Let your mind wander back to the halcyon days of the 1970s…

You’re sitting on your porch with a drink after work and you see the biggest sports star in town pedaling a bicycle up your street. “Good luck tonight Bill!” you call out as none other than Portland Trail Blazer star Bill Walton rides by with a huge smile on his face.
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Gates succeed at keeping everyone out; but they fail at complying with city code.
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)

The owners of the Asa Flats & Lofts in the Pearl District wanted to prevent people from sleeping in alcoves of their building along Northwest Marshall and Lovejoy streets. Their solution was to erect large metal gates. But the gates kept out more than people seeking refuge, they also prevented customers of nearby businesses from accessing bike racks.[Read more…]

The author on his Benno e-bike.
(Photo: J. Maus/BikePortland)

This story is by northwest Portland resident, Planning & Sustainability Commissioner and devoted civic activist, Chris Smith.

I confess, I’m a heavy user of Amazon Prime. Not in the “I’m too lazy to go to the grocery store” way, but more of a “there’s so much selection, I can get exactly the thing I’m looking for!” way. If I can buy what I need locally, I definitely do.

I’m aware of the potential negative impacts of this convenience: exploitation of workers at Amazon warehouses, impact on local retail and — especially given the focus of my activism — last mile impacts on the local transportation system.

I think I have an answer for that last point: Amazon Lockers.[Read more…]

The best camp-hacking comes with a pool, cake, and karaoke.
(Photos: Madi Carlson)

Did you know house sitting is now called (by some at least) “rent hacking”? It sounds cool, but I prefer “camp hacking,” a term I coined for camping options beyond the usual parks and campgrounds. If you’re looking for a quick-and-dirty way to camp with your bikes, maybe it’s time to think outside the box.[Read more…]

Portland will be in the spotlight next week when the nation’s leading experts on bicycling and walking planners descend on our city for the Association of Pedestrian and Bicycle Professionals annual conference. [Read more…]

— This week’s Monday Roundup is sponsored by River City Bicycles.

Welcome to the week. Here are the most noteworthy items we came across in the past seven days…
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(Photo: J. Maus/BikePortland)

Our post last week about the new crossing treatment on Northeast 37th at Prescott attracted a lot of ire. The vast majority of people we heard from do not like the new design.

High on the list of grievances is the fact that the transportation bureau decided to route bicycle users up onto a narrow sidewalk.

Long-time BikePortland reader and noted local activist Betsy Reese wasn’t having it. In fact, you could say she called B.S. on the idea.[Read more…]

We’ve had two fresh listings this week. Learn more about each one via the links below…

–> Order Management Specialist – Foundation Fitness

–> Customer Service Representative – Stages Indoor Cycling

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The therapy you need.
(Photo: J. Maus/BikePortland)

The weekend is nigh. If you’ve been itching to get out in this summer weather, the forecast looks excellent for a bike adventure or two.
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Activism isn’t always this exciting. Burnout can happen when progress ebbs and fatigue sets in.
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)

“Burnout is a way of telling you that your form of activism was perhaps not very full circle.”
– Gloria Steinem

Ever since we celebrated the fourth anniversary of BikeLoudPDX (the all-volunteer activism group I co-chair) in August 2018, I began to feel conflicted about my bike activism. I still had moments of excitement and interest that had drawn me to the group and this kind of work in the first place, but I was feeling overwhelmed, unmotivated, and sometimes resentful and angry.
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Changes include a two-way bike lane that starts on the I-84 overpass (a ramp from the sidewalk to the new lanes will be built later this summer).
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)

The Portland Bureau of Transportation recently completed phase one of a $331,000 project on Northeast 102nd Avenue that included new lanes for biking, fewer lanes for driving, and more. It’s part of a significant update of the corridor between NE Sandy and Weidler. [Read more…]

The sidewalks on the St. Johns Bridge are already extremely narrow and stressful.
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)

The Oregon Department of Transportation announced yesterday that a maintenance project on the St. Johns Bridge will result in the closure of one sidewalk for two months. ODOT will close one sidewalk for two, 30-day periods in order to stage construction equipment.

The project, which will reinforce the framework of the bridge to handle more and heavier auto and truck traffic, means bicycle users who use the sidewalks will share the narrow sidewalk space with more people than ever. This is a big deal because the sidewalks are only five feet wide and traffic around the St. Johns Bridge is notoriously unsafe.
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We just biked to the last Portland Pickles baseball game of the regular season. I love biking to sporting events in the summer!
(Photo: Madi Carlson)

For those of us following the Portland Public Schools calendar, there are just two more weeks of summer break. I don’t know about you, but I’m hoping to sneak in a few more fun things on bikes before we’ve got to get back to the books. I’d like to hit a few new locations and maybe revisit a special spot or two.

How about you? Any last-minute summer flings planned? If not, here are three little bits of inspiration…[Read more…]

This week’s Roundup is sponsored by the Portland Century, coming August 18th. Registration is open now!

I realize it’s Tuesday, but I was on the road all day yesterday and unable to get this week’s roundup together.

So without further adieu, here are the most noteworthy items we came across in the past seven seven days…
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Bridge Pedal first-timers Lee and Chris brought visitors from Africa, Toumany and Ansou, along for the ride.
(Photos: Eric Thornburg)

Thousands of people took part in the 24th annual Bridge Pedal on Sunday.[Read more…]

Coming along nicely. This view is looking west at Marine Drive near 185th.
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)

The City of Portland has embarked on a project that will give bicycle riders more separation from auto and truck drivers on Northeast Marine Drive.
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The law allows you to pass another vehicle on the right, even if you’re on a bike.
(Photo: J. Maus/BikePortland)

The Oregon Court of Appeals has overturned a lower court decision that found a bicycle rider guilty of passing on the right. The case is a rare interpretation of a bicycle-related statute from this upper court and it strengthens the rights of bicycle riders statewide.
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This is the route to safely access the crosswalk in the background for people cycling across Prescott at 37th.
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)

An off-set intersection and a sweeping curve combine to make the crossing of Northeast Prescott at 37th very unsettling. To make matters worse, 37th is an important north-south connection in our cycling network.
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A chance to take over the city awaits you at Bridge Pedal.
(Photo: J. Maus/BikePortland)

The weekend is right around the corner. Check out our selection of rides and events below…

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