🚨 Please note: BikePortland is currently on hiatus and only publishing guest articles. Learn more here. Thank you. - Jonathan 🙏
The view of today’s hearing for many.(Photo: Patrick Croasdaile) At the House of Representatives’ Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure listening session held this morning in Vancouver, WA, many would-be participants never got the chance to be heard. I happened to arrive at the committee meeting 35 minutes early, yet was eight people shy from getting … Read more
SE Powell.(Photo © J. Maus) UPDATE: This bill no longer exists in the form reported below. I’ve heard from Rep. Cannon’s office that HB 3150 will get the “gut and stuff” treatment; which means the language will be significantly altered. The new plan is to make HB 3150 a companion bill to Senate Bill 344, … Read more
Under the new law, ODOT would come up with standards to make sure this guy stays safe.(Photo © J. Maus) A new bill set for introduction in the Oregon legislature would establish minimum construction standards for bicycle trailers sold in Oregon. The bill is currently in draft form (PDF here) and is expected to be … Read more
Lawmakers might elect to lower stop sign violation fines for bicycles.(Photo © J. Maus) A bill introduced in Salem yesterday would reduce the maximum fine for bicycle operators who fail to stop at a stop sign. Senate Bill 660 “Decreases penalty for failure to stop for stop sign to maximum fine of $40 for person … Read more
Bike traffic signal bill passed the Senate.(Photo © J. Maus) Senate Bill 130 (text), that would add green, yellow and red bicycle signals to Oregon’s list of officially accepted traffic control devices, has passed the Oregon Senate. The ODOT-backed bill passed yesterday by a vote of 28-1. The only “no” vote came from Senator Jeff … Read more
HB 2602, a bill proposed by Rep. Mike Schaufler (D-Happy Valley) that would create a new law prohibiting the use of headphones while bicycling, has been pulled from the schedule of the House Judiciary Committee. As we reported last week, the bill was slated for a public hearing tomorrow (2/10). Our friends at Eugene Bicyclist … Read more
“Before we draft any legislation these meetings will provide the Committee with valuable insight and information.” — Rep. John Mica, Chair, House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee The U.S. House Transportation and Infrastructure Committee — a key body that sets the transportation agenda on Capitol Hill — has announced a series of “field hearings” on changes … Read more
One of their priorities is a $1.3 million request to make SE Foster Road safer for all modes.(Photos © J. Maus) Today, Portland Mayor Sam Adams published the City’s list of federal legislative priorities. Among them are several transportation projects that include bike-related infrastructure. [As an aside, we are pleased to note that Nils Tillstrom, … Read more
Governor Kitzhaber at his acceptance speech back in November.(Photos © J. Maus) Oregon’s newly elected Governor John Kitzhaber has made a many staff appointments in his first month in office. He’s named people to help him develop policy on issues like energy policy, business development, job creation, health care, affirmative action, and other issues. But … Read more
Portland hopes new law will lead to 20 mph limit on streets like these.(Photo © J. Maus) As we reported back in October, the City of Portland is working the legislature to gain more control over speed limits. Mayor Sam Adams is aware of the impact high speed motor vehicles have on our neighborhoods and … Read more
Should it be illegal?(Photo © J. Maus) Lost in last week’s kerfluffle about a potential ban on biking with kids, was another bill proposed in the current Oregon legislative session that deserves our attention. House Bill 2602 (text), sponsored by Representative Michael Schaufler (D-Happy Valley), would create a new traffic violation for “unsafe operation of … Read more
State Representative Jules Bailey has just told us that he has been in touch with Rep. Mitch Greenlick about HB 2228, the controversial bill that would create a new Oregon law making it illegal to transport a child six years or younger on a bicycle or in a bike trailer. Bailey says that the two … Read more