Anyone who wants to see safer streets, more bike lanes, and a government more responsive to the campaigns of active transportation advocates should vote to adopt a new charter for Portland’s city government.
Have you ever considered the idea that we are ordained with certain privileges when we drive cars and trucks that we simply don’t get when we choose to ride bikes? This idea of “driving privilege” has bounced around my head for years and I often think about it as I ride around town. Any time … Read more
Another senseless death of a vulnerable road user on an urban highway controlled by the State of Oregon has led to more pleas from advocates to make changes. And just now, the Portland city commissioner in charge of the transportation, Jo Ann Hardesty, added her voice to the chorus. “Enough is enough,” Hardesty said in … Read more
This guest opinion is by Paxton Rothwell. “NE 7th fails to be either a vehicle through route or a bike-friendly neighborhood street. And yet it remains popular as both.” Traffic issues on NE 7th Avenue are once again in the spotlight. As BikePortland reported, the neighborhood meeting held September 14th did more to ignite additional … Read more
Turns out that allowing people to drive across the Columbia Slough bike path is part of a traffic control plan endorsed by the City of Portland. After I witnessed a dangerous scene unfold Sunday afternoon as drivers left the Indycar event at Portland International Raceway and rolled head-on into me and several other groups of … Read more
I’ve never been a summer person, and have historically gritted my teeth to get through July and August and return to the coziness of winter. But this year, I embraced the sweat and mosquitos and general fatigue that comes with summer for the first time in my life. If I was feeling low-energy, guess what? … Read more
“McGill was an innocent bystander walking in the area when she was struck by an out-of-control vehicle.” – Portland Police Bureau Note: This article contains opinions. Last night dozens of people gathered on Southeast Stark near 133rd to remember Ashlee McGill. The 26-year-old was standing on the sidewalk, waiting for the Line 20 bus around … Read more
I did Bridge Pedal again this morning for the first time in 12 years. And it was dreamy. I used to do this massive event every year, but I got tired of the bottlenecks and the chaos. Or maybe I just became jaded. But I’ve felt a renewed sense of wonder and excitement about Portland’s … Read more
Warning: The following contains a lot of my opinions that might be uncomfortable for some readers. For a city with a rich legacy of cycling with aspirations to be even more cycling-centric, the lack of care and capacity that the Portland Bureau of Transportation spends on keeping cycling paths, shoulders, and lanes clean is unacceptable … Read more
“Induced demand only matters if you’re creating an induced demand for carbon-based vehicles that pollute.” – Ted Wheeler, mayor of Portland Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler has some interesting ideas about induced demand. In fact, if you care about building healthy and vibrant cities, his ideas are downright troubling. For the uninitiated, induced demand is a … Read more
E-bikes are to transportation what Steph Curry is to basketball*. They have changed the game. And there’s no going back. The e-bike revolution has been building for years, but it feels like the scales have tipped even more lately due to better and cheaper products on the market, high gas prices, climate change concerns, a … Read more
Street racing, drifting and “takeovers” are revving up for summer. Last Sunday night hundreds of people and cars took over sections of streets throughout the city to show off their drifting and street racing skills. According to the Portland Police Bureau, groups took over seven different locations between 8:00 pm Sunday night and 1:00 am … Read more