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Penalosa inspires, gives Portland a reality check

Gil Penalosa at the Carfree Cities Conference.(Photos © J. Maus) During his inspiring keynote speech at the Carfree Conference yesterday, Gil Penalosa gave Portlanders a lot to think about. Penalosa is the former Commissioner of Parks, Sport, and Recreation for the city of Bogota, Colombia. During his tenure, he transformed that city (population 7 million) … Read more


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Bike League will launch Bicycle Friendly Business Program

In his speech addressing an international crowd at the Carfree Cities Conference, League of American Bicyclists executive director Andy Clarke announced that his organization will launch a Bicycle Friendly Business program. In his address, Clarke also said the League plans to release the initial rankings of their recently launched Bicycle Friendly States program in September. … Read more


Families, freeways, among topics as Carfree Conference kicks off

Hard at work in a street redesign workshop.Photo Gallery(Photos © J. Maus) After depaving a former parking lot in North Portland yesterday, the Towards Carfree Cities Conference marched on this morning at Portland State University. The first half of the program dealt with two topics of major interest to urban planners (and anyone interested in … Read more


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Congress passes bills to make trains, schools, more bike-friendly

An amendment to a “green” schools bill will help with funding for bike access.(Photo © J. Maus) In an illustration that the political winds on transportation are shifting comes news of two bike-friendly bills that have recently passed through the U.S. House of Representatives. In an effort to make Amtrak more bike-friendly, last Wednesday (6/11), … Read more


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Blumenauer: Obama meeting was “a coming of age moment”

“If I had to choose between Bush on his mountain bike and John Kerry on his Serotta, I’ll take Obama.”–U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama made headlines last week for his private meeting with members of the bicycle industry in Chicago. U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer (who some have whispered would make a … Read more


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De-paving event kicks off Carfree Conference

Former parking lot soon to be garden.(Photos © J. Maus) With car use in decline across the country, millions of urban acreage currently devoted to parking them will soon go fallow. What to do with all those parking lots? Depave them! The International Towards Carfree Cities conference kicked off this morning with a depaving event … Read more


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Portland company sponsors top cycling team: Will debut at Tour de France

Portland-based Columbia Sportswear has announced that they have taken over sponsorship of Team High Road (formerly T-Mobile) and new jerseys with “Team Columbia” will debut at the start line of the Tour de France. This would be first time a Portland company was a title sponsor of such a high-profile racing team. Team High Road … Read more


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Columnist bemoans car use decline: “They are freedom machines”

“No device is more in keeping with the American spirit than the automobile… they are freedome machines.”–Terence P. Jeffrey, Editor-in-Chief of CNS News Service. Terence P. Jeffrey, a columnist with the non-profit Cybercast News Service has penned an interesting article that calls Americans’ languishing love affair with the automobile a “worrisome sign for those who … Read more