As the work intensifies on Capitol Hill to re-write America’s next surface transportation bill, the lobbying is heating up to make sure it includes more money for biking and walking. As the prime pusher of pedaling in Congress, Rep. Earl Blumenauer will play an important role in making sure those who are writing the bill … Read more
It’s the morning after for Governor Kulongoski’s big transportation bill and a coalition of concerned advocates are trying to rally opposition. Last Friday, a special joint committee polished off final amendments and sent House Bill 2001 to the House and Senate Floors for a vote that will likely happen this week. After seeing those amendments, … Read more
The Capitol(Photo © J. Maus) The Bicycle Transportation Alliance‘s executive director and lobbyist Scott Bricker has helped lawmakers improve a new Urban Trail Fund that is part of the Governor’s transportation package. House Bill 2001 is still being worked on down in Salem, and amendments published earlier this week were very bad news for bike … Read more
Mayor Adams made a lot of promises. Has he kept them?(Photos © J. Maus) On May 26th, less than one week from today, Mayor Adams will have been in office for 100 business days. Shortly after taking office he released his “100 Day Action Plan” which contained a range of promised accomplishments from many different … Read more
Bike advocates huddled with theBTA’s Scott Bricker before testifying at the 2007 hearing.(Photo © J. Maus) With the prospects of bike funding looking grim Salem, the residents of Portland have a chance to set a different tone. Tonight (5/21) in Southeast Portland the Mayor and City Commissioners will listen to testimony about the Mayor’s proposed … Read more
Mary O’Donnell, shown hereat a press conference for the bill last June, lost her husband due to a careless driver.(Photos © J. Maus) At a work session of the House Judiciary Committee in Salem today, the BTA’s Vehicular Homicide Bill (HB 3399) was withdrawn from the agenda, thereby terminating its chances to become law this … Read more
Inside the House Transportation Committee.(Photos © J. Maus) As the clock ticks in Salem on the 2009 legislative session, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) and other bike advocates are making last ditch efforts to make Oregon’s laws more friendly to bikes. Today in Salem, work sessions (different from public hearings in that no testimony is … Read more
“I bike and walk a lot…I’m especially careful when people are on a cell phone because their attention is obviously on someone else and not me.”–State Rep. Carolyn Tomei, sponsor of a bill to ban use of mobile devices while driving. A bill that would ban cell phones and texting while driving passed out of … Read more
Rep. Dembrow (right) with Jay Graves (center) and Ray Thomas in the State Capitol building yesterday.(Photos © J. Maus) Billing it as a “A new kind of town hall,” two Oregon State Legislators will lead a bike ride around their districts next month. Representative Michael Dembrow and Senator Jackie Dingfelder — both of whom represent … Read more
Rep. Jules Bailey(Photo © J. Maus) The Portland Mercury’s Matt Davis is reporting that House Representative Jules Bailey (D-SE Portland) places blame for the demise of the Idaho Stop law on the way the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) handled the departure of Karl Rohde. In an update to a story published yesterday on the Mercury … Read more
Scott Bricker speaking at the Oregon Bike Summit today.(Photo © J. Maus) Speaking at the opening session of the Oregon Bike Summit today, Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) Executive Director Scott Bricker gave a rundown of their existing priority bills in the 2009 legislative session. With the door officially closed on Idaho Stops (interesting report about … Read more
“…they [legislators] had heard from a number of constituents who were very concerned and opposed to giving cyclists what they viewed as special rights.”–Doug Parrow, Chair of the BTA’s Legislative Committee An effort to pass the “Idaho Stop Law” in Oregon has officially ceased all forward motion. I confirmed this morning from Bicycle Transportation Alliance … Read more