2025 Archives

Another traffic death on SE Cesar Chavez Blvd

Looking west on SE Boise Street at intersection with SE Cesar E Chavez Blvd.

A fatal collision between a driver and someone walking along Southeast Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard on Sunday has re-ignited safety concerns about this notoriously dangerous street in District 3.

According to Portland Police Bureau Central Precinct a woman on foot near Chavez and SE Boise Street was struck by a car driver and seriously injured around 6:45 pm Sunday evening. The woman died at a hospital a short time later. The driver remained at the scene and PPB says they are, “cooperating with the investigation.” PPB haven’t released further details, but I’ve inquired and hope to learn if any updates are available.

The intersection of Cesar Chavez Blvd with Boise Street is just one block south of SE Gladstone. Boise, which runs east-west, is a small residential street while Chavez, which runs north-south is a notoriously fast and wide stroad with four general purpose lanes. Chavez has no shoulder or bike lane and the posted speed limit is 30 mph. Sidewalks along Chavez are relatively narrow. There is no marked crosswalk near Chavez and Boise (but keep in mind that in Oregon “every corner is a crosswalk” whether paint exists or not).

Chavez Blvd is known to many Portlanders for its tragic history. In 2015 Reed College student Mark Angeles was killed as he rode through the SE Gladstone intersection and was involved in a collision with a tow truck driver who was turning onto Chavez. That happened just one block north of Sunday’s crash. In 2021, 24-year-old Austin Boyd was killed by a driver near SE Clinton Street just 0.8 miles north of where the woman was hit on Sunday. The person who hit Boyd with their vehicle did not stop and was/is wanted for hit-and-run. Then in 2023, 1.6 miles north of SE Boise Street, Portland librarian Jeanie Diaz was hit and killed by a reckless driver while waiting at a bus stop on Chavez and SE Taylor.

SE Boise St. is three blocks from SE Holgate, a major neighborhood collector. On November 14th of last year, the Reed Neighborhood Association wrote a letter to the Portland Bureau of Transportation calling for “urgent safety improvements” to streets in this area. The letter warned that drivers in the area of Holgate and Cesar Chavez Blvd regularly display “impatience” during high traffic periods and that backups often lead to, “increased instances of drivers ignoring pedestrians needing to cross at the SE Cesar Chavez intersection.” Since November, the letter has been endorsed by the Brooklyn Neighborhood Association and a parent group from a local elementary school. A neighborhood advocate told BikePortland this morning that this most recent tragedy has hardened their resolve to gain attention for concerns in this area and that, “Our plan is to send this letter to the city council, PBOT, and the mayor early next week.”

Is there any hope that PBOT will make changes to the design of Cesar Chavez Blvd? There is a project in the city’s Transportation System Plan titled, “Cesar Chavez Corridor Improvements” that would, “upgrade sidewalks, and add pedestrian/bicycle crossing improvements, upgrade signals and make striping changes to improve traffic safety and transit operations,” between NE Sandy and SE Woodstock. However it’s estimated $5 million price tag is unfunded and I’m not sure what it’s prospects are, but this most recent death has got many local activists looking to hasten its timeline.

I’ll update this post if/when I learn more details about Sunday’s collision. If you know more, please get in touch. And if anyone has specific information about what happened Sunday night, please contact crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov, attention Traffic Investigations Unit, and reference case number 25-023076.

UPDATE, 1/30: The victim’s name is Tuyet Nguyen. She is known to many people in the neighborhood and would collect cans in a cart on a daily basis. A post on Nextdoor is flooded with people who would wave and chat with her. One person said Nguyen was a regular at the Kenilworth Presbyterian Church food bank and a service might be planned in the coming days. Correction: This update originally shared the victim’s first name as “Thiet.”

City Council reckons with infrastructure

Coming out of a campaign season in which the major issues were homelessness, homelessness and homelessness, it might come as a surprise to many people that a big part of a City Councilor’s job is about, well, pipes.

More properly, infrastructure — water, stormwater, sewage and right-of-way. Infrastructure takes up 50% of the city budget, but until things stop working, most Portlanders rarely think about it. As long as the toilet flushes and water comes out of the tap tasting fine, we’re good.

But I’ve yet to see a better introduction to the workings of the city than the presentation given by the Public Works Bureaus —Transportation, Water and Environmental Services — to the City Council last Thursday as part of Council’s Public Works work session. To anyone who wants a deeper understanding of Portland, including budget issues, tuning into the first 90 minutes of this session is well worth your time.

For a BikePortland reader, the most important information presented was that Portland’s roads face a severe maintenance backlog. But you knew that already, right?

What made me sit up straight during Thursday’s session was that the alarm finally seemed to impress the council as a whole. In the past, we’ve had individual commissioners-in-charge sounding-off about maintenance backlogs, but those concerns were easier to disregard in a fragmented council in which each commissioner had their own competing budget worries. In contrast, this session showed representatives from each of the four districts fully engaged and weighing in on the issues which concerned both their constituents and the city as a whole. Infrastructure was everybody’s business.

“Director Williams, I would say, don’t apologize for saying we don’t have enough money, scream at the top of your lungs, ‘We don’t have enough money’ with a lot of expletives attached, because that is the case.”
– Steve Novick, city councilor

The hearing also offered an early glimpse of Portland’s reorganized bureaucracy. In this instance, Interim Deputy City Administrator Priya Dhanapal, charged with the Public Works Service Area, led the Bureau Directors under her watch through a coordinated joint presentation. Similarly, on the City Council side, the meeting was ably facilitated by President Elana Pirtle-Guiney. This might not mean much to folks who have never attended council meetings in the past, but to anyone who has, last week’s session was remarkable for its clarity and professionalism.

That’s the good news. The bad news is that Portland really does have an alarming infrastructure backlog. Let’s dive in.

The bureau presentations

There is a lot to know about the guts of city operations, and the bureaus did a fine job of making what could be an overwhelming amount of information more accessible.

The three slides above bring the financial crisis into focus. The middle graphic shows that the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) has faced growing budget cuts over recent years, and has eliminated all of its financial reserves. The pie chart shows the budget.

The Council questions

I’ll let a selection of excellent questions and comments from Council speak for themselves, starting with Steve Novick, the Councilor most knowledgeable about Portland’s street network.

Novick was the Commissioner-in-charge of PBOT during his first term on council, from 2013 to 2016, and he is responsible for introducing the Fixing Our Streets ten-cent gas tax. His powerful comments came at the very end of the meeting:

The condition of the streets that you see now is the result of 30 years of neglect by the administrations of Bud Clark, Vera Katz, Tom Potter and Sam Adams, who completely neglected street maintenance, because it takes a while for street maintenance neglect to show up. They knew what was going on and they decided to do nothing—as opposed to the electeds in surrounding jurisdictions who recognized that the money they were getting from the state and the feds wasn’t enough to maintain the streets and they adopted local funding sources.

We did not do that until I and Charlie Hales took a measure to the ballot passing a 10-cent gas tax in 2016. But at that point the maintenance deficit was so big that it was like applying a bandaid to a machete wound. I said at the time, ‘this will slow the bleeding a bit, but it is not going to stop it’ …

Roads are like teeth, if you don’t do regular brushing and cleaning, then you are into root canals and extractions, which are a lot more painful and much more expensive …

Director Williams, I would say, don’t apologize for saying we don’t have enough money, scream at the top of your lungs, ‘We don’t have enough money’ with a lot of expletives attached, because that is the case. As to some of the streets in the West and the East being gravel, my assumption is that if we don’t get a huge amount of money, most of the streets in Portland are going to be gravel in another 40 years.

This map of how different areas of the city manage stormwater runoff is foundational to understanding the disparity in sidewalk coverage.

Novick’s remarks were the culmination of a line of questions initiated by the Council’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chair, Olivia Clark, who commented about sidewalks and stormwater. Eric Zimmerman continued in this vein with remarks about the

gravel delivered to my property, to put out where normally a sidewalk would go … What is it going to take to expire the mindset, particularly in east Portland, but also in west Portland, that if you want a road, you and your neighbors have to pay for it? … that old mindset that we applied to the places we annexed 40 years ago? … I think what a tremendous difference we could make 40 years from now, if we just dedicated ourselves to [building] one mile of road per year.

Ultimately, it was District 2’s Sameer Kanal who asked the most concise question, “Why do we not take responsibility as a city for sidewalks, as a lot of major cities do, and how can we fix that?”

PBOT Director Millicent Williams responded to Zimmerman and Kanal:

When I moved to the City of Portland, I was unclear about homeowners and property owners having the responsibility of paving streets … expiring that is something that I would be delighted to see us do. But that would take the interest and investment of the political capital that you have to change the policies, codes, rules, laws … Growth, when it happens, requires a lot more planning and intentionality than people assume.

That is an historical challenge that we have… I hate to use that we can’t afford it as the excuse for everything, but it is a very expensive venture. Sidewalks are very expensive, I’d love to do a mile a year, but a mile, depending on how complex it is, is a million dollars, and that’s just pavement. That doesn’t include the stormwater, it doesn’t include the drainage … The hope is that we could look at some strategies to create this more complete network of streets and sidewalks.

This was the most straightforward discussion about Portland’s roads that I have heard from Council. Frankly, it was cathartic. We seem to be entering a period of honest reckoning about what it truly costs to properly maintain our roadways — and bring them, across the city, to a safe standard.

And what about bicycles?

Councilor Zimmerman began his comments by revealing that he was shopping around for an e-bike. And he brought up his concern about the recent bill introduced in the state legislature to regulate e-bikes in bike lanes, “as somebody who has some hills between me and my workplace, for me it’s a non-starter, it also makes me question moving into that market.”

Then he used the opportunity to ask Director Williams, “I always thought that the idea was to make it easier to get into that mode of transportation, rather than protecting it for the die-hards. I’m curious about your thoughts.” The exchange was lengthy, I have excerpted some of it:

Williams: For the City of Portland, we intend to continue to allow e-bikes to access the bike lanes. What does that mean for the design of the bike lanes for the future? Would we be looking at wider to create more space for the different types of users, potentially. There are lots of opportunities for us to evaluate how to support members of communities who are seeking to make that shift. And doing so without an excuse around ‘it’s too hard, or it’s too fast, or it’s too different’ … Today, are we prohibiting e-bikes from being in bike lanes? No. In the future, that will depend.

Zimmerman: I hope the answer is ‘no.’ I think that bike lanes and e-bikes go together. I don’t know what the answer is in regard to the Senator’s, “what is a moped?”

Williams: I will share that one of the initiatives that was funded through the PCEF investment through PBOT was the intentional cleaning of bike lanes. Part of that was driven by that there was going to be an investment in e-bikes…one of the deterrents to people using e-bikes is their concern about the cleanliness of the bike lane.

Today’s session was for the entire Council. Expect a meeting of the Council’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee sometime in February.

Job: General Manager – Mokwheel E-bikes

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Job Title

General Manager

Company / Organization

Mokwheel E-bikes

Job Description

General Manager would oversee day-to-day operations of a small bike shop in Tualatin. This sales and customer service position would need basic bike mechanic experience and be familiar with electric bikes.

30 Hours a week

60k/Annual

What we believe is that we found a healthy alternative to for commuting, exercise AND recreation. We did the work to find the best and most affordable products. Then we back that product up with our customer friendly approach and great back-end service.

So we bring that excitement with us every time we meet someone new in store. Whether it’s about our products, the technology, the opportunity to save money, the environment, or just to get back onto a bike for the first time. We go the extra mile to show it right away. We want to learn about the customer right away.

Seeing is Believing

We believe the ‘TEST RIDE’ is the ultimate way to experience what an E-bike can do and how best to do that then to take it for a spin. (With every test ride we require a waiver and information sheet to be logged in for follow up) and they’re off. After a quick safety lesson and proper head gear they’re free for up to 30 min test ride.

The best way to know is to try.

How to Apply

Send CV and Cover Letter to Tualatin@mokwheelstore.com

Podcast: In The Shed Episode 35

A special Thursday edition, since I’ll be gone tomorrow (headed to Washington D.C. on an educational trip to museums and government buildings with my wife and 8th grade son).

Had such a fun chat with the wonderful Eva Frazier. Here’s a taste of what we touched on this episode:

Update on BikeLoud’s Bike Buddy program (they hired someone!)
Route finding from NE 156th and Halsey to Bike Happy Hour with our new iPad mapping technology!
Trump coming into office and what it means locally
The need for more events to build a more resilient community
Eva’s visit to Lloyd Center (and Portland’s skate culture)
Fareless Square history
New bike brand Primos Cycles
Local media rant (and how KATU plagiarized a BikePortland story)
Why I was annoyed by the Justin Timberlake on the Bike Bus thing
What consequence for the Springwater drunk driver from last May?
Cool event alert: City of Possibility
and more!

Thanks so much for your support and for listening. Please tell a friend and contact us if you’ve got something to say or want us to explore a specific topic.

Tune in and get cozy with us in the shed. Watch or listen wherever you get your podcasts.

Thanks for listening!

PBOT will re-harden Naito with concrete curbs near Saturday Market

Temporary cones will be replaced this week. (Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)

A key section of the Naito Parkway bike lanes will finally be re-hardened after a long row of ornate, steel bollards went missing in 2023. As we’ve reported, the bike lanes adjacent to Portland Saturday Market between Ankeny and Burnside were left unprotected after the bollards vanished sometime in spring of 2023. It’s still unknown what exactly happened to dozens of bollards — some say they were stolen for scrap, others say they were simply damaged and then discarded by drivers and/or vandals.

After our story in 2023, the Portland Bureau of Transportation installed temporary orange traffic cones to help provide protection for the popular, two-way bike lanes. On Tuesday, PBOT announced that a crew of contractors will begin a project this week to install concrete curb separators to protect the bike lane. “They are expected to install about 210 feet of concrete separators along the outer edge of the two-way multi-use path, from SW Ankeny to the Burnside Bridge,” reads the PBOT statement. “The separators are intended to provide protection for people biking and walking, while requiring less maintenance than movable bollards that were previously used in this section of the path.”

Farewell lovely bollards, it was nice knowing you! (View from Burnside Bridge in May 2022)

The bollards (at right) were removable so that vendors of the Saturday Market could park in the bike lanes to load and unload their stalls. It is an annoying compromise (since it leads to people parking in the bike lane), but it allowed the Saturday Market to support the Better Naito project and be a willing partner with PBOT going forward. With the new curbs on the way, I asked PBOT if anything had changed in their agreement with the Market.

“Our agreement with them, and the loading operations will be unchanged,” said PBOT Public Information Officer Dylan Rivera. “Vendors will be able to enter Better Naito at the intersection of Ankeny or drive over the traffic separators at slow speeds to load and unload. The vast majority of the time (when vendors aren’t actively loading or unloading for the Market) people biking and walking in this segment of Better Naito will benefit from new concrete protection separating the facility from the northbound travel lane.”

PBOT expects the new concrete treatment to be much more durable than the bollard design they initially installed.

If you ride this section of Naito, expect a detour around the construction work and into the Waterfront Park path for about a week from yesterday.

UPDATE, 1/28: PBOT says this project has been postponed, “to allow time for county work on the Burnside Bridge” and that a new schedule will be shared in March.

Weekend Event Guide: Path cleanup, Forest Park loop, and more

Remember as temps continue to bite, cold weather riding tips apply: lower tire pressure, watch for black ice, don’t oversteer in turns, and don’t be shy with those layers!

Here’s our weekly menu of bike ride selections that would be worth your time…

Friday, January 24th

Oregon Moves PAC Campaign Kickoff – 6:30 pm at Tabor Space (SE)
State Senator Khanh Pham and Portland City Councilor Candace Avalos are just two of the folks who will speak at this event that will look to raise money for advocacy and lobbying around the big transportation package down in Salem this session. More info here.

Saturday, January 25th

Rocky Point Dig Day – 9:30 am at Rocky Point Trails (Scappoose)
Join nonprofit Northwest Trail Alliance for an invigorating and rewarding day of volunteer trial maintenance as they continue to build out the amazing trails at Rocky Point for everyone to enjoy. More info here.

I-205 Path Cleanup – 10:00 am at Flipside Bar and Carts (SE)
Tired of trash on the path? This is your chance to help be part of the solution instead of just complaining about it. This event is led by SOLVE. More info here.

Vancouver Loop – 10:00 am at Vera Katz Statue (SE)
The Cycle Cats will claw their way north, over the I-5 bridge and into the magical world of Vancouver before looping back over the I-205 path. It will be an adventure you won’t soon forget. More info here.

PSU Farmers Market Ride – 10:00 am at Multiple Locations (SE)
This community tradition continues in winter with a wonderful group of humans who will ride together to the market on PSU campus downtown. More info here.

Sunday, January 26th

Ride for Warmth – 9:00 am at Hudson’s Bay High School (Vancouver, WA)
Organized by Clark County Public Utilities District, this annual event offers a 16-mile bike ride on a signed course. $40 registration gets you an event tee and the warm feeling of knowing you are helping support a nonprofit that helps low-income families pay energy bills. More info here.

Cycle Sundays Ride – 11:00 at Overlook Park (N)
Join Cycle Homies for a sunny ride at a moderate pace. Expect about 20-25 sunny and brisk miles with a food stop along the way. More info here.

Chill Forest Park Loop – 11:45 am at Something Cycles (E Burnside)
You’ve got to experience Forest Park in the dead of winter. The views are better (fewer leaves!) and with this dry weather, the dirt should be fast and fun. Ride led by Some Sorta Sycling Squad and they say this will be a no-drop chill pace with 25 miles and about 1,300 feet elevation gain. More info here.e

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

Podcast: Joshua Force and his Worldwide Bike Ride

In this episode I caught up with Joshua Force, who I’ve known for years as a really creative and wonderful dude, who now happens to be 15,000 or so miles into what he calls the Worldwide Bike Ride.

Joshua is in Quito, Ecuador right now where he’s volunteering and getting himself organized before setting off an another adventurous leg of his journey. I asked him about how he adjusts to so many new places, what it’s like creating his really cool puzzles, writings, and excellent newsletters on the road, where he got his inspiration for the ride, why he loads most all his weight on front racks, and more!

Highly recommend following Joshua’s adventures by subscribing to his Substack. He creates beautiful, fun, and interactive monthly newsletters full of puzzles, writings, and photography. You can also follow him on Instagram. If you’d like to support Joshua and learn more about his journey, check out his GoFundMe.

Have a listen or watch here on this page, or find it wherever you get your podcasts.