Last night I heard a presentation by Matt Garrett, Region Manager for ODOT. He came to the PSU Traffic and Transportation class to give an overview of how ODOT fits into the transportation picture. As someone who is concerned about bike safety, and the livability of our cities, it was very unsettling to listen to … Read more
City leaders and key bike advocates are headed to Amsterdam next week. The trip was Sam Adams’ idea and the goal will be to learn how Amsterdam’s government officials and planners have been so successful at creating thriving urban cities that encourage people to get out of their cars. Jessica Roberts of the BTA hopes … Read more
At a press conference this morning the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) will announce their much-anticipated “top 40 essential projects programs, and policies.” This “Blueprint for Better Biking” was determined from a survey of over 900 Portland cyclists back in spring of 2004. From that survey, the BTA says 4 main areas of concern emerged: Cycling … Read more
How are local advocacy groups, the City of Portland, and the bike community working to make our streets safer? Here’s an update on some of the latest efforts: The BTA Besides their usual diligence of writing letters to the editor and op-eds, the BTA has assembled a Crash Response and Safety Team. This team consists … Read more
Jessica Roberts of the BTA was recently featured in an OPB radio interview about the Three Bridges Project. The Three Bridges Project will help cyclists navigate the Springwater Corridor trail from the Willamette east through Sellwood and beyond via new bridges at Johnson Creek, Hwy 99, and over the Union Pacific RR. The image below … Read more
Local transportation advocate Linda Ginenthal (left), is featured in a just-released AP newswire story that details how Portland is a shining example of how bike-friendly cities keep people healthy. The story is a follow-up to a recent story about how Oregon is the only state to not show a rise in obesity rates. Excerpt: “What … Read more
Just reported on Wired.com is a new program in Lyon, France that may be of interest here in Portland (photo on left). This well-designed and high tech rent-a-bike system seems to be a major improvement on the old “Yellow Bike” program. It simply requires a credit card to “check out” a bike. The fee is … Read more
I recently posted about the City of Portland’s work on an exciting mapping project that combines our bike routes with an interactive, web-based map. I have also heard from many of you about your close calls with motorists. The next step will be to integrate the close-call data with an interactive map. This map would … Read more
[update: I have been notified of several incorrect facts in my account and have made appropriate changes.—Jonathan] A few months ago, the bike lane in front of the Benson Hotel on SW Broadway was the scene of an ugly incident involving a delivery truck, a cyclist, and several cops, summoned by the Benson valet via … Read more
Two more articles released today try to shed light on the hot topic of bike safety on the streets of Portland. The Willamette Week “Riding Herd” – Cyclists pressing for crackdown on bike-unfriendly motorists. The Oregonian “Bike group rolls out safety plan” – After five recent deaths, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance pushes proposals to better … Read more
We as cyclists risk our lives every day on the streets of Portland. Many of us have had near-misses and other altercations that left us rattled, angry, and feeling vulnerable. Yet the only people that ever hear about these incidents are our friends, families and riding buddies. The media, the police and our elected officials … Read more
PUMP (Portland United Mountain Pedalers) is our local mountain bike advocacy group. They work to maintain trails and make sure the interests of mountain bikes are represented in often thorny land access issues. PUMP was also instrumental in putting together this great (and free) map of Forest Park (PDF). Now they’re gaining momentum for a … Read more
Comment of the Week: The public health angle should matter more