2025 Archives

Portland e-bike rebate program expected to launch later this summer

The City of Portland is on track to launch an electric bike subsidy program later this summer. It’s been nearly one year since BikePortland last checked in on the program, so I connected with city staff and heard a minor update this week.

To refresh your memory, the e-bike rebate program passed as part of the Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund’s (PCEF) Capital Investment Plan in June 2024. The plan is to use $20 million from that fund (which comes from a tax on large corporations) to support an estimated 6,000 new e-bike purchases over the next five years. In addition to helping Portlanders afford these new vehicles, the program will train mechanics and launch a program for e-bike parking and storage at multi-family apartment buildings.

According to Program Manager Seetha Ream-Rao, the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) has completed a competitive bid process for the vendor organization that will ultimately run the program. BPS is now working to get that vendor fully under contract. (They haven’t shared the name of the vendor, but I’ve asked and will update this post if/when I hear back.)

“It’s looking like we will have a soft launch of the e-bike program late summer/early fall and will do a full rollout early next year,” Ream-Rao shared with BikePortland Thursday. She also said that in the next several weeks BPS will be able to share more details about the program framework, eligibility requirements, and how the rebate process will work.

In related e-bike ownership news…

There’s also a statewide e-bike rebate program in the works in the form of House Bill 2963. As BikePortland reported late last month, its chief sponsor, Milwaukie-area House Rep. Mark Gamba, is likely going to add it to the larger transportation funding package currently being debated by lawmakers. If passed, the bill would set aside $5 million for Oregonians who receive government food assistance and make them eligible for a $1,200 e-bike purchase rebate.

This Saturday, The Street Trust will give 25 east Portland residents a brand new e-bike of their own. The bikes are delivered through TST’s Ride2Own program (also funded by PCEF). An event at Portland Community College SE Campus will feature TST Executive Director Sarah Iannarone, Rep. Gamba, and Nick Wood from Portland-based Vvolt Electric Mobility.

‘Watershed’ sidewalk investment plan passes Portland City Council

The City of Portland has passed an ambitious new transportation program that, if all goes according to plan, would invest $50 million per year on sidewalks, improved shoulder pathways, and pothole repairs citywide — with a specific emphasis on southwest and east Portland. It’s one of the most significant pieces of policy passed by council since they convened for the first time in January and a major win for the two councilors who spearheaded it.

The Sidewalk Improvement and Paving Program (SIPP) first came to light back in March and was created by District 1 City Councilor Loretta Smith and District 4 Councilor Mitch Green (since then it’s gained support and is also sponsored by D4 councilors Olivia Clark and Eric Zimmerman). Smith and Green found common cause in a desire to correct the historic lack of sidewalk coverage in east and west Portland.

There’s no funding plan yet; but Councilor Green (an economist by training) is working on a bonding plan that will come before the Finance Committee shortly. He says debt financing should be sufficient to raise $200 million over four or five years. The use of funds secured through the sale of city bonds means the program could be implemented without raising taxes and without impacting the current transportation bureau budget.

While what passed yesterday is just a resolution, and doesn’t carry the legal authority of an ordinance, once a finance plan is in place, this program will have a major impact on how the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) builds out the city’s sidewalk network. And thanks to a successful amendment proposed by Councilor Clark, the program will also permit PBOT to build “alternative pathways” when full sidewalks are not feasible. These pathways give PBOT the ability to address sidewalk gaps by finding creative design solutions that are easier and/or cheaper to build than raised concrete sidewalks with curbs and all the related stormwater features they require. These pathways (which would be used by bicycle riders as well in many cases) are likely to be similar to the “alternative walkway” PBOT built on NE 60th Avenue in the Cully neighborhood in 2021.

Whether or not SIPP projects could happen in Cully, which is in District 2, and whether or not PBOT will be limited to building projects only in districts 1 and 4, was a major point of debate in Wednesday’s meeting.

Surprisingly, District 1 Councilor Candace Avalos proposed an amendment to remove districts from the policy language entirely. Avalos felt like creating programs that target specific districts might set a bad precedent. “I’m trying to prevent us from making this precedent where we’re going to turn this into some kind of turf war,” Avalos said. She believes PBOT should use its existing data and equity toolkit to determine which parts of Portland need sidewalks the most — instead of having politicians dictate where investments go.

Councilor Green disagreed strongly.

PBOT map showing dearth of complete sidewalks in districts 1 and 4.

“I think if you strike the terms ‘District 1’ and ‘District 4’, it renders the point of this resolution largely moot and we just fall back on the broader transportation planning framework that we already have.” “How long should southwest Portland wait for sidewalks? Is it 50 years? Is it 100 years? Is it longer?,” Green asked rhetorically in a passionate defense of the program.

“I think we were elected to fight for our districts, and I’m doing that right now,” Green continued. “I’m not going to go back to my district and talk to the immigrant community in southwest Portland and tell them I did not fight for them.”

PBOT Director Millicent Williams was on hand to clarify how they would interpret the program. Asked by Council President Elana Pirtle-Guiney whether the resolution would prohibit PBOT from using SIPP to build projects in districts 2 and 3, Williams said no. In the end, the Avalos amendment failed as councilors realized that, while the resolution prioritizes districts 1 and 4, other districts could receive investments as well.

Another element of this new program that was clarified on Wednesday was what resolutions sponsors mean when they say “pavement.” “Just for the record, ‘pavement maintenance deficiencies’ [in the resolution language] is a euphemism for potholes,” Councilor Clark said.

When it came time to cast a final vote, one of the resolution’s chief architects, Councilor Loretta Smith said, “We are writing our past wrongs and making sure that everyone in the city of Portland has an opportunity not just to survive, but they have an opportunity to safe streets and sidewalks.” In a statement yesterday, Smith said its passage was, “a watershed moment.” And her colleague Councilor Green added, “I think today is going to mark a turning point in the history of this city where we say we are no longer going to accept neighborhoods in our city to be ignored.”

District 3 Councilor Steve Novick was the lone “no” vote. “I think asking PBOT to spend time planning,= to do things we have no money to do is putting the cart before the horse and I’m not prepared to say that I prioritize $200 million for sidewalks before we have addressed the pavement maintenance deficit,” he said.

From here, Councilor Green and his staff will work on the funding plan that will soon be on the agenda of the Finance Committee. That plan will be an ordinance and, if it’s passed, will give the SIPP the funding and legal backing it needs to be something much more than just another plan. Smith said in a statement that PBOT would begin planning and implementation immediately and said the community can expect major developments in SIPP by this summer. Stay tuned.

Bike bus leader hopes to ride safe streets message into school board seat

Rob Galanakis wants Portland Public Schools to see the forest and not just the trees outside classroom windows. His campaign for a seat on the PPS Board leans heavily on the idea that PPS goes about its business largely with its head in the sand while solutions to many problems can be found in the streets just beyond school grounds.

Galanakis, a co-founder of BikeBusPDX and software company owner who moved to Portland in 2014, biked over to the BikePortland Shed on Wednesday to share more about his vision for Portland’s troubled school district.

Portland currently has about 20 active bike buses and they’ve become one of the most powerful forces transportation activism in our town has ever seen. Galanakis is on a mission to join each one of them during his campaign and he’s nearly reached that goal. From Alameda to Lents, he’s seen a vast array of differences among them. “Each one is different. Each one has its own culture. Each one has its own differences with its routes,” Galanakis shared. The rides have also given him a chance to observe the often chaotic and unsafe morning drop-off zones in front of schools.

Asked how he’d solve the drop-off and pick-up traffic problems, Galanakis offered what he feels is a simple fix: Add more exit and entry points and disperse them across a wider school frontage zone. “When cars all funnel to one place, you can’t avoid congestion,” he says.

Galanakis is a school and transportation advocate and a relative regular at Portland City Hall where he’s given testimony on everything from PPS’s climate policy to the urban growth boundary. He has a professional background as a software entrepreneur and business owner, but he doesn’t bring a business approach to educational policymaking: “There’s a huge difference for me between the private world and public world. In the private world, you can do a thing and fail… and that’s okay. We only have one public school system. Our public school system can’t fail. We can’t let it fail.”

Galanakis has some novel ideas for how to meld land use, transportation and urban planning solutions to stronger schools. For instance, school choice policies allow families to gravitate toward better schools; but those schools are typically in places where it’s expensive to live. To help level the playing field, Galanakis wants the School Board to take a more active role in housing policy. “If you are low income, you’re less likely to live in Alameda, Hosford-Abernethy, or Mount Tabor areas — and in fact, in a lot of these areas, the only place you can afford to live is in an apartment on a dangerous, dirty arterial street where your kids are more likely to have asthma, they’re more likely to have traffic injuries, and they’re less likely to have a place to be outside,” he says. “What we really should have is broad up-zoning across the inner east side so we can build family-size apartments to allow these lower-income families to move. Why can’t they live in an apartment on Lincoln? The Lincoln and Harrison Neighborhood Greenway could have apartments…. All these things are connected, we can’t just think of housing as a thing that happens to us. It has to be a thing PPS actively advocates for.”

The central principal of Galanakis’ campaign is that PPS needs to break out of its silo and see how student outcomes are impacted by things well beyond school campuses. By pushing for healthier streets and a more humane city beyond school grounds, Galanakis believes all students will do better.

As a prime example for how PPS is trapped in their own bubble, Galanakis said the district is “One of the major impediments towards improving our neighborhood greenway network.” “A majority of our elementary and middle schools are on greenways and PPS will not restrict any driving access to their properties. This means we can’t have modal filters, we can’t have diverters, and we may not even be able to have speed bumps… If you want a connected greenway network, one of the best things you can do is get the school board interested in getting more families walking and biking.”

Here’s another way Galanakis lays out his concern that PPS needs to broaden its lens:

“PPS thinks about only what happens on their property — at the curb and in the building — and transportation for them is only yellow school busses. PPS is one of the largest landholders. It’s one of the largest employers. It’s the largest car trip generator in the city. It is this really integral entity. You’re never more than a mile or mile-and-a-half from a school wherever you are in most of Portland — and they’re just not interested in how the schools integrate with the rest of the city. So I got into it with this transportation lens, but then I realized it affects health, it affects housing, it affects climate, it affects financial stuff… that’s what got me here.”

Galanakis hopes his message of how we need a great city to have great schools inspires folks who don’t have school-aged kids or other connections to schools to vote for him on May 20th.

Watch our full interview in the video below (audio is better on our podcast just FYI). For more about Galanakis, check out his website at RobGForPPS.com.

Here’s why cyclists won’t be allowed to play on new ‘Back Nine’ golf course trail

Back Nine Nature Trail shown in blue in upper right of PP&R map.

The Portland Parks & Recreation plan to create new trails and paths in Rose City Golf Course and Rose City Park leaves cycling out of one leg of the new loop. When I covered their plan earlier this week I lamented that fact, because I understand how a connected loop without a gap would have exponentially more value than one where cyclists are told to turn back.

To refresh your memory, Parks plans to build four trail segments to circumnavigate the park and golf course as part of their Rose City Recreational Trail Project. A total of 2.2 miles of new routes will be added thanks to this $4 million investment; but just 1.8 miles of it will be open to bikes. I’m not one to demand full bike access to everything all the time, and I certainly understand the art of compromise. That being said, Parks’ latest update on the project didn’t explain the reason why cycling would not be allowed in the northeast corner of the golf course — on what they call the “Back Nine Nature Trail”. I’ve golfed this course, and that area of the park offers the most remote and topographically interesting area of the entire parcel. It seemed to me there was ample space to make some sort of cycling route that would be compatible with golfing and stay inside various permitting requirements.

To learn more about why this decision was made, I reached out to Parks for further clarification. I heard back yesterday from PP&R Capital Project Manager Johnny Fain. He offered several reasons why PP&R decided to not allow biking on the Back Nine Nature Trail.

First, Fain said golf course staff and operations folks said having bicycle riders move the through back nine area (between holes 14, 15, and 16), “presents significant detriments to the playability of the course.” I take this to mean that because of the way the holes are laid out, unlike all the other planned trails, the back nine area would put bicycle riders in the direct line of fire of golfers. Yes, walkers and joggers would do the same thing, so I assume the feeling is that bike riders would be harder to communicate with and might be less likely to have the situational awareness to hear golfers calling out “fore” as a warning.

Fain also said the project provides over 1.8 miles of new or improved cycling access and that excluding bikes from one trail segment represents a “balance of uses.” “We have heard a split response from the community with many voices opposed to cyclists on trails, and many in favor. The current design approach seeks to balance trail uses within the project scope and budget.”

Then there’s the environmental aspect of what type of trail would be feasible in that section of the golf course. Fain says they are dealing with a requirement that the Back Nine Nature Trail be under 48-inches wide. According to PP&R’s existing trail design guidelines, that width does not allow for a shared walking and cycling space. In order for trails to be used by cyclist and walkers, the guidelines state that a trail must be six-feet wide for a one-way cycling path and 12-feet wide for a two-way trail. I can appreciate following guidelines, and maybe this project isn’t the place to do it, but I feel like we need a broader debate about how that width requirement severely limits Portland’s ability to improve off-road cycling access. Narrow, shared trails are extremely common and successful all over the country and there’s no reason Portlanders can’t figure this out too.

Since Fain said PP&R is considering two different alignments in the northeast corner of the golf course, I asked if it was possible to build both so we could have one for cycling and one for other uses. Fain said they are exploring two different routes to see which one fits the budget and feasibility requirements of the project. “It is unlikely both routes will be constructed,” he added.

So there it is: While we won’t get a full loop to bike on, it will be really cool to have all these new, off-street and unpaved bike routes and the planned trail upgrades are very exciting.

Learn more about the project on the city’s website.

Weekend Event Guide: De Ronde, Train Day, a road race, and more

The De Ronde has become such a tradition that folks who live in the West Hills come out to support the riders! (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)

Happy Bike Month! I rode myself to Bike Happy Hour yesterday and it was so nice to be back out on the streets. I’m hoping the next few weeks I’ll be out there again with my cameras and such.

Also, if you haven’t already done so, now is the time to hit up your local bike shop to make sure your bike is in perfect working order for the upcoming onslaught of amazing rides. Speaking of which, see this week’s picks below. And happy biking!

Friday, May 9th

Midnight Mystery Ride – 11:30 pm at Errol Heights Park (SE)
Monthly magical mystery tour promises all types of fond memories and shenanigans among a crew of late night riding aficionados. More info here.

Saturday, May 10th

Barton Park Road Race – All Day in Barton Park (Estacada)
A special event that brings road racing back to a really cool location. You’ll be tested on a seven-mile circuit. More info here.

Saturdays in May Ride – 10:00 am at Peninsula Park (N)
Hosted by advocacy nonprofit BikeLoud PDX, this ride is sure to scratch your itch for infrastructure and policy nerdery. Get to know north Portland bikeways and discover cool new routes along the way. Expect a 7-10 mile route at a family-friendly pace. More info here.

Train Day – 10:00 am at Oregon Rail Heritage Center (SE)
A special day just for train lovers! Expect food, activities, train rides, expert docents giving tours of train cabs. You’ll have a rail-ly good time! More info here.

Sunday, May 11th

Ronde PDX – 9:00 am at 3610 NW St. Helens Rd (NW)
Portland’s beloved spring classic that tackles all the grueling climbs in the West Hills. A way to suffer among others with a lot of cool trimmings set up by great organizers over the years. Unsanctioned fun and a bucket-list item for sure. More info here.

Coffee Outside Ride – 9:00 am at Rose City Park (NE)
Don’t you love the vibes from making coffee outside during a bike tour? You can mimic that sensation by meeting up with this nice group, doing a chill, five-mile ride, and then brewing coffee and sharing snacks at the end. More info here.

Ride Safe: Outside the Lines – All Bodies All Wheels – 2:30 pm at Irving Park (NE)
Feel like you don’t fit in? Come to a ride where you’ll always be welcomed and where organizers says, “Bring your whole self, whether it’s silly and social, quiet, or somewhere in between.” More info here.

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

Port unveils plan to smooth traffic to and from PDX airport

At an advisory committee Tuesday morning, the Port of Portland fleshed out plans for big changes to the intersection of NE 82nd Way and Airport Way.

As I reported last week, the Port is moving forward on a project to relieve congestion at the busy intersection that feeds directly into Portland Airport terminals. At their meeting today, Port Aviation Planner Mike Coleman shared more details about the project and fielded a question about why the Port will invest over $100 million for a car-focused project when there’s a light rail line that goes directly to the terminal.

Coleman said Airport Way is the busiest surface street in the state of Oregon with 60,000 car users passing through it each day. The intersection handles airport traffic and regional traffic headed to and from the I-205 bridge. Currently there are 13 general travel lanes entering the intersection, as well as two tracks of MAX light rail vehicles. This leads to long signal wait times, made even longer because of the eight MAX trains that rumble by each hour (something that “interrupts the operation of the intersection,” Coleman said).

Port Planner Mike Coleman at Tuesday’s meeting

Coleman said the Port isn’t planning to expand the width of the roadways or add any more lanes. Instead, their design reduces the number of traffic movements that require separate signal phases . Their solution creates a flyover on Airport Way for eastbound (toward Cascade Station/I-205) drivers to avoid the signal altogether. Westbound (toward the airport) drivers would also avoid a signal by having two through lanes without facing cross-traffic. The two left turn lanes that come from 82nd Way would be separated as they join the westbound lanes on Airport Way and there would be no need for merging. People who want to use 82nd Way would turn under the overpass.

“So really, lane-wise, nothing changes,” Coleman said at today’s committee meeting. “We just move some of those conflicting movements out of the intersection. So no additional lanes, and yet a snappier, single operation.”

Coleman also claimed new design would make crossing Airport Way easier for people walking and biking. Non-drivers would still need to cross nine lanes (plus the two MAX tracks) to reach the Airport Way frontage road, but that’s two less than today’s crossing. And the new design would mean walkers and bikers would face only one lane of eastbound car traffic instead of four. Put another way, if you want to get to the frontage road from NE 82nd Way today, the crossing currently consists of six different segments — a slip-lane, then the MAX tracks, then three eastbound lanes, then two westbound turn lanes, then three more westbound lanes, then the two lanes of the frontage road. The new design removes one of those segments.

Coleman said the new crossing will be a, “Much safer, much simpler approach to pedestrian and bicycle access at the interchange.”

Slides shown at an advisory committee meeting Tuesday.

For a project estimated to cost well over $100 million and that’s being pitched as a safety project (more on that below) that type of crossing still leaves something to be desired for folks who aren’t driving. Non-drivers will cross underneath a short tunnel, creating possible public safety concerns. And it remains unclear what type of crossing walkers and bikers will have. Will they be flashing beacons or full signals? Will the detection be responsive?

During his presentation Tuesday, Coleman said no new lanes are in the plans at the moment. But the Port understands width exists for adding more in the future. Speaking about the two westbound lanes and generous shoulder width, Coleman said, “Early on, I’m confident that this could actually be done with only two through lanes, but three lanes would be available in the future.”

After Coleman’s presentation, another member of the committee questioned the intent of the project, saying he felt it was being designed to allow more driving. “$100 million for a project that facilitates more cars coming to the airport when we have a light rail system that connects directly to it? I think funds could be better spent,” the commenter said.

Coleman responded by saying typical trip generation rules don’t apply to the airport and he believes induced demand is “less likely.” Coleman pushed backed at the notion the project was about increasing capacity for drivers. “This is a multi-category project. I’d say it’s safety-oriented; it’s delay-reducing.”

The Port’s Chief Aviation Officer Dan Pippenger backed up Coleman. “Many of our passengers don’t have access to the light rail system. They’re coming from outside of it.” Pippenger then said backups on the road can be “pretty rough” during peak times and “We just want to get [those drivers] through and out.”

“You know, we’re still a car-based economy,” Pippinger added. “And what we can get out of it, we can maybe foresee those reductions that we would all like to see in emissions and things of that nature.”

So far, the Port has completed preliminary design work and is confident they have a buildable project. The design will be finalized in the coming year and they hope to break ground in 2027.

Job: Bike Valet – Seasonal – Go By Bike

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Job Title

Bike Valet – Seasonal

Company / Organization

Go By Bike

Job Description

Come work at the largest bike valet in North America!

Go By Bike seeks seasonal bike valet attendants. We are located under the aerial tram in South Waterfront. Throughout the summer we will park about 400 bikes a day. Our mission is to provide the best end and start to people’s bike commutes.

In addition to valeting bikes, Go By Bike offers repairs ranging from flat fixes to full tune-ups. We also operate a pedicab service, providing free rides along Moody Ave to the aerial tram. Plus, we manage loaner bikes for Oregon Health and Science University.

Responsibilities include parking and retrieving bikes, as well as assisting with our loaner bike program. Much of your time will be spent walking outside. Our shop is a converted 20-foot shipping container with AC, heating, and big windows.

Customer service and a friendly and positive attitude are a must. Go By Bike appreciates diversity and inclusivity and keeps an open, positive atmosphere. We are looking for a teammate who will share in these values.

We are hiring for a few different seasonal, part time positions. One of these positions will be valeting in the morning, two positions will be to valet in the afternoon/evening. The fourth position will have a rotating schedule that will change every two weeks, including opening shifts, closing shifts and midshifts. This fourth position will also have rotating duties, including valeting bikes and operating a pedicab.

Compensation is $20/hour. Go By Bike is open Monday through Friday, so everyone has weekends off, plus paid holidays.

We are looking for people who are honest, punctual, kind and have strong open communication skills.

How to Apply

To apply email gobybikeshop@gmail.com with a resume and 1-2 paragraphs about why you would like to work at Go By Bike.

Job: Shop Manager & Lead Mechanic – bike works by p:ear

Job Title

Shop Manager & Lead Mechanic

Company / Organization

bike works by p:ear

Job Description

Position: Shop Manager & Lead Mechanic

1 FTE: Tuesday-Saturday. Requires occasional evenings and Sundays
Reports To: p:ear Works Director
Compensation: $57,000 – Benefits include 4 weeks paid vacation, health, dental, 3% Simple IRA match, short-term disability, 8 paid sick days

Position Description
You are a dynamic individual and Lead bicycle mechanic, who will help lead and support our social purpose community bike shop in East Portland. bike works supports Portland’s Eastside communities, providing low cost, low barrier access to bike repair, sales and education of refurbished bicycles and parts. This position will support the p:ear Works Director, oversee the other mechanics, assist with daily shop operations, teach our bike mechanic school and help mentor p:ear youth bike mechanic interns at the shop.

Essential Job Functions
As the Shop Manager and Lead Mechanic, you will provide direction, oversight and leadership to a small, but diverse group of mechanics and youth interns. You will be expected to build and maintain strong relationships with staff and the community. You will help produce a successful, profitable shop that builds and contributes impact and belonging to our community and community partners.

Required Qualifications & Competencies
● Committed to personal growth with a high degree of humor + emotional intelligence
● Must be a positive and strong role model, have a collaborative, team-oriented work style, and strong strategic and problem-solving skills
● Must be committed to non-violence, trauma informed care + compassionate responses

● Must have awareness of one’s own identity, an understanding of differences, and an excitement about building relationships cross-culturally
● Strong commitment to advancing equity and inclusion and creating and maintaining a diverse environment
● Ability to learn & build on the varying cultural & community norms of p:ear youth
● Self-initiating, independent and highly motivated
● Strong leadership skills and capacity to work in a deadline-oriented, chaotic environment
● Commitment to advancing equity and creating and maintaining an inclusive environment that is welcoming for all
● Commitment to non-violence and compassionate responses
● Bike shop mechanic experience – minimum of 5 years in a professional setting
● Excellent customer service and communication skills; bilingual a plus
● Able to work independently, problem solve and complete tasks with minimal oversight
● Proficiency in Lightspeed POS
● Build and sustain relationships with community partners and donors

Essential Duties & Responsibilities
● Teach 3 bike mechanic cohorts annually (8 weeks/1 day week per cohort)
● Proficiently execute assembly, repairs and maintenance for all types of bicycles, particularly used and older bicycles
● Assist in daily shop operations: ordering, inventory, forecasting, bike repair
● Exemplifies compassion and understanding around the barriers of homelessness and underrepresented populations in the community – see above
● Maintain an organized and efficient work environment
● Represent bike works and p:ear and its mission to positively and professionally identify barriers and recommend solutions to better serve the community
● Attend p:ear fundraisers & community building activities
● Be a positive role-model and mentor for our bike mechanic interns

Mechanics
● Properly assess and determine bike repairs and recommend customer options
● Repair and refurbish bicycles to be sold in the shop, as well as to be donated
● Track all parts and new & used for each repair or build
● Maintain a neat and organized workspace
● Maintain a high level of professionalism
● Perform quality control checks on bikes repaired and/or built

Shop Operations
● Assist Shop Mechanics with a variety of tasks, including maintaining an inventory of new and used parts, placing orders with distributors as needed, maintaining shop tools and restocking as necessary
● Assist customers in the shop with purchases and bicycle repairs during sales
● Strong proficiency with bicycle tech
● Collaborate with Director on an annual budget. Manage budget for the fiscal year
● Experience opening new accounts with distributors as needed
● Run inventory 2x annually

Community Programming
● Safety check all Everybody Bikes! complete bicycle prior to distribution
● Build and sustain relationships with the Rosewood Initiative community
● Represent p:ear and its mission positively and professionally
● Participate in Sunday Parkways, Free Bikes 4 Kids monthly wrenching, as well as the occasional community bike/ride events

Physical Demands
● Able to sit or stand and walk throughout the scheduled work shift
● Ability to lift and/or move up to 75 lbs

Work Environment
This job operates in an often chaotic, loud environment. This role routinely uses standard (kitchen and) office equipment such as stoves, commercial dishwashers, microwaves,
refrigerators, freezers, computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Physical Demands
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stand; walk; use hands to finger, handle or feel; and reach with hands and arms.

Travel
Only local travel expected for this position.

AAP/EEO Statement
It is the policy of p:ear to provide equal employment opportunity (EEO) to all persons regardless of age, color, national origin, citizenship status, physical or mental disability, race, religion, creed, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, genetic information, marital status, status with regard to public assistance, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local law. In addition, p:ear will provide reasonable accommodations for qualified individuals with disabilities.

Other Duties
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

How to Apply

To apply: Please submit a resume, cover letter and references as PDFs to nathan@bikeworkspdx.org or mailed to contact information below. No phone calls. Successful applicants will be contacted for an initial screening.

p:ear
Attn: Nathan Engkjer
338 NW 6th Ave.
Portland, OR 97209

Parks bureau shares latest designs for trail system in Rose City Golf Course

View from Rose City Golf Course looking southeast toward McDaniel High School. PP&R is considering two trail alignments in this location, one would stay to the left, the other would dive into those trees on the right. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)

The City of Portland has has reached a key design milestone for the Rose City Recreational Trail project. This is the project that will build new biking and walking trails and paths in Rose City Park and Rose City Golf Course.

According to a project update released by Portland Parks & Recreation last week, the $4 million project will build a total of 2.2 miles of new paths around and through the park. Boundaries of the project are NE Sacramento to the north, NE Tillamook to the south, NE 60th/62nd to the west, and NE 78th/McDaniel High School to the east. The project consists of three distinct trail segments that would create a loop around the park and golf course, as well as a north-south trail along NE 72nd Drive which bisects the parcel.

As you’ll recall, there was a bit of a dust-up with this project when it first went public one year ago. Parks planners initially overlooked the inclusion of bicycle users on the new paths and it took some pressure from BikePortland coverage and local trail advocates to correct the oversight.

The trail plan is broken into four distinct segments: the Primary, Trail, the Bluff Trail, the 72nd Connector Trail, and the Back Nine Trail. Below is a short summary of each one.

Primary Trail (Red): A 1.2-mile, 10-feet wide paved path that will be fully ADA-accessible and open to bicycle riders. This will be the main off-street, east-west route across the site. There will be ramped entry points at NE 62nd, 65th, and 80th. PP&R plans to build a trailhead and kiosk with new signage and tree plantings at the NE 65th entrance (near the old Rice Elementary School building).

Bluff Trail (Green): A 0.6 mile gravel and natural surface trail that will vary between three and four-feet wide. This trail exists today on a bluff just below NE Sacramento Street, but PP&R will update and restore it with a more consistent surface, bump-out areas, new fencing, seating and rest stops. Bicycles will be allowed on this trail.

72nd Connector Trail (Yellow): A 0.4 mile gravel surface trail that will connect to the existing one-way road on NE 72nd Drive (that was recently updated as part of the 70s Neighborhood Greenway proejct). At the northern end where it connects to the bluff, PP&R will create a series of switchbacks to create an easier grade to NE Sacramento. Boulders will separate the road from the new path and there will be new seating, fencing, and even a row of new bike racks for park users. Bicycle riders will also be allowed on this new segment.

Back Nine Nature Trail (Blue): This is the closest thing the new trail system will have to singletrack, but for some reason I don’t yet understand, PP&R says bicycle riders are not allowed. The current plan is for a 0.8 mile gravel trail to complete the loop in the northeast corner of the golf course. This is in the most remote section of the golf course. I’ve asked PP&R for clarity on their decision-making since last summer, because the initial plan was for the alignment to go along the outside edge of the property and bicycle access was still under consideration. Now they appear to have switched to an alignment that dives into a grove of trees. PP&R said this week both alignments are currently under review. I’ll share an update on the bicycle access question when/if I hear back.

These new paths and trails will be a very exciting addition to the biking and walking network and will give folks a much safer and pleasant option than local streets. I imagine all of them being well-used and well-loved by locals as walking, jogging, and slow cycling paths.

It would be a real shame if the Back Nine Trail prohibits cycling, because it would mean folks couldn’t complete the loop. Perhaps they can construct both alignments and have one for cycling and one for walking. Or folks can simply share the trail.

From here the designs will be reviewed by PP&R staff and leadership. Once all the feedback is accounted for, the permit process will begin and other city bureaus will need to sign off on the designs. Once that process has played out, 100% designs will be completed. Stay tuned for more project updates this summer. If you have questions and/or want to connect with PP&R staff with feedback, find contact information and more details on the official project website.

If all goes according to plan these trails will be constructed next fall.

Mayor wants to raise parking and rideshare fees to buoy PBOT budget

Portland Mayor Keith Wilson released his city budget proposal today, announcing a mix of staffing changes, fee increases and cuts aimed at blunting the force of an estimated $93 million general fund shortfall.

Calling it a “back to basics” approach, Wilson’s proposal for how to balance the city’s $8.54 billion budget includes some relief for the transportation bureau. As BikePortland reported, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) prepped for bleak cuts to address impacts of an estimated $38 million budget shortfall. The agency braced for widespread layoffs and cuts to programs and services like street sweeping, traffic signal repairs, striping crosswalks, Sunday Parkways, Vision Zero, the street plaza program, and more.

The mayor’s budget seeks to slice $15.4 million from PBOT. This means the agency will see some cuts, but the most dire warnings will not come to pass.

To boost transportation revenue, Wilson’s proposal seeks to raise parking and rideshare fees, reinstate a leaf cleanup fee, and finance the city’s legal commitment to ADA curb ramp construction.

When it comes to new parking revenue, the mayor’s plan is to raise an additional $6.8 million via what he characterized as, “modest increases in parking fees in line with peer cities.” $5.5 million of that will be generated through a 25% increase in hourly parking meter rates in each district. Hourly event parking meter rates would also go up. To raise another $350,000 per year, the cost to park in the Providence Park district would increase from $5 to $7 per hour and Moda Center area parking would increase from $3 to $5 per hour. Event parking district hours would also be extended from 7:00 pm to 10:00 pm, which Wilson says would generate another $1 million per year.

An increase in the fees charged to rideshare customers is also in Wilson’s plan. Currently, folks who use Uber or Lyft pay an extra 65-cents per ride, with an additional surcharge for airport trips and for trips that start or end outside Portland city limits. Wilson wants to double that fee to $1.30 and use the $5.1 million in estimated new revenue to invest in pothole repairs and street cleaning activities such as graffiti removal, and towing derelict RVs (PBOT has said they’d be forced to reduce derelict RV removal 75% — from 550 to 140 RVs annually — without new revenue).

Wilson will stave off the elimination of all street sweeping services by moving $3.1 million from the Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) to PBOT. Those funds will allow for the hire of nine new permanent sweeping positions. Because the sweeping would be funded by BES, the locations chosen for sweeping must drain to surface water or groundwater sources.

The mayor’s budget creates additional funding for PBOT by saving them money in the short-term through a refinance of the City’s legal obligation to build and replace ADA curb ramps citywide. The plan is to work with the City Attorney’s Office and the Public Works Service Area on a new bond issuance. Those bonds will create near-term revenue for PBOT above and beyond the interest it will cost to pay them back.

When it comes to cuts, PBOT will be impacted by the citywide “enterprise efficiencies” cuts — these are staffing cuts on positions like communications and equity compliance that are currently duplicated across several bureaus that will be consolidated into the Public Works Service Area. This could be a significant loss if the media loses the ability to get timely, accurate, detailed information about PBOT. I’ve relied on PBOT communications staff for years and they are a crucial part of my work. If I’m forced instead to speak with a generalist without intimate knowledge of transportation policy or the day-to-day workings of the bureau, the community could suffer.

Wilson’s plan will also reduce $113,000 from PBOT’s share of the city’s general fund (all bureaus were asked to cut 8%, and since PBOT gets very little from the general fund, their share is small). Those cuts were expected and will include: a $44,000 reduction in PBOT’s central city street cleaning budget (a reduction to anti-icing efforts); $46,622 from a program that paves gravel streets; and $11,082 from Sunday Parkways. PBOT says the Sunday Parkways reductions, “Would reduce safety programming for these events such as barricades, traffic control and parking signage, and traffic flagging.”

PBOT will also see its allocation from the Recreational Cannabis Tax reduced by $277,664. That’s fortunately only about one-third of what PBOT expected, but it’s still funding that will directly hit Vision Zero-related projects like intersection daylighting and other safety projects.

Overall, Mayor Wilson has prioritized PBOT and saved the agency from significant cuts. That might be because he sees transportation as a key element in his push for a green economy. At his State of the City event Friday, Wilson was asked a question about job development and he responded by saying he believes Portlanders should, “leave the cars at home.” Here’s an excerpt:

“We should be the greenest city in the nation and using those jobs as that catalyst to move us forward. I really think that green leadership is the way we move our city forward. We are a car-centric focus; we have to focus on a multimodal transportation system. So we need to unlock that potential. We need to focus on streetcars, which is that elemental approach to transportation-oriented villages, and then it has to be anchored with high speed rail. And we have to change how we lead our society, leave the cars at home, take that income and invest it in our communities, for the health of our community.”

One open question is whether state lawmakers will come to the rescue and pass a transportation funding package (Wilson’s budget counts on the state passing a funding plan and sending $11 million to PBOT). Any increase in the gas tax would automatically flow to the City of Portland. “This package adds revenue in anticipation of a state gas tax increase,” reads one line of the budget. But there’s no additional explanation of what would happen if or when that increase doesn’t come to pass.

From here, the budget will be debated among the 12 city councilors and the public will have opportunities to weigh in. City Council will ultimately adopt the final budget in mid-June. Stay tuned for more updates, as the budget will be a major focus of council for the next 4-6 weeks. For more coverage of today’s news, see this OPB story.

Monday Roundup: London’s success, Pee Wee’s bike, and more

Happy Monday everyone. I’ve removed the special notice from the site about my knee surgery recovery. I’m 24 days or so post-operation and feeling better every day. Still can’t bike around or cover events yet, but I hope that’s coming soon. For now I’m still only able to work from home, but I can work almost normal hours — except for getting to PT appointments and getting my leg up very once in a while. Thanks for your patience and support!

Here are the most notable stories that came across my desk in the past week…

Concerts and carbon: A study found that 80% of concertgoers arrived by private vehicle, but that only 60% wanted to. Learn about the latest thinking from major artists and promoters about how to make concert transportation greener. (Rolling Stone)

Boston bike troubles: Looks like the honeymoon is over for Boston’s cycling-friendly mayor as advocates feel progress has slowed — and even reversed — as the east coast city has similar challenges to Portland. (NBC Boston)

London did it: People on bikes now make up 56% of all traffic in downtown London’s “Square Mile” district during peak commute hours and the city has seen a 50% increase in ridership since 2022. (BBC)

Trucker bribery scheme: An investigative journalist uncovered wads of cash tied to peoples’ names and learned that trucking companies in Oregon and Washington were paying CDL training services to pass their drivers. This has created a huge safety risk. (The Oregonian)

$125,000 for Pee Wee’s bike: Given how iconic the movie is and the huge role his bike played in it, I honestly thought it would be worth way more than $125K. (TMZ)

Good distracted driving news: European regulators are helping push a very good trend — the return of analog buttons and dials to car dashboards. Overly digital displays are extremely unsafe and apps like Apple Carplay pose huge distracted driving hazards. (Wired)

Vehicular cyclists won’t go away: It’s truly exhausting how some veteran U.S. cyclists are preventing our country from leaving the dark ages of cycling infrastructure because their egos and self-oriented perspective cannot fathom that by advocating soley for their own interests they are needlessly hurting others. A protected bike lane debate in the southern California coastal town of Encinitas lays out this debate. (The Coast News Group)

Harsh crackdown: I can’t help but think this new policy of writing criminal citations for bicycle riders (instead of traffic citations) is tied to Mayor Eric Adams’ embattled reputation among progressives. Or maybe it’s just typical NYPD being out of touch bike haters. (Streetsblog NYC)

America, welcome to the War on Cars: Rising prices in every aspect of car ownership have led to an over 13% decrease in the number of Americans who expect to buy a car in the next six months. (Newsweek)

Video of the Week: The delightful duo of Rimski and Handkerchief on their bassicle and bicycle piano playing music as they pedal to a gig. (Thanks to reader John B for sharing this!)

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.

Cyclepath expanding into historic Fat Tire Farm bike shop location

Cyclepath owner Michael Jellinek (right) with Reid Stolberg, his first customer at the new NW Thurman location. (Cyclepath West isn’t open yet — Stolberg picked up a bike that had been moved from Cyclepath’s NE MLK location.) (Photos: Michael Jellinek)

Cyclepath Bike Shop will open a second location on Northwest Thurman Street, seizing an opportunity to take over the historic location of Fat Tire Farm.

When news broke in March that Fat Tire Farm would end its run at NW 27th and Thurman at the base of a popular entry to Forest Park after 40 years in business, it deflated spirits across the city. Losing yet another bike shop in that part of town, especially one with a legacy like FTF, was a tough pill to swallow for off-road cycling lovers around the region.

Cyclepath owner Michael Jellinek confirmed with BikePortland today that he and Fat Tire Farm owner Park Chambers (in photo below) came to an agreement and formalized the deal at the end of last week. Calling it a “somewhat natural fit,” Jellinek also plans to hire a few former Fat Tire Farm employees and will be posting job listings on BikePortland for more staff next week.

Jellinek gave props to Chambers for helping make the transition happen. “He was incredibly supportive and really made this whole opportunity work. He was gracious and excited to pass the torch and we can’t thank him enough.” Chambers bought Fat Tire Farm from its former owners in 1997 and plans to retire.

Cyclepath and Fat Tire Farm crews outside the shop.

Not only will Portland retain a bike shop at this location, Cyclepath West will offer a wider selection of bikes and accessories. Fat Tire Farm was legendary for their laser focus on high quality mountain bikes, but Jellinek says he plans to stock a mix of mountain, gravel and road bikes (similar to what they carry at their Martin Luther King Jr store). In addition to bikes, parts, and all the trimmings, Jellinek plans to take advantage of Forest Park’s proximity and will stock a selection of trail running shoes and accessories as well.

“Our intention is to carry on the awesome legacy of the dedicated crew at FTF while adding some diversity in terms of offerings,” Jellinek says.

From a business perspective, Jellinek sees an opportunity to serve cyclists on the west side. “When our friends at West End Bikes [a shop near W Burnside that closed in February] and FTF closed their doors, we got flooded with new faces coming from northwest. Our service queue went from two weeks to six weeks. That’s not ideal. Splitting up the labor between the neighborhoods seemed like a great solution.”

Artist Dustin Klein painting his trademark motif on inside walls of the shop.

Customers can expect a much different aesthetic once Cyclepath is all moved in. Jellinek and his crew are already working on custom fixtures and displays from industry partners like Chris King, Speedland, ENVE, SRAM and others. Portland-based YouTuber and artist Dustin Klein has already completed some custom painting in the shop and the exterior will get a new mural that Jellinek says will, “pay homage to Portland, Forest Park, and our cycling community.”

Expanding to another location in a down economy and amid tariff turmoil in the bike industry takes a lot of courage and optimism. “It’s nerve-wracking,” Jellinek acknowledged, “But it’s right for the community and I think we will be able to meet a lot of need. I’m stoked!”

The new Cyclepath West is expected to open in two weeks. Stay tuned to the shop’s Instagram account for info and updates.

— CyclepathPDX.com

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Friday, May 9th

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Parks bureau shares latest designs for trail system in Rose City Golf Course

Mayor wants to raise parking and rideshare fees to buoy PBOT budget

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Cyclepath expanding into historic Fat Tire Farm bike shop location

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