Year: 2025

New e-bike rebate bill would give vouchers only to Oregonians on government assistance

Family on an e-bike in Portland. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)

A controversial bill that seeks to ban Class 3 electric bikes from bike lanes and bike paths isn’t the only e-bike bill filed by Oregon lawmakers in the new legislative session.

House Representative Mark Gamba, a Democrat from Milwaukie, is sponsoring a bill that would provide eligible Oregonians a rebate of $1,200 on the purchase of an electric bike and related equipment. House Bill 2963 is similar to a bill proposed in 2023, but there are key differences a few more co-sponsors.

HB 2963 would establish an Electric Bicycle Incentive Fund with $6 million in seed money from the General Fund. The voucher program would also be administered via a rule created by the Environmental Quality Commission (the policy arm of the Deparment of Environmental Quality, DEQ). Those elements are the same as the bill proposed in 2023. 

What’s new this time around is the bill no longer has two tiers of eligibility. When the 2023 bill, HB 2571, first came out, it had no provision for lower-income people. After a major rewrite to curry more support, its sponsors decided to give people making 80% of median family income the full rebate of $1,200. Folks with higher incomes would be eligible for a smaller $400 rebate.

In HB 2963, they’re taking a new approach. Gone are the income requirements, and now the rebates will be available only for people who receive State of Oregon “medical assistance” (or who have received it in the previous 12 months) as defined in ORS 414.025 (17)(18). The rebate system will be coordinated with the Department of Human Services and Oregon Health Authority. Instead of requiring voucher recipients and bicycle retail shop employees to manage the rebate process themselves, this bill seeks to use the existing Oregon Eligibility System (ONE), which is already used by one in three Oregonians to access government programs like food assistance and medical benefits.

I haven’t spoken to Gamba or other architects of this bill, but I’ll assume this change was made to build political support for the rebate idea and to streamline its implementation.

With each voucher valued at $1,200, HB 2963 would fund 5,000 new bikes if it received $6 million (compared to 10,000 new bikes in the 2023 bill).

Co-sponsors of the bill include Reps Tom Andersen (D-Salem), Willy Chotzen (D-Portland), Travis Nelson (D-Portland), Hai Pham (D-Hillsboro/Beaverton), and Jules Walters (D-Tualatin/Wilsonville). On the Senate side, the bill is co-sponsored by Senators Chris Gorsek (D-Gresham) and Khanh Pham (D-Portland).

Portland has a rebate program of its own that’s slated to begin this summer. That program, funded with $20 million from the City of Portland’s Clean Energy Fund (a tax on retail sales of large corporations) is expected to fund 6,000 bikes over five years. If the Oregon Legislature passes a statewide rebate, Portlanders who qualify for both would be able to stack the benefits on top of each other.

In 2023, HB 2571 passed out of a House committee by a 9-1 margin with bipartisan support but ultimately died in the Ways & Means Committee (where all bills with fiscal impacts must go), despite a push from advocates. Time will tell if the changes in HB 2963 will get it across the finish line.

This new bill has two big things going in its favor: this session lawmakers could pass a multi-billion dollar transportation package so there will be a lot of money flowing around for stuff like this. And its chief sponsor Rep. Gamba is not only an e-bike rider himself, he’s a new member of the Joint Committee on Transportation, which gives him more sway than last time around (and bills that go through the JCT can have a quicker path through the legislative process).

E-bike rebates are a proven policy that have worked in many other states in recent years. With over half of all trips in Portland being less than three miles and research that shows even a small shift of trips from cars to e-bikes would reduce Portland’s transportation emissions by 12%, the environmental benefits are clear. And given the high cost of driving and other negative externalities created by cars, Oregon stands to reap many benefits by making e-bikes more accessible to more people.

If the bill passes it would go into effect in October of this year. Learn more about HB 2963 at the Oregon Legislative Information System.

Book review: In ‘Happy City,’ a timeless take on how to build better cities

By guest contributor Alison Grover. She recently wrote about bike parking.

I recently had the pleasure of reading, Happy City: Transforming Our Lives Through Urban Design by Charles Montgomery (Farrar Straus & Giroux, 2014). I savored almost every one of its 313 pages. Read this book if you care about the design of our built environment. 

The author, Charles Montgomery is an award-winning writer, researcher, and urbanist from Vancouver, British Columbia. He draws on his experiences living in Vancouver as well as his travels. Although this book was published over ten years ago, the ideas presented remain salient and valuable. 

Happy City is a collection of research and anecdotes illustrating what it means to live in a city that’s conducive to human happiness. Throughout the book, we learn about urban design, psychology, and neuroscience, getting to the heart of what produces joyful city residents. In a nutshell: it’s all about our social connections. 

One insight that resonated with me was a highlight on Mark Lakeman and The City Repair Project, a Portland-based placemaking group. You’ve probably either heard of them or seen their work in colorful, painted intersections around town. These were started as a response to Portland’s urban grid, where, “in most neighborhoods, the streets themselves became the only shared public space…[the grid] has a profound effect on the people who must inhabit it: it estranges them from the process of shaping their own world” (p. 305). Many times, I have wondered why sidewalks are practically the only public spaces in my southeast Portland neighborhood. Where is our gathering space? Parks, street plazas, and food truck pods offer informal, convivial public space; but we need more, especially on the east side, in order to get to know our neighbors and build ownership of our communities. 

Montgomery illustrates both the social isolation of living in dispersed suburbs, and conversely, the stress induced by ultra high-density apartment style living. He suggests that the happiest density lies somewhere in between. An ideal medium density would have enough people to support services, transit, and walkability, while keeping building heights below a couple of stories.

This book reads more like a novel rather than a manual on urban design. Montgomery doesn’t simply bombard us with research insights from the fields of design and psychology. Rather, he delivers information at the human scale for an enjoyable reading experience in the same way that human scale cities make for enjoyable lives. As the reader, you become invested in peoples’ stories while gaining insight from the experiences of a super-commuter in Northern California, a co-housing community in Vancouver, BC, and cramped apartment residents in New York City, to name a few. 

Throughout the book, Montgomery builds trust by going further than quoting urban planners, architects, politicians, and psychology experts. He’s cycling alongside Jan Gehl in Copenhagen. He’s chasing Enrique Penalosa around Bogota on a mountain bike. He’s chatting with Eric Britton while navigating Paris traffic on a bike. His writing is well-researched and well-rounded. 

Overall, I would recommend this book to those interested in convivial public spaces, walkable communities, meeting one’s neighbors, combatting social isolation, and democratizing housing and transportation. I hope you gain as much from it as I did. Happy reading!

Alison Grover has a master’s degree in Landscape Architecture and has been biking in Oregon since 2017.

Clark, Morillo tapped to lead Portland City Council transportation committee

Councilor Angelita Morillo will have a leading role on transportation and climate change committees. (Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)

Portland City Council will establish their first-ever set of policy committees at their meeting on Wednesday. Based on documents posted to the council agenda today, there will be eight committees with five council members each.

The new Transportation and Infrastructure Committee would be chaired by Councilor Olivia Clark (D4). Vice chair would be Angelita Morillo (D3) and the other members are Loretta Smith (D1), Mitch Green (D4) and Tiffany Koyama Lane (D3). All but Councilor Smith should be very familiar names to BikePortland readers and/or Bike Happy Hour attendees. And notably there are no members from District 2 (north/northeast).

In Portland’s new form of government, these committees will serve as the primary venues to debate and develop policy proposals. They will also provide oversight of city bureaus and programs. As far as how Portlanders will be able to connect to the committee itself, I’m not clear on that yet. I’m hoping there will be some sort of committee liaison staff person on the administrative side — separate from the councilors.

Clark was likely picked to lead the group due to her extensive experience with TriMet and the state legislature. As vice chair, Morillo will be responsible for leading the committee when Clark is absent. Morillo didn’t have a car growing up and was primarily a transit user prior to getting a bicycle last year. Councilors Green and Koyama Lane are both regular bike and transit riders who made their priorities about transportation clear during their campaigns. Morillo, Koyama Lane, and Green should be very progressive with their approach to transportation policies and projects, while we can likely expect Clark and Smith to be more conservative.

If the committees pass as posted to the agenda, Councilor Morillo could also play a leading role in another committee that will loom large on BikePortland: the Climate, Resilience, and Land Use Committee. Morillo is listed as co-chair of that committee with Councilor Steve Novick. Other proposed members include Candace Avalos, Dan Ryan and Sameer Kanal.

See the full list of committees and membership here. Council will vote on the committees at their meeting tomorrow at 6:00 pm. Because this resolution is on the “Nine-Twelfths Agenda” it must be approved by at least 9 of the 12 councilors to pass.

Below are all eight committees and their proposed membership:

Transportation and Infrastructure

  • Olivia Clark, Chair
  • Angelita Morillo, Vice Chair
  • Loretta Smith
  • Mitch Green
  • Tiffany Koyama Lane

Homelessness and Housing

  • Candace Avalos, Chair
  • Jamie Dunphy, Vice Chair
  • Angelita Morillo
  • Dan Ryan
  • Eric Zimmerman

Climate, Resilience, and Land Use

  • Steve Novick, Co-Chair
  • Angelita Morillo, Co-Chair
  • Candace Avalos
  • Dan Ryan
  • Sameer Kanal

Community and Public Safety

  • Steve Novick, Co-Chair
  • Sameer Kanal, Co-Chair
  • Angelita Morillo
  • Eric Zimmerman
  • Loretta Smith

Arts and Economy

  • Mitch Green, Co-Chair
  • Dan Ryan, Co-Chair
  • Jamie Dunphy
  • Loretta Smith
  • Olivia Clark

Labor and Workforce Development

  • Loretta Smith, Chair
  • Mitch Green, Vice Chair
  • Jamie Dunphy
  • Steve Novick
  • Sameer Kanal

Finance

  • Eric Zimmerman, Chair
  • Elana Pirtle-Guiney, Vice Chair
  • Candace Avalos
  • Mitch Green
  • Steve Novick

Governance

  • Tiffany Koyama Lane, Chair
  • Dan Ryan, Vice Chair
  • Elana Pirtle-Guiney
  • Jamie Dunphy
  • Olivia Clark

Oregon bill seeks to ban Class 3 e-bikes from sidewalks, bike lanes, and paths

My Class 3 Specialized Vado.

The Oregon Legislative session is in its infancy but we’ve already got a few bills worth tracking. Chief among them is a bill from Senator Floyd Prozanski (D-Eugene) that could have a massive impact on the thousands of people who ride Class 3 electric bicycles in Oregon.

Senate Bill 471 would prohibit the use of Class 3 e-bikes on sidewalks, bicycle lanes and bicycle paths. Specifically, it would add “Class 3 electric assisted bicycle” to an existing law (ORS 814.210) that regulates the use of mopeds on sidewalks, bike lanes and bike paths.

Class 3 e-bikes have motors that assist the rider up to 28 mph and they don’t have throttles. They’re very common and popular. I prefer Class 3 e-bikes because I like having the extra speed and power when I want it. Of my three e-bikes, two of them are Class 3 (a Specialized Vado (above) and a Riese & Müller Carrie). Oregon went to a three-class categorization system for e-bikes in the 2024 legislative session. The other two classes have top speeds (from the motor) of 20 mph. Class 1 has no throttle and electric-assist up to 20 mph, Class 2 has a throttle and a motor that can propel the rider up to 20 mph.

SB 471 would push the legal definition of Class 3 e-bikes closer to that of a moped, and in some legal contexts, would no longer consider Class 3 e-bikes to be “bicycles” at all. In Section 2 of the bill text, the proposed change would remove Class 3 e-bikes from the right-of-way protections afforded to bicycles in ORS 811.050 — meaning that people on Class 3 e-bikes would not have legal protection against a car user if that car user failed to yield to them in a bike lane.

Another change SB 471 seeks to make is an addition to ORS 814.430 (“Improper use of lanes”) that would give a Class 3 e-bike rider the legal right to use a bicycle lane or bicycle path, “only when the bicycle is powered exclusively by human power.”

How a law enforcement officer or judge could determine whether or not the motor was being used is unclear. Also unclear is the motivation behind this bill and what problem Senator Prozanski seeks to fix with these changes.

One lawyer and bicycle law expert I shared the bill language with said, “Removing right-of-way protection for Class 3 e-bikes in bike lanes, regardless of rider speed, has big implications for liability determination. And regulating based on e-bike class, rather than speed, is such an imprecise way to do it. How many people ride e-bikes they don’t realize are Class 3, and wouldn’t have the right-of-way in bike lanes under this bill, even if they’re only riding 15-20mph?”

Sen. Prozanski is no stranger to bike issues. He championed Oregon’s bicycle passing law in 2007 that is still on the books today (inspired by seeing a friend of his be hit and killed while bicycling) and he played a big role in getting Oregon’s “Idaho Stop” law in the books.

I’ve reached out to Sen. Prozanski’s office to learn more about SB 471 and will share more as the session moves forward.

UPDATE, 10:45 am on 1/15: House Rep Dacia Grayber responded to our post on Bluesky last night saying, “Yeah just going to put it out right here I’ll fight this one. The only way my Class 3 goes that fast is pedal- assisted, and pushing me out into Barbur traffic instead of the bike lane isn’t going to solve anything. This feels like a very narrow view – I’ll reach out to Prozanski to learn more.”

PAC fundraiser will launch ‘fight for transportation justice’ in 2025 legislative session

Today was the first day Oregon legislators and their staff were allowed into the State Capitol building in Salem. The session doesn’t officially begin until next Tuesday (January 21st), but buzz is already building around what’s to come: this session lawmakers and advocates will attempt to hammer out a major transportation funding package.

It will take a lot of advocacy and lobbying to make sure the package reflects a progressive view of transportation that goes well beyond freeway expansions and driving-centric megaprojects. The Oregon Moves Political Action Committee (PAC) is one of the groups that will do that work. This PAC will work directly with legislators to influence policy and they’ll need to raise money to do it. That’s why they’ve planned a campaign launch and fundraiser later this month.

“Join us and learn how you can help us win safer streets, better transit and climate action in the upcoming transportation package!” reads an invite to the January 24th launch event. Illustrating just what’s at stake is an impressive list of speakers and hosts that includes: Oregon State Senator Khanh Pham, Metro Councilor Juan Carlos Gonzalez, Portland City Councilor Candace Avalos, and noted activists Cassie Wilson (Move Oregon Forward), Michelle DuBarry (Families for Safe Streets), Nolan Lienhart (ZGF Architects), and Nat West (former city council candidate).

The Oregon Moves PAC launched in December 2023. State records show that so far the PAC has raised $55,500 from two donors: $55,000 from Lake Oswego-based philanthropist and software business owner Mike Perham (who’s also a co-owner of BikePortland), and $500 from William Henderson, former CEO of Ride Report. The PAC’s sole paid staffer is by Aaron Brown, one of the co-founders of No More Freeways and legislative aide to Senator Khanh Pham.

Note that Oregon Moves PAC is separate from Move Oregon Forward, which is a coalition of 501c3 nonprofits that have legal restrictions around political lobbying.

The January 24th launch event will take place from 6:30 to 8:30 pm at Taborspace (5441 SE Belmont). RSVP here.

Monday Roundup: Anti-enforcement, mobility lanes, bus boom, and more

Welcome to the week. Here are the most notable stories we came across in the past seven days.

LA bike shop owner battles fires: My heart goes out to everyone in Los Angeles as devastating fires continue to rip through the city. This account of a bike shop owner connects the tragedy to something we can all relate to — including a shot of a burned-out bike stand and a bike shop owner losing sleep because a customer’s bike was burned to a crisp. (Bicycle Retailer)

Welcome to the revolution, JT!: Just when you thought Coach Balto’s bike bus couldn’t be hyped any further, pop star Justin Timberlake showed up the day before his concert at Moda Center to ride with the kiddos. (The Oregonian 🔒)

Never too late: How many adults have you met that say, “Oh I’m not a cyclist,” or “I don’t bike”? This article is a great example of how, when given the right opportunity, almost anyone can get into riding and reap the benefits of bicycling. (The Guardian)

Enforcement vs design: This was a disappointing article because it falls into the trap of piling on popular targets (nonprofits and activists) while never mentioning how police voluntarily reduced enforcement to make a political point and how city road agencies also reduced emphasis on enforcement during the George Floyd era. Yes a lot of folks want to focus on design and sometimes that pendulum swings too far away from enforcement, but I’m in a lot of activist circles and have never felt as much anti-enforcement sentiment as the author of this piece tries to portray. Like most things, the truth is grey and in the middle, but it’s not as click-baitey, so we get articles like this. (The Atlantic 🔒)

E-bikes are “secret weapon”: Except for the misnomer that a $2,600 e-bike is “pricey,” it’s really great to see an article extolling the virtues of e-bikes as car replacements in a non-cycling media outlet. (Mother Jones)

Go by bus!: New federal statistics say transit ridership was up across America by over 17% in 2024. That’s great news! Now let’s keep the momentum going by giving buses a larger slice of the budget. (Mass Transit Mag)

Pricing progress: It appears that congestion pricing in Manhattan is going well and we can’t wait to see the first official reports of its impacts. For now, check out how it has impacted bus service. (Streetsblog NYC)

EV terrorism: An important piece that gets real about the threat posed by very heavy electric trucks and how city leaders should respond to their use if we want to keep streets safe. (Slate)

Time for “mobility lanes”: New report from Canada shows what I’ve been saying for many years now: E-bikes and other devices have changed the game and we need to change the rules of how we plan for them! Also, we should stop using the term “bike lanes” and shift to “mobility lanes”. (Bike Hub)

Take highways out, don’t widen them: “Through a climate lens, highways are the linchpin of our carbon-intensive car-driven transportation and land use system.” (Fast Company)

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.

Podcast: In The Shed Episode 34


Our first episode of 2025 features special guest Brock Dittus. Brock is the guy who started the Sprocket Podcast and he’s just an all around wonderful human, former school bus driver, and cargo-biking dad who’s been a big part of the local bike scene. He now lives in Salem, which he gives glowing reviews to in this episode.

Among the many fun things we chat about in this episode, you’ll hear me share some big ideas for cycling to and on Sauvie Island, and how to plan a good bike route to the forthcoming In-N-Out Burger that’s being planned to open out near the Portland Airport.

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

Thanks for listening!

The exciting N Willamette Blvd project just got very real

Lots of changes coming to N Willamette and Woolsey: turning restrictions for drivers, bus islands, newly designed concrete curbs to protect the bike lanes. (Image: PBOT)

This summer, the Portland Bureau of Transportation will break ground on the most exciting bike infrastructure project we’ve seen in many years. On Wednesday PBOT released 100% design plans for the North Willamette Active Transportation Corridor Project that make it crystal clear just how transformative the changes will be for this vital connection to and from St. Johns.

The $6 million federally-funded project will come with a significant update to the bike lanes and road profile of a three mile stretch of N Willamette Blvd between N Rosa Parks Way and N Richmond. PBOT plans to add concrete curbs to protect the bike lane, establish prohibitions on driver turning movements and lane access at key intersections, extend median islands to reduce traffic exposure for bicycle riders and walkers, add speed bumps, and make a host of other safety and traffic calming-related changes.

100% design plans aren’t final or exactly what we’ll see on the ground, but they’re very close. Close enough for PBOT to put the project out for bid so they can break ground this summer. With the release of new documents on Wednesday, PBOT has given us even more detailed visualizations and plans than the 60% plans they shared in March of last year. Along with the plan drawings, they’ve shared narrative explanations of several key changes at specific intersections.

Below is what we’ve learned thanks to an annotated map of the full corridor design…

Driver speeds on Willamette are likely to come way down thanks to 41 new “fire-friendly speed cushions” being installed along the three-mile stretch.

PBOT will debut a new design of their bike lane curbs. Instead of a symmetrical profile with bevels on both sides like the currently used curbs, the new design will have a squared-off profile on the drivers’ side. The total height looks a bit shorter (although I’m not sure about that), but the drivers’ side will now be a sharper 4-inches high instead of a 2-inch height with a bevel.

Starting from the southern end, PBOT plans to make big changes to the Rosa Parks Way intersection. They’ll widen the road, add concrete curbs to protect the bike lane for the entirety of the curve, separate the southbound bike lane completely from the road, and add more robust medians to calm car users and limit their turning movements.

Where N Willamette intersects with N Oatman/Liberty and N Vincent/Saratoga, new large concrete medians will reduce the width of expansive intersections by about 80%.

N Oatman/Liberty

At the N Bryant/Wabash neighborhood greenway intersection, PBOT will add bus islands, prohibit car drivers from using N Wabash and add several islands and new crossings to tame traffic and invite more walking and bicycling.

At N Chautauqua, PBOT will tighten corner radii to force drivers to slow down. They will also add concrete curbs to the centerline to prevent impatient car users from passing stopped buses and other vehicles (such as folks turning left from Willamette to Chautauqua). This is a huge improvement that is badly needed because many drivers currently dive into the bike lane whenever a driver or bus operator slows or stops at Chautauqua.

At N Woolsey (Columbia Park), PBOT will use more concrete curb dividers to prevent dangerous lane changes. And they’ll take it one step further with a new ban on left turns from Willamette to Woolsey. For drivers going south on Woolsey, they will be forced to only turn right (west) onto Willamette. This is being done due to make movement more predictable and prevent what PBOT says has been a “cluster of crashes” at the intersection in recent years.

At the intersection with N Harvard (just before University of Portland curve), PBOT will raise the bike lane up (similar to NE Couch at Burnside Bridge approach) because lanes are too narrow for concrete curbs. Just after N Harvard, PBOT will prohibit drivers from accessing Willamette from N Olin and force all car traffic to use Harvard.

At the entrance to University of Portland near N Haven Ave, PBOT will remove one of the two southbound lanes. “Traffic modeling showed right turn lane not necessary for traffic flow and it increases risk to pedestrian crossing so it will be removed,” PBOT says.

On the bridge over the railroad (“the cut”) between N Carey and N Ida, PBOT says they cannot install concrete curbs to protect the bike lane due to bridge weight restrictions. So they’ll install plastic wands and curbs instead.

At the northbound bike lane onto N Ida (Fred Meyer, Roosevelt High School), they’ll raise the bike lane (similar to NE Couch curve). Also at N Ida, going southbound, PBOT will remove the left turn lane, improve the bus stop and add crosswalks.

I told you it was exciting!

PBOT is so proud of their designs they’re offering two online “webinar-style walkthroughs” (January 22nd and 23rd) for anyone who wants to learn more. You can sign up for those on the project website.

Construction on this project should start this summer and is expected to take 12 months to complete.

Reconfiguration of N Kerby Ave offramp to be studied with federal planning grant

(Source: Eliot Neighborhood)

We’ve all heard about the I-5 Rose Quarter project, the State of Oregon’s plan to widen I-5 and redevelop the lower Albina neighborhood decimated by construction of the freeway. But there’s another neighborhood less than a mile north that also suffered greatly by construction of an interstate.

Today the US Department of Transportation awarded the Portland Bureau of Transportation a $1 million grant to study the reconfiguration of an I-405 offramp.

The North Kerby Avenue offramp tore out dozens of homes in the 1970s between N Mississippi and Vancouver avenues and today it funnels freeway traffic into a dense residential neighborhood. Inspired by the Albina Vision Trust and their effort to rebuild the Albina neighborhood near the Moda Center, Boise-Eliot Neighborhood Land Use and Transportation Committee Chair Allan Rudwick began researching the offramp and its impacts. With the backing of the neighborhood and in partnership with the Portland Bureau of Transportation he championed a grant through the USDOT’s Reconnecting Communities Pilot Program.

“Project area showing an intact neighborhood street grid before the I-405 ramps were constructed.” (Source: PBOT)
“Project study area, including the I-405 ramps, PBOT Albina Maintenance Yards, Legacy Emanuel Campus and the surroundi neighborhoods of Boise and Eliot in North/Northeast Portland.”
(Source: PBOT)

In a joint statement released today from Oregon’s congressional delegation, the Kerby project was one of three planning grants awarded funding through the Biden Infrastructure Law. The announcement also included $2 million each for the Reconnecting 82nd Ave Community Planning Study and the Tualatin-Valley Highway Community Connections Planning Study.

Rudwick’s Kerby Ramp Redevelopment Project will look to re-establish parts of the Eliot neighborhood demolished by the freeway offramp. It will also investigate redevelopment of the City of Portland’s Albina Maintenance Yard, a large equipment storage facility that sits on land carved out by ODOT during construction of the freeway.

“Receipt of this planning grant would allow the City of Portland to pursue creating acres of new land to be used for parks, affordable housing, and new connections between the two neighborhoods,” reads a project description.

In addition to the $1 million from USDOT, PBOT will contribute a $250,000 local match.

See the project website on the Eliot Neighborhood website for more information.

City of Vancouver rejects road diet vote initiative

Yesterday’s paper. (Photo: Todd Boulanger)

A group of Vancouver, Washington residents who hoped to force a vote of the people prior to any road diet project saw their dreams dashed Monday night. Officials from the City of Vancouver said in their legal opinion, a proposal to change city code supported with over 6,500 signatures is simply illegal and cannot move forward.

Here’s how it was reported by The Columbian:

“In front of a room packed with more than 100 people Monday night, Vancouver officials declared an initiative that would require voter approval to remove traffic lanes from city streets to be legally invalid and ineligible for placement on a future ballot.

“Allowing an ordinance that we believe to be illegal to proceed to public vote not only sets a precedent for potential future initiatives in Vancouver, but for other cities in Washington,” City Manager Lon Pluckhahn said.

As a result, the Vancouver City Council took no action on the initiative after a lengthy public hearing.”

Jason Cromer is an advocate with Cycle Vancouver. He was at the council meeting Monday night and reached out to BikePortland to share his takeaways. He said the vibe in the room was “tense” but that a massive showing against the initiative petition told the story. Of the 57 people who testified on the issue, Cromer estimated about 45 of them spoke against the change in city code that petitioners seek. That huge majority that showed up spoke out in favor bike lanes, transit, safety, and “transportation freedom,” Cromer shared. “Those folks came from varying backgrounds, ages, and ethnicities. Meanwhile, the few that spoke in favor of the initiative made no effort to speak about safety, or transportation freedom, but focused purely on why a lane removal would add a few seconds to their commute.”

Justin Wood, a lead petitioner and representative of Save Vancouver Streets, the grassroots group that pushed the initiative, told BikePortland they plan to move forward with a lawsuit. He said their attorney disagrees with the opinion of the City of Vancouver’s attorney and that they believe their proposal is allowable under state law.

“This was a huge success for the city, and for the people of Vancouver. Whether or not you drive, giving people the freedom to choose how they get around is instrumental for combatting traffic, poverty, and safety issues.”

– Jason Cromer, Cycle Vancouver

“We are planning to move forward [with a lawsuit against the city] in large part to honor the work that the people did to collect the signatures.” Wood said he and other Save Vancouver Streets activists are not opposed to bike lanes. “I just don’t think it is being done right,” he said. “And I don’t think the city is doing a good job engaging and educating what they are doing and the value [of what they are doing].” 

While Save Vancouver Streets raises money for the upcoming legal battle, urbanists in Vancouver like Jason Cromer are relieved and buoyed by the show of support at city council. “This was a huge success for the city, and for the people of Vancouver. Whether or not you drive, giving people the freedom to choose how they get around is instrumental for combatting traffic, poverty, and safety issues.”

Job: Bike Mechanic – Bike Clark County nonprofit

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Job Title

Bike Mechanic

Company / Organization

Bike Clark County nonprofit

Job Description

About Us:
​​Bike Clark County is a non-profit organization that creates opportunities for empowerment, education, and social change through bicycles and bicycle repair. As a nonprofit, we run a full-service bike shop and repair bicycles donated from the community, and redistribute them through our charitable programs and affordable bike sales. Join us and contribute to a fun, friendly, and welcoming environment for all customers and staff.

General Position Summary
This position is a technical role within the BCC Bike Shop and works to meet service goals and standards. A Bike Mechanic is responsible for conducting mechanical service, including customer bicycle repair, bike refurbishment, and fleet maintenance. This position primarily operates within the Bike Shop location.

As a member of the Bike Shop Staff, Mechanics are also expected to provide support for shop-based programming, including the supporting Community Bench and Volunteer Night. Additionally, Staff in all positions at the Bike Shop may also be responsible for providing support to other off-site programs and events, as needed.

Position Title: Bike Mechanic
Reports To: Service Lead
Position Type: Full-Time / Part-Time
Hours: 32-40 hours per week
Compensation: $19-25 per hour, DOE
Benefits: Annual cost-of-living wage increases, paid vacation (1 week per year), Health Care Stipend ($100 per month), access to industry discounts
Schedule: Regular Shop Hours (Wed-Sat) & Workshop Day (optional)
Location: BCC Bike Shop – 1604 Main Street Vancouver, WA 98660

Position Responsibilities:
Service Workspace
• Thoroughly complete work orders for repairs, assemblies, refurbishments, safety checks and accessory installs for many types of bicycles;
• Complete work in a timely manner to normal industry specifications and high-quality standards;
• Ensure the safe operation of all bikes serviced by BCC;
• Assist in service intake and customer correspondence for related service needs;
• Assist other BCC Staff and customers with technical questions and recommendations;
• Maintain a clean and organized space for Staff and customers;

Retail
• Work in the retail space to provide consultation with customers on new and used bicycles, components and accessories
• Be able to provide education to customers on how to properly maintain their bikes.
• Assess mechanical integrity of used inventory & assist in maintaining organization
• Notify a Shop Lead of service items needing restocking
• Add service items to weekly ordering lists, including special orders, when needed
• Regularly communicate needs for service operations, used parts and bikes to the Shop Leadership Team

How to Apply

Send your resume, and cover letter:
<apply@bikeclarkcounty.org>
Include the following items in the email:
Email Subject Line: “Last Name, First Name – Bike Shop Lead: Service”
Resume (name the file as follows: “Last Name, First Name – Resume”)
Cover Letter (name the file as follows: “Last Name, First Name – Cover Letter”)

Portland chapter of All Bodies on Bikes will foster body-positive cycling

An All Bodies on Bikes group ride in 2022. (Photo: All Bodies on Bikes)

When we talk about building a more inclusive cycling community here in Portland, some folks might think only of race and/or gender. But there’s another tendency in the cycling world that makes lots of folks feel left out: an industry-wide focus on thin bodies. It’s true: the cycling world has a body image problem.

That’s not surprising given that the cycling industry revolves mostly around elite racing, and those who compete and train at the highest levels shed ounces from their bodies with as much fervor as weekend warriors shed ounces from their bikes. It’s also not surprising that there’s a growing pushback led by a nonprofit organization founded in 2021 called “All Bodies on Bikes.”

Almost four years since that group launched with a popular video (that happened to be filmed in Oregon), Portland will finally get a local chapter of its own. All Bodies on Bikes Portland is lead by Colt Seidman, someone who’s own experience with the group speaks to its positive impact.

Seidman told BikePortland they first heard about All Bodies on Bikes a few years ago while recovering from a bike injury. “As a disabled, neurodivergent bicyclist, All Bodies On Bikes helped me feel less alone.” The All Bodies on Bikes community opened a world to Seidman that inspired her to take better care of her body and to become a better cyclist. “As a plus-size queer woman, I really felt a connection with All Bodies On Bikes (ABOB) and wanted to bring this special space to Portland, with some help of some community members.”

ABOB co-founder and Oregonian Kailey Kornhauser and board member Brian Benavente are helping Seidman with the launch. To help kick things off, they’ll host a film screening and group ride on February 9th (location TBD).

For now, roll over to Bike Happy Hour this week (Wednesday, 1/8 from 3:00 to 6:00 pm at Migration Brewing on N Williams Ave) to meet Seidman and learn more about what’s in store. And follow @ABOBPortlandOR on Instagram for updates.

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