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The Albina vision. (Source: Hennebery Eddy Architects via Albina Vision Trust)
If you’re an urban planning nerd, a lover of great cities, and/or you’re looking for reasons to be optimistic about the future of Portland, consider attending a special event Sunday that will give you a peek into the future of our central city.
City of Possibility is the title of a series of events that kick off tomorrow night (January 31st) and run through March 17th. The initiative aims to give us, “an unprecedented look at the ongoing legacy of Portland architecture and urban design.” It’s being hosted by the nonprofit PDX Design Collaborative, which has partnered with the Portland Art Museum, Architecture Foundation of Oregon, Oregon Historical Society, Urban Land Institute (ULI) Northwest, UO College of Design, Portland Architecture Program, and the PSU School of Architecture.
Among the intriguing events in the lineup is “Portland’s Next Horizon: 7 Projects That Will Redefine the Central City” that takes place in the Mark Building downtown this Sunday from 2:00 to 4:00 pm. The event is billed as a, “fast-paced look the future of the central city with the people who creating it.”
In just two hours, you’ll hear opening remarks from Portland Mayor Keith Wilson and then view presentations from the following local luminaries and their exciting projects:
Albina Vision Trust: Executive Director Winta Yohannes and Director of Government Affairs JT Flowers offer a look at the largest restorative redevelopment project in the US.
OMSI District: OMSI President and CEO Erin Graham and Northwest Native Chamber Executive Director James Parker share the vision for an inclusive new neighborhood that will restore Tribal presence on the Willamette river and serve as a one-of-a-kind public learning ecosystem.
Broadway Corridor: Prosper Portland’s Director of Development and Investment Lisa Abuaf details the latest news on the former USPS site: new streets and two innovative major housing projects.
Green Loop: PBOT’s Deputy Director of Projects Art Pearce offers a glimpse at the sections taking shape for the 7-mile, bike/pedestrian corridor that will link the central city’s neighborhoods.
Portland Art Museum – Campus Transformation: Museum Director Brian Ferriso shares updates on the new galleries and public spaces under construction on the South Park Blocks
Lloyd Center Redevelopment: Urban Renaissance Group’s Tom Kilbane details the latest plans for the 29-acre Lloyd Center redevelopment.
Made in Old Town: Field State’s Matthew Claudel offers a look a creation engine for the future of footwear and apparel – and a neighborhood revitalization project in the heart of Portland.
Earthquake-Ready Burnside Bridge: Landscape architect Carol Mayer-Reed, FASLA, principal with Mayer/Reed, will look beyond the critical seismic resiliency to the urban design improvements and connections the towering new bridge will bring.
Noted architecture reporter and City of Possibility co-director Randy Gragg says, “Rarely, if ever, can you see in one afternoon the major cultural, development, and infrastructure projects — together — that will write the next chapter of a city.”
But wait, there’s more!
Between now and March 17th, there are a slew of other events that will tempt urban planners and transportation reformers alike. There’s a “Bold Visions for Portland” panel on February 10th, a “Streets of Possibility: Well Beyond Cars” event on February 24th that will explore the question of how we can do more with streets that just put cars on them. That event will feature guest remarks on streets and personal fashion from PBOT Director Millicent Williams, a teaser about the upcoming “Bridgeless Burnside” project from Ryan Hashagen, ideas on next-generation street plazas, and much more. An event on March 3rd will consider design ideas for excellent infill housing, and the spotlight will shine on Portland’s waterfront at an event on March 10th.
A group of people on bikes protested a gas station lobby group at a Shell station in southeast Portland on February 29th, 2012. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
Not a ton of rides on the calendars, but here are a few gems to consider as you plan your weekend strategy…
Friday, January 31st
Breakfast on the Bridges – 7:00 am to 9:00 am at Various Willamette River Bridges Roll out and enjoy free baked goods and coffee while getting to know nice people in this time-honored Portland tradition of community building by bike. More info here.
Saturday, February 1st
Boycott Chevron – 1:00 pm at Abernethy Elementary (SE) Part of the local BDS (Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions) Weekend of Action, this ride will bring together people who want to protest what they see as Chevron’s role in supporting and aiding genocide and profiting off fossil fuel emissions that are burning up the planet. More info here.
Sunday, February 2nd
Caddyshack! – 12:00 pm on I-205 Path where it crosses NE Airport Way (NE) It’s the annual Bill Murray tribute ride where you’ll go on a rollicking tour of golf courses and enjoy lunch at a clubhouse. More info here.
Cyclocross World Championships Viewing Party – 12:30 pm at Gigantic Brewing (SE) Come cheer on your favorite racers with your favorite racers. Hosted by Portland’s CX Pistols cycling team. More info here.
Portland’s Next Horizon: 7 Projects That Will Redefine the Central City – 2:00 pm to 4:00 pm at the Mark Building (SW) Part of the City of Possibility series of events, this conversation will introduce you to the transformative projects in the queue for Portland’s Central City — from OMSI to Old Town. 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.
This is why you should never use a cable lock. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
Bike Index, America’s leading bike theft registration and recovery organization, has released their annual report and it paints a picture of widespread loss with an estimated 2.4 million bicycles stolen nationwide each year. Of those, 118,942 were reported stolen in the Bike Index registry last year, an increase of 15% more than 2023. The report also details that beyond the loss of a vehicle and other challenges theft poses for victims, the fact that bike theft is woefully underreported by victims and law enforcement agencies remains a big hurdle to turning the tide.
Portlander Andrew B. had his bike (estimated value, $5,000) stolen from his garage in southeast in early December. He almost didn’t even bother contacting the Portland Police Bureau about it because, “they did nothing” when he tried to file a bike theft report on two previous occasions. But this time he had an ace up his sleeve he thought would lead to a different response. “I remembered that this particular bike had an Apple Airtag concealed inside it, so I could see exactly where it was located,” he shared with BikePortland earlier this month. With this information, Andrew contacted the PPB and got in touch with an officer, who helped him create a file in the PPB’s evidence system. Unfortunately after the file was created, Andrew says the officer, “did precisely nothing.”
The lack of urgency and assistance from police (which is notably different than how they’ve responded to auto theft) is why many people don’t even bother to report stolen bikes through official channels. In their new report, Bike Index estimates 40% of bike thefts nationwide are not reported to police. And since 2021, law enforcement agencies across the nation have simply stopped reporting many crime statistics, including larceny (which bike theft falls under).
In their new report, Bike Index says, “The problem of underreporting remains a significant challenge in accurately assessing the true scope of bike theft. With many incidents going unreported, we likely will never know the exact number of bikes stolen each year.”
(Source: Bike Index 2024 Bike Theft Report)
To try and estimate the scale of the problem, Bike Index partnered with the Institute of Transportation Studies at University of California Davis and the Department of Geography at University of California at Santa Barbara. They conducted a survey with YouGov to produce an academic study that would get them closer to the actual number of bicycles stolen annual in the U.S. Their newly published research found that along with the 2.4 million bicycles stolen annually in the U.S., bicycles are 2.5 times more likely to be stolen than a car, that the majority (59%) of bike thefts occur in residential areas, and the total value of stolen bicycles in the U.S. is $1.4 billion.
In addition to a rise in e-bike thefts and smash-and-grabs from retail shops, the Bike Index report is full of important information and advice on how to prevent your bike from getting stolen. The first thing you should do is make sure your bike is among the 1.3 million registered at BikeIndex.org. That way law enforcement organizations and helpful citizens can search for your bike when they find stolen property and you’ll be able to leverage the strength of Bike Index’s recovery platform if or when thieves snatch your rig. Where you park is also a big consideration. Bike Index says to avoid bicycle parking rooms at multi-unit buildings. If you do, use at least two quality U-locks and make sure your bike is locked to something solid that can’t be removed by thieves. And residential theft is surprisingly common, so never assume your backyard shed or porch is safe.
For Andrew B., he agonized over knowing precisely where his stolen bike was being held, yet weeks passed as he got the runaround from the PPB. He began to worry that the Airtag signal’s battery would die. After hours spent on the phone trying to reach an officer to help with his case, Andrew finally got through, only to be told by the officer that he couldn’t access the evidence system. The good news was that the officer said the property where Andrew’s bike was being held was already suspected of harboring a lot of stolen goods.
But still, a month passed and Andrew heard no progress from the PPB. They walked the property, didn’t get a response from a knock on the gate, and couldn’t make a visual of the stolen bike. Andrew continued to text his contact at the PPB and tried emailing Police Chief Bob Day, but heard nothing back. Several weeks went by and Andrew even tried contacting Mayor Keith Wilson, but he received only an automated response.
Andrew told me his experience was a, “pattern of deliberately ignoring hard evidence that would easily lead to apprehending a thief.”
When I reached back out to Andrew this week to ask if there’d been any updates to his case, he said the PPB detective finally called him back and that a search warrant on the house — where his stolen bike had been stored for nearly two months — would finally be activated.
The PPB raided the house Tuesday morning. When the suspects refused to come out it led to an all-day standoff in southeast Portland that was widely reported by local news stations. The police let Andrew onto the property later in the afternoon once things calmed down a bit.
“We found the Airtag, at the base of the hedge in the backyard,” he shared. “It was next to a dead rat. No sign of the bike.”
In the end, Andrew says he’s glad his persistence helped encourage the raid and that the suspects were ultimately apprehended. But he’ll always wonder what the outcome might have been if police hadn’t waited two months before taking action.
Carey and Jack rolling up to Bike Happy Hour on February 7th, 2024. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
Don’t miss the latest edition of Portland Mercury Reporter Taylor Griggs’ Street View column where she highlights how our community helps bring people together. Like, really together. As in, love. It’s in the Mercury’s Love/Sex issue (which I realize now is why it’s also the Merc’s Wiener Week which means $8 yummy hot dogs citywide).
Taylor (yes, that one) lays out why bicycles — and more importantly, the wonderful community of people who love them — have such powerful forces of attraction. “For many, Portland’s bike scene has been something of an antidote to the poison of dating apps and dead-end situationships,” she writes. “And for those who aren’t in the market for romance, going to bike events is an excellent way to make friends.”
What makes the article even more fun is that it revolves around one of my favorite couples, Carey Booth and Jack Coleman, a duo who got to know each other at our weekly Bike Happy Hour (you might know Carey as the host of the event when I’m unable to be there):
“Booth said she specifically thinks the Bike Happy Hour, which takes place every Wednesday afternoon at Migration Brewing on North Williams Ave, provides a special opportunity to meet people. It’s easy to remember where and when it is, and the environment enables connecting with people.”
Taylor also highlights someone who met their love at the annual Loud N Lit bike ride that happens during Bike Summer. What started as a harmless chat at the ride’s meet-up spot in Irving Park has led to the couple moving in together.
And if you’re Bike Happy Hour-curious, we’d love to meet you. We had a great crowd last night and this coming Wednesday (3-6 pm at Migration on N Williams) should be extra-fun because it happens to fall on my 50th birthday!
Check out Taylor’s article here or grab a copy of this week’s paper and read it in print.
I just returned from five days in Washington D.C. and unlike the previous times I traveled there, I wasn’t toting around a big camera bag and a notebook. Between 2006 and 2017 I attended the League of American Bicyclists National Bike Summit nine times. The trips were full of excitement as I joined other bicycling believers on a wave of optimism about the future of transportation in America that was so strong it felt inevitable.
Imagine for a moment what it was like on March 11th, 2010 when former President Barack Obama’s US Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood walked into the final gathering party of Summit attendees in a large Senate ballroom, cleared a path to a large desk, then stepped on top of it and exclaimed, “All of the work all of you have been doing for so long has paid huge huge dividends. People get it! People want to live in livable communities. People want streetcars that are made in Portland, Oregon. People want walking paths, biking paths, and opportunities for families to really do the things they do best — which is to hang together and have fun. Thank you!”
While I loved working the Summit and I’ll always remember those moments and the sense of shared purpose with advocates from across Oregon and the nation, it was freeing to not have the physical and mental stress of it looming over me every minute on this trip. (When I worked the Summit it was three days of nonstop work — shooting photos, scribbling notes, listening, talking, writing, editing, then searching for wi-fi and posting everything in real time (which wasn’t common in the era before social media).)
This time around, I could just freely roam the National Mall and appreciate all its glorious art, ideas and artifacts; then soak up all the knowledge I could on Capitol Hill. In addition to spending time in the major museums, we toured the Capitol Building, sat in on a Senate debate, heard a lecture inside the Supreme Court chambers, stopped by Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley’s office, and toured the Library of Congress. I’ve always found that travel is the best teacher and throughout the past five days I’ve learned a lot about the history of America, our best and worst moments as a country, and the values our government and our people are supposed to stand for.
I sat in a chair inside Supreme Court chambers and thought about President Trump’s legal exploits while the phrase, “Equal Justice Under the Law” is scrawled across the pediment outside. I visited the Museum of African American History and Culture and thought about how we’ve treated Black people in this country while Trump has pardoned and allied with white supremacists. I walked through the Holocaust Memorial Museum and thought about the rise of fascism in Germany while Trump Advisor Elon Musk tried to turn his Nazi salute into a joke.
Suffice it to say, this trip strengthened my resolve to be an active member of our democracy and fight for what I believe is right.
I’m very concerned about what’s going on in DC right now and what the coming years might bring. But given what I’ve experienced and learned this past week, and with a deeper appreciation about what America has been through in our relatively recent past, I’m surprisingly more optimistic now than when I left Portland on Friday. Our country has written many difficult chapters. Each one required us to pay attention, get involved, and build strength with our communities so we could work on a better future with shared purpose. This time is no different.
I look forward to seeing some of you at Bike Happy Hour later today. We meet every Wednesday from 3:00 to 6:00 pm at Migration Brewing on N Williams Avenue. Free snacks at 4:00, open mic at 5:00. Everyone is welcome.
Looking west on SE Boise Street at intersection with SE Cesar E Chavez Blvd.
A fatal collision between a driver and someone walking along Southeast Cesar E. Chavez Boulevard on Sunday has re-ignited safety concerns about this notoriously dangerous street in District 3.
According to Portland Police Bureau Central Precinct a woman on foot near Chavez and SE Boise Street was struck by a car driver and seriously injured around 6:45 pm Sunday evening. The woman died at a hospital a short time later. The driver remained at the scene and PPB says they are, “cooperating with the investigation.” PPB haven’t released further details, but I’ve inquired and hope to learn if any updates are available.
The intersection of Cesar Chavez Blvd with Boise Street is just one block south of SE Gladstone. Boise, which runs east-west, is a small residential street while Chavez, which runs north-south is a notoriously fast and wide stroad with four general purpose lanes. Chavez has no shoulder or bike lane and the posted speed limit is 30 mph. Sidewalks along Chavez are relatively narrow. There is no marked crosswalk near Chavez and Boise (but keep in mind that in Oregon “every corner is a crosswalk” whether paint exists or not).
Chavez Blvd is known to many Portlanders for its tragic history. In 2015 Reed College student Mark Angeles was killed as he rode through the SE Gladstone intersection and was involved in a collision with a tow truck driver who was turning onto Chavez. That happened just one block north of Sunday’s crash. In 2021, 24-year-old Austin Boyd was killed by a driver near SE Clinton Street just 0.8 miles north of where the woman was hit on Sunday. The person who hit Boyd with their vehicle did not stop and was/is wanted for hit-and-run. Then in 2023, 1.6 miles north of SE Boise Street, Portland librarian Jeanie Diaz was hit and killed by a reckless driver while waiting at a bus stop on Chavez and SE Taylor.
Looking north on Chavez at SE Boise St.
SE Boise St. is three blocks from SE Holgate, a major neighborhood collector. On November 14th of last year, the Reed Neighborhood Association wrote a letter to the Portland Bureau of Transportation calling for “urgent safety improvements” to streets in this area. The letter warned that drivers in the area of Holgate and Cesar Chavez Blvd regularly display “impatience” during high traffic periods and that backups often lead to, “increased instances of drivers ignoring pedestrians needing to cross at the SE Cesar Chavez intersection.” Since November, the letter has been endorsed by the Brooklyn Neighborhood Association and a parent group from a local elementary school. A neighborhood advocate told BikePortland this morning that this most recent tragedy has hardened their resolve to gain attention for concerns in this area and that, “Our plan is to send this letter to the city council, PBOT, and the mayor early next week.”
Is there any hope that PBOT will make changes to the design of Cesar Chavez Blvd? There is a project in the city’s Transportation System Plan titled, “Cesar Chavez Corridor Improvements” that would, “upgrade sidewalks, and add pedestrian/bicycle crossing improvements, upgrade signals and make striping changes to improve traffic safety and transit operations,” between NE Sandy and SE Woodstock. However it’s estimated $5 million price tag is unfunded and I’m not sure what it’s prospects are, but this most recent death has got many local activists looking to hasten its timeline.
I’ll update this post if/when I learn more details about Sunday’s collision. If you know more, please get in touch. And if anyone has specific information about what happened Sunday night, please contact crimetips@police.portlandoregon.gov, attention Traffic Investigations Unit, and reference case number 25-023076.
UPDATE, 1/30: The victim’s name is Tuyet Nguyen. She is known to many people in the neighborhood and would collect cans in a cart on a daily basis. A post on Nextdoor is flooded with people who would wave and chat with her. One person said Nguyen was a regular at the Kenilworth Presbyterian Church food bank and a service might be planned in the coming days. Correction: This update originally shared the victim’s first name as “Thiet.”
Interim Bureau Directors, L to R: Dawn Uchiyama (Environmental Services); Edward Campbell (Water); Millicent Williams (Transportation). At right, Priya Dhanapal, Interim Deputy City Administrator.
Coming out of a campaign season in which the major issues were homelessness, homelessness and homelessness, it might come as a surprise to many people that a big part of a City Councilor’s job is about, well, pipes.
More properly, infrastructure — water, stormwater, sewage and right-of-way. Infrastructure takes up 50% of the city budget, but until things stop working, most Portlanders rarely think about it. As long as the toilet flushes and water comes out of the tap tasting fine, we’re good.
But I’ve yet to see a better introduction to the workings of the city than the presentation given by the Public Works Bureaus —Transportation, Water and Environmental Services — to the City Council last Thursday as part of Council’s Public Works work session. To anyone who wants a deeper understanding of Portland, including budget issues, tuning into the first 90 minutes of this session is well worth your time.
For a BikePortland reader, the most important information presented was that Portland’s roads face a severe maintenance backlog. But you knew that already, right?
What made me sit up straight during Thursday’s session was that the alarm finally seemed to impress the council as a whole. In the past, we’ve had individual commissioners-in-charge sounding-off about maintenance backlogs, but those concerns were easier to disregard in a fragmented council in which each commissioner had their own competing budget worries. In contrast, this session showed representatives from each of the four districts fully engaged and weighing in on the issues which concerned both their constituents and the city as a whole. Infrastructure was everybody’s business.
“Director Williams, I would say, don’t apologize for saying we don’t have enough money, scream at the top of your lungs, ‘We don’t have enough money’ with a lot of expletives attached, because that is the case.”
– Steve Novick, city councilor
The hearing also offered an early glimpse of Portland’s reorganized bureaucracy. In this instance, Interim Deputy City Administrator Priya Dhanapal, charged with the Public Works Service Area, led the Bureau Directors under her watch through a coordinated joint presentation. Similarly, on the City Council side, the meeting was ably facilitated by President Elana Pirtle-Guiney. This might not mean much to folks who have never attended council meetings in the past, but to anyone who has, last week’s session was remarkable for its clarity and professionalism.
That’s the good news. The bad news is that Portland really does have an alarming infrastructure backlog. Let’s dive in.
The bureau presentations
There is a lot to know about the guts of city operations, and the bureaus did a fine job of making what could be an overwhelming amount of information more accessible.
The three slides above bring the financial crisis into focus. The middle graphic shows that the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) has faced growing budget cuts over recent years, and has eliminated all of its financial reserves. The pie chart shows the budget.
The Council questions
I’ll let a selection of excellent questions and comments from Council speak for themselves, starting with Steve Novick, the Councilor most knowledgeable about Portland’s street network.
Novick was the Commissioner-in-charge of PBOT during his first term on council, from 2013 to 2016, and he is responsible for introducing the Fixing Our Streets ten-cent gas tax. His powerful comments came at the very end of the meeting:
The condition of the streets that you see now is the result of 30 years of neglect by the administrations of Bud Clark, Vera Katz, Tom Potter and Sam Adams, who completely neglected street maintenance, because it takes a while for street maintenance neglect to show up. They knew what was going on and they decided to do nothing—as opposed to the electeds in surrounding jurisdictions who recognized that the money they were getting from the state and the feds wasn’t enough to maintain the streets and they adopted local funding sources.
We did not do that until I and Charlie Hales took a measure to the ballot passing a 10-cent gas tax in 2016. But at that point the maintenance deficit was so big that it was like applying a bandaid to a machete wound. I said at the time, ‘this will slow the bleeding a bit, but it is not going to stop it’ …
Roads are like teeth, if you don’t do regular brushing and cleaning, then you are into root canals and extractions, which are a lot more painful and much more expensive …
Director Williams, I would say, don’t apologize for saying we don’t have enough money, scream at the top of your lungs, ‘We don’t have enough money’ with a lot of expletives attached, because that is the case. As to some of the streets in the West and the East being gravel, my assumption is that if we don’t get a huge amount of money, most of the streets in Portland are going to be gravel in another 40 years.
This map of how different areas of the city manage stormwater runoff is foundational to understanding the disparity in sidewalk coverage.
Novick’s remarks were the culmination of a line of questions initiated by the Council’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee chair, Olivia Clark, who commented about sidewalks and stormwater. Eric Zimmerman continued in this vein with remarks about the
gravel delivered to my property, to put out where normally a sidewalk would go … What is it going to take to expire the mindset, particularly in east Portland, but also in west Portland, that if you want a road, you and your neighbors have to pay for it? … that old mindset that we applied to the places we annexed 40 years ago? … I think what a tremendous difference we could make 40 years from now, if we just dedicated ourselves to [building] one mile of road per year.
Ultimately, it was District 2’s Sameer Kanal who asked the most concise question, “Why do we not take responsibility as a city for sidewalks, as a lot of major cities do, and how can we fix that?”
PBOT Director Millicent Williams responded to Zimmerman and Kanal:
When I moved to the City of Portland, I was unclear about homeowners and property owners having the responsibility of paving streets … expiring that is something that I would be delighted to see us do. But that would take the interest and investment of the political capital that you have to change the policies, codes, rules, laws … Growth, when it happens, requires a lot more planning and intentionality than people assume.
That is an historical challenge that we have… I hate to use that we can’t afford it as the excuse for everything, but it is a very expensive venture. Sidewalks are very expensive, I’d love to do a mile a year, but a mile, depending on how complex it is, is a million dollars, and that’s just pavement. That doesn’t include the stormwater, it doesn’t include the drainage … The hope is that we could look at some strategies to create this more complete network of streets and sidewalks.
This was the most straightforward discussion about Portland’s roads that I have heard from Council. Frankly, it was cathartic. We seem to be entering a period of honest reckoning about what it truly costs to properly maintain our roadways — and bring them, across the city, to a safe standard.
And what about bicycles?
Councilor Zimmerman began his comments by revealing that he was shopping around for an e-bike. And he brought up his concern about the recent bill introduced in the state legislature to regulate e-bikes in bike lanes, “as somebody who has some hills between me and my workplace, for me it’s a non-starter, it also makes me question moving into that market.”
Then he used the opportunity to ask Director Williams, “I always thought that the idea was to make it easier to get into that mode of transportation, rather than protecting it for the die-hards. I’m curious about your thoughts.” The exchange was lengthy, I have excerpted some of it:
Williams: For the City of Portland, we intend to continue to allow e-bikes to access the bike lanes. What does that mean for the design of the bike lanes for the future? Would we be looking at wider to create more space for the different types of users, potentially. There are lots of opportunities for us to evaluate how to support members of communities who are seeking to make that shift. And doing so without an excuse around ‘it’s too hard, or it’s too fast, or it’s too different’ … Today, are we prohibiting e-bikes from being in bike lanes? No. In the future, that will depend.
Zimmerman: I hope the answer is ‘no.’ I think that bike lanes and e-bikes go together. I don’t know what the answer is in regard to the Senator’s, “what is a moped?”
Williams: I will share that one of the initiatives that was funded through the PCEF investment through PBOT was the intentional cleaning of bike lanes. Part of that was driven by that there was going to be an investment in e-bikes…one of the deterrents to people using e-bikes is their concern about the cleanliness of the bike lane.
Today’s session was for the entire Council. Expect a meeting of the Council’s Transportation and Infrastructure Committee sometime in February.
General Manager would oversee day-to-day operations of a small bike shop in Tualatin. This sales and customer service position would need basic bike mechanic experience and be familiar with electric bikes.
30 Hours a week
60k/Annual
What we believe is that we found a healthy alternative to for commuting, exercise AND recreation. We did the work to find the best and most affordable products. Then we back that product up with our customer friendly approach and great back-end service.
So we bring that excitement with us every time we meet someone new in store. Whether it’s about our products, the technology, the opportunity to save money, the environment, or just to get back onto a bike for the first time. We go the extra mile to show it right away. We want to learn about the customer right away.
Seeing is Believing
We believe the ‘TEST RIDE’ is the ultimate way to experience what an E-bike can do and how best to do that then to take it for a spin. (With every test ride we require a waiver and information sheet to be logged in for follow up) and they’re off. After a quick safety lesson and proper head gear they’re free for up to 30 min test ride.
The best way to know is to try.
How to Apply
Send CV and Cover Letter to Tualatin@mokwheelstore.com
A special Thursday edition, since I’ll be gone tomorrow (headed to Washington D.C. on an educational trip to museums and government buildings with my wife and 8th grade son).
Had such a fun chat with the wonderful Eva Frazier. Here’s a taste of what we touched on this episode:
Thanks so much for your support and for listening. Please tell a friend and contact us if you’ve got something to say or want us to explore a specific topic.
Tune in and get cozy with us in the shed. Watch or listen wherever you get your podcasts.
Temporary cones will be replaced this week. (Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
A key section of the Naito Parkway bike lanes will finally be re-hardened after a long row of ornate, steel bollards went missing in 2023. As we’ve reported, the bike lanes adjacent to Portland Saturday Market between Ankeny and Burnside were left unprotected after the bollards vanished sometime in spring of 2023. It’s still unknown what exactly happened to dozens of bollards — some say they were stolen for scrap, others say they were simply damaged and then discarded by drivers and/or vandals.
After our story in 2023, the Portland Bureau of Transportation installed temporary orange traffic cones to help provide protection for the popular, two-way bike lanes. On Tuesday, PBOT announced that a crew of contractors will begin a project this week to install concrete curb separators to protect the bike lane. “They are expected to install about 210 feet of concrete separators along the outer edge of the two-way multi-use path, from SW Ankeny to the Burnside Bridge,” reads the PBOT statement. “The separators are intended to provide protection for people biking and walking, while requiring less maintenance than movable bollards that were previously used in this section of the path.”
Farewell lovely bollards, it was nice knowing you! (View from Burnside Bridge in May 2022)
The bollards (at right) were removable so that vendors of the Saturday Market could park in the bike lanes to load and unload their stalls. It is an annoying compromise (since it leads to people parking in the bike lane), but it allowed the Saturday Market to support the Better Naito project and be a willing partner with PBOT going forward. With the new curbs on the way, I asked PBOT if anything had changed in their agreement with the Market.
“Our agreement with them, and the loading operations will be unchanged,” said PBOT Public Information Officer Dylan Rivera. “Vendors will be able to enter Better Naito at the intersection of Ankeny or drive over the traffic separators at slow speeds to load and unload. The vast majority of the time (when vendors aren’t actively loading or unloading for the Market) people biking and walking in this segment of Better Naito will benefit from new concrete protection separating the facility from the northbound travel lane.”
PBOT expects the new concrete treatment to be much more durable than the bollard design they initially installed.
If you ride this section of Naito, expect a detour around the construction work and into the Waterfront Park path for about a week from yesterday.
UPDATE, 1/28: PBOT says this project has been postponed, “to allow time for county work on the Burnside Bridge” and that a new schedule will be shared in March.
Remember as temps continue to bite, cold weather riding tips apply: lower tire pressure, watch for black ice, don’t oversteer in turns, and don’t be shy with those layers!
Here’s our weekly menu of bike ride selections that would be worth your time…
Friday, January 24th
Oregon Moves PAC Campaign Kickoff – 6:30 pm at Tabor Space (SE) State Senator Khanh Pham and Portland City Councilor Candace Avalos are just two of the folks who will speak at this event that will look to raise money for advocacy and lobbying around the big transportation package down in Salem this session. More info here.
Saturday, January 25th
Rocky Point Dig Day – 9:30 am at Rocky Point Trails (Scappoose) Join nonprofit Northwest Trail Alliance for an invigorating and rewarding day of volunteer trial maintenance as they continue to build out the amazing trails at Rocky Point for everyone to enjoy. More info here.
I-205 Path Cleanup – 10:00 am at Flipside Bar and Carts (SE) Tired of trash on the path? This is your chance to help be part of the solution instead of just complaining about it. This event is led by SOLVE. More info here.
Vancouver Loop – 10:00 am at Vera Katz Statue (SE) The Cycle Cats will claw their way north, over the I-5 bridge and into the magical world of Vancouver before looping back over the I-205 path. It will be an adventure you won’t soon forget. More info here.
PSU Farmers Market Ride – 10:00 am at Multiple Locations (SE) This community tradition continues in winter with a wonderful group of humans who will ride together to the market on PSU campus downtown. More info here.
Sunday, January 26th
Ride for Warmth – 9:00 am at Hudson’s Bay High School (Vancouver, WA) Organized by Clark County Public Utilities District, this annual event offers a 16-mile bike ride on a signed course. $40 registration gets you an event tee and the warm feeling of knowing you are helping support a nonprofit that helps low-income families pay energy bills. More info here.
Cycle Sundays Ride – 11:00 at Overlook Park (N) Join Cycle Homies for a sunny ride at a moderate pace. Expect about 20-25 sunny and brisk miles with a food stop along the way. More info here.
Chill Forest Park Loop – 11:45 am at Something Cycles (E Burnside) You’ve got to experience Forest Park in the dead of winter. The views are better (fewer leaves!) and with this dry weather, the dirt should be fast and fun. Ride led by Some Sorta Sycling Squad and they say this will be a no-drop chill pace with 25 miles and about 1,300 feet elevation gain. More info here.e
— Did I miss your event? Please let me know by filling out our contact form, or just email me at maus.jonathan@gmail.com.
