[Bjorn Warloe] Portland resident Bjorn Warloe wants Oregon to take a cue from Idaho when it comes to how bicycles treat stop signs and traffic lights. Since I met him last December, he has garnered interest and support from the Bicycle Transportation Alliance and some lawmakers in Salem. I asked him a few questions about … Read more
[The Capitol building in Salem.] If you’re interested in this year’s bike legislation in Salem and beyond, you won’t want to miss an upcoming discussion being hosted by PDOT. As part of their ongoing Bicycle Brown Bag series, they’re bringing in Scott Bricker of the BTA and Karmen Fore from U.S. Congressman Peter DeFazio’s office … Read more
A few weeks ago, the BTA unveiled their Senate Bill 299 (PDF here), an “omnibus” bill that includes several new provisions. The last section (Section 6) of that bill included amendments to ORS 811.440 which deals with laws pertaining to, “When motor vehicles may operate on bicycle lane.”
There’s a notable addition to the BTA’s 2007 Legislation page. In a section titled “Other Bicycle Bills” (meaning ones they’re not working on themselves) is a mention of a local effort — which I reported on a month ago — to consider changing how bicycles treat stop signs.
[From my trip last year.] The National Bike Summit is just five weeks away. The Summit is a four-day, annual event in Washington D.C. that brings together America’s bike leaders to network, learn, and most importantly, to ask members of Congress to consider bicycles in their decisions.
[A road in North Plains.] Yesterday, the BTA’s Senate Bill 299 — which includes a provision about requiring a minimum three-foot passing distance — got its first debate on the floor of the Judiciary Committee in Salem. A reporter from the Associated Press was there and filed a report that was picked up by the … Read more
Via the BTA Blog and an ad on Jack Bog’s blog comes news that BTA Executive Director Evan Manvel will the guest on Outlook Portland this Sunday morning (1/21) at 6:30AM. Show host Nick Fish will talk with Evan about the BTA’s legislative work and cycling in Oregon. The show is on Broadcast Channel 32, … Read more
[Scott Bricker hustles in the hallways between meetings.] After posting my first Salem report, BTA bike lobbyist Scott Bricker and I set off for two more meetings. The first was with Representative Jeff Barker, a Democrat who represents Beaverton and Aloha. This meeting (as usual) would only last about 15 minutes and with three full … Read more
[BTA’s Scott Brickerinside the Capitol.] It’s been a busy morning. After negotiating Portland’s icy streets, BTA Policy Director Scott Bricker and I made our way down to Salem. For Scott, it was just another day at work, but for me it was an opportunity to learn more about how a bike lobbyist works the system … Read more
[Commissioner Adams led the meeting.] Last Thursday at the Kenton Firehouse in North Portland, I attended one of Commissioner Sam’s Budget Town Hall meetings to discuss the finances and issues around transportation (PDOT), environmental services (BES), and community art (RACC). This was one of seven similar meetings being held throughout Portland’s various neighborhood districts. Sam … Read more
There seems to be a lot of interest in the community about the bike-related legislation going on in Salem this year. I’ve been doing my best to stay in touch with all of it and I will write about developments as they come in. Here’s what I know so far. BTA Policy Director Scott Bricker … Read more
[A photo from inside DeFazio’s officeon Capitol Hill.] If you’re a bike geek, the November elections were like that Christmas when you got your very first new bike and you were brimming with excitement at the potential of good times that were sure to come. With so much bike-friendly mojo in Congress, it’s hard to … Read more