Before and after images of SE Woodward and 59th. (Photos: David Binnig)
The Portland Bureau of Transportation has come up with an infrastructure solution to car users who do donuts and drive recklessly through neighborhoods.
The residential intersection of Southeast Woodward and 59th has an extremely wide opening that measures about 85-feet — that’s over three times the width of a standard neighborhood street. In large part because of that width, people have shared concerns with PBOT about dangerous drivers who speed around the intersection while sliding out their rear tires. This type of behavior is risky on any street, but SE Woodward is a neighborhood greenway popular with bike riders, walkers, and runners.
To remedy this issue, PBOT identified a small amount of funding through their Multimodal Missing Links program, a small and flexible pot of money the city uses to address hot spots and fill minor gaps in the network. The annual budget of the program is about $200,000.
In March of last year, PBOT reached out to people who live in the South Tabor Neighborhood to learn more about the Woodward and 59th intersection and present design concepts that would address its issues. They decided to build a traffic island in the middle of the intersection using 12-inch wide, 4-inch high concrete curb separators (similar to ones used on protected bike lanes citywide). The curbs will reduce the amount of space available for car users and create a more predictable flow of traffic. Most importantly, if someone tried to do a donut, they’d slam into the curbs and severely damage their car.
Local advocate David Binnig snapped a photo of the completed separators and shared it today on the Bike Loud Slack channel. He also shared a before photo that shows skidmarks.
I wrote an opinion piece in 2022 that encouraged PBOT to use basic traffic calming treatments like this to address street takeovers and burnouts. It’s great to see them take action and address this problem with a cheap and easy solution.
Now all that’s left is to do something with that space in the middle of the island. Folks on Bike Loud suggested it would be a perfect spot for a lemonade stand, some potted plants, or a shuffleboard court. It’s amazing what’s possible when we reclaim our streets from dangerous people and their vehicles!
UPDATE, 2/21 at 4:30 pm: PBOT has added signage, paint, and reflective wands to the curbs to increase visibility. Photo below by Liza Norment via Bluesky.
I put Keith Wilson’s campaign kickoff on my calendar but expected to skip it. Saturdays are hectic at best, and sitting for a political speech was a tough sell to my all-gas-no-brakes three-year-old.
I’d first heard about Wilson from a BikePortland piece, and I was intrigued. A trucking executive who’d staked his company on green tech before soft-launching a dark horse mayoral run with a group of bicycle advocates? Even for Portland, it seemed like a stretch, but I had to find out for myself.
With an hour to kill, I told my kid we’d visit the Charles Jordan Community Center playground if he put up with a few minutes of the event. He agreed, so I plopped him into the back of my cargo bike, and we took off for New Columbia.
I slipped in a little late, found a spot in the back of the gymnasium, and held my son up so he could see the speakers. He was soon more interested in the refreshments table than the show, so I let him raid the fruit tray while I listened.
It didn’t take long for Keith Wilson to grab my attention. He was the first local politician to put what I’d seen in my daily life into plain language. Portland’s unsheltered homeless crisis hurt everyone. Other cities had succeeded where we’d failed, and our approach wasn’t working. It was time for real change, and getting folks off the streets and into shelter was a moral imperative and critical to restoring a city where people wanted to live, work, and raise families. Despite our best efforts, compassion and pragmatism don’t always successfully intersect in Portland, but here was a guy who’d traveled the nation on his own dime because he believed a solution that included both was out there, he just had to find it.
I love Portland, but there were times when it felt like the city didn’t love me back. My little hatchback car had a bullet hole from a midday shooting on Columbia Blvd. My wife was driving at the time, with my toddler son strapped in the back seat. I’d been chased through a Delta Park encampment while biking my kids to soccer practice. I’d watched a homeless man go after one of my neighbors with a pitbull and had to decide whether to try to help or get my small child to safety. Then there were the questions every bicyclist in Portland has asked themselves: will my route be blocked by tents or broken-down cars? Can I get around an RV in the bike lane without getting hit from behind? My neighborhood trail seemed okay last week, is it safe enough for my kids today?
Worse, was the feeling of helplessness. As a former Wilderness Search and Rescue volunteer, my instinct (and training) is to check on people if they look like they’re in trouble. In Portland, the smart thing to do is ride past and ignore the visible suffering in your midst. That’s a hard decision to justify to two young kids who still think their dad can do anything and help anyone.
I felt Wilson’s kickoff speech about the missteps and promise of Portland in my bones, even with my three-year-old wiggling in my arms. On my way out, I scribbled my contact information on a volunteer form as he tugged on my leg. The campaign seemed professional and well-organized, and I doubted I’d hear anything from my offer to write a few campaign fundraising emails.
Within a day or two, I got a call from Wilson’s campaign manager, Kristopher Taft. I took his invitation and took my 12-speed Schwinn out to Cyclemaster Coffee on Lombard to meet him. The campaign didn’t need fundraising emails, he told me, at least not for the moment. They needed a website, and wanted to know if I could write it, and handed me nearly two hundred pages of deeply researched policy positions.
Mayor Wilson’s grit, optimism, compassion, and resolve aren’t his alone. They’re our values, too. These values make a wet, hilly city one of the best places to bike in America… They’re the values that I’m convinced will take us through the coming days, no matter what those days might bring.
As a writer, I’d long believed that words without substance won’t hold up to the light of day. The notes in my hand showed the opposite: Wilson had done the work, developed relationships, advanced legislation, formed committees, and laid the groundwork to successfully lead the city. I’d also soon learn that Wilson is a difficult man to turn down, a lesson I suspect many in city, county, and state leadership are now learning.
The following weeks were a blur, and I helped the growing team set up an editorial calendar, coordinate messaging, communicate on the fly, and deploy other critical skills I’d picked up over my career. The campaign continued to gain momentum. Before long, it was time to step up or step aside. I asked that Wilson appoint me his Communications Director, but with one stipulation: the moment he found someone more qualified, I wanted him to fire me. My instructions were simple: don’t worry about my feelings, just do what’s best for the campaign.
I’d remain his Communications Director through election day. Looking back, here’s what I can tell you about Mayor Wilson: he’s a great listener, he’s willing to make mistakes, and he’s always willing to change his mind. I’ve seen him on great days, and I’ve seen him on tough days. He’s the same guy no matter how the winds blow, and the Ted-Lasso-by-way-of-Mr.-Rogers persona is not an act.
I’ve also never seen anyone work harder. Portland has some tough issues to solve. The budget and unsheltered homelessness crisis would be a big deal even if we didn’t have a hostile federal administration on our heels.
Here’s the good news: Mayor Wilson’s grit, optimism, compassion, and resolve aren’t his alone. They’re our values, too. These values make a wet, hilly city one of the best places to bike in America. They’re the values that make Portland a progressive leader, and a beacon of freedom, intentional living, environmentalism, compassion, and acceptance. They’re the values that I’m convinced will take us through the coming days, no matter what those days might bring.
Taylor Zajonc is an author, a father, a bicyclist, and Mayor Wilson’s Deputy Chief of Staff.
Class 3 e-bikes would have been prohibited from the protected bike lane on Naito Parkway if SB 471 was passed. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
Oregon Senator Floyd Prozanski plans to withdraw a controversial bill that would have banned a popular type of electric-assisted bicycle from bike lanes and paths.
Advocates with The Street Trust met with Sen. Prozanski on Friday and they say he’s agreed to drop the bill.
Senate Bill 471 caught cycling and safe street advocates by surprise when it was introduced last month. It sought to prohibit Class 3 electric bicycles from bike-specific infrastructure and would have made them legally akin to mopeds and motorcycles. Class 3 e-bikes have no throttle, can have maximum speed of 28 mph (from the motor) and the motor only works when the rider is pedaling.
In an interview with BikePortland in January, Prozanski said he and his riding buddies saw many people riding motorized vehicles (which may or may not have been e-bikes) on bike paths without regard for Oregon law or for the safety of others. He then acknowledged the use of “Class 3” in the bill language was incorrect.
Local nonprofit advocacy organization The Street Trust (TST) published an article earlier this month that said Prozanski’s bill threatens, “to saddle e-bikes with unnecessary restrictions rather than advancing policies that make streets safer.”
Here’s more from The Street Trust’s article:
Instead of reactionary regulations, Oregon must implement expert-driven policies developed by stakeholders across sectors — public agencies, industry leaders, and community advocates who understand the realities of how people move using small things with wheels, aka micromobility.
The regulatory focus should be on operator behavior and vehicle speed in shared spaces, and avoiding arbitrary restrictions based on vehicle type which are hard to discern, let alone enforce.
We need clear, enforceable rules that ensure e-scooters and e-bikes remain accessible, while protecting riders and other road users from the risks of higher-speed motorcycles, mopeds, and illegally modified “e-bikes”.
The article was written by Cameron Bennett, a TST board member and policy lead for the group’s Oregon Micromobility Network project. Bennett was also at the meeting with Senator Prozanski last week where they discussed concerns about the proposed legislation.
In a phone call with BikePortland today, Bennett said Prozanski has agreed to they are happy with the outcome now that the bill will not move forward. “We’re excited to have the Senator’s support in our ongoing education efforts around e-bikes, instead of working against us,” Bennett said.
This isn’t the first time Senator Prozanski has proposed a bike-related bill that was ultimately withdrawn after widespread criticism. In 2008 he filed a bill that would have made Oregon’s helmet law apply to all ages of riders. That bill met with fierce opposition from cycling advocates and Prozanski scrapped it a few weeks after it appeared on BikePortland.
Scene from inaugural bike travel presentation series on February 3rd. (Photo: Ted Buehler)
If you missed the bike travel slideshow event earlier this month, be sure to show up tomorrow night (Thursday, 2/20) for a full lineup of inspiring and adventurous tales. Our friend Ted Buehler has put together a great show that will feature five Portlanders sharing insights and experiences about life on the road. The event takes place at Migration Brewing on N Williams Avenue (same venue as Bike Happy Hour) from 6:00 to 9:00 pm.
Here’s a rundown of Thursday night’s presenters:
Chris “Fool” McCraw: From Austin, Texas to Anchorage, Alaska for charity.
Sean Pliska and the Backroads of Albania. “Riding the smallest roads on the map in the wilds of Albania.”
Lloyd Vivola and the Longest Walk. “Native American Praryer Walk form Washington DC to Alcatraz Island. Lloyd joined the walk in Missouri and spent 3.5 months on the road all the way to Alcatraz.”
Ryan Hashagen: Europe by Roller Skate and Public Transit. “Amsterdam to Instanbul to Lisbon, with side trips. Roller skating for local transportation, public transit or hitch-hiking between cities. Inside info n the best skate clubs in Europe.”
Todd Melton: Wandering Around on Vancouver Island: “What you see when you have no set agenda and a lot of days to ride!”
Backroads of Albania.
Everyone is welcome at this free event. It takes place in an outdoor heated patio, but you should still prepare for cool temps. There’s great food and drinks at Migration. Also a casual format so you can come and go as you please if you can’t make the full three hours. Come around back through the alley for best bike parking.
Thanks to Ted for putting these on! Shift Calendar link here. Stay tuned for the next event March 5th when Ted welcomes more bike adventurers with tales from Morocco, a circumnavigation of Taiwan, Vermont, and more.
Portland’s new City Council held its first-ever meeting of the Climate, Resilience, and Land Use Committee last Thursday. After a presentation from city staff on the Climate Emergency Work Plan and how Portland will meet its carbon emission reduction goals, City Councilor Sameer Kanal (D2) made comments that raised eyebrows among some transportation reformers.
Portland Bureau of Transportation Planning Group Manager Kristin Hull told committee members that in order to reach net zero carbon emissions by 2050, “We absolutely need to shift more trips to biking, walking and transit. It means changing the behaviors of individual individual Portlanders… it is absolutely the most critical thing we can do to reducing vehicle miles traveled.” Hull’s comments leaned on work that PBOT does to gently incentivize more people to consider options other than driving a car; things like improving transit and biking networks, charging more for car parking, hosting events like Sunday Parkways, and so on.
When given a chance to make a comment, Councilor Kanal responded directly to Hull’s comments. “There was an approach about trying to use incentivization of individual Portlanders’ decision making as the primary methodology for reducing transportation-related carbon emissions that was kind of concerning to me,” he said.
Slide from PBOT presentation.
Then Kanal added, “I don’t think PBOT’s approach addresses the time needs of individual Portlanders,” and that he feels the “bike focus” is sapping urgency from improving transit service. Here’s more from Kanal’s response:
“Portlanders generally do the climate-friendly thing as long as they’re aware of what that is, and they’re able to do it without a substantial cost of time or money. I think that the bike focus for folks who might need to make a trip that will be 20 minutes while driving but an hour while biking, is a way of getting around the conversation about actually investing in public transit.
And that’s not to say that bikes are bad. I’m not saying that at all. But they’re not necessarily the only solution. Same thing with walking and all that. So I was pretty concerned about why we’re investing so much effort into that [biking and walking], as opposed to public transit, which will get you from places in District 2 or District 1 — and frankly all over the city and downtown — a lot faster than say, ‘Hey, bike this entire way,’ especially when we’re also building those bike lanes on major thoroughfares and creating the safety risks associated with that.”
What began as a concern that transit gets short-changed by the City of Portland (keep in mind TriMet owns and operates transit, not PBOT), morphed into what appeared to be an effort to frame transit as a faster and safer way to get around the city than cycling.
For the vast majority of trips, cycling is actually faster than transit — not to mention much more flexible, reliable, and inexpensive (in the long run). According to Google Maps, an eight-mile trip from Peninsula Park in Kanal’s District 2 to Portland Community College’s Southeast Campus in District 1, is 55 minutes on transit compared to 50 minutes by bike. On an e-bike, that trip could easily be just 35-40 minutes. An even easier-to-bike trip of 3.3 miles from Overlook Park in north Portland to City Hall downtown would also be faster by bike, according to Google.
In response to Kanal’s comments, PBOT’s Hull said, “I think we are in an all systems go approach. It’s not one or the other.”
Keeping bike lanes clean is a vital part of keeping bike lanes popular. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
The Portland Bureau of Transportation is working on a plan that could help remedy one of its most intractable problems: bike lane maintenance.
Portlanders have long lamented that bike lanes are so dirty that they endanger current riders and discourage would-be newcomers. From snow and gravel in winter, pools of water in spring, and leaves in fall, many of our city’s vaunted bikeways languish without attention from sweepers for many months of the year.
Despite PBOT efforts to address the numerous complaints, budgetary and personnel limitations have always constrained their response. And as the bike network has grown, PBOT’s budget has shrunk. Now that cycle might finally be broken thanks to a $10 million grant award from the Portland Clean Energy Benefits Fund (PCEF).
The funding will be spread across five years and will allow PBOT to staff up a dedicated team, buy two bike lane sweepers and a pair of electric backpack leaf blowers (for those hard-to-reach locations).
PBOT slide showing new weapons in their bike lane sweeping arsenal.
At a meeting of the Bicycle Advisory Committee last night, PBOT Maintenance Operations Division Manager Shaylee Robanske laid out how the bureau plans to tackle bike lane maintenance with this new influx of funds.
The PCEF award will allow the maintenance team to “really put a focus on cleaning bike lanes and vegetation overgrowth into bike lanes,” Robanske said. “I’m sure it’s very frustrating to bike the same area and see the same thing that you’ve already reported for multiple days.”
PBOT’s new Bike Lane Maintenance Program will consist of eight full-time employees that will be split evenly into two teams: one east of the river, one west of the river. These staff will be dedicated to handling bike lane maintenance requests and doing a systematic clearing of trouble spots. They will operate three electric sweepers and leaf-blowers to clean and maintain 50 miles of protected bike lanes and 325 miles of non protected/shared bike lanes in the coming year. Robanske said she’ll lean on BAC committee members to develop an initial list of top priority bike lane segments.
Robanske also revealed at Tuesday’s meeting that the Maintenance & Operations Division will soon shift to a new software platform (Zendesk) to handle all citizen complaints and clean-up requests with a new interface meant solely for bike lane issues. A new public-facing dashboard for the program is also in the works so everyone can see how many miles of bikeways have been swept and the exact locations that have been serviced by PBOT crews.
By 2027, Robanske says her goal is that, “You can go sit in the bike lane and you cook pancakes and they’ll be clean as a whistle.” “With a dedicated team and equipment that performs the way it’s supposed to, PBOT will become a highlight in the nation for what PCEF is doing for this program,” she added. “I’m super excited. I hope you take my enthusiasm as some hope and promise into how PBOT can show up for cleaning these bike lanes. Given the right dedicated funding and staff, we are capable of amazing things.”
The goal is to hit top priority bike lane segments six times per year and still have time to respond to individual requests and hot-spots. The plan is set to go into effect this summer.
TomCat bikes is a small and vibrant bicycle repair shop in the Brooklyn Neighborhood in SouthEast Portland. We service almost any bike that can fit through the door. We are seeking seasoned mechanics who can work on yesterday’s electroforged Schwinn, today’s electric bikes, and everything in between.
Skill sets:
An understanding that bicycle repair and service is the primary business model
Accurate estimates of service work; thorough documentation of work-in-progress in customer file; explaining work performed during handoff
Electric bike diagnostics and repair
Hydraulic disc brake systems
Efficient wheelbuilding
In depth knowledge of vintage and modern drivetrain compatibility
Sales of refurbished and new bikes
Experience with Lightspeed POS and Square Appointments
You know these acronyms: QBP, JBI, HLC, BTI, TCB, WTF, MVP, FLAME
Bonus:
social media experience
website optimizing
secondary marketplace posting
alternative POS systems
Ideal temperaments:
Open and welcoming to everyone of all ages, genders, orientations, origins, and incomes
Problem solving
Communicative on the phone, email, text, in person at shop
Respectful of boundaries
Works well with others
Interested in learning new technologies while honing already established skills
Not afraid to seek a second opinion
Positive customer outcomes
Can articulate upgrades or modernization and make it make sense to clients
Independent, productive work ethic while the Cat is away
Confident of skills without being arrogant
Less Oscar the Grouch, more Big Bird
Benefits:
Flexible (no-really!) schedule
Relaxed and welcoming work environment
W2 wages and associated benefits
Parts and accessories discounts from primary suppliers
Wages: $18-22, depending on experience
Tips are split among mechanics
How to Apply
We are hiring for full time work or part time work and peak season hours. Total hours based on seasonal volume. That said, I am surprised at how much work there is in this shop in the off season.
Know your stuff
Be awesome
Send relevant work history with verifiable references to: tom@tomcatbikes.com
Please, no phone calls, no texts, no DM slidin.
Share widely, email directly.
Thanks!
Councilors (left to right) Loretta Smith, Olivia Clark (chair), Angelita Morillo (vice chair), Tiffany Koyama Lane, and Mitch Green at Portland City Council’s first-ever Transportation & Infrastructure Committee meeting on Monday, February 10th.
If you care about Portland’s troubling transportation budget situation, the first-ever meeting of City Council’s new Transportation & Infrastructure Committee offered good news and bad news. We heard serious funding warnings, got some hope that they’ll be taken seriously, and heard what key councilors want to prioritize going forward.
Let’s start with the bad news: the Portland Bureau of Transportation has a $38 million deficit (this is separate from the city’s $100 million deficit) and it comes on the heels of six years of significant cuts. After listening to presentations from PBOT Director Millicent Williams and Deputy City Administrator for Public Works Priya Dhanapal on Monday, T & I Committee Chair Olivia Clark offered this blunt assessment: “I think it would be irresponsible — if not even criminal — of us to not address these issues because they concern our health and safety every single day of every person who lives in Portland.”
“Thinking about the very real consequences of that under-investment is what keeps me up at night,”
– Millicent Williams, PBOT director
“It would be irresponsible — if not even criminal — of us to not address these issues.”
– Olivia Clark, city councilor and committee chair
If PBOT is forced to cut $38 million from its budget the impact would be profound. Director Williams told the five members of the T & I Committee that, “We will never be able to return to proactively maintaining roadways, bridges, signals, street lights and sidewalks — much less meet the policy goals that you, the council, set for us.” “Thinking about the very real consequences of that under-investment is what keeps me up at night,” Williams continued. “Assets failing, safety compromised, livability diminished, public trust destroyed.”
ScreenshotScreenshotScreenshotScreenshotSlides from committee presentation.
PBOT is reeling in large part because the city’s General Fund starves the bureau’s budget of valuable discretionary dollars. Nearly three-fourths of PBOT’s $600 million annual budget (about $415 million) is tied up as grants (or other set-aside obligations) and must be spent on specific projects. Currently less than 1% of the General Fund flows to the Public Works service area despite the agencies within it (PBOT, Water, and Environmental Services) being responsible for 90% of the city’s built assets. Dwindling revenue from fuel sales and parking meters has also contributed to the funding deficit.
And past political decisions have come due: About 30 years ago, City Council established the Utility License Fee (ULF), a fee paid by companies that place infrastructure in the public right-of-way. 28% of that fee was supposed to flow to the transportation bureau. But year-after-year the ULF was carved into for the General Fund and used as a City Council piggy bank. “That funding source, which would account to about $30 million a year,” Director Williams said at Monday’s meeting, “has decreased to zero.”
Ideological and illegal funding actions by the Trump Administration have added to anxiety around PBOT’s budget. Williams told councilors that an estimated $115 million in grant funds are, “in suspense right now as we continue to understand what will be happening at the federal level.”
Despite all that doom-and-gloom, the fact that a candid and in-depth conversation about the budget is happening at all is reason for optimism. The T & I Committee is a component of Portland’s brand new form of government that never existed in the past. It gives councilors an opportunity to get educated by staff (and by the public) and discuss issues outside of regular City Council meetings.
Former City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly, writing in her “Street Wonk” newsletter this week, shared that the committees, “represent a radical departure from how policy has historically been developed at City Hall.” Here’s more from Eudaly on how the new committees differ from the old process:
“In the past, commissioners worked behind the scenes, relying on city attorneys for guidance and engaging in shuttle diplomacy between offices. Unless there was significant public outreach—which often wasn’t the case—the public had little opportunity to weigh in before a nearly finalized proposal came before council for a first reading. Because those meetings could be lengthy and contentious, councilors had limited ability to genuinely deliberate or meaningfully address concerns raised by their colleagues or the public. Amendments could be proposed and passed, but the process didn’t always yield the best possible outcome.”
At Monday’s meeting, Bureau of Fleets and Facilities Director Maty Sauter echoed Eudaly’s sentiments. During her presentation about why the city faces such a challenge when it comes to asset management and the $13 billion maintenance backlog, Sauter said, “I think it’s also important to acknowledge the institutional element of this. [The bureaus and their assets] were also managed by basically five separate CEOs. Some of them really didn’t really have a background in infrastructure before they were making decisions about what to do with their funding. And so I think there’s a sense on on the part of City Administrator [Michael] Jordan that charter reform is the right moment — this is the time when we can start thinking about how we do things comprehensively.”
So while we face a historic funding cliff, we also face a historic opportunity to do something about it. That work will begin in the T & I Committee.
At the outset of Monday’s meeting they were given a chance to share their top priorities. District 3 Councilor Angelita Morillo said addressing dangerous corridors like Cesar E Chavez Boulevard and 82nd Avenue is her top priority. Morillo also said she wants to make sure that, “Our infrastructure across the city is physically changed… to slow our streets down.” Part of her vision is also to, “think about closing more neighborhood streets, making them more pedestrian friendly.” Morillo said her vision for transportation includes having more kids feeling safe enough to play outside. She also mentioned her “big dreams for Sandy Boulevard” that include a rapid transit line or a bike lane on the diagonal thoroughfare that’s been teed up for big changes next year.
ScreenshotScreenshotScreenshotSlides illustrate the stakes.
District 4 Councilor Mitch Green said having sound infrastructure is, “the foundation of the value of the regional economy,” and added that he wants to focus on financing and funding as the “big lynchpin” of his vision. Green said he will prioritize bringing more complete infrastructure to parts of the city like east Portland (District 1) and southwest and also mentioned the value of investing in 15-minute cities and mixed-use density like what local planning advocates refer to as, “four floors and corner stores.” “This is an opportunity for us to think about the west and east parts of the city as having a common cause,” he said.
District 3 Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane said she wants to work toward, “decreasing traffic violence” and mentioned streets like Cesar Chavez, SE Division, 82nd, Powell and Sandy. Koyama Lane called out her interest in pushing for increased visibility around intersections in the form of “daylighting” — a treatment where parking next to the corner is prohibited. She also mentioned the need for safer routes to school, how her family is a regular participant in their school’s bike bus and that safe streets are also essential for older Portlanders. “There’s that slogan from Portlandia that this is a place ‘where young people go to retire.’ We also want Portland to be a place where people can stay and retire, and can age here, and can do that safely and with dignity,” she said.
Committee Chair Olivia Clark was busy taking notes throughout the meeting and said she’s putting together a work plan based on what she’s heard so far. Clark will also be listening at the next T & I meeting set for February 24th where a deep-dive on PBOT is planned and there will be considerable time set aside for public comment.
The T & I Committee meets the second and fourth Monday of each month from 9:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Learn more on the committee website.
Are you curious about adding an electric bike to your life, but not quite ready to part with $4,000 – $7,000 for a high-quality model? Local retailer Clever Cycles might have a solution for you. They now offer an e-bike subscription service so you can pay by the month before taking the plunge.
Clever Cycles broke ground in 2007 as the first shop in Portland to import Dutch cargo bikes. One of the shop’s original co-owners, Todd Fahrner, was also a pioneer in electric-assist bikes with his “Stokemonkey” add-on motor system that debuted in 2011.
With their new subscription service, Clever looks to keep the stoke alive. They currently offer five models: front-loading cargo bikes from Urban Arrow and Cube, two handy haulers from Tern, and a step-through city bike from Cube. The monthly subscription fee ranges from $299 to $349 per month, there’s a two-month minimum to get started, and a $500 security deposit in case anything happens to the bike. If you decide to buy the bike, you can apply 15% of your subscription payments to the cost of your new rig.
Clever Cycles Co-owner Dean Mullin says the move is, “Reminiscent of the software industry’s shift from ownership to subscription services, and we’re starting to see hints of something similar in our industry.” It’s just the latest idea from a shop that’s never been afraid to try new things. After all, this is the same shop that launched a hot tub rental service (delivered by bike!) in 2013.
“We’re just coming up with ideas to get people to be able to try e-bikes and see if it works for them,” Mullin added. “We don’t see bikes as sporting equipment. We treat them like a tool such as a drill. We want people to try drilling to see if they want their own drill in their toolshed. The subscription allows people to try it without spending thousands.”
In addition to the lower upfront cost, Clever’s subscription plan comes with maintenance and service at no extra cost. There are some limitations: bikes cannot be used for commercial services (like courier or delivery services), the offer is only available in Portland, and all subscribers must be 17 years or older.
This is the first e-bike subscription service I’ve heard of in Portland. The idea isn’t new however. A company called Wombi launched in Seattle last summer. They offer subscription plans that start at $135 a month.
In related news, the City of Portland’s electric bike rebate program is set to launch later this summer. And a statewide rebate program is being considered in the Oregon Legislature.
By Sam Balto, northeast Portland resident and co-founder of Bike Bus World.
Looks like a good time. (Source: Screenshot from Bud Light commercial)
A recent Bud Light Super Bowl commercial features a neighborhood cul-de-sac transformed into a joyful community hub — kids playing, neighbors socializing, and life happening at a human scale. It’s a striking image, not just for beer drinkers, but for anyone who cares about livable streets. And yet, in cities like Portland, we’ve spent decades resisting the very concept of cul-de-sacs in favor of a traditional street grid that prioritizes car movement.
It’s time to rethink that approach.
Urban planners and transportation advocates have long dismissed cul-de-sacs as a suburban mistake — inefficient, disconnected, and automobile-dependent. But they miss the point: Suburban neighborhoods don’t design cul-de-sacs with cars in mind; they design them with quality of life in mind. By blocking through traffic, cul-de-sacs create safer, quieter streets where people — especially children — can comfortably walk, bike, and play. In Portland, where we claim to prioritize active transportation, why do we let cars dominate our residential streets while the suburbs have already solved this problem?
Let’s embrace cul-de-sacs — not by copying suburban sprawl, but by adapting the concept to make urban neighborhoods safer, healthier, and more connected.
– Sam Balto
Cul-de-sacs at NE 17th and Thompson in Portland. (Photos: Sam Balto)
The Problem: Through Traffic Ruins Neighborhoods
Portland’s street grid is great for navigating the city by car, but that’s exactly the problem. Too many residential streets are treated as cut-through routes, with drivers using neighborhood roads to shave a few minutes off their commute. The result? Speeding, noise, and unsafe conditions that discourage walking and biking.
Take a typical Portland side street: despite being designated as a “neighborhood greenway,” it still allows car traffic to pass through freely. This means families walking to school and kids riding their bikes are constantly at risk from impatient drivers who see the street as a shortcut rather than a shared public space.
The Solution: Embracing the Best Part of Cul-de-sacs
Rather than rejecting cul-de-sacs outright, Portland should borrow their best elements. We should design more residential streets where cars can’t cut through, but people walking and biking can. This is already a proven concept: Barcelona’s superblocks restrict vehicle access while keeping streets open for pedestrians and cyclists. Dutch woonerfs (living streets) make cars second-class citizens in residential areas, rather than the default priority.
Portland has dabbled in this with diverters on greenways, but they are too few and far between. We need to go further. Imagine a city where entire residential zones are blocked off to through car traffic, where every street functions like a cul-de-sac for drivers but remains fully permeable for people walking and biking. This would make our streets quieter, safer, and more inviting—not just for kids, but for everyone.
A Call to Action for Portland
If we truly believe in walkable, bikeable neighborhoods, we need to stop prioritizing car convenience over community livability. That means rethinking our approach to residential street design. Let’s embrace cul-de-sacs — not by copying suburban sprawl, but by adapting the concept to make urban neighborhoods safer, healthier, and more connected.
Portland doesn’t need to resist cul-de-sacs. We need to reclaim them — on our terms.
Welcome to the week. Here are the most notable news items our community has come across in the past seven days.
Remembering Donald Shoup: Shoup, author of the seminal book, High Cost of Free Parking, passed away over the weekend. He was a giant in urbanism for his clear and creative thinking around parking and the need for reform. (Parking Reform Network)
Rail bills in Salem: There’s a full station of legislative bills that have been introduced down in Salem this session. They look to capitalize on growing ridership and realize rail’s potential as a mass people mover. (KGW-TV)
Green wave in NYC: Cool to see more awareness for signal timing that specifically benefits bicycle users, like NYC DOT has implemented in Manhattan — and that Portland has been doing downtown for decades. (NY Times)
Drivers ruin everything: A major professional road race was thrown into chaos when drivers made their way onto the course at several different locations. (CNN)
Reduced demand: One month after congestion pricing went into effect, over one million cars have been taken off the road. It’s just the latest sign that the program has been a sweeping success. (Fast Company)
Bike tourism trends: If you are in any job or field related to bike tourism, don’t miss this excellent summary of some of the top trends to grow the pie in 2025. (European Cyclists’ Federation)
Sentencing in Portland couples’ death: The driver of a truck whose load fell off and hit and killed Portland couple Michelle and Christian Deaton while they were cycling in Napa, California in 2023 was given a one-year jail sentence. (Patch)
True safety after dark: In London, officials are not just talking about how women are at greater risk when riding after dark; they are doing something about it. They’ve deemed some routes “socially unsafe” due to a lack of lighting and escape routes. (BBC)
Planner 3 – Climate Program Coordinator (Limited Duration)
Oregon Department of Transportation
Policy, Data & Analysis Division
Climate Office
Salem
Salary: $6,240 – $9,674 (Per month)
The role:
Are you passionate about making a positive impact on transportation and the environment? We are seeking a dedicated and skilled individual to join our team as a climate programs coordinator. In this role, you will develop and implement innovative transportation funding programs, plans and policies aimed at mitigating greenhouse gas emissions while enhancing the resilience of our transportation infrastructure in the face of climate change. Apply today!
This is a limited duration appointment that is expected to end on or before June 30, 2025. Limited duration appointments are benefits eligible and have a designated maximum length of service. This position has the potential to become permanent.
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:
• Manage and implement a competitive grant program based on ODOT’s Carbon Reduction Strategy.
• Research and evaluate the effectiveness of climate policies, programs, procedures and recommend changes.
• Lead workgroups of internal and external partners in the development of climate program funding and implementation plans, and work plans for climate actions.
• Develop funding policies that address climate equity in practice and outcomes.
• Propose improvements to program policies and procedures.
• Provide technical expertise on the Carbon Reduction Program and respond to internal and external inquiries.
• Give comprehensive presentations to department staff, other Oregon agencies, federal and local agencies, other states and to the public.
• Hybrid work options available – work in an office environment with occasional limited in and out-of-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.
• Comprehensive and equitable base salary offer within the listed range. Through an equal pay assessment, we will determine the salary offer using the information you provide in your submitted application materials. Please ensure your application materials are detailed, accurate and reflect your skills, experience (paid and unpaid) and education as they relate to the position when applying.
• The salary range listed is the non-PERS monthly salary range. If you are already a participating PERS member or once you become PERS eligible, the salary range will increase by 6%.
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness opportunity!
How to Apply
Minimum qualifications:
Six (6) 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 (3) years of progressively responsible planning experience related to the job;
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.
OR
An equivalent combination of relevant education, training, and 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 program management or project delivery processes, enabling effective integration of climate-focused initiatives into existing frameworks.
• Able to identify and implement creative solutions for reducing greenhouse gas emissions while balancing efficiency, equity and practicality.
• A proven track record of committing to centering equity in all programs, ensuring that disadvantaged and frontline communities benefit from transportation and climate initiatives.
• Demonstrated experience creating and presenting technical information to diverse audiences, including policymakers, internal and external partners and the public.
• Demonstrated experience working in dynamic and fast-paced environments, with the ability to navigate changing priorities, emerging challenges and evolving policy landscapes.
Learn more and apply:
This recruitment closes at 11:59 p.m. on Tuesday, February 25, 2025.
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
