🎄🚨: BikeCraft is back! Our holiday gift bazaar happens Wednesday, 12/17 at Migration Brewing on N Williams Ave.
See full vendor list here.
On Sunday I threw on a rain jacket and rolled over to Nomad Cycles at Northeast 59th and Sandy to check out the Cranksgiving Scavenger Hunt. I spent the day exploring Portland by bike to raise money for Portland Street Medicine. Along the way I discovered some new (to me) hidden roadside attractions, met some nice folks, and chatted with event organizer extraordinaire John Carter and Nomad Cycle owner Brad Davis.
Watch the video above or on the BikePortland YouTube channel.
Lines have been clearly drawn in the debate over what type of bus service is right for 82nd Avenue. In three letters sent to TriMet today, influential politicians and high-profile advocacy groups made their positions known. At issue is the agency’s $350 million 82nd Avenue Transit Project, envisioned as a major upgrade for a key East Portland arterial that’s in dire need of a way to move people more safely and efficiently.
As BikePortland has reported, a rupture has formed between two transit options under consideration: one option would keep the central (highest traffic) segment of the street relatively unchanged from its current four-lane cross-section, and the other option would construct semi-dedicated, “Business Access and Transit” (BAT) lanes along the entire 10-mile project corridor between Clackamas County and the Columbia River. The two options are known as “Some BAT” (build semi-dedicated bus lanes only on each end of the corridor) and “More BAT” (build them on the entire corridor) respectively.
In mid-October, TriMet staff shocked many project watchers when they released a recommendation for the “Some BAT” option. Advocates who expected a big bus upgrade felt betrayed, some elected officials were caught off-guard, and even a TriMet board member voiced disagreement with the decision.
TriMet tried to do damage control, saying the recommendation was only meant to start a conversation and delaying the final decision. But it’s clear that TriMet is nervous about two elements of the “More BAT” option: a higher ($8 million) project cost increase they say could jeopardize delivery, and vehement opposition from business owners. At the project’s Policy & Budget Advisory Committee meeting on November 7th, TriMet made it clear that they won’t push for the “More BAT” option unless partner agencies bring more funding and political capital the table.
With an update on the project expected to come at a TriMet Board meeting this Wednesday, groups on both sides of this issue are making their voices heard.
A letter signed by 14 elected officials and sent to TriMet GM Sam DeSue and the agency’s Board of Directors stated that nothing short of the “More BAT” option is acceptable. “We are concerned by the news that TriMet is considering a watered-down proposal… Anything short of full BAT lanes for this corridor significantly hampers the catalytic potential to spur new housing growth, support local businesses, and greater local and regional mobility,” the letter reads. Among its signees are six Portland city councilors, four Metro councilors, and four Oregon legislators.
Another letter in support of BAT lanes was signed by leaders of 32 local nonprofit organizations. The organizations who signed onto the letter go far beyond the typical transportation groups and includes: Native American Youth and Family Center, AARP, Coalition of Communities of Color, The Grotto, African Youth and Community Organization, Vestal Elementary School, ROSE Community Development, South Tabor Neighborhood Association, and JOIN.
Throwing cold water on the BAT lane idea is a letter from Portland Metro Chamber signed by the owners of 61 businesses located along the project corridor. They say TriMet should stick with the “Some BAT” option and that if new bus lanes were created along the entire corridor, there would be a, “significant increase in traffic congestion.” They want more studies to ensure businesses would not be harmed and they believe the full BAT lane design is only a marginal upgrade that isn’t worth the extra cost and potential project delays. This business coalition fears that BAT lanes would devastate some businesses. Here’s more from the letter:
“As business owners, we are deeply worried about the loss of safe and effective access to businesses and the potential catastrophic loss to a major mode of transportation to the corridor during critical business hours. We agree that improvements to transit could lead to an increase in customers of some businesses (but not all) who choose to use this mode, but there is no existing analysis that justifies the damage of increased car congestion to existing customers’ transportation choices. Customer surveys conducted by businesses on the street have found that over 90% of current customers arrive by car. Finally, we are concerned that the proposal includes untenable bus stop locations that block driveways, prevent safe and effective access to business destinations, and cause unsafe visual obstructions to vehicles exiting business driveways.”
The Federal Transit Administration will not award the project federal funding if it scores poorly on congestion relief and adverse effects on existing businesses. This is no time to be driven by ideological rigidity given the current economic and political climate.”
These concerns echo those already made by lawyers who represent several of the businesses who signed onto the letter. Two law firms have already written TriMet detailing their objections and have threatened to sue the agency if full BAT lanes are installed.
It’s unclear whether or not TriMet will make a decision about the BAT lanes at Wednesday’s board meeting. The agency has previously said we shouldn’t expect that to happen until early next year.
Are you in high school? Or do you have a high schooler in your life who’s jazzed on cycling or who understands how biking and walking can positively impact someone’s life? If so, I’ve got two interesting volunteer opportunities to consider — including one that’s actually paid!
The Portland Bureau of Transportation is seeking Biketown Youth Ambassadors. Biketown is Portland’s bike share system, a fleet of rentable bikes that has unlocked mobility for thousands of young people citywide. This PBOT program gives teens a chance to learn real-life skills while making a little money in the process.
Biketown Youth Ambassadors schedule and host in-class presentations and test-ride sessions that familiarize other young people about the system. It’s currently open only to students who 16 years or older (as of January 2026) and are enrolled at Roosevelt, McDaniel, or Parkrose high schools. Three students per school will be selected and the application deadline is December 15th. Ambassadors can make up to $320 for 20 hours of work. More information on PBOT’s website.
The Oregon Department of Transportation is also looking for high schoolers to join its Safe Routes to School High School Task Force. Safe Routes to School is a national program that gets more students biking and walking to school by building safer communities. As a task force member, students will build relationships with peers and mentors, design and lead a community project, and build leadership skills that look great on college and job applications. Oregon students enrolled in grades 9-12 are eligible. The deadline to apply is December 11th at 5:00 pm. Learn more on ODOT’s website.
It’s great to see these agencies partnering with young people. I hope some BikePortland families will get involved!
Welcome to the week. The river of rain has arrived and I hope you got out a bit this past weekend before everything got wet.
As we approach the end of another year, please reflect on how much you use and appreciate BikePortland — and then consider becoming a paid subscriber or increasing your monthly payment. BikePortland has served this city for over 20 years with news, resources, and events. The news and information shared here — and the community of people around it — has an immense impact on policies, people, politics, and projects. It took a tremendous amount of work to build this platform and I continue to pour my heart and soul into it! We are on the cusp of another Bicycling Golden Age in Portland and I’d love to have your support as we move into the future together. Visit BikePortland.org/subscribe for all the pertinent links. Thank you.
Now let’s get you caught up on the most notable stories I came across in the past seven days. Thanks to everyone who suggested links this week.
Seattle innovation: What if old car tires could be repurposed into a better bike lane protection product that has many benefits over cast concrete curbs? That’s a question Seattle’s DOT just might answer with their new “Pretred” protectors. (Seattle Bike Blog)
The Power Broker, the movie?: It would be so very cool if the amazing, Pulitzer Prize-winning book, The Power Broker, was made into a feature film. There’s a rumor that Netflix is interested. (Deadline)
Counting e-bikes: A research project counted the number of New York City bike riders are on e-bikes and the numbers are a good illustration of just who dominant a mode they’ve become — and not just for food delivery workers. (Streetsblog NYC)
SF says ‘no’ to neckdowns: Transportation officials in San Francisco have admitted that a traffic calming experiment called “neckdowns” didn’t work as intended and will be removed. The design forced car users to navigate a narrow lane in hopes it would create slower speeds and more caution — but turns out it was just confusing and maddening to use as some likened it to playing chicken. (San Francisco Standard)
Empower the people: This article is a good overview of how grassroots groups are pushing city DOTs to re-think their approach to small safety projects projects in light of how grassroots groups can shoulder much of the labor burden. (Next City)
A Bullitt Landspeeder: I love this story about how a guy in California bought a Bullitt cargo bike, turned it into a Landspeeder like the one Luke Skywalker drives in Star Wars, and has used the bike to build community around his advocacy. (Larry vs Harry blog)
Driving to Reed College: After years of progress toward lowering the number of people who drive cars to the Reed College campus in Southeast Portland, numbers from a recent survey show the school is now headed the wrong direction as the number of drivers has gone up. (The Reed College Quest)
It’s not real: Remember that if you see a price for a piece of cycling equipment from a dodgy online seller, it’s probably too good to be true. Counterfit goods from major bike brands are out there. (Bicycle Retailer & Industry News)
Even a broken clock is right twice a day: Hard to know if he’ll do anything to follow through on it, but President Donald Trump and his DOT Secretary say they’ll promote the construction of tiny cars in America. That’s a great idea! (The Hill)
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.
People hoping to roll through the quasi-public roads in River View Cemetery on Friday were greeted with a “No Cycling Today” sign.
The good news is this is not a permanent closure (although that threat always remains!). The bad news is we can expect more random closures through December and January.
According to River View Cemetery staff that have reached out to BikePortland, various construction projects will require them to close the roads completely to cycling at certain times. At other times, there will be work zone detours that require caution. “Additionally,” the cemetery shared, “weather conditions during the winter may necessitate gate closures if we determine that the roads are unsafe for vehicle, bicycle or pedestrian traffic.”
One BikePortland reader came across the “No Cycling Today” sign at the bottom gate just west of the Sellwood Bridge today.
If you’re wondering why I’m not sharing specific dates and times of the closures, it’s because River View says they can’t provide them. They’re working with an outside contractor, so they’re not always sure when the work will happen and therefore are unable to offer any prior warnings.
In a message posted to the Lewis & Clark Law School bike commuters email group, the school’s public relations director wrote: “Please remember that we are guests when we bike and walk through the Cemetery, and that both Cemetery staff and the teams that will come in to do this project are all trying to do their jobs. Smile! Wave! Be polite! Please do not do anything that puts your safety or their safety at risk. There is enough challenge in operating heavy machinery, and we do not need to add to it.”
River View Cemetery is private property and they permit the public to use their roads because it’s a much safer and more convenient option than Taylor’s Ferry Road or other routes. The relationship between the cemetery’s board, staff, and people who use the road, has been a tenuous one for many years. The threat of losing access to these roads is always present, and we need the City of Portland, the Oregon Department of Transportation, and other government agencies in the area to work together to build a safe route through this area that doesn’t rely on a nonprofit cemetery’s largesse.
So, what should you do if you see this sign? The only feasible alternates I’m aware of are to the north. Only the strong and fearless should even attempt Taylors Ferry (or is that even rideable? I’ve never tried it), so most folks will want to find a way onto S Corbett, Barbur Blvd (OR 99W) or Terwilliger Parkway.
If River View releases a schedule for the closures, I’ll post it here and/or on social media. Please let me know what you see out there so we can help each other stay informed.
Like many people who’ve biked in Portland for a few years, Lisa Timmerman could sense an uptick in careless and dangerous driving. In December 2023 Timmerman replied to a BikePortland Instagram story that she’d just returned to bike commuting after the pandemic and, while grateful for new infrastructure around town, she said, “I feel fearful in a way I didn’t just three years ago. Even in just a short commute, I’ve had to modify my route due to too many careless and aggressive run-ins on ‘protected’ bikeways.”
Six months later, Timmerman’s fears came to life.
On June 27th, 2024, while biking eastbound on the Southeast Clinton Street neighborhood greenway, she crossed Cesar Chavez Blvd with a green light. As soon as she entered the intersection, a woman driving a blue Hyundai sedan southbound on Cesar Chavez slammed into her. The driver, then 21-year-old Sophie Bell, failed to stop at a red signal and didn’t even brake. A video (view it below) from a nearby resident shows Timmerman crumple to the ground on impact and begin wailing in pain. The collision caused multiple fractures to Timmerman’s ankle and several broken ribs.
“I decided to not cite Bell because she was remorseful and apologetic for hitting the cyclist.”
– Alexandru Martiniuc, PPB officer (from police report)
Timmerman, 42, endured two surgeries to repair bones and spent months in pain and physical therapy sessions. She expects early onset arthritis and ankle replacement surgery are in her future. “I was a very serious cyclist prior to the accident, riding about 6,000 miles a year,” she shared with me via email. “And while I’m back to cycling now, I’m doing only a fraction of what I did before.”
In some ways, Timmerman was lucky. It wasn’t a direct hit, and the car had a slim hood profile. What if Bell was driving a truck with a high hood? What if she’d been hit just a millisecond or two later? Those thoughts still haunt Timmerman; but her injuries weren’t the only troubling aspect of her ordeal.
“It was stunning to me how minimal the consequences were for the driver,” Timmerman shared with me.
According to the Portland Police Bureau report, a witness (a driver going the other direction who’d stopped at the signal) told the responding officer that the driver who hit Timmerman went through a red signal. A few days later, the officer was able to view video camera footage from a nearby porch. “I could see the pedestrian traffic signal in the video signaling eastbound traffic had the right of way/green light,” the report reads. “Timmerman entered the intersection. I saw a blue vehicle enter the intersection and sideswipe Timmerman.” Bell also admitted to the officer that she “thought her light was green.”
Three sources of very solid evidence proved that Bell had violated Oregon Revised Statute 811.135 – the careless driving law. That law states if a person commits a traffic violation that results in the serious injury (or death) of a “vulnerable user of a public way,” they can receive an enhanced sentence that includes completion of a traffic safety course and up to 200 hours of community service. If that sentencing is not met, they could also be subject to a fine of up to $12,500 and a one-year license suspension.
But despite Bell’s admission of guilt, a witness statement, and irrefutable video evidence, PPB Officer Alexandru Martiniuc declined to issue any citation at all. The reason: The driver felt bad and said sorry.
“After interviewing all involved parties and reviewing the camera footage, I determined the driver was at fault. Bell was inattentive and did not notice that her light was red,” Ofcr Martiniuc wrote in the report. “I decided to not cite Bell because she was remorseful and apologetic for hitting the cyclist.”
Chris Thomas of Portland-based law firm Thomas, Coon, Newton & Frost (a financial supporter of BikePortland) represented Timmerman in the case and told me in an interview this week, “the fact that the reaction and the apology and the sympathy would factor into the analysis at all is outrageous.” Thomas added that in his experience representing bicycle riders and walkers, failure to cite for obvious infractions “is not an isolated incident.”
“It would survive any standard of proof. There would be no issue for a police officer to prove this case in front of a traffic court judge.”
– Chris Thomas, lawyer
Calling this behavior from PPB officers a “widespread problem,” Thomas shared that, “It’s not as though this was a he-said/she-said. There’s a neutral witness, there’s video evidence. It would survive any standard of proof. There would be no issue for a police officer to prove this case in front of a traffic court judge.”
Thomas believes the decision to not issue a citation in a clear-cut case like this, “downplays the seriousness of careless operation of a vehicle and the consequences that you can cause by careless driving.” It’s a symptom of what Thomas feels is a “systemic, very pervasive ‘windshield bias‘ throughout our system.” Thomas has urged the Multnomah County District Attorney to consider stronger punishment for dangerous drivers and says elected officials who oversee the PPB need to step up and demand action.
“I’m not trying to ruin this person’s life – just to reinforce some accountability.”
– Lisa Timmerman
Asked to respond to my concern that what Ofcr Martiniuc wrote in the report could be perceived by some in the community as biased, PPB Public Information Officer Kevin Allen told me, “I cannot speak for the officer and I don’t have information about that individual case, but in most circumstances, policy and the law grants police officers the discretion to determine whether a citation (or arrest) is appropriate to the situation.” When I asked to speak directly to the officer in order to better understand their decision, Sgt. Allen said he’d ask for me. A few minutes later he replied: “The officer has nothing else to add beyond what is documented in the report.”
This circular unaccountability at PPB undermines their (already paper thin) public trust and calls into question the agency’s purported commitment to using enforcement as a way to improve road safety and change driver behavior. The fact that an officer would write “I decided to not cite Bell because she was remorseful and apologetic for hitting the cyclist,” shows how normalized and pervasive this sentiment is inside the PPB.
Compare Timmerman’s case with a crash that happened just one month ago. On November 10th the PPB issued a press release about a minor fender-bender between two drivers in Northeast Portland. The victim’s air bag was deployed, but they were not seriously injured, and the driver who caused the crash was not speeding or impaired. But for some reason, the driver was issued a citation for careless driving. The victim in that case was a Portland Police officer.
It doesn’t take an advocate or a lawyer to see how disturbing this is. 18 months after being hit, Timmerman herself still laments that the person who caused her so much pain faced no justice, and she worries Bell will do it again. “How do we have a Vision Zero policy but we can’t communicate the severity of the action to the driver when there is clear evidence they were at fault?” she wonders. “A citation seems like a minimal action/consequence. I’m not trying to ruin this person’s life – just to reinforce some accountability.”
It’s also not lost on Timmerman that this happened on Cesar Chavez Blvd, a road with a deadly history that a design that encourages dangerous driving. Safety activists will often say that good roadway design is self-enforcing. In the case with Cesar Chavez, the opposite is true. With its car-centric design, police enforcement of traffic laws is one of the only tools we have to keep drivers in check. Without it they will continue to run amok, leaving a trail of broken bodies and broken trust in its wake.
For Timmerman, the PPB’s intentional and selective lack of enforcement is another difficult layer to process. “I live in ground zero for the three fatalities in the past two years,” she shared with me. “Grey Wolfe was hit two blocks from my house. I heard it and saw the aftermath and it has been weighing heavily all week.”
The Yamhelas Westsider Trail is back in the news. The last time I checked in on this project that would build a new 17-mile rail-trail in Yamhill County between McMinnville and Forest Grove, it was mired in controversy.
Advocates for the path ultimately lost that round in 2021 when it “became a target of far-right extremism” and anti-trail County Commissioners voted to repeal the project’s land use application. The project largely sat on the shelf until late October of this year. That’s when Mary Starrett, one of the commissioners who led the previous opposition effort, partnered with one of the other two commissioners to support a draft ordinance that would strip the project from the county’s transportation system plan. The move came as a surprise to trail supporters.
If the trail project is stripped from the TSP, it would essentially move the idea back to square one.
Commissioner Starrett has said she’s against the trail because it goes against property rights of rural farmers and that building a public trail along former rail lines would violate Oregon land use law (it doesn’t, and the permit has stood up to Land Use Board of Appeals scrutiny). She’s backed by groups like the Oregon Family Farm Association, who’ve published a website that details their grievances. Many farmers in the county use the abandoned rail right-of-way to graze livestock and are not keen to see bicycle riders and joggers using the land between their farms.
Friends of Yamhelas Westsider Trail, a nonprofit who sees the trail as a vital link for walkers and rollers that would complement other rail-trails in the region, has responded quickly and is rallying members and supporters to fight the move.
“Now is the time to act. Let’s make our voices heard in support of Rails To Trails. Share your opinion with the Planning Committee. Make plans to present testimony at public hearings on the issue,” reads an email from the group. “Now is the time to make sure the Yamhill County Board of Commissioners does not kill the Yamhelas Westsider Trail once and for all.”
That draft ordinance will be heard by the Yamhill County Planning Commission tonight at 7:00 pm in McMinnville. Noah Jester with Friends of Yamhelas Westsider Trail hopes to pack the meeting with pro-trail advocates and save it from the dustbin.
“With family in McMinnville and having lived both there and in Newberg, having grown up in western Washington County, and having repeatedly ridden similar trails in different parts of the Northwest and especially along this stretch, I know the potential for this trail project firsthand,” Jester shared with BikePortland. He also sees it as a way to smooth over Oregon’s urban/rural divide by encouraging more people to access public spaces together — instead of just zooming by each other on highways.
After being heard at Planning Commission, the issue will return to the Board of Commissioners for a final vote. Learn more at SaveOurTrail.com.
A local nonprofit has taken a key step forward in acquiring land along the east side of the Willamette River that would unlock a key section of the North Portland Greenway Trail.
Portland Botanical Gardens says they are close to a deal with the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality to purchase the McCormick & Baxter Superfund site, a 41-acre parcel that was heavily contaminated after decades of industrial use. A cleanup effort was completed in 2005, which opened the door for new uses of the land. Because it’s a Superfund site, Portland Botanical Gardens has to go through a federal process in order to complete the acquisition. That process can now begin since both parties have negotiated a draft Prospective Purchaser Agreement (PPA).
If all goes according to plan, Portland Botanical Garden says they’ll create a “botanical garden by the river.” Here’s more about what they’d like to do with the site:
“The nonprofit plans to develop research and education focused botanical gardens on a portion of the property, as well as a public greenspace along the waterfront that will include a new segment of the Willamette River Greenway trail, interpretive native plant gardens, open gathering space, and access to the river.”
This news comes just a month after Metro revealed draft designs of future paths and a park at the Willamette Cove site, which is directly north of McCormick & Baxter. Both sites have stated an intention to complete sections of the long-awaited NP Greenway, a 10-mile path envisioned to continue the Eastbank Esplanade all the way to Kelley Point Park. The path would connect to an already-built section directly south of the McCormick & Baxter site that was completed by the University of Portland in 2024.
The DEQ has opened a 60-day formal comment period to solicit public feedback on the partnership with Portland Botanical Garden. Three virtual meetings will be held through January. You can find details on each of those meetings on the DEQ website. Once the comment period closes, the Portland Botanical Garden will have up to one year to seal the deal on the property and sign a formal purchase agreement. Their effort must meet specific fundraising, site design, and public outreach requirements in order for the deal to go through.
Learn more at PortlandBG.org.
According to multiple emails I’ve received in recent days, we’ve got another Steel Bridge bike path closure problem. This 113-year-old bridge has a history of problems that result in a gate swinging shut and closing access to the lower deck — a lower deck that just happens to be a vital link in our transportation system.
This morning, BikePortland reader Scott reported that the path had been closed since at least Saturday morning. And reader Alex wrote into say he couldn’t find any information about the closure. “No signs or warnings and the alternate route and the alternative over the top deck is not safe or fair to the pedestrians,” Alex added. And a reader named Brianna shared that the blinking warning lights on Naito did not indicate a gate closure, but she’s noticed it closed since Monday. Folks on Reddit are also wondering what’s going on.
I heard from someone named Jessica this morning that they found the gate closed on their way home from work at 11:00 pm last night, then tried the nearby Broadway Bridge, only to find it closed as well (due to a Multnomah County project).
I don’t have any new information to share (I’ll update this post when I hear back from PBOT), but I do know this path is notorious for closures due to technical difficulties.
Last summer the path was closed for over a week due to what PBOT said was a camera malfunction. Bridge operators use cameras to detect whether or not it’s safe to close the path for passing ships, and when the cameras are on the fritz, they keep the path closed by default for safety reasons. BikePortland reported on another prolonged closure due to the camera issue in 2013.
Of course there are other bridges folks can take across the Willamette as an alternate, but they’re not as convenient for many folks. There’s also the upper deck or the sidewalk adjacent to it. But both of those options come with pitfalls: the upper deck is a shared-lane environment that could be stressful for more riders and the sidewalk is very narrow and is often used by pedestrians.
For now, stay tuned for an update from PBOT and keep me posted about what you see out there.
UPDATE, 11:02 am: I just noticed that PBOT posted something on Facebook yesterday that it is indeed a “camera issue” that has caused the closure. They provided no date for re-opening.
UPDATE, 2:02 pm: Just heard back from PBOT. They say vandals messed with the cameras and gate is now open. See statement below:
“Camera operations were disrupted on the bridge as a result of vandalism. The City is working on a long-term solution to lower the risk of these kinds of issues in the future. In the meantime, they back on site making repairs so everything can get up and running smoothly again this morning. As of now, the lower deck should be back open!”
According to a family friend, 68-year-old Rutilo Jorge was a hard-working man who held down two jobs in order to send money home to his family in Mexico. He was in between shifts as a roofer and a gas station attendee when, around 5:30 pm on November 11th, he hopped on his bike to pedal southbound on Highway 43.
As he rode past a section of the high-speed highway with barely an inch of navigable shoulder, the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office says he hit a rock and was then hit from behind by the driver of an SUV. Jorge died in the street that night. He left behind a wife and two daughters — one of whom is 20 years old and works at Clackamas Town Center.
After a memorial service on Sunday, November 23rd, Jorge’s friends and family arranged for his remains to be transported home to Mexico on the day before Thanksgiving so he could be with his wife and other daughter who still live there.
Meanwhile, the dangerous conditions that led to Jorge’s death remain. And given the lack of alternate routes, riders continue to pedal past the same rocky, debris-filled, deadly shoulder.
Nine days after Jorge was hit, staffers from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) began a review of the crash as part of a relatively new program called the Vulnerable User Crash Response (VCR). Launched in Oregon in January 2024, the program is based on a law passed by the Biden Administration’s Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA) in 2021.
According to the law, in states where vulnerable road users make up 15% or more of annual traffic fatalities, that state must spend at least 15% of their highway safety funds on projects that specifically address the safety of vulnerable users. Unfortunately, Oregon surpasses that threshold. According to ODOT data, non-drivers account for more than one out of every five deaths on state-owned roads. Using safety funds set-aside from the 2017 transportation package, the State of Oregon has funded ODOT’s VCR program to the tune of $10.6 million for the four years between 2024 – 2027.
ODOT says their VCR Team is made up of a, “statewide group of technical experts” who will review the crash and determine if any improvements to the roadway are possible. While the team will note the need for larger-scale and longer-term fixes, the VCR program specializes in smaller solutions. “These quick-fixes are small in scale but can be big in impact,” ODOT Region 1 Active Transportation Liaison Kerrie Franey wrote in an email forwarded to BikePortland. “Some examples include illumination, signing or striping, speed feedback signs, or an enhanced crossing.”
David House with ODOT public affairs, says the location where Jorge was hit and killed could qualify for a larger project that would improve safety for bicycle riders. In an email to BikePortland on November 20th, House wrote that ODOT’s Active Transportation Needs Inventory (ATNI) ranks this section of OR-43 (between the Sellwood Bridge and Lake Oswego) in the Top 10% for prioritization across the entire state. And according to ODOT’s Vulnerable Road User Assessment Score (accessible on ODOT’s TransGIS website), this spot on Highway 43 is ranked as “High Risk.”
That risk exists in large part because of the lack of safe shoulder space. When I asked House about sweeping the shoulder, he said ODOT gets to that section of Highway 43 every six to eight weeks and that his records show it was last swept on November 17th.
“When I asked about cleanup plans, the maintenance manager noted that this area does not have much shoulder, and the asphalt does not go all the way to the rock wall,” House shared in a subsequent email. That confirmed one of my concerns: The debris I stood in while making my video and that Jorge tried to avoid prior to being hit, is a natural feature that can’t be simply swept away.
“I understand,” I replied to House. “But it begs the question: Since there’s not much of a shoulder, how are bicycle riders supposed to safely navigate this area? And would maintenance consider doing more aggressive sweeping to push back the rocks and sticks and dirt so at least there’s more room even if it’s unpaved? And longer term, would ODOT consider the idea of building a retaining wall and paving the shoulder to give users more shoulder space?”
“There isn’t much space for a shoulder in some sections of [Highway] 43,” House replied.
I’m not satisfied with that answer, but for now House and I agreed to let the VCR team complete their investigation before we discuss the issue any further. Earlier today House said he expects that work to take about 4-6 weeks, so I’ll touch base with him again in early January.
Another part of ODOT’s investigation is likely to include considerations of recommendations made in previous planning efforts that looked at building a bike lane on the highway or creating a parallel route. In 2010, Metro commissioned the Lake Oswego to Portland Trail plan. That plan examined the feasibility of a two-way bike lane on the east side of the highway that would be separated from traffic by a large, concrete barrier. I’ll take a closer look at that plan and share more about the history — and potential future — of this corridor in a separate post.
If you travel across the infamous railroad crossings in Southeast Portland where long delays are the norm, you’ve got to know about an app called TrainSnap. I heard about it recently and it works well.
You know the spot I’m talking about — where SE 11th and 12th cross four sets of rail tracks just south of Ladd’s Addition. The problem tracks are the two heavy freight rail lines that come out of nearby Brooklyn Yard. Because of outdated switching hardware, trains are known to sit and block busy cross-streets for up to an hour. The problem is so acute that the City of Portland applied for and received a grant from the Federal Railroad Administration to study the problem.
TrainSnap (available for iOS and Android) users a way to receive real-time alerts so you can reroute. The app is free and is easy to set up and use. You can even turn on notifications for the crossings you make most. The app will tell you if a specific crossing is open or blocked and how long it’s been closed.
And I hope the app developer doesn’t take this the wrong way, but I hope this app is useless in the near future! Hopes were high in 2023 when the City of Portland received the $500,000 FRA grant to study the problem and make recommendations. But here we are at the end of 2025 and it appears the grant is still not signed.
The last official news I heard about the grant was at the September 4th Portland Freight Advisory Committee meeting where the Portland Bureau of Transportation staffer in charge of the issue said they were still waiting to get the contract with FRA signed following a review from the city’s legal team. (A different PBOT staffer also said the city was in final stages of signing that as far back as February, so there’s clearly something amiss.)
Once the grant agreement is signed, PBOT will begin an 18-month planning effort. So it would likely be 2027 before we even have recommendations on how to tackle this problem — about a decade after the issue first made headlines. So for now, get the app!
Visit TrainSnap.us for more information and downloads.
Local nonprofits wanting to provide electric bikes to their communities won big in the latest round of Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund (PCEF) grants announced last week. A total of $64.4 million was awarded through the PCEF Community Grants program. Among the 60 grants, 12 of them totaling just over $8 million were in the Transportation Decarbonization category. Funds from five of the grants will be used to purchase e-bikes. A project to strengthen local bike buses won the other award.
Organizations who won bike-related grants include: Bike Bus PDX, The Street Trust, Community Cycling Center, Ethiopian and Eritrean Cultural and Resource Center, P:ear, and Oregon Health and Science University.
PCEF is powered by a 1% “clean energy surcharge” on the retail sales of large retailers in Portland. Businesses with $1 billion in national sales and $500,000 or more in local retail sales pay into the fund. It was passed by Portland voters in November 2018.
This is the fourth round of PCEF Community Grants, which are managed by the Portland Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS). On their website, BPS says, “The approved projects offer PCEF priority communities healthier homes, lower utility bills, job training and living-wage opportunities, better access to fresh food, and stronger community connections. The estimated lifetime reduction in greenhouse gas emissions for projects (not including regenerative agriculture) is estimated to be roughly 76,204 metric tons CO2e.”
Below is a list of grant winners with project summaries taken from the BPS report:
Community Cycling Center: Cycling Basics for Priority Populations
Amount awarded: $459,826 – Length of grant: 3 years
This project seeks to support the empowerment of new cyclists from PCEF priority populations by leveraging strong community engagement skills to provide positive initial on-bike experiences that will inspire people to take the next step. The proposal strives to impact up to 1,424 participants, including 386 adults and 1,038 youth from PCEF priority populations. Key milestones include hiring two seasonal Bike Camp instructors, facilitating summer youth Bike Camps, Learn to Ride Clinics, group bike rides in partnership at no cost to participants, and distributing 120 bikes with accompanying accessories to Bike Camp participants. Major goals include getting new bicyclists on the streets while ensuring meaningful engagement for priority populations with little to no prior connection to cycling.
Ethiopian and Eritrean Cultural and Resource Center: Eco-Transport Access & Education Project
Amount awarded: $658,145 – Length of grant: 4 years
This project aims to implement a green transportation access and education initiative to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and advance environmental equity for PCEF priority populations by distributing 100 e-bikes, providing education on clean transportation for more than 200 residents, and more. Key milestones include distributing 100 electric bikes, providing bike safety and maintenance workshops, delivering education on green transportation in multiple languages, and promoting awareness of electric vehicle (EV) infrastructure. Major project goals include achieving an estimated $65,000 to $100,000 in total annual savings for the 100 e-bike users, lowering transportation-related emissions, and building long-term climate resilience through targeted community engagement.
P:ear: Empowering Sustainable Mobility: Expanding E-Bike Access and Infrastructure in East Portland
Amount awarded: $1,837,403 – Length of grant: 5 years
The project aims to deliver a comprehensive, community-centered approach to transportation decarbonization, including a retrofit of the grantee’s shop for e-bike maintenance. Key milestones include acquiring specialized tools, hiring a dedicated mechanic, expanding the Pedal It Forward slidingscale repair program, deploying a fleet of e-bikes for hands-on education, purchasing an electric cargo van, providing mobile repair services in PCEF priority population neighborhoods, hosting 9 multilingual e-bike education courses, offering 4 bike camp and pop-up maintenance events, and holding 7 learn-toride and community bike rides. The major goals include reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, improving air quality, and expanding affordable, low-carbon mobility options for East Portland residents from priority populations by combining infrastructure upgrades, mobile maintenance, and robust community outreach.
The Street Trust: Ride 2 Own Ebikes for East Portland Disadvantaged Youth
Amount awarded: $253,743 – Length of grant: 1 year
The project seeks to expand the grantee’s Ride2Own e-bike ownership program to provide 25 youth from the Parkrose community, ages 14 and up, with free Class 1 e-bikes, safety gear, and training. The project also proposes a collaboration with Portland State University’s Transportation Research and Education Center, which will collect data on greenhouse gas reductions, mode shifts, and economic benefits for youth who might otherwise become auto-dependent adults. Key milestones include providing participants with training on bike handling, safety, and maintenance; offering opportunities to take part in community rides and peer-to-peer engagement; delivering 25 youth free e-bikes along with safety gear, maintenance, and education to support independent, low-carbon mobility. The major goals include building transportation confidence, reducing car dependency, and improving access to school, work, and community for youth from PCEF priority populations.
Bike Bus PDX: Expanding and Evaluating Bike Buses
Amount awarded: $895,000 – Length of grant: 5 years
The project aims to support bike bus programs at several schools, engaging nearly thousands of students. As part of the proposed project, Portland State University’s Transportation Research and Education Center (PSU TREC) will conduct assessments to measure the impact of bike buses on transportation habits and carry out a longitudinal study following first graders to track their travel behavior beyond elementary school. Key milestones include developing a ‘Bike Bus Toolkit’ to help establish new bike buses, hosting bike fairs to distribute hundreds of bikes, promoting the benefits of bike buses and active transportation, and hiring “Bike Bus Cluster Coordinators” and “Bike Bus Champions” to support education, outreach, and promotion efforts. The major goal of the project is to replace more than half a million miles in car trips to school.
Oregon Health and Science University: E-bike Loaner Program Expansion
Amount awarded: $662,563 – Length of grant: 5 years
This project aims to expand OHSU’s e-bike loaner program to encourage more employees to commute by bike rather than by car, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and improving personal and community health. The program will add 50 new e-bikes to the fleet, hire a part-time coordinator, and enhance outreach and education to increase participation across diverse employee groups. Key milestones include purchasing and outfitting new e-bikes, scheduling educational workshops in partnership with local bike organizations, and launching participant recruitment and data tracking to assess program outcomes. The project will also refine auditing tools to measure participation among PCEF priority populations and document environmental impact. Major goals include promoting long-term behavior change, improving access to sustainable transportation, and supporting a healthier, more accessible campus community.
In a statement from BPS, PCEF Program Manager Sam Baraso said, “Together, these community-led projects demonstrate the power of collective action to advance the City’s climate goals while creating lasting benefits for Portland’s communities.”