland Publisher and Editor
TriMet will upgrade its bus fleet with hydrogen fuel-cell powered vehicles and boost its work on 82nd Avenue’s forthcoming bus line thanks to a federal grant announced today.
The Federal Transit Administration has awarded TriMet $39,000,000 through their Low or No Emission Grant Program. TriMet’s award was the sixth largest out of 117 grants nationwide that totaled nearly $1.5 billion. TriMet will use the money to purchase 14 articulated, fuel-cell electric buses for the future FX service along 82nd Avenue as well as install infrastructure at their Powell Operations facility needed for fueling the buses and invest in workforce development to get staff up-to-speed on fuel-cell technology.
Metro and the City of Portland are currently working on a major upgrade of the Line 72 bus line as part of the 82nd Avenue Transit Project, which will bring an upgraded bus line between Clackamas Town Center and the Cully Neighborhood. The award comes one year after the FTA gave TriMet $630,000 to plan that project and builds on a $25 million grant TriMet just received last week to build a new operations facility at an industrial site in northeast Portland that will someday house and maintain the agency’s fleet of battery and fuel-cell powered buses.
These two awards push TriMet far along toward their goal of a 100% zero-emissions bus fleet by 2040.
“We know we need to be leaders in the region and step forward to move the demand for green hydrogen forward in the region,” said TriMet project manager Michael Kiser at TriMet’s June 26th board meeting. “These buses out in the community is just a much better outcome. If we look at Cully as a terminus option, having zero emission buses at that layover facility is something I want to see. I don’t want to have our diesel vehicles out there idling.”
But emissions aren’t the only reason TriMet and the Biden administration want to invest in 82nd Avenue. The portion of Line 72 along 82nd is the busiest bus line in the Portland region and it also has some of the most frustrating service delays. Metro’s locally preferred alternative for the transit project is to develop a new “FX” bus line similar to the one that opened in fall of 2022 on SE Division. The buses will be faster, larger, and will come with upgrades to stops throughout the corridor.
US Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg toured 82nd Avenue in a bus last summer, so he appreciates the transformative impact major investments can make.
Outgoing Portland Congressman Earl Blumenauer is the one who invited Buttigieg on that tour and said in a statement today, “Secretary Buttigieg saw first-hand the case for investment on 82nd Avenue. Today, the Biden-Harris Administration delivered.” Blumenauer sees the award as proof the community is united behind a shared vision for 82nd — “Transforming a once neglected area into a thriving corridor in a low-carbon, equitable fashion” — and that the grant will make the vision reality.
TriMet launched its first electric battery powered bus in 2019, but hydrogen fuel-cell technology might be a better fit. Fuel-cell buses cost more up front, ($1.2 million per vehicle versus $750,000 for an electric one, according to one estimate I found) but they have several advantages over battery electric models: they can refuel in a matter of minutes (versus overnight), have greater range and longer run time, are more efficient, and are more resilient to temperature swings.
But unlike battery electric buses, fuel-cell power has emissions. Thankfully, it’s just water.
TriMet says the new bus line should be constructed in 2027 and will begin service in 2029.
Local bike advocacy nonprofit BikeLoud PDX asked all City of Portland candidates* to answer eight questions gleaned from their members. The third question, “What is your vision for transportation in Portland?” was answered by 39 city council candidates and four mayoral candidates.
I’ve gone through the submissions and pulled out a short quote from each candidate. These very abbreviated 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 (if you’re on mobile, be sure to hit the arrow and scroll through the images.) The photos were taken from the Rose City Reform candidate tracker.
Read edited responses from all 43 candidates below:
Timur EnderSonja MckenzieSteph RouthDavid LinnAll candidate photos are in order of answers below and taken from the excellent new Rose City Reform website. (If reading on mobile, please click the arrow on the right to view candidate gallery.)
City Council District 1
Timur Ender
I am committed to a future where more of our arterials have bus rapid transit given the importance of reducing commute times and the impact this has on upward economic mobility and life expectancy.
Sonja Mckenzie
To have accessible and safe transportation for all Portlanders, regardless of their zip code.
Steph Routh
People can age in community with dignity because they have options that allow them to get around at any age… Businesses, particularly small businesses, can thrive as more people connect with them while walking or biking by. Families can live more easily on their incomes and have more time together.
David Linn
That everyone can get where they need to go safely, with negligible impacts to our environment, and that is affordable to working class Portlanders.
We should be honest about who, where, and why, cars will be needed so that we can plan appropriately while also investing for denser neighborhoods with safe bike corridors, pedestrian friendly opportunities, and rapid transit.
Christopher Olson
More public transportation options… Safe biking and pedestrian infrastructure across the city… public transportation should be fareless.
Nat West
Narrower streets, with more walkable neighborhoods, and less commuting between housing, retail, and work… I also want to plant a seed for eventual removal of I-5 on the east side of the river. We did it for Harbor Drive.
Michelle DePass
The vision is of closed streets in front of elementary schools; a car free downtown, and a Portland whose bike infrastructure works for all.
Debbie Kitchin
My vision for Portland includes a multi-modal transportation system that has robust transit, safe bike and pedestrian infrastructure, plans for freight transportation and cars.
Mariah Hudson
Imagine a Portland where we are connected by a vibrant Green Loop, a continuous ribbon of green space bustling with bikes, pedestrians, and lively plazas… We build housing with transit in mind, creating vibrant, mixed-use developments that are seamlessly integrated with public transit.
Jonathan Tasini
Any vision of transportation should be driven by making Portland a more equal city where the people come first. Any vision of just transportation for the city of Portland means just housing in Portland.
Mike Marshall
… as we “rethink” downtown due to permanent changes in work place behaviors, we should consider creating car-free zones that foster community through walking and bike riding.
Laura Streib
Ideally we would have all electric vehicles, spaces for bike/wheels and walkers – buses & street cars that can get people moving to their destinations in a timely manner.
Will Mespelt
… expanding TriMet, particularly the light rail system. Part of what I would advocate for would be including bike infrastructure installation alongside improvement and expansion of public transportation.
Quiet, calm, safe passage for all with maximum access through better land use planning and street design.
Theo Hathaway Saner
… a forward-thinking, inclusive, and sustainable system that prioritizes the needs of its residents and the health of the environment.
Daniel Gilk
By liberalizing our zoning restrictions throughout the neighborhoods, we can 1) create more employment and commercial opportunities closer to where we live and 2) create the density that can better support bus and train lines.
Angelita Morillo
I want transportation in Portland to serve all Portlanders, regardless of age, income, disability status, or ability to drive. Transit should be an affordable and accessible way to get from anywhere in the city to any other place, and bicycling should be both a safe and efficient option to do so as well.
Jonathan Walker
It is not mathematically possible to really grow the city without endless sprawl or getting more people in it to transition to walking, transit, biking, and smaller electric transportation devices. To do that, we need to make transit safer, more convenient, and pleasant.
Matthew Thomas Anderson
Separation.
Daniel DeMelo
… we need to invest in visionary infrastructure that will continue to support Portland’s growth and development. This includes supporting the construction of the downtown MAX tunnel, which would significantly increase the capacity and efficiency of our light rail system.
Philippe Knab
… creating a safe, sustainable, and accessible system that meets the needs of all residents. This includes expanding and improving bike infrastructure, such as adding more protected bike lanes and ensuring they are well-connected throughout the city.
Sandeep Bali
A fine healthy balance between cars, bikes, public transport.
Jesse Cornett
… my vision is Vision Zero. We must aspire to stop the deaths. That means we will be far more walkable and bikeable than we are today.
Chris Flanary
Walkable neighborhoods and multi-modal transportation options are our way forward. Even folks who continue to drive will benefit. I would explore potential alternative uses of street space like the outdoor dining project or street fairs, but on a more permanent basis to create gathering spaces for communities.
Luke Zak
I envision Portland thriving with a community-centered transportation system that is low-barrier, low-risk, and high-convenience that is so woven into the fabric of our city that using multimodal transportation and investing in its infrastructure is second-nature.
Mike DiNapoliOlivia ClarkBen HuffordChad LykinsSarah SilkieMichael TrimbleEli ArnoldAndra VltavínEric ZimmermanLisa FreemanBob WeinsteinMitch Green
Council – District 4
Mike DiNapoli
Our city needs to refocus on our cities ‘Walkability’ and engineering neighborhoods to be inclusive of what’s needed inside of 15 minutes (without a car).
Olivia Clark
Traffic calming, more safety measures, get neighborhood associations actively involved in transportation safety.
Ben Hufford
We need to move towards systems less dependent on single car/single driver use, and towards shared transportation resources.
Chad Lykins
My vision is to connect transportation, housing, economic development, and public safety in an integrated system that supports human flourishing.
Sarah Strawberry Silkie
I would like to see more park n ride lots so that people living in less dense areas can drive from where there is no public transit and then park and either bike, ride or walk in the more dense parts of the city.
Michael Trimble
I envision a fare free public transit (like Albuquerque) with all the MAX and street car lines along with more of the frequent trip bus lines running 24/7.
Eli Arnold
I believe making public transportation more appealing and creating paths like the Springwater Corridor are crucial.
Andra Vltavín
To turn almost all streets into communal gathering spaces and food-growing spaces.
Eric Zimmerman
Safe, sensical, and standardized. I think for the immediate future we need to spend time focusing on improving safety and standardizing our streets and the various lanes available for use.
Lisa Freeman
I believe in walkable, bikeable neighborhoods that allow us to come together as communities and reliable, affordable public transit to take us anywhere else we want to go.
Bob Weinstein
My vision for transportation in Portland is to create a safe, equitable, and sustainable system that serves all residents while reducing our carbon footprint.
Mitch Green
I want to live in a Portland where… transit is free at the point of service, and there are bike-share depots at every major node… where the students walking home from Jackson Middle School don’t have to walk on the side of the road as drivers speed by… where there are no car drop off lines, because parents feel comfortable knowing that it’s safe to cycle and walk to and from school.
Liv OsthusDurrell Javon Kinsey BeyKeith WilsonCarmen Rubio
Mayor
Liv Østhus
To have access to transportation (including bikes) to be seen through the lens of class and class seen through the lens of environmental collapse (as in the lower class suffers climate crises more than the upper class).
Durrell Javon Kinsey Bey
Economic Optimism is one of my campaign values and with that, regarding transportation I see TriMet and many other local small transportation businesses contributing to this Vision.
Keith Wilson
My vision for TriMet is 120 million boardings per year in 2030, double that of 2023. I also want a focus on micromobility.
Carmen Rubio
I envision a city where people can get where they need with as little carbon, danger, and stress as possible, and as quickly as possible. I support free public transportation and want to see more and more high-frequency routes that can transfer riders wherever they need to go… Above all, I want a compassionate city where people truly see each other and each others’ needs — whether they traverse the city on a bike, foot, in a wheelchair, in an electric car or on a bus.
I think questions like this are interesting because it reveals which candidates are able to transcend a conventional response and really let loose with something visionary. In my opinion, Portlanders are hungry for a new vision and leaders who can not just explain it but have the chops to get us there. Did any of these candidates impress you with their answer to this one?
BikeLoud will post more responses in the weeks to come. Stay tuned for question #4 and see more 2024 election coverage here.
*BikeLoud sent the questionnaire to all candidates that had filed a letter of intent as of May 27th.
Chris King Precision Components is a U.S. manufacturer of the finest bicycle components in the world. We are a socially and environmentally minded company and take pride in each and every part that gets made under one roof right here in Portland, Oregon.
If you are passionate about cycling, enjoy creating long lasting relationships with customers and are interested in working hard for a progressive company that you can believe in, we just might have something for you! We are searching for a dependable, kind, self starter, responsive professional with amazing customer service skills. As the face of our company, our Customer Service team plays a crucial role in delivering exceptional sales and service to our customers. The ideal candidate will demonstrate a proven ability to work both as a team and autonomously, showing self-motivation and a proactive approach to tasks without constant oversight. They should also be receptive to feedback, actively pursue opportunities for growth and development, and embody a commitment to continuous improvement. This includes maintaining and cultivating relationships with existing customers, as well as establishing new connections to foster trust and drive sales growth.
We offer a full benefit package and the perks of being in the bicycle industry.
Schedule for this role is Monday – Friday from 8:30 – 5pm
We do require a drug screen within 30 days after your first day working.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OPERATIONS:
Provide excellent customer service through inbound and outbound telephone and email communication.
Maintain and expand relationships with existing and new customers to increase trust, loyalty, and sales.
Practice effective communication.
Proactively communicate with current and potential customers.
Demonstrate positive morale, professionalism and enthusiasm for company products, operations and initiatives.
Address customer concerns related to products, shipping, and other company-related matters to ensure swift and effective resolution.
Process all orders as indicated by policy and procedures.
Follow up with current and prospective customers through email and phone communication.
Possess product and technical knowledge, with a commitment to continuous learning.
Process and record information accurately.
Maintain integrity of orders, credit memos and all other paperwork.
Able to adapt to changing circumstances and effectively solve customer needs.
Serve as a backup in Shipping when needed.
Prepares reports as requested.
Treat all coworkers with courtesy and professionalism.
Able to work harmoniously across all company departments.
Take initiative and prioritize tasks to ensure work is completed.
Participate as needed in events such as bike races, trade shows and in-house events.
Adhere to our environmental and social philosophy when making decisions and recommendations.
Complete other tasks and projects as assigned.
Capacity to learn technical problem-solving.
Skills and Requirements:
Reasoning: Ability to solve complex problems.
Planning/Organization: Ability to handle various assignments while meeting deadlines with attention to detail.
Interpersonal: Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships.
Language: Effective written and oral communication skills.
Mathematical: Ability to work with advanced mathematical concepts.
Computer: Proficiency in basic office software, ERP systems, and experience with Microsoft Office Suite and Apple products.
Physical Requirements:
Continuously: Sit, use a computer, use hands and fingers, talk, hear, speak. Frequently: Reach, bend, twist. Occasionally: Stand, walk, bend, stoop, kneel, lift up to 50lbs.
Environment:
Exposure to fumes or airborne particles. The noise level varies, from quiet to loud, depending on job functions.
EDUCATION/EXPERIENCE:
2+ years of delivering a superior customer experience, through utilization of ERP systems and solid understanding of CRM account management (preferably as a retail sales lead or assistant manager).
Knowledge of bike components, maintenance, compatibilities and installation.
Capacity to learn technical problem solving.
1 year in outdoor industry preferable.
Requires computer literacy, experience with a Microsoft Office Suite and Apple products helpful.
Benefits include, but are not limited to:
100 hours of paid time off (PTO) during your first year of employment
8 Paid Holidays per year
Company sponsored health insurance, vision, short term disability, long term disability, and life insurance
Voluntary dental insurance
401(k) Qualified Retirement Plan eligibility with match
Section 125-plan participation eligibility
Commuter credits for using alternative transportation ie: biking, walking, e-vehicle, bus, carpool etc.
Employee purchase program for internal CKPC and outdoor/cycling industry products
Bi-annual bike commute challenges to earn up to 20 additional hours of PTO per year
***Please include a cover letter when applying***
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: From $19.00 per hour
Expected hours: 40 per week
Experience level: 2 years
Shift: Day shift
Schedule: Monday to Friday, 8:30 am – 5 pm
Work setting: In-person Office
King Cycle Group is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on race, color, sex, religion, sexual orientation, national origin, disability, genetic information, pregnancy, or any other protected characteristic as outlined by federal, state, or local laws.
Life imitates art as a scorching MAX train glides by public art fireballs on the rail bridge above North Denver Ave just south of Kenton. (Photo: TriMet)
It’s a cruel irony that you can get a free ride to a cooling center on TriMet’s MAX light rail, but you might suffer heat exhaustion waiting for the train to get there.
If there’s one truism when it comes to Portland transportation, it’s that when temperatures go up, the speed of light rail goes down. That’s not ideal, because not only do many folks rely on the MAX system, it’s another way public transit fails in the mode choice competition with cars.
Today is hopefully the last day of extreme heat, at least until the next wave hits us. And as per tradition, TriMet has told MAX riders to expect delays of up to 15-30 minutes due to the heat. Why does this keep happening?
(Labels: BikePortland – Photo: TriMet)
It has to do with the overhead wires that provide electricity to power the trains. Known as catenary wires, these wires must maintain tension in order for train operators to travel at normal speeds. When overheated, the contact wire expands and starts to sag. If an operator goes too fast, the catenary wire could lose contact with the train’s pantograph (a tensioned arm on the roof of the train that connects to the wire) and stall out completely. The slower train speeds and/or temporary stoppages have a ripple effect across the entire system, and delays are inevitable.
Also inevitable are angry customers who just want to get out of the heat. A few days ago after a Timbers game, riders experienced delays of more than 30 minutes. Stories like this lead to frustration and further erode the public’s confidence in public transit at a time when the system desperately needs to win back riders.
Put another way, when catenary wires lose tension, Portlanders gain it.
To counter the increasingly common phenomenon of extreme heat and its impact to their light rail network, TriMet uses a system of weights attached to the poles that hold catenary wires (see video above). As temperature rises, the weights (which weigh about one ton) sag to tension the wires. The weights can rise or fall as much as one inch per degree of temperature change. Sometimes it’s so hot the weights come to rest on the ground and TriMet has no choice but to tell operators to slow way down in order to maintain consistent connection between the pantograph arm and the wire.
With 100 degree-plus temps forecasted today, delays will likely hit the system once again.
So what’s a transit agency to do about the all-powerful sun whose heat is becoming an ever larger force in our daily lives? One problem in Portland is that our light rail system wasn’t built with frequent extreme heat events in mind. In a statement issued last month, TriMet said their MAX system, “was originally designed to operate in the climate Portland enjoyed in the 20th century.” And despite investments they’ve made for heat resiliency since 2018, temperatures above 100 degrees can still cripple their system.
Mitch Green is an energy economist and candidate for City Council District 4. Before this current heat wave, he shared messages on social media that Portland needs to re-invest in its basic infrastructure to handle extreme weather events, lest we remain, “in a state of precariousness.”
Green replied to TriMet’s latest announcement about MAX delays on X yesterday by saying, “We’ve got a situation where the structures and systems we have today, as a product of past investment, are no longer calibrated to the urgency of the moment. But, we don’t throw up our hands: we invest again.” Green says MAX delays aren’t TriMet’s fault and that settling into finger-pointing and status quo investment levels will never allow us to build the “truly resilient systems” we need.
So next time you’re mad about a MAX delay, after pointing your finger at TriMet, point it at the sun — and then point it at yourself. We’re all in this together and it will take a collective effort to fix these problems.
Over the weekend my son and I biked to the Columbia River. We have a tradition where we load our inflatable paddleboards into a trailer, load up my bike full of beach stuff, and ride to a sandbar just east of Broughton Beach.
This year, our ride had a pleasant surprise and an unpleasant one.
To get to the beach, we ride on NE 33rd Avenue/Drive to connect between the NE Holman neighborhood greenway and the bike path along Marine Drive. As you might recall from my 2022 video of this ride or the video I shared last summer, a huge feature of 33rd Drive for the past several years has been the folks who live in RVs and other vehicles alongside the bike lane.
The presence of all those people, their car-homes, and belongings made riding on 33rd much more dangerous and stressful than it should be. That’s why I was very pleasantly surprised to see that efforts to address the encampments have succeeded. There was not one person living in a vehicle along the entire stretch of the road.
Some agency (either PBOT or Port of Portland) has placed large concrete blocks and new guardrails in the parking lane to prevent camps from being formed. They’ve also established an “RV Safe Park” just a block away. That special shelter is run by Salvation Army and holds spots for 55 vehicles. It looked full to my passing eyes and seemed to be a well-managed space.
That was such a pleasant surprise!
Unfortunately as we continued home, riding south on 33rd Drive south of NE Sunderland Ave, there was something else making this street unsafe: overgrown vegetation. A massive hedgerow and other bushes along the eastern edge of the Riverside Golf & Country Club golf course is growing well into the bike lane. With a 35 mph speed limit and a paint-only bike lane, 33rd isn’t a low-stress place to ride even when it’s unobstructed. But when people have to bike in the general travel lane to avoid overgrowth, the situation becomes much more risky.
Branches and bushes growing into bike lanes is a huge problem this year. Based on my personal experience (I got swatted in the face by a branch on N Rosa Parks Way while biking just after dusk a few nights ago) and from what I’m hearing in the community, the number of problem spots is much higher than it’s been in the past. Our wet spring and warm summer have led to ideal growing conditions. That’s great if you’re a farmer or a gardener; but not if you’re trying to navigate curbside bike lanes around Portland.
Someone tagged BikePortland in this photo of NE Couch and 6th.
It’s time to get out your lawn shears and clippers and cut what you can. You should also have PBOT’s maintenance hotline and/or email — 503-823-1700/pdxroads@portlandoregon.gov — in your phone. This is an important issue that needs to be addressed. Thankfully PBOT’s system for tracking these is good and they will respond to your complaints (an email sent to that address got a human response four minutes after I sent it today), but it’s a bummer to have yet another thing making roads unsafe for non-drivers.
Homeless encampments are a very difficult issue to handle. Overgrown weeds and trees are simple. Just get out there and cut them back.
Group shot of the candidates. I added Sarah Silkie and Mitch Green in because they were in line for drinks when they photo was taken. See full list of candidates below. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
Last Wednesday nearly 30 candidates for local office rode their bike to Bike Happy Hour. It was a powerful statement about how Portland does politics, and how — after years on the backburner — cycling will take a more prominent role in the future at city hall.
“Today there are no Democrats and there are no Republicans — we are all tire fixers!” said City Council District 3 candidate Jesse Cornett as he stood on a bench above the crowd and held a wheel above his head. Cornett was the spokesperson for one four candidate teams who had just finished a friendly competition to see who could fix a flat fastest.
It was the second stop on the 4 District Candidate Splash Ride organized by local nonprofit Bike Loud PDX. They worked with partner nonprofits Lloyd Eco District and Human Access Project on a ride that got candidates out on their bikes, in front of bike-riding voters, and ultimately, into the Willamette River. They met in four parks (one in each district) for a chat and then rode to our weekly Bike Happy Hour at Gorges Beer Co. on the SE Ankeny Rainbow Road Plaza.
NEW!! Watch the video below:
Eli Arnold (right)Sarah SilkieDebbie KitchinJesse Cornett (L) and John ToranDurrel Kinsey BeySteph RouthJohn ToranKeith WilsonSonja McKenzieNat WestA few of the candidates.
By the time all four rides rolled up to Ankeny, the scene was poppin’!
Aaron Kuehn from Bike Loud organized about 28 or so candidates into teams of four for the flat tire fixing challenge. The idea was for them to display leadership and collaboration skills while working together to solve a problem. We didn’t tell them ahead of time, so they had to figure it out on-the-fly if they didn’t know what to do.
Each team had at least one person who’d fixed a flat before, but they still had to perform under pressure. We gave them old-school tube repair kits, not quick patches, so they had to be patient and let the rubber cement sit a bit before applying the patch (if you know, you know). It was fun watching the teams work together.
After each team was done, they assigned a spokesperson to address the crowd.
“We were slow and steady,” recounted District 3 City Council candidate Angelita Morillo who represented Team 25% By 2030. “We had Mitch Green from District 4 reading instructions and making sure we were getting everything right. Teacher Tiffany [Koyama Lane] got snacks to give us sustenance… We were cheering each other on and as you can see,” Morillo added, as she pushed a hard tire, “extremely firm and well done.”
Turns out that was the only team that completed the challenge. All three other tires were flat at the end of the day.
Team Bike Bus rep and D1 candidate Steph Routh acknowledged her team’s shortcomings. “We were a little excited about the gluing process and we tacked it, but we did not tack enough. Mistakes were made, lessons were learned, but we move on with our mistakes,” she said.
Next up was Team Bike Share. “We were given a serious challenge,” explained team rep Jesse Cornett. “We got a tire with one little hole and a faulty valve. And we persisted and we got it all back together.” Cornett had explaining to do because (as you can see in the video), he was pumping the tire up and it exploded. “I think that’s surely because somebody put somebody from Multnomah County on our team,” Cornett said. “Just kidding. We love our county partners.”
Photo by Aaron KuehnPhoto by Aaron KuehnPhoto by Aaron KuehnPhoto by Aaron KuehnPhoto by Sarah Risser
And last up with D3 Candidate Daniel DeMelo who reported out for Team Vision Zero. He claimed their tire was fixed, but then deflated for some reason. “As it turns out, we need those long-term structural changes to actually make sure the wheel was fixed in the long-run,” he said. “Sometimes you can fix things fast, sometimes it takes a bit longer. With Vision Zero we’ve got a lot to work on.”
After the fun at Bike Happy Hour, most of the crowd continued the ride to Duckworth Dock on the Eastbank Esplanade where a warm sun, great company and live DJs got them in the mood to jump into the Willamette River.
Bikes, parks, politics, and a swim made for a pretty perfect Portland day. Thanks for everyone who came out!
Today’s Monday Roundup is sponsored by The eBike Store, Portland’s original all-electric bike shop. Stop in for great service and a selection of quality e-bike brands.
Here are the most notable items we came across in the past seven days…
Different coast, same battle: This disagreement over free, on-street car parking in a neighborhood in Queens, New York made me think of what PBOT is about to do on North Willamette. Gird yourself for petitions and read this one to ready your responses. (NY Times)
Star Wars urbanism: This is a fun and bitingly funny sendup of the battle that exploded the Death Star, “the first-ever pedestrian-only planet.” (McSweeney’s)
E-bike lessons from Europe: With e-bikes models now the majority in many of European’s cycling capitals, it’s well worth your time to read this interview with two experts on the topic. They cover some very important questions that U.S. policymakers need to keep top-of-mind, like the vital importance of subsidies, the need to focus on safe infrastructure, problems with speedy bikes, and more. (Bloomberg)
Long distance emissions: New research from the UK reveals the massive emissions reductions that can be gained from focusing on ways to encourage people to take fewer long-distance flights and car trips and the analysis is yet another vote for a more complete rail network. (Science Daily)
Corking consequences: Chicago’s vibrant Critical Mass ride has been met with violent rage by some drivers who have acted out against people corking traffic along the route. (Streetsblog Chicago)
School streets: This video of how school streets work in Ghent, shot during the recent Velo-city Conference, gives us a great primer on how easy and impactful temporary carfree streets near schools can be. (Streetsblog)
Post-freeway era: A project in Detroit is eerily similar to the I-5 Rose Quarter project where you’ve got a DOT trying to restore a thriving Black community it nearly destroyed with a freeway project and now wants to “reconnect” and restore the neighborhood with a less intrusive surface street. (NPR)
Another rebate frenzy: Minnesotans were so eager for e-bike rebates they became the latest in a long line of city residents to crash a website set up to hand out the subsidy vouchers. (Star Tribune)
Gamer urbanism: A game designer from the Netherlands is creating, “Car Park Capital,” a satirical, Sim City-like quest where gamers have to build a pro-car city despite how terrible the outcomes are, and use in-game propaganda to keep people convinced it makes sense. (PC Gamer)
‘Hill bomb’ enforcement: Looks like San Francisco has their own version of Portland’s ‘Zoobomb’ but in that city the cops and participants have clashed and a showdown seems imminent. (SF Gate)
Illegal kiss: During a recent time trial stage of the Tour de France, one of the riders (who happens to live just off the course) stopped to hug and kiss his wife. It was a beautiful moment, but earned the rider a fine from race organizers for, “unseemly or inappropriate behaviour.” (BBC)
Views from Morrison Bridge are pretty fire. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
Just a quick reminder that Multnomah County, in their infinite wisdom, will ban drivers from the Hawthorne and Morrison bridges on Thursday, July 4th so folks can watch the fireworks show in peace.
What better way to mark Independence Day than getting out of cars and into the community? (Who was around in 2005 when I posted a “Freedom From Cars Declaration“? Cringey, I know, but I was just a kid.)
The County says both bridges will be closed to all car and truck drivers from 8:00 pm to 12:00 am. Have fun!
How about one of these Cycle Hubs from CycleHoop along the North Williams Ave corridor?
Secure bike parking hubs — a place to store your bike while you shop or work without relying only on your own lock — is an idea that’s older than you might think.
In 1996, Portland had three “bike central” locations where commuters could park bikes and a citywide network was envisioned thanks to dedicated funding from the federal government in the 1991 Intermodal Surface Transportation Efficiency Act (ISTEA). The idea came roaring back in 2007 when a “Bikestation” was in the running to take over the former McCall’s Restaurant adjacent to Salmon St. Springs. The idea gained momentum for a few years but ultimately fizzled out and Portland never opened a large, publicly accessible bike parking facility.
Those were the heydays of peak-hour commuting and an era when everyone assumed bicycle riders had to have showers and changing facilities. As bicycle styles and behaviors changed over the years, the need for showers and lockers has (thankfully) waned; but the need for secure bike parking has never been greater.
Oonee pod in Brooklyn.Inside an Oonee pod in Manhattan.Oonee pod in Hudson Square in Manhattan.(Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
When I visited New York City last fall, I learned about a very intriguing solution known as Oonee pods. These publicly funded, privately operated facilities offer a high-tech, easy and secure solution for parking bikes in busy areas. They can be small for a half-dozen bikes in a neighborhood, or larger with dozens of spots in higher-traffic areas downtown.
But before someone brings an Oonee pod, Cyclehoop Cycle Hub or other product to Portland, we’ll need to figure out where to put them. And we can’t just go on vibes, because these only work when they are used.
Portland State University graduate student Brandon Barnhart has the answers. He just completed a project for his Advanced GIS class that used mapping and data analysis to find the optimal location for 10 secure bike parking areas. Barnhart shared his project on the BikeLoud PDX Slack channel this morning.
To find his locations, Barnhart ran the numbers on four factors: bike traffic demand, major destinations, proximity to affordable housing, and proximity to multi-family housing. After pushing all the data through various GIS modeling tools, here’s his list of “optimal bike parking hub locations”:
NW 21st and Johnson
NW 10th and Lovejoy
NW 10th and Glisan
NW Naito Pkwy near Union Station Crossing
NW 4th Ave and Flanders
SW 2nd Ave and Pine
NE Williams Ave and Russell
NE Williams Ave and Ivy
N Haight St and Failing
N Mississippi and Failing
Notably, there are no location in southeast, which is traditionally the area of the city with the most bicycling traffic. Barnhart noted that in his writeup: “I suspect that though southeast Portland has high amounts of bike traffic and destinations, the area doesn’t have the same levels of affordable and multi-family housing, compared to Northwest and North Portland.”
Barnhart also added that if he ran the numbers again he’d give more weight to places with more low-income housing.
Barnhart thinks the time is right for secure bike parking hubs because Portland’s bike theft problem is still out of control. And with skyrocketing interest in e-bikes, including a new city-funded rebate program set to launch next summer — there will be an even larger demand for safe bike parking. On a related note, Portland City Council adopted an ordinance at their meeting this morning that authorizes the Bureau of Planning & Sustainability to recruit and hire staff and organizations to run the forthcoming e-bike rebate program. A key part of that program is funding set-aside for low-income housing developments to develop bicycle parking areas.
Like Barnhart, the folks who created the Portland Clean Energy Fund’s e-bike rebate program understand that cycling will never reach its potential if the threat of theft remains high. Secure bike parking hubs could be the answer.
Screenshot from video rendering of traveling westbound on tied arch design.
With the environmental review process and cross-section finalized, Multnomah County has moved into the design phase of their project to replace the Burnside Bridge.
On Monday, the county released a survey to garner public feedback on which type of bridge they should construct. There are two choices for the eastern end of the span: cable stay and tied arch. (For reference, the cable stay is very similar to the Tilikum Crossing and the tied arch design looks like the Wapato Bridge that connects Highway 30 to Sauvie Island). In addition to bridge types, there are several other design elements that need your input.
Here are the two design options:
Tied archCable stay
And detailed view from the saddle of a bicycle on the new protected lanes:
A new county website goes through all the options and has new visuals that give us a sense of what the new bridge might look like from a cycling and walking perspective. To refresh your memory the 78-foot wide bridge will have 34-feet dedicated to non-drivers. Car users will have two lanes westbound and one lane eastbound. Bus riders will have their own lane in the eastbound direction (and hopefully in the westbound direction someday soon). And bike riders and walkers will share a 17-foot wide space on each side, separated from other traffic by a concrete wall.
In some of the new visuals, they forgot to to include green paint or other delineator markings between the biking and walking areas. But rest assured, it will have bike lane green to help communicate where folks should ride.
The county wants the new bridge to, “provide a welcoming pedestrian space and viewpoint of the Willamette River, encouraging Portlanders and tourists to walk the bridge.”
Check out the new visuals and see what you think. Then be sure to take the survey and share your feedback. If you’re more of a hands-on learner and want to talk to project staff in-person, there will be a special “Breakfast on the Bridge” event July 12th from 7:00 to 9:00 am on the east end of the bridge near 334 NE Couch.
This busy intersection near a post office and food cart pod at NE Killingsworth and 7th will get a new median island crossing this summer.
After next summer, Northeast Killingsworth Street might have more median islands and crosswalks across a two-mile stretch than any other road in the city.
Starting this summer, the Portland Bureau of Transportation plans to build nine safer crossing treatments between NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd and NE 42nd Ave (see below). That’s in addition to seven existing crossing treatments, bringing the total to 18 hardened or signalized crossings in the two-mile stretch. That’s about one place to cross every other block.
The impact on road users could be significant in terms traffic calming for drivers and stress-reducing potential for people on foot and on bikes.
According to the official project page, PBOT will construct crossings on NE Killingsworth at 7th, 22nd, 25th and 27th this summer. Crossings at 11th, 13th, 17th, 35th and Cesar Chavez will be constructed in the summer of 2025. Five of those locations will receive median islands. Curb extensions will be added to NE 17th and a “paint and post” crossing at NE 22nd will be upgraded to concrete islands.
The aim of the project is to slow down drivers and make it safer for people on foot, bikes — or anyone trying to cross. PBOT’s Vision Zero dashboard shows 16 crashes on this section of Killingsworth between 2014 and 2021. With this much new concrete on the relatively narrow neighborhood collector street, the projects should have a significant traffic calming effect.
PBOT also wants bring the corridor up to the crossing frequency guidelines set in their 2019 PedPDX citywide pedestrian plan.That plan set a standard for how often someone should find a crossing treatment in various parts of the city. This section of NE Killingsworth is classified in the Transportation System Plan (TSP) as a “major city walkway,” (the second most important walking designation, only below “pedestrian district”) which PBOT says should have a crossing at least every 800 feet (or every three blocks). According to PedPDX, only the segment between 27th and 33rd currently meets that standard.
One BikePortland reader who’s lived just off Killingsworth for 25 years shared with me via email, “As a local bicyclist I’m a little bit freaked out by this.” This person prefers to ride on Killingsworth (which is classified as a “local service bikeway,” the lowest possible priority) because it’s more direct than other nearby routes. He worries the new median islands and crossing treatments will make it less safe for cycling.
“I feel safe riding it because the street is so wide, so there’s lots of room for cars and bikes to avoid each other,” he wrote. “But these sorts of islands always seem to pinch the car traffic and the bike traffic together. I predict that this is going to make Killingsworth a lot harder for bicyclists and drivers to share.”
I have a hunch these additions to Killingsworth will make it better for all users — except people who like to speed and like to ignore other road users trying to cross in front of them.
The reader who shared their feelings on this project wondered if he was the only person who felt this way. I personally don’t ever bike on this section of Killingsworth because it just doesn’t feel safe (I’ll use the sidewalk instead). I general, I think the more concrete curbs in the road, the better. What about you?
The Northwest Trail Alliance (NWTA) is urging its members to tell Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) to build off-road cycling opportunities in a neighborhood park.
The City of Portland plans to spend $3.6 million on two parks projects in north Portland, including University Park — which was recommended for cycling facilities in the Off-Road Cycling Master Plan. PP&R has opened an online survey asking Portlanders what type of parks features they’d like the city to invest in. But they’ve left out cycling as an option, so NWTA is telling members to use the “Other” section to make their desires known.
If this has you feeling deja-vu, that’s because PP&R launched a similar process for Rose City Park back in May. In that case, advocates cried foul when PP&R left off-road cycling out of their plans. NWTA wants to make sure plans for University Park don’t repeat that oversight.
Details from Off Road Cycling Master Plan (PP&R, 2018/2023)
“As a result of the NWTA community actively engaging in the Rose City Golf Course survey, bikes are now an active part of the planning process – but we still need to emphasize the community desire for bike trails,” reads an action alert from NWTA sent out today.
NWTA wants members to remind PP&R that the Off-Road Cycling Master Plan recommended a bicycle skills park at this location and/or a family-friendly trail around the perimeter of the park. The adopted plan says University Park would be appropriate for a 5,000 – 10,000 sq. ft. bike park with, “areas for family recreation and skill building.” And a trail could be used for cycling, walking and running. The plan states PP&R should add, “Off-road cycling skill features (like rocks, logs, or skinny bridges) along the sides.”
With the New Columbia neighborhood, Charles Jordan Community Center, schools, and the existing Community Cycling Center Bike Hub nearby, this would be an place for new bike facilities in the park.
