BikePortland

The Columbia River Crossing is alive

OK. Maybe not.

It may be a hot Friday afternoon in the middle of August, but the president of the Oregon Senate has spent it making calls to key legislators, counting votes for a possible resurrection of the Columbia River Crossing.

That’s the latest word from Sen. Rod Monroe (D-East Portland), a longtime backer of the CRC who said a one-day special session that would include a new deal on the big highway-rail project is possible, but not likely.

“I would say right now the chances of a special session are at best 50-50, maybe not even that high,” said Monroe, a former Metro councilor who sits on the Business and Transportation Committee and the special committee regarding the CRC.

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Job Title
Purchasing and Production Manager

Company/Organization
Nutcase

Job Description
Domestic production forecasts, schedules and purchase orders. Communication with factories and supply chain vendors in China. International Purchasing and Production schedules via Collaboration with International Sales and Distribution Manager.

How to Apply
Send resume to miriam@nutcasehelmets.com

More on the effort to weaken Metro’s Active Transportation Plan

“Since Metro seems to be easily cowed by the minority nowadays, and we have mayors who think it’s okay to flout the law, it’s time for a lawsuit.”
— Rex Burkholder, former Metro councilor

As we shared on Wednesday, the mayors of 21 of the 25 cities represented by Metro have signed a letter that calls for changes to a draft version of the Regional Active Transportation Plan (ATP) that would render it powerless. They say the wording in the plan is too strong, that it’s a “mandate”, and that if it’s absorbed into the all-powerful Regional Transportation Plan, the biking and walking projects in the ATP would wrestle precious funding from other road projects.

Yesterday that topic came up again at a meeting of regional leaders at Metro headquarters. Remember, at issue here is only a non-binding “resolution of acknowledgment” for work done on the plan thus far. Since the plan is being developed with some federal funding, a vote by Metro council to acknowledge its progress is required by the feds. But this vote has struck fear in the hearts of mayors from suburban cities surrounding Portland. What are they afraid of? Why do they want to delay this plan and weaken its language?

“Shall the City increase fees up to three percent on utility reserves and establish a four and a half cent per gallon motor vehicle fee to reduce pollution, conserve energy, improve streets?”
— Question on poll conducted this week by Portland Mayor Charlie Hales.

This morning, the Willamette Week broke the story about a poll performed by Mayor Charlie Hales’ office last night asking Portland residents about their opinions of a potential carbon tax. We’ve followed up with the Mayor’s office to find out what — if anything — the poll questions included about whether or not any new tax revenue would be spent on transportation infrastructure.

Hales’ Communications Director Dana Haynes confirmed the poll, and added that, “The questions are designed to assess the feasibility of a carbon tax, as the mayor and the city explore options for new revenue. While we are a long away from saying “yes” or “no” to a carbon tax, it is our responsibility to think broadly and creatively, regarding ways to be good stewards of the public’s money for services we provide.”

So. What exactly did the poll ask?

Bicycling in Utrecht is pleasant (and safe of course).
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

Here in America, the most common word associated with new bikeway projects is “safety”. Deaths, injuries, and collision statistics are the key driver of which projects rise to the top of funding lists. Want a new bike path on a street in your neighborhood? The first thing PBOT will do is check the database for reported collisions along the route.

But what if all these discussion surrounding safety isn’t really where we should focus our energy? On the Green Lane Project blog this week, Michael Andersen (yes, that Michael Andersen) laid out the following case in a post titled, What if bike comfort is more important than bike safety?:

Homebuilders have discovered low-car life in Portland. But until now, nobody’s made a comprehensive effort to help Portlanders locate low-car homes.

Today, BikePortland is kicking off a project to change that.

Three weeks ago, we laid out one of the biggest problems in Portland right now: it’s had a chronic shortage of rental housing for the last six years, leading to rapidly rising rents and powerless tenants.

The following week, we explained why the Portland real estate market has been shifting so fast toward low-car life: households that include more adults than they do automobiles account for an estimated 60 percent of Portland growth since 2005.

We received quite an interesting mix of opportunities on our Job Listings this past week. From tending bar to assembling parts, to working with kids. Check out our latest listings via the links below…

Purchasing and Production Manager – Nutcase
Assembler – Chris King Precision Components
Youth Programs Manager – Cascade Bicycle Club
Mechanic, Salesperson, Bar Tender – Velo Cult Bicycle Shop and Tavern

From bicycle culture tour flyer.
(Illustration by Shawn Granton)

If you are in love with bicycles, there’s simply no better city in the world to live in than Portland. Case in point are three upcoming bicycle tours — all happening on August 24th — that will showcase three things that many bike lovers cherish: our rich and diverse culture around bicycling, urban parks, and public art murals.

A tour developed by the non-profit Know Your City and held in conjunction with the Portland Art Museum’s Cyclepedia Exhibition, will introduce you to our vaunted bike culture. Dubbed, America’s Bicycle Capital: A tour of Portland’s Many Bike Cultures, the ride will leave from PAM at 10:00 am and visit sites and personalities that, “define our city’s bike culture — from bike advocacy to Zoobombers.” Guest speakers on the ride include: PBOT staffer Timo Forsberg (also a veteran volunteer with Shift); Ayleen Crotty, who edits ORBike.com and organizes many well-known bike events; Dingo Dizmal, the man who made the (now defunct) Alberta Clown House famous; and Rex Burkholder, a former Metro councilor who helped start the Bicycle Transportation Alliance. The tour is free and everyone is welcome.

Morning sunrise behind me, the dream-like Hail Ridge Road in front of me.
It would be a very good day on the bike.
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland unless otherwise noted)

Spending three days riding some of the most exhilarating roads in our state has left me with many fond memories and new excitement about the bike tourism potential of eastern Oregon.

But there’s one thing that happened on my last day that was particularly memorable: a tense encounter with a huge angus cow.

On Tuesday, my last day at TREO Bike Ranch in Hardman, Oregon, I attempted to tackle the “TREO Century.” The route is one of a seemingly infinite number of routes mapped out by TREO owner Phil Carlson and his crew. I set out from the ranch and headed northwest toward the sweet little town of Condon. After about 15 miles of dreamy, carfree, hard-packed gravel on Hardman/Hail Ridge Road, I popped out onto highway 206 with about 14 miles to go until Condon. Right after the intersection of Hail Ridge Road and 206, I finally got to experience the “Condon Curves,” or what former Cycle Oregon Ride Director Jerry Norquist refers to as, “The best downhill in all of Oregon.”

A man who was trying to cross Interstate 205 under the NE Killingsworth Street overpass was struck by someone driving northbound on the freeway. According to the PPB, the man was on his bike prior to the collision. He has “traumatic injuries” and his current condition is unknown at this time.

It’s not yet apparent yet why the man would have been attempting to cross the freeway. It’s worth noting that the I-205 multi-use path comes within just a few feet of the freeways lanes as it goes under the Killingsworth overpass.

View from outside Bike Farm this morning.
(Photos: Melinda Musser)

The non-profit, all-volunteer Bike Farm celebrated its opening day at its new location yesterday. Then this morning, volunteers awoke to news that an overnight fire destroyed all their tools and caused significant damage throughout their space at 1810 NE 1st Avenue.

Bike Farm board member Momoko Saunders said the cause of the fire was grease-filled rags that spontaneously combusted overnight. “It’s pretty intense,” she told us via telephone a few minutes ago, as she surveyed the damage. “It burnt the entire nine-foot workbench. There’s just one 2×4 left.” It addition to the workbench, the fire melted and destroyed all their workstands and tools. Fortunately, the side of the shop with a selection of used and new parts and accessories didn’t burn.

Mayors from 22 of the 25 cities represented by Metro are pushing to make the Regional Active Transportation Plan (ATP) relatively powerless. The plan has been in the making for over two years, and Metro has been showing off the 70-page review draft via public open houses since May.

Lake McTighe, the Metro project manager in charge of the ATP, had planned to have a resolution pass by Metro Council by next month that would have moved the plan to its next step toward implementation. However, a power struggle between Metro and regional mayors became evident last month as they feared the plan would give Metro too much power and would force their hand in implementing new bicycle pathways, walking facilities, and other active transportation projects.

The Columbia River Crossing is alive

Job: Purchasing and Production Manager – Nutcase

More on the effort to weaken Metro’s Active Transportation Plan

Portland Mayor’s office releases statement, poll on carbon tax idea

Why our focus on “safety” holds us back

The BikePortland Housing Index project: Your map to 5,000 new low-car homes in Portland

Jobs of the Week

Tours will highlight Portland’s bike cultures, historic parks, and murals

An unforgettable eastern Oregon en-cow-nter

Man on a bike struck while trying to cross I-205 – UPDATED

Opening day fire causes serious damage at the Bike Farm

Regional mayors look to neuter Metro’s Regional Active Transportation Plan

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