[Editor’s note: This profile of local livable streets nonprofit Umbrella is the first story of new BikePortland news intern Jenny Leonard. Welcome, Jenny!] “Umbrella seeks to empower community-based street culture. Streets are meant to connect, not divide, neighborhoods. We support active ideas that develop streets as vibrant, safe, and welcoming public spaces that serve communities.”–Umbrella’s … Read more
We need more like him.(Photo © J. Maus) Yesterday the Safe Routes to School National Partnership launched their “Dear Congress: Why Safe Routes to School is Important” campaign. The intention of this grassroots lobbying effort is to send a clear message to members of Congress that their constituents care deeply about getting more kids to … Read more
Rural roads like this one could be developed for industrial use.(Photo: Kevin Van Dyke) Beaverton resident, race promoter, and bike advocate Kris Schamp has joined a grassroots effort to save 34,000 acres of rural farmland from industrial and residential development in Washington County. Schamp, owner of Portland Racing and communications director of Northwest Trail Alliance, … Read more
The current I-5 bridge overthe Columbia.(Photo © J. Maus) We reported last week that the Bicycle Transportation Alliance has decided to resign from the the Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee for the Columbia River Crossing project. A new post to the BTA blog by advocate Michelle Poyourow goes into detail about this decision. The post … Read more
These are the two options bike and pedestrian advocates are being asked to choose from… but what if neither are acceptable?
Signs don’t work as well as crosswalks.(Photo © J. Maus) It’s common at advocacy-oriented conferences to hear the latest horrible stats about how bad things are and how it’s up to the great work of advocates to charge into a new era and change the world. At the Safe Routes to School National Conference being … Read more
Last week we pointed out an article by The Oregonian’s editorial board about funding for the bike and pedestrian facility on the new I-5 bridge. The response was written by BTA Board Chair Mary Roberts and Vice-Chair Stephen Gomez on behalf of the Board and the Staff Advocacy Committee. Here’s the BTA’s response: “The Oregonian’s … Read more
Hosts of Detroit radio station WCSX’s Deminski and Doyle show have responded to reaction after a show on August 5th where they went on an anger-filled rant about people on bicycles. Calling the incident “Bike Gate”, a local bike advocate was welcomed onto their show today to talk about the issues brought up by the … Read more
BTA home page The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) has launched an online survey to capture how Oregonians (whether they bike or not) feel about bike advocacy and the BTA in general. BTA Advocacy Manager Michelle Poyourow says they want to hear what everyone — members or non-members — thinks about bike advocacy in Oregon and … Read more
The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) is planning several “Advocacy Forums” later this summer. The forums are being held so the BTA can garner feedback and input on a variety of issues. In advance of the first event in mid-August, the BTA just released a survey asking the community what topics they’d like to discuss. When … Read more
One of a series of posters created for the campaign.(Photos by Kim Oanh Nguyen) Seeking to reshape the image that comes to mind when people think of “the bike community” or “bicyclists”, the Northeast Portland-based Community Cycling Center has launched their “I Ride” awareness campaign. So far, the campaign consists of a series of promotional … Read more
After years of encouragement from advocates and citizen activists, the City of Tigard says they plan to establish an official Bicycle Advisory Committee. During a phone call, City of Tigard transportation project engineer Mike McCarthy told us the decision to form the committee comes as part of a larger effort. McCarthy said the Bike Advisory … Read more