2024 Archives

Portland’s bike buses swell on Walk and Bike to School Day

Bike bus fever has taken hold in Portland. What started with Alameda Elementary School teacher Sam Balto on Earth Day just over two years ago has spread into hearts and minds nationwide. Locally, the phenomenon has led to well over a dozen active bike buses at schools throughout the city, according to BikeBusPDX.org, a site that monitors the outbreak.

In the past week I’ve ridden with three bike buses that ferry kids and parents to Beach, Glencoe and Abernethy elementary schools. They’re all unique, but there’s a shared sense of optimism and excitement that’s infectious and it’s easy to see why this happy affliction is spreading so fast and far.

May is National Bike Month and today is Walk and Bike to School Day, so spirits were high in southeast Portland this morning as Glencoe Elementary School dad Brian Ellin waited for troops to assemble at the corner of SE 61st and Belmont. I knew he was the leader because of his bright yellow “Bike Bus” rain poncho and the big speaker in his rear rack — two items that have become requisite kit for bike bus regulars.

Parent and leader Brian Ellin (yellow coat).

“We have a regular crew that starts here and we pick up people along the way. It’s a good time,” Ellin shared. He and other parent leaders have led a bike bus every Wednesday so far this year. “I think it’s about time to hit the road and get going!” he called out as the clock ticked closer to the morning bell.

Joining the group this morning was Portland City Commissioner Rene Gonzalez. Gonzalez, who’s also a candidate for mayor, was wearing a Portland Fire & Rescue sweatshirt and riding a Trek road bike with matching, waterproof rear panniers. “I usually go down the Springwater Corridor to work,” he shared when I asked if this was his usual route into City Hall. “This is my first bike bus, but my kids used to go to Glencoe so I know these streets really well,” he added, trying to talk while pedaling through a cloud of bubbles and cacophony of bike bells and blaring music. “It’s awesome. It’s so awesome!”

That’s pretty much how everyone feels when they ride through city streets and take the lanes with a huge swarm of kids.

Glencoe ride leader Rob Galanakis corks traffic on SE Stark and 61st.

What’s not awesome is how some car drivers and other road users are less than cordial to the group. Glencoe bike bus leader Rob Galanakis’ smile faded a bit as he pushed ahead of the crowd on SE 61st and took the lonely position of sole corker (someone who blocks car traffic so the bike bus can get through an intersection safely) in the middle of East Burnside.

“Burnside sucks,” Galanakis grumbled at me as he assumed his position. “It’s much better now that it’s lighter in the mornings.” In darker months, Galanakis said the Glencoe Bike Bus takes a less convenient route because getting everyone safely across 61st at Burnside without a traffic signal feels too dangerous.

But this morning, fear and darkness was the last thing on anyone’s mind. As we made our way through lush, green, flower-filled neighborhood streets to the school, groups of 2-3 kids (and sometimes parents, sometimes not), would roll into the street to join the ever-growing mass.

The group, now nearly 40-50 riders strong, made one last, triumphant descent into the Glencoe school campus where bike racks buzzed and school staff handed out free tickets for a Walk and Bike to School Day prize raffle.

As I left Glencoe to meet up with another Bike Bus a few blocks away, I first had to weave through 7-8 cars that had backed up on SE 51st Avenue. The cars, most of them with just one parent in them, took up more room on the street than the entire bike bus.

Cars in front of Glencoe Elementary School.

My next destination was SE 39th and Lincoln, the assembly spot for the Abernethy bike bus. Similar to the Beach bike train, which traces its roots to 2010, families at Abernethy have been riding to school in large groups since (at least) the 2008 Tour de Ladds.

With that leg-powered legacy, it should come as no surprise that Abernethy is now pushing its bike bus into exciting new territory as the first one in Portland to happen every single day. The pilot project began on Earth Day and seems to be going extremely well — if the vibes from parent leaders like Aaron Stoertz are any indication. As kids and parents trickled into the group, he’d yell, “Everyone move up, we’re gonna’ need more room!” in between whoops and hollers in time with the bumping soundtrack. Stoertz is the hype-man every bike bus needs, and his energy is infectious as I noticed a few parents start dancing in the street as worked the crowd.

“The Da Vinci [School] bike bus is coming! Everyone high-five!” Stoertz called out as yet another bike bus from a different school rolled by on a different route.

Moving the bike bus from once-a-week to everyday has been transformative and Stoertz says the frequency has had a very positive impact on the community, “Because now instead of it being a special event, it’s just something that happens everyday.”

The biggest challenge thus far has been coordinating parent volunteers. The group needs a ride leader and at least two corkers every morning. “We’re only a few weeks in, but so far so good. It’s really an experiment and people seem to like it,” Stoertz said.

The life-affirming moment when two bike buses come together and the mass of happy kids on bikes swells.

I’d say that’s an understatement as I watched the group swell as we rolled west on the Lincoln Neighborhood Greenway towards Ladds Addition. Just a few blocks from school at SE Harrison and Ladds Circle, the Abernethy bike bus pauses and waits a few minutes for another bike bus that comes from the SE Clinton Street corridor. The wait was just long enough for Stoertz to address the group. He promoted an upcoming bike fair event and thanked everyone for showing up.

Excitement grew as the Clinton riders emerged from a side-street and came toward the group of Abernethy families — now about 70 riders strong. As the two masses merged there were shrieks of approval and fists pumped into the air from adults and kids alike. Now well over 100 riders strong, the Abernethy-bound crew pedaled wide and deep around Ladds Circle before congestion forced dismounts outside the school campus.

“Where will they put all these bikes?” I wondered as people locked to rows of city-supplied bike racks and organized themselves for the school day.

Savannah Bedford is a college student, Abernethy bike bus intern, and bike bus superfan who’s stoking the spread.

As I watched the pleasant buzz of busy-ness, I bumped into Savannah Bedford. “Are you the Jon who puts on Happy Hour? My professor said I should go to that,” Bedford said, before I knew who she was. Turns out, Bedford is the Portland State University electrical engineering major hired as an intern by the Abernethy PTA to coordinate the bike bus. She’s the first person to hold this position, and her task is to not just make the daily bike bus grow, but to create a model.

That’s what I find most exciting about what’s happening at Abernethy. Yes it’s a very blessed school where families have more time, money, and access to bike culture and safe streets than other parts of Portland. But the idea Stoertz, Bedford and others are operating with is that what happens here could become a model for other schools in Portland: a turn-key bike bus program.

Bedford loved biking to school as a kid in suburban Beaverton and was so inspired after seeing one of Balto’s bike bus videos on Instagram she wanted to start one to PSU. Then one Saturday she happened upon the BikeLoud PDX table at the PSU Farmers Market and talked to one of the volunteer advocates who encouraged her to join the group’s Slack (online communication) channel. When Abernethy bike bus leaders posted the job, Bedford jumped at the chance. “I was like, I would love to work on a bike bus. So that’s how I got started.”

Getting started is always the hardest part. But once something becomes institutionalized and normal, people forget how life ever happened without it. That’s the hope with bike buses in Portland. First they became popular, then they’ll become routine, and then what?

“We haven’t quite figured out the ride home yet. At the end of the day we’ve got 100 bikes to get home,” Stoertz said, as we spitballed how to solve that problem and dreamt of permanent bike bus route signage and bright yellow lines painted in streets to mark the routes.

I left feeling optimistic because the fundamentals of Portland’s bike community are strong enough to not just resuscitate our old bike trains into modern, viral, fever-inducing bike buses — but to make them even bigger and better in the future.

Mapps defends SW 4th Avenue project, says construction will continue

PBOT rendering of new SW 4th Avenue design outside City Hall.

Mingus Mapps, the Portland commissioner-in-charge of the transportation bureau, says the SW 4th Avenue Improvements project will continue as planned.

Mapps was forced to defend the project after President and CEO of Portland Metro Chamber Andrew Hoan said the $16.9 million investment in a major downtown corridor would be “unnecessary, wasteful, and disruptive.” In a letter he said represented the Chamber’s 2,200 members, Hoan urged Mapps to cancel the project and transfer the funds to other infrastructure projects.

“The SW 4th Avenue Improvement project is a transformative investment about so much more than a bike lane.”
– Mingus Mapps

In a letter shared with BikePortland this afternoon, Commissioner Mapps refuted Hoan’s claims that the Portland Bureau of Transportation was “stonewalling” progress on the Broadway Corridor and OMSI District development projects. Mapps laid out how PBOT is supporting both of those projects with financial and staff capacity resources.

Mapps also made it clear that he disagreed with Hoan’s characterization that the SW 4th Avenue project was, “$20 million dollars to add a bike lane” (which is how Hoan referred to the project in an email to Chamber members on May 6th).

“The SW 4th Avenue Improvement project is a transformative investment about so much more than a bike lane,” Mapps wrote. “First and foremost, it is a paving maintenance project… This project will repair and restore SW 4th Avenue with fresh new pavement all the way from SW Lincoln up to W Burnside. This smooth new durable road surface will last for decades to come.”

At the end of his letter, Mapps stated, “I feel strongly we share the same goals. A vibrant Central City with more activity, more people and growth in visitors. We want people to return to the Central City whether they come on foot, on bike, on transit or by car. I appreciate your letter and welcome the opportunity to correct the record on our commitments.”

Meanwhile, PBOT says the project has already begun and will proceed as scheduled.

— Read Mapps’ letter here.

UPDATE, 5/16: The Willamette Week has reported on an email from the Metro Chamber’s Andrew Hoan to Portland City Council members that claims Commissioner Mapps had given them a verbal commitment to make substantive changes to the project and that, “only the broadly supported parts of the 4th avenue project will move forward under his watch.” Hoan is saying Mapps letter in our story above does not match what he told them privately. Reached today for comment, Mapps office told BikePortland: “Commissioner Mapps stands by the letter that he wrote.” I’m looking into this and will post a separate update if necessary.

60s greenway between Mt. Tabor and the Springwater will be built this fall

The Portland Bureau of Transportation is set to build the 60s Neighborhood Greenway. The bureau announced last week they’ll break ground on the project this fall and it should be ready for riding by next spring (if not sooner).

The project will establish a three-mile long bike-friendly street along SE 64th/65th/67th/68th between SE Division and the Springwater Corridor. The route connects to the carfree Springwater path at 77th, then heads to 69th where the north-south alignment begins. The greenway will cross SE Woodstock and SE Foster at 67th. At SE Powell Blvd (Hwy 26), the route is at the off-set crossing of SE 65th and then it ends at Mt. Tabor Park where it crossing SE Division along SE 64th.

The new greenway’s northern terminus is the new, recently built carfree path that takes riders into Mt. Tabor Park. The important crossing at 64th won’t be built by PBOT as part of this project. In a special note on the project website, PBOT says the Division St. crossing will be constructed by TriMet “at a future date” as part of a separate project. (Note: Given that construction estimates are running so high right now, this crossing should be followed closely by advocates as TriMet weighs how to value-engineer their project.)

As per usual, PBOT says the project will include the typical greenway elements like: sharrow pavement markings, 33 speed bumps, removing parking at some intersections to improve visibility, and signage and striping updates at major crossings. PBOT says no traffic diverters (to keep drivers away) are planned because auto volumes are not high enough to trigger them.

Funding for this project comes from the Fixing Our Streets program that’s funded through a 10-cent tax on gas purchased in Portland. It’s one of six neighborhood greenway projects funded with a $4.5 million slice of that pie in the 2020-2024 program timeframe.

Learn more at the project website.

Job: Climate Adaptation Program Manager – Oregon Department of Transportation

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Job Title

Climate Adaptation Program Manager

Company / Organization

Oregon Department of Transportation

Job Description

Planner 3 – Climate Adaptation Program Manager
Oregon Department of Transportation
Policy, Data & Analysis Division
Climate Office
Salem

Salary: $5,856 – $9,079

The role:
We are seeking a high skilled climate adaptation program manager to spearhead our initiatives in strengthening our transportation system’s resilience against future climate impacts. You will collaborate closely with internal and external partners to set policy direction, identify implementation actions and oversee consultant efforts. Apply today to assist us in bringing people to multimodal transportations and reduce the carbon footprint!

We encourage people from all backgrounds to apply for our positions. We hope you’ll join us on our path to increasing diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging through our values, commitments, strategies and actions.

Before applying, visit our applicant information website to learn more about our process. If you are a current State of Oregon employee, you must apply through your employee Workday profile.
A day in the life:
• Coordinate with internal and external partners to align climate change adaptation policies and actions related to transportation.
• Develop work plans to implement adaptation plans and policies.
• Oversee outreach efforts for studies, plans and policy development.
• Formulate goals, objectives and policies for adaptation work efforts.
• Track the implementation of adaptation and resilience strategic plan.
• Create and implement engagement and change management strategies.
• Develop requests for proposals, scopes of work, program guidance, agreements and other program management needs.
• Develop new processes and approaches to consider and incorporate climate change into ODOT business.
• Provide overall subject matter expertise on climate change impacts and adaptation.
• Hybrid work options available – work in an office environment with occasional limited state travel required. Will need to work in office at a minimum of 8 times per year.
• To request a copy of the position description, which includes all duties and working conditions, please email ODOTRecruitment@odot.oregon.gov.
What’s in it for you:
• Work/life balance, 11 paid holidays a year, flexible work schedules, paid leave and so much more. Learn more about working at the Oregon Department of Transportation and the benefits we offer.
• Competitive benefits packages which can be estimated using our compensation calculator.
• Comprehensive and equitable base salary offer within the listed range based on your experience, skills and education. The salary range listed is the non-PERS participating rate. If you are already a participating PERS member or once you become PERS eligible, the salary range will increase by 6%. Please review the Classification and Compensation page for more details.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness opportunity!
Want to know about new job postings? Subscribe to receive weekly email notifications!

How to Apply

Minimum qualifications:
Six years of planning experience related to the job;
OR
A bachelor's degree in urban or regional planning, public administration, social science, civil engineering, architecture, economics, geography or a related field AND three years of progressively responsible planning experience related to the job;
OR
An equivalent combination of relevant education, training, and experience.
Note: A master’s degree in Regional Planning, Public Administration, Social Science, Civil Engineering, Architecture, Economics, Geography or a related field may substitute for one (1) year of experience.
What we’d like to see:
If you have these attributes, let us know in your application materials! It's how we will choose whom to move forward! You do not need to have all these qualities to be eligible for this position. We may also use transferable skills, experience, education and alignment with ODOT values to help us decide who will move forward.
• Demonstrated experience in climate adaptation and resilience work or other transportation and land use planning, policy development and implementation.
• Demonstrated experience managing consultant work, contracts and procurements.
• Demonstrated experience in project or program management.
• Demonstrated experience working on highly visible and time sensitive deliverables.
• Demonstrated experience recognizing environmental justice issues and intentionally making decisions with equity in mind.
• Demonstrated experience in climate change impacts to transportation infrastructure and other climate challenges facing the transportation sector.
• Demonstrated experience writing, negotiating and managing grants.

Learn more and apply:
This recruitment closes at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, May 28, 2024.

Please note that we can only accept applications through our website.

For questions, call 503-779-9733 or email ODOTRecruitmentJB@odot.oregon.gov

ODOT is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer

Portland Chamber calls on PBOT to cancel ‘wasteful’ SW 4th Avenue project

(Note: Commissioner Mapps has issued a response that pushes back on the Chamber’s claims and says the project will move forward as planned.)

The Portland Metro Chamber (formerly the Portland Business Alliance) says a major downtown infrastructure project that has been years in the making and has reportedly already broken ground should be cancelled.

In a letter dated April 29th and sent to Commissioner Mingus Mapps, Mayor Ted Wheeler, and Portland Bureau of Transportation Director Millicent Williams, Chamber President & CEO Andrew Hoan writes, “We call on you today to cancel what can only be described as the unnecessary, wasteful, and disruptive SW 4th Avenue ‘improvement’ project.”

We reported back in December that PBOT planned to break ground on the $16.9 million project in April and it would be finished by the end of 2025. The plans call for the reconstruction and repaving of SW 4th Ave from Lincoln to Burnside. In addition to new pavement, PBOT plans to upgrade ADA curb ramps, make safer crossings, add street lighting, give buses more priority, and build a new protected bikeway.

But the Chamber, who represents 2,200 member businesses and organizations, says the money that PBOT is spending on SW 4th would be put to better use on other projects. Specifically, the Chamber’s letter calls on PBOT to shift the $16.9 million already allocated for 4th and spend it on the Broadway Corridor and OMSI District redevelopment projects.

SW 4th Avenue emerged as a priority north-south bikeway as part of the Central City in Motion (CCIM) plan, which city council adopted in 2018. The street currently has no dedicated bike infrastructure and riders mix in traffic with other vehicles.

Hoan and the Chamber have seized on the downturn in commuting to make their case against this project:

“At its peak approximately 130,000 workers were traveling downtown every day. At that time, we needed to give workers and visitors alternatives to single occupancy vehicle trips traveling to and from downtown. That reality no longer exists, yet CCIM has continued to move forward without any consideration for the completely transformed landscape and reality.”

The Chamber’s letter also says they feel the bikeway is no longer needed because of the recent decline in bike ridership:

“The data show a clear correlation between the shift to remote work and the decline in downtown bike commutes. There is no need for more bike lanes on SW 4th Avenue. PBOT has already installed protected bike lanes between the north and south ends of downtown on SW 2nd Avenue, SW Broadway, and SW Naito. The current infrastructure is clearly not being fully utilized or increasing the number of bike trips…”

The letter was shared in an email to member sent Monday, May 6th. In that email Hoan cited how the implementation of other CCIM projects has been, “far from stellar.” “The Broadway bike lane installation being a prime example of alterations that have challenged businesses along the corridor, especially our hospitality partners,” Hoan wrote, a reference to concerns voiced by hotel valet operators that led to an attempt by PBOT to reverse the SW Broadway bike lane design.

Also in yesterday’s email, Hoan made false claims that the SW 4th Avenue project has been advanced “with no outreach” and that PBOT would spend “$20 million dollars to add a bike lane.” The truth is PBOT has completed years of public process on the project and the vast majority of the funding would go toward rebuilding and repaving the road, not the “bike lane.”

According to a PBOT presentation at the June 2022 meeting of the city’s Bicycle Advisory Committee, the bike lane accounts for just 4.8% of the total project cost.

While the Chamber says the bikeway isn’t needed because of a decrease in cycling, they opposed it for different reasons in 2018. In a letter about the CCIM plan prior to its adoption in 2018, the Chamber opposed a bikeway on SW 4th because they believed, “Reducing auto capacity on major arterial roads will have significant economic impact to our downtown businesses,” and that reducing space for car users would, “severely limit the capacity of our few remaining arterial routes through the city.”

While the bikeway is the most visible element of the SW 4th Avenue project, the bulk of the cost comes from the repaving. Funding for the project comes from a mix of sources including Fixing Our Streets, PBOT maintenance funds, system development charges, and help from Prosper Portland and TriMet.

The Chamber believes the money should instead help kickstart construction of transportation elements of the Broadway Corridor and OMSI District plans, both of which have housing and property development as their core focus.

“We do not make this request lightly and with the knowledge that the PBOT bureaucracy will likely push back against it,” Hoan writes in the letter.

But in the email to members, Hoan was more candid, saying, “The ball is now in Commissioner Mapps’ court. Please let us know if you are able to put a follow-up call into Commissioner Mapps. We expect some allies and other council offices to weigh in with Mapps in support as well.”

Commissioner Mapps’ office has confirmed receipt of the letter and says they’re working on a response.

In response to BikePortland’s request for comment, PBOT Communications Director Hannah Schafer stuck to the facts and seemed to make it clear the bureau has no plans to pause or delay the project further:

“City Council approved the Fourth Avenue Improvement Project construction contract for the work with Brown Contracting in February and issued notice to proceed to the contractor in April. Early construction has begun with survey markings, protective fencing, and mobilization. We are planning to issue a traffic advisory in the next day or two. Early construction has begun with survey markings, protective fencing, and mobilization. We are planning to issue a traffic advisory in the next day or two.”

UPDATE, 11:49 am: Statement from cycling advocacy nonprofit BikeLoud PDX:

“… We call on the Portland Metro Chamber to engage more with transportation groups to understand how they can effectively partner to help improve access for bicycling in Portland. More people riding bikes is better for the businesses they represent. Construction has already begun on this project. If Commissioner Mapps were to stop it now we would waste millions of dollars spent on planning, outreach and signed construction deals. Portland Metro Chamber members should look closely at what their leadership is doing and how effective it is. Why is the Chamber advocating for this waste and trying to keep our crumbling downtown streets the same? Introducing last minute obstacles to undo years of community outreach and planning in an attempt to derail bicycling improvements is not how we make the kind of progress we need to advance our climate, transportation, and business goals.”

UPDATE, 3:15 pm: Vice Chair of the Downtown Neighborhood Association Board and Chair of the association’s lane-use and transportation committee has just sent a letter to Commissioner Mapps:

“The Downtown Neighborhood Association strongly supports the successful completion of the 4th Ave Improvement Project as designed, and has faith that the City will honor its commitment to the downtown community and its contractors to see it through. We thank PBOT for its earnest engagement of community residents and proactive involvement of the DNA. We were proud to endorse this project more than a year ago.

It is true that the circumstances of downtown have changed in the post-pandemic world, and as such we feel that infrastructure improvements are more important than ever to enhancing the livability of downtown, which is in turn key to Portland’s revitalization. The Central City in Motion plan strikes a delicate balance between attracting outside shoppers and tourists, and ensuring that central city residents andcommuters can safely and comfortably move around their neighborhoods.

This project aims to bring many vital upgrades to 4th Avenue, including much-needed bus prioritization, pedestrian and ADA safety developments, and a complete reconstruction of the road surface and subsurface which are in a state of serious disrepair. Throughout this project, residents along this corridor have asked for a smoother road, better crossings, and a street that is safe and accommodates everyone. We look forward to that being delivered.”

— Download the letter

Comment of the Week: ‘Back to basics’ in a BP melee

The whole thread in response to our post about PBOT Director Millicent Williams’s “back to basics” comment at the Freight Advisory Committee is a doozy. Read it, it’s practically Shakespearean, definitely a pub scene. Everyone’s talking, the language is punchy, topics are all over the place. The energy. A lot of good stuff.

But nobody does that great American voice, “the guy on the bar stool next to you,” better than reader “cct” does. And nothing revs up cct like a meaty sub-thread about sidewalks, with some politics thrown in for good measure.

Read their comment below:

The city will swiftly act if you put a sidewalk on their right-of-way because they are terrified ‘someone could sue us if hurt on non-approved sidewalk!’ The joke is that the adjacent property owner is the one who will be liable so the fear is moot. To be fair, the sidewalk my neighbor illegally poured is so pathetic that it wasn’t even smooth or level the day it was poured, and now it resembles the surface of the Moon. And he was a developer!

Back to topic – this whole episode is another example of why we needed to junk the old commissioner/bureau setup. Mapps wants to be Mayor. Williams wants to keep her job, so she delivers what the boss wants; in this case, what Mapps thinks voters want – no potholes, faster commutes, no cyclist-coddling, etc. If she didn’t have to carry her boss’s water maybe she wouldn’t keep beclowning herself.

This also ties in with my opinion that people do not give Wheeler the credit he deserves for being a master political knife-fighter (a view Allan Classen recently came ’round to); seeing a credible mayoral threat, he tossed Mapps the flaming pile of poo that was bankrupt, mismanaged, and was pleasing no-one. Bye-bye, Mayor Mapps! Amusingly, Ted decided not to run again, but he’s worked hard backstage these last 2 years to lock-in a bunch of things (pro-police and pro-developer for a start) that will be hard for new council to unravel.

Read the comment in the original thread here.

And speaking of politics, has anyone else noticed how troll-free our comments sections have been this past few months? Pretty incredible. We are all right now sitting around with ballots, but BikePortland is not under comment-barrage from political operators. Knock on wood, cross fingers, but moderating seems to work.

Thank you cct, and everyone else on this thread, for so colorfully expressing your sincere and varied opinions, and for staying fairly civil while you do it.

Monday Roundup: Bike lane parking permits, risky car ads, daily bike bus, and more

Happy Monday friends. Hope you had a good weekend.

Here are the best stories and other items we came across in the past seven days…

Protest party: Activists in Philly turned out for a “protest party” in front of a church after the city granted permits for service attendees to park their cars in the bike lane. (Philadelphia Inquirier)

Driving drunk: More people are dying on our roads because too many people think they can drive while intoxicated without any consequence. (Wall Street Journal)

WA’s rebate: The state of Washington has allocated $5 million for an e-bike rebate program, but the launch date is still TBD. (The Urbanist)

Ads that kill: I was extremely pleased to see that a major safety organization is making the point that auto ads that depict reckless driving are out of control and should be regulated out of existence. (IIHS)

Bike bus every day: A school in southeast Portland has begun leading their two bike bus routes every day of the week. It’s the first every day bike bus in the city and if it works, the model might spread. (Portland Tribune)

What Gent did: The first step toward making the Belgium city of Gent less car-dominated was something that should be obvious yet often eludes North American leaders: physically restricting where people can drive cars. (Global Cycling Network)

Active shooter: After trying to run cyclists in a charity ride off the road, a Maryland man pulled over, retrieved a gun and shot several times at the riders. (Velo)

Dream trip: I’ve always wanted to ride in Japan and this 8-day adventure from Tokyo to Kyoto seems to check many of my boxes (except for one: I’d want to be more self-contained and do it cheaper!). (Conde Nast Traveler)

Prime numbers: Many Americans love the convenience of having e-commerce purchases brought directly to their doors; but the vehicles that make those deliveries aren’t as safe as they should be — and we all pay the price in deaths and injuries. (Streetsblog USA)

Collegiate cycling FTW: As someone who raced in college for several years and loved every weekend of it, I fully support the idea that collegiate cycling can inject much-needed fun and creativity into the bike racing scene. (Bicycling)

Gas tax view: Don’t miss this opinion piece from Portlander Taylor Griggs where she explains why you should vote on the local gas tax, and why we should eventually move away from it. (Portland Mercury)

Thanks to everyone who sent in links this week. The Monday Roundup is a community effort, so please feel free to send us any great stories you come across.

New trails coming to Rose City Golf Course

The new carfree lane recently established on NE 72nd Drive through Rose City Golf Course will likely be a lot busier in spring 2026 when Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) opens a new nature trail planned for the site.

According to a kickoff meeting for the Rose City Recreational Trail project held on April 25th, the Parks bureau plans to build nature trails that will circumnavigate the golf course. The proposed trails will run along the outside edge of the existing park and golf course which is bordered by NE Tillamook, NE Sacramento, NE 62nd and NE 80th. Plans also show the trail bisecting the parcel on NE 72nd Dr., the same location of PBOT’s 70s Greenway route.

As currently planned, the $4 million trail won’t be built with bicycle riding in mind. Parks says the goal of the trail is to provide access to nature and neighborhood circulation for walkers and runners. At an online meeting to launch the project, PP&R launched an online survey that’s open until May 23rd. The survey questions asked potential trail users what they’d like to do in the park and none of the options mentioned bicycling. That’s unfortunate, given the ample public right-of-way available in the park, the dearth of unpaved trail-riding opportunities in Portland, and the recent city council adoption of the Off Road Cycling Master Plan which specifically recommended more urban trail options for bicycle riders.

There will be increased pressure for use of this trail by bicycle riders once changes are made to nearby 82nd Avenue. Without adequate bicycling access on 82nd, some riders are likely to use the new trail through the golf course as a convenient north-south connection between Tillamook and Sacramento (see yellow lines on the right of above image).

Funding for this project comes from the local share of Metro’s 2019 voter-approved Regional Parks and Nature Bond measure and from Parks System Development Charges. In order to be eligible for those Metro funds, PP&R needs to spend them on projects that serve, “People of color, Indigenous, low-income, varying abilities, and low prior investment; protect and restore habitat; and connect people to nature close to their homes.”

The type of trail that will be built remains to be seen as the project is in its infancy and there are a lot of feedback and design decisions still to come. PP&R’s presentation showed several options for trail typologies including: asphalt, crushed gravel, wood chips, and natural surface.

Design of the new trails will begin in earnest next spring. PP&R is currently seeking a community focus group that will help advise on the project. If you’re interested in joining that committee or want to learn more about the project, visit the PP&R website.

In related news, PBOT announced this week they will complete a Safe Routes to School project just north of the golf course near the western entrance to McDaniel High School. By spring of next year, PBOT will add new sidewalks, install eight new curb ramps, stripe new crosswalks, and square-off a turn at the intersections of NE 77th Ave/NE 77th Place and NE Alameda St.

Shopping for a non-electric family bike: Which option would you pick?

A few weeks ago I explained a conundrum: I have greatly enjoyed riding my leisurely e-trike, but I haven’t gotten enough exercise. One of my original family biking goals was to get more exercise with my children. However, as my husband describes it, the pedal-assisted trike is “like coasting downhill, both ways” — fun, yes! But not necessarily a source of fitness.

Thus, I have been toying with the idea of returning to a non-electric cargo bike. This is particularly relevant, as I am riding both with young children in my cargo box and my newly independent kid-riders. This means my e-assist doesn’t increase our speed or range because I have to ride at the ability, pace, and distance that accommodates our slowest kid rider. It therefore seems a most opportune time to ditch the motor and pedal myself and little ones, getting some good exercise while my big kids learn to pedal themselves.

With that crazy idea in mind, I took the kids out for some test rides. Which option would you pick? (Notes: I had to test ride the bikes with motors, but I would purchase the human-powered model. I’ve also shared my children’s opinions too. The drawings represent their viewpoints, not mine.)

Option 1: The Steel Steed

I saw this blue beauty pop up for resale, and I knew I had to try it. I had been wanting to try a Dutch-made bike for years, and this looks just like the original Emily Finch bike, which she rode motorless with six children (four in front, one on the back rack, another pedaling on an attached tow-bike). This one had an aftermarket motor installed, which could be removed — if I wanted to stick to my plan to get a human-powered cargo bike, and try to copy Emily.

A few details:

Workcycles bakfiets
Used from local seller: $3,500 with rain cover and motor (would have to pay to have motor removed)
Steel frame

Pros:

My kids loved this bike (see my daughter’s illustration above)
“Rides like a dream” –says my daughter. Very comfortable ride, especially for passengers
The e-assist is fast and the throttle button is very helpful when getting started
Spacious and comfortable cargo box with bench seat
It’s a gorgeous bike

Cons:

Heavy! I tried riding it, unassisted, without kids (so no load weight), and the bike itself felt extremely heavy. (How did Emily pedal such a heavy bicycle?) Steel is heavy.
Swept-back handlebars and upright riding position: I have learned I don’t like the feel of this style of handlebars, and with the hope of riding unassisted, I am looking for a more athletic biking position.
Would have to pay to remove the after-market motor in order to get my exercise, but the motor was the bike’s best feature
I didn’t feel as confident in the brakes. I had to really push hard to bring this bike to a stop.
This bike was hard to maneuver from stopped, and hold upright when slow/stopping. I didn’t feel confident riding it unless I was using the e-assist. It is comfortable when moving, but I worried about tipping the box over when it was heavy with a full load of children.
My kids hated the rain cover, as it squished them too much and didn’t fit their helmets.

Overall:

I hated the feel of this bike on its own (a total shock, as I really wanted to love it!) With the motor on, it was absolutely fun and fantastic. Motorized, this bike goes fast. If I wanted a zippy and beautiful e-bike, this would be great. But I would rarely be able to use the motor at high speeds, since I would then leave behind my big kids riding their own kid-powered bikes. With the motor, I wouldn’t achieve my goal of a human-powered family bike. And without the motor, I didn’t want to ride it.

Option 2: The Jittery Speedster

A few details:

Yuba Supercargo Front Cargo Bike, non-electric, with open-loader box
$3,734 from Clever Cycles (with baseboard, open-loader box, rain cover & bench seat)
Aluminum frame
Cable steering

Pros:

Lightweight! With the aluminum frame, bamboo baseboard, and fabric box, this bike felt lightweight, even when fully loaded with kids
Fast: I test-rode the e-version with “no assist” the entire ride and I felt fast. My kids said, “Too fast!” And “This is way faster than our Bunch trike.”
Super-responsive: the cable steering responded to even slight movements, turning quickly. And the brakes were amazing – so much so, that I had to be careful not to stop too fast.
Decent-size cargo box, with bench seat.
Step-through frame (I enjoy the ease of this, accommodating dresses more comfortably, and much easier when riding pregnant/postpartum and out-of-shape: no high leg lift over the top tube)
Great feel and fit: I loved the handlebars and seat immediately. I know these can be changed, but it feels amazing to ride a bike with the perfect seat and handlebars. The bars provided a more athletic riding position, which is just what I wanted.
I loved riding this bike. I was sure I would ride it immediately if I bought it, and not mind the absent motor. It felt light, fast, and zippy–no motor needed.

Cons:

The cable steering was too responsive. The front wheel felt wobbly, responding to every shift in weight. On an uphill section I zig-zagged somewhat dangerously as I shifted my weight side-to-side on the pedals. On the downhill, I still had trouble holding her straight and steady. I worried about the possibility of wobbling into a passing car.
Bumpy ride for passengers.
My kids hated this bike. It was bumpy and wobbly and they were convinced I was going to veer off the path and tip us into the Willamette.

Overall:

I was disappointed that this bike I liked was adamantly opposed by my children. I liked it because it felt the lightest and fastest, yet I share their concern about the “wobbly” feel. They were very uncomfortable. Would I improve my skills and get used to the highly responsive cable steering, or would the jittery feel of the steering become more annoying to me and all of us? It felt like this bike had a few shots too many of espresso–for better and worse.

**Option 3: Splendidly Smooth and Steady**

Details

Larry vs Harry Bullitt (human-powered)
~ $4,000 from Splendid Cycles (price adjustments based on customized choices)
Aluminum frame
Solid arm steering
Choice of a standard or long deck frame and variety of boxes
Human-powered Bullitts are customized, made-to-order

Pros:

Custom-made, high-quality, dream bike. The ability to participate and choose the build-up of this bike is extremely exciting.
Smooth ride. My kids approved!
Smooth steering. The whole ride was smooth and steady.
Strong brakes. A tap to stop us. I felt very secure with the brakes.
My kids liked this bike. They felt the smooth ride. (My daughter gets motion-sickness, and she approved it.) Their approval is particularly notable because they were the most squished in this cargo box, the most tired at the end of our day, and compared to the first bike, I didn’t use the e-assist much. I think they just knew a high quality bike when they felt it.
Supports local businesses: the wood cargo boxes are made-in-Portland
The shop is so-much-fun! I want to go back. My kids want to go back. We would all enjoy building our dream bike with this amazing bike-building crew.
Beautiful. This is a beautiful bike.
Feels “worth it.” It’s hard to fork over a lot of money for a non-e-bike. But the quality and customization of this bike feels like a worthy investment in a beautiful lifetime machine.

Cons

Felt heavy. I think the wooden cargo box may have added a lot of weight compared to the canvas box on the Yuba, and I was feeling it.
Felt slower than the Yuba. (Maybe I was tired, but it felt harder to pedal this bike.) I didn’t feel zippy and zoomy.
I didn’t immediately fall in love. (This isn’t a fair assessment, as I could build-a-bike-to-love. But I didn’t love the handlebars or seat that I tried, and it’s hard to assess what my custom bike would feel like, compared to the one that was available to test-ride.)
No bench seats in the cargo box. This really squished my passengers and eliminated under-seat storage space.

Overall:

This is a beautiful bike with a lot of customization options. I don’t think I test-rode the option I would ultimately choose, and after feeling tired on my test ride, I began to lose confidence in my plan to give up a motor. Should I really build a custom human-powered bike? I want to come back and try again for a longer ride…. this is the option I am dreaming about…. but I am not sure I am strong enough to go through with it!

Option 4: Keep what we have

I could give up the outlandish idea of riding a human-powered family bike. We could just keep our e-trike with its huge cargo box, lots of storage, great bench seats, e-assist, and fun coasting leisure-ride. Save money and get a gym membership instead?

What should we pick? What have you picked for your family bike? Did you test ride multiple options? Bike or trike? E-assist or human-powered? Local shop or shipped in? What was your favorite? How did you choose? Does anyone regret their choice? Tell me more. We’d love to hear from you.

Weekend Event Guide: Bike Beaverton, art, inequality, and more

Go forth and weekend! (Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)

Just look at the wonderful collection of options you have this weekend. Weather should be great too. Soak up as much of this glorious spring as you can and have fun out there.

Friday, May 3rd

Art Walk Bike Ride – 5:45 pm at Sidestreet Arts (SE)
Roll around to art galleries open for First Friday Art Walk with fellow cyclists. More info here.

Saturday, May 4th

Mapping Inequality – 10:00 am to 2:30 pm at Grant High School (NE)
A workshop hosted by Portland Youth Climate Strike in partnership with Imagine Black that will educate you about Portland’s history of redlining and other anti-Black policies and how the built environment impacts communities of color. More info here.

Southerly Ladies Ride – 9:00 am at Trolley Trail Trailhead (SE)
Ladies only! And no e-bikes says ride organizers Maria “Bicycle Kitty” Schur. She’ll lead a chill-paced ride to Oregon City that should be fun for beginners and experienced riders alike. More info here.

Arleta Triangle Square Planting Event – 9:00 am to 11:00 am at the Square (SE)
Create green space, meet neighbors, and help spruce up this awesome carfree street plaza just in time for spring and summer events. More info here.

PSU Farmers Market Ride NW Edition – 10:30 am at Chapman Elementary (NW)
A group ride to the wonderful Portland Farmers Market at the South Park Blocks. Meet members of host org Strong Towns PDX while you’re at it! More info here.

Dead Baby Bike Club Monthly Ride – 7:30 pm at Montavilla Station (SE)
Curious about a local freak bike club? Want to be in a biker gang? Roll out, hang out, then pedal out with the Dead Babies. More info here.

Sunday, May 5th

Bridgetown Tour – 9:30 am at Wilshire Park (NE)
Join a veteran ride leader from Portland Bicycling Club for a 27-mile urban jaunt to check out cool new bike infrastructure all around the city. More info here.

Bike Polo – 12:00 pm at Alberta Park (NE)
A mix of soccer, lacrosse, and polo — on bikes. Grab a mallet (they’ll loan you one!), stay humble, and get ready to have the time of your life. You’ll wonder why you never tried it before. More info here.

Bike Beaverton – 1:00 pm at Beaverton City Park (West Side)
The annual family-friendly ride that west side families should not miss! More info here.

— Did I miss your event? Please let me know by filling out our contact form, or just email me at maus.jonathan@gmail.com.

PBOT Director on plain talk, ‘back to basics’ and more

Portland Bureau of Transportation Director Millicent Williams has made it a habit to attend the monthly meeting of the Portland Freight Advisory Committee. At this morning’s meeting she answered some questions from members of that committee that I feel deserve a bit more attention.

Oregon Trucking Association President and PFAC Chair Jana Jarvis said she thinks if PBOT wants more public support for new taxes and revenue, the agency needs to get better at messaging the vital role infrastructure plays in Portlanders’ lives. “We’ve got to find a narrative that connects the average citizen with what that investment would do,” Jarvis said.

In her answer, Williams offered information about an upcoming reorganization at PBOT, then got into one of my favorite subjects: messaging and how word choice can help PBOT achieve their goals quicker:

“We’re not completely reorganizing, but we are realigning, and we recognize that in so doing we have an opportunity — by what we call each of the groups within our structure — to convey the message of what we do. We need to speak in plain language about what it is.

I first got here, people would say, ‘… active transportation…’ and I was like, ‘What are you talking about? What do you actually mean? Do you mean biking and walking?’ And they’re like, ‘Yeah,’ and I was like, ‘Well, can we say that? Because I don’t know what you mean!’ And unless you’re in those spaces or hear that language used often, it’s mystifying and we need to demystify our work and do better at communicating what our goals are.”

One of the next questions came from 50-year trucking industry veteran Bob Short (who, like several others on this committee, have served way longer terms than members of other PBOT modal committees, but I digress):

“I’ve been on this committee for nearly 20 years and there has always been discussion around the idea that that basic maintenance and infrastructure money has been diverted over the years to do other more quote/unquote, “interesting projects,” “social engineering, and that sort of thing. And that maintenance has kind of been a not very high priority with the bureau. I wonder if you would like to comment on that?

Director Williams:

“… much of what we see in terms of project work that’s happening is funded by outside sources. So in as much as there’s the perception that we’re diverting funds to some of that more creative work, we have an opportunity to kind of dispel some of that mythology. Much of the more creative work is funded by outside sources. The basic maintenance dollars that we have are part of that small, $100 million dollars which has to be used to do a whole bunch of stuff… there are some who have described PBOT as almost like a nonprofit in that we do so much grant writing.”

Then Williams expanded on her belief that PBOT needs to get “back to basics”:

“I do want us to get back to the basics. I want to make sure we’re prioritizing basic maintenance and operations and demonstrating our commitment to that work, because that’s what Portlanders have told us. That’s want they want. That’s what we know is necessary… I’ve often said, ‘Yes, we need to be innovative,’ but I can’t I can’t in good faith sign off on ideas that have us placing a stripe on alligator roadways. And the stripe is what’s holding the road together, instead of the bed of the road.

So we are shifting, at least in terms of prioritizing our budget and potential cuts to the budget — the places that we held harmless were in the maintenance and operations spaces. And if we had to cut anywhere, it would not be there.”

The last exchange I’ll share came from committee member Steve Sieber, a principal at development firm Trammell Crow. He asked about how Portland’s new form of government will impact PBOT.

Sieber:

“Do you see big changes in the next year or so for PBOT in this new approach for consolidation of the infrastructure bureaus, or more coordination of the infrastructure bureaus? How does it affect PBOT?”

Williams:

“I anticipate that we will see very little impact to our daily operations. There will be the opportunity for greater coordination and collaboration on some of the major work that we do as a city… but our day-to-day operations will largely be unchanged. What you’ll likely see is greater intentionality around the coordination [between bureaus]… I would dare say you won’t see any changes of note probably for several years, if not, probably around five years when you would see — if there were massive changes — would take about that. And I don’t think you’ll see them.

Having worked in this strong mayor/city administrator form of government as a director, the beauty is that you’re left alone to do your work. So there’s very little need to be concerned.”

Memorial ride planned for 12-year-old Hillsboro boy

Organizers are calling it “the ride Joe didn’t get to finish.”

On Saturday, May 11th advocates, family and friends of Joe Brausen will come together for a memorial ride to remember the 12-year-old boy who was killed by a driver while bicycling on a sidewalk in Hillsboro. Brausen was on his way to play basketball with a friend at a nearby school, and while pedaling along Southeast 10th Avenue just south of Washington Street he was involved in a collision with a driver as they turned into a driveway of a small side-street.

Advocates with the group Ride Westside have been in touch with Brausen’s family and have organized a ride to remember the young basketball fan. “To honor his memory, we will complete his ride to Lincoln Elementary School, by bike or on foot,” reads the event details on the Shift calendar.

Afterward, the group will return to the intersection where Brausen died to install a ghost bike. Everyone is welcome whether your are on foot, bike, or whatever else. It would mean a lot for family and friends to see a large turnout.

Meet behind the Walgreens between SE Washington and Baseline at 3:30 pm. The walk/ride begins at 4:00 and the ghost bike installation will happen around 4:30.