BikePortland

Oregon City votes to build bike tourism ‘epicenter’ in Amtrak station

First City Cycles employee Adam Beykovsky
is helping promote bike tourism in Oregon City.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

Clackamas County is once again placing its bets on bicycle tourism as a way to bolster local industry and economic vitality. As The Oregonian reports, the Urban Renewal Commission in Oregon City voted Wednesday to support a proposal by a local bike shop owner to develop a bike tourism hub inside a vacant Amtrak station.

The idea for the “First City Central Marketplace & Bistro” was conceived by Blaine Meier, owner of First City Cycles. Meier’s shop opened in July of last year and he wasted no time in getting the idea off the ground. In September Meier told the Clackamas Review newspaper, “I’m excited about the opportunity, and I think it’ll be a great way to promote Oregon City tourism.”

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

When 19-year old Tracey Sparling was killed while riding her bike in downtown Porltand on October 11th, 2007, it shook our city to the core. When, just 11 days later, Brett Jarolimek suffered a similar fate in a collision in north Portland, we experienced a unprecedented, citywide outpouring of grief and activism. For the community of students and staff at the Pacific Northwest College of Art the tragedies were particularly hard to accept because both Sparling and Jarolimek were students. Sparling was likely on her way to class when she was struck.

Later this month, PNCA will unveil the ‘Tracey Sparling Pedal Garden’, which will serve as a memorial to Sparling and, “an iconic bike-centric sculpture garden that supports and strengthens Portland’s cycling community.”

Just one job was posted to our Job Listings this week, but it looks to be a good one. Check out the link below to learn more…

Shipping Specialist – Velotech, Inc.

The bike vibe is strong at Velo Cult,
which makes it the perfect venue.
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)

Last night at Velo Cult something sort of amazing happened. It was the inaugural Open Bike Night, a new event thought up by Sellwood resident Dan Kaufman. While only a handful of people showed up, Kaufman and his CrankMyChain crew put together an entertaining variety show that had a strong thread of bike love woven through it.

Open Bike Night is a play on open mic night, and the idea is the same. VeloCult Bike Shop and Tavern on NE 42nd Ave in Hollywood provides the venue and the stage, and CrankMyChain brings sound equipment and keeps the show lively. There’s time for socializing and sharing propaganda (I grabbed some cool spokecards, got a free Filmed by Bike DVD (thanks Ayleen!), a button, and some other cool stuff), and of course sampling Velo Cult’s fine (and growing) selection of beer and cider.

ODOT’s Jessica Horning at the
bike advisory committee meeting last week.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

Pressure is mounting for the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to consider a road diet on SW Barbur Blvd but the agency seems unwilling to even seriously consider the idea. Neighborhood activists, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance, the Portland Bureau of Transportation, and a growing list of advocacy groups and organizations want Barbur to have safer and more pleasant bike access and they feel now is the time to do it. ODOT is about to spend $5 million to rehabilitate two bridge structures on Barbur (at Vermont and Newbury streets), but current plans call for no significant bike access improvements.

ODOT’s Region 1 Transit and Active Transportation Liaison Jessica Horning (read our profile of her when she was hired in November) and their bike/ped coordinator Basil Christopher presented the project to the PBOT Bicycle Advisory Committee last week.

Sorry. This job has been filled.

Job Title
Shipping Specialist

Company/Organization
Velotech, Inc.

Job Description
Velotech Inc. is looking for a detail oriented shipping specialist to join our fast paced and fast growing operation. This person will be expected to pick and pack shipments in a timely manner. Additionally there will be many random tasks that will assist in warehouse operation.

* Must be able to lift 50lbs
* Must be comfortable with ladders
* Basic knowledge of cycling components preferred
* Enthusiasm for cycling
* Fun and exciting work environment
* Full-time
* Great benefits package
* Flexibility to work Sundays appreciated

How to Apply
jstart@velotech.com

Hales picks interim PBOT director: “Street maintenance is his first priority”

Speaking of maintenance.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

Mayor Charlie Hales has picked Toby Widmer to be his interim director of the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT). Hales asked current PBOT Director Tom Miller to resign his position effective February 4th. In a statement today, Hales said Widmer will serve in the position for six months while a national search for a new director is completed.

Widmer, 61, is a former City staffer. He served as director of the Bureau of Maintenance (which is what PBOT used to be called) prior to retiring from service in 2002. Hales is touting the pick as another sign that he’s making street maintenance his main focus. Here’s more from Hales’ official statement:

Brand: cannondale
Color:black
Size:58 or 60 cm
Photo: http://i.imgur.com/x5LUH.jpg
Stolen in Nopo, OR
Stolen:2013-01-16
Stolen From: goodwill on lombard
Neighborhood: nopo/st johns
Owner: nick K
OwnerEmail: projectrathouse( atsign )hotmail.com
Reward: sure
Description: black cannondale aluminum frame with stickers, one say “dont do it” another say “defector”. purple aluminum fork. flipped and chopped handlebars with lime green tape. mismatched pedals and crankarms. shimano brakes and deraileur. it has 2 front cogs but no front deraileur. looks slightly different from picture
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

PBOT’s effort to cut budget could hit street lights, streetcar

Outgoing PBOT Director Tom Miller led a meeting
of his budget advisory committee on Tuesday.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

When members of the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s Budget Advisory Committee settled into their fourth and final meeting on Tuesday, they got some grim news. On top of the $4.5 million in ongoing cuts the bureau was initially told they needed to make, PBOT Director Tom Miller announced they needed to identify an another 10% — or $784,000 — in cuts. The way I understand it, Mayor Charlie Hales has asked for each bureau to come up with this 10% cut so that he can ultimately decide what stays and what goes.

The tricky thing for PBOT is that after years budget shrinkage, they have very little fat left to cut. Committee member and east Portland advocate Dave Hampsten put it this way: “We’ve gotten to the point where every cut is a core function.”

Brand: cannondale
Color:black
Size:54
Stolen in 97211, OR
Stolen:2013-01-17
Stolen From: goodwill on lombard
Neighborhood: north portland
Owner: nick k
OwnerEmail: projectrathouse(A T)hotmail.com
Reward: sure
Description: black connondale oversized aluminum frame, purple aluminum fork, mismatched pedals and crank arms, has 2 fromt cogs but no deraileur, shimano breaks
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Sam Adams as leader of City Club: Good news for bicycling?

Former mayor Sam Adams hasn’t taken much of a vacation after his four tumultuous years leading the city. Today the City Club of Portland named Adams their new executive director. He starts next week.

If you feel (as I do) that Sam Adams understands (and cares about) the issue of transportation — and specifically the role bicycles should play in a healthy transportation network — than this should be seen as good news.

City Club of Portland is a non-profit, member-supported organization that works to promote civic literacy (their motto is, “Good citizens are the riches of the city”). Governors and members of Congress speak at their “Friday Forums” luncheons, which are held in a large ballroom of a stuffy downtown hotel. By way of their history and membership base, City Club has significant political heft and respect among electeds and policymakers. They use that respect to elevate and take positions on important issues through the publication of policy and research papers.

Architect Murray Jenkins (L), Metro Councilor
Carlotta Collette, and real estate developers Phil
Morford and Konstantin Klebleev cut the ribbon
on the new Milano apartments today.
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)

The ribbon was cut at the new Milano apartments in the Lloyd Center this morning. As people streamed by the newly painted bike lanes on NE Multnomah Street behind them, Metro Councilor Carlotta Collette stood behind a shiny new city bike with the building’s architect Murray Jenkins and developers Phil Morford and Konstantin Klebleev.

On a table in the lobby a brochure enticed would-be buyers to, “Live in Portland’s first thoroughly bike friendly community… Not only is the Milano located with immediate access to public transportation — including the MAX line, Portland streetcar, and TriMet — it’s also at the hub of the city’s cycling lanes.”

According to developer Phil Morford, the entire Milano project was conceived with a focus on being oriented toward the low-car and carfree lifestyle. “When we began to design this project,” Morford said at the grand opening event today, “Our first discussion was with Metro.” As the quintessential “transit-oriented development,” the development of the Milano was aided by a $300,000 Metro grant which leveraged over $13 million in private investment.

Oregon City votes to build bike tourism ‘epicenter’ in Amtrak station

PNCA set to unveil ‘Tracey Sparling Memorial Pedal Garden’

Job of the Week

Recap and photos from inaugural ‘Open Bike Night’ at Velo Cult

As pressure mounts, ODOT punts on Barbur Blvd road diet

Job: Shipping Specialist – Velotech, Inc.

Hales picks interim PBOT director: “Street maintenance is his first priority”

black cannondale

PBOT’s effort to cut budget could hit street lights, streetcar

black cannondale

Sam Adams as leader of City Club: Good news for bicycling?

‘Bike-friendly’ is main selling point at Milano apartments

Latest Headlines

North Ainsworth Street is poised for a glow-up

Family Biking: Life has gotten in the way of my cycling dreams — for now

Weekend Event Guide: Filmed by Bike, Sunday Parkways, ‘Motherload’ and more

A decade in, Councilor Koyama Lane wants Portland to redouble Vision Zero effort

From the Archives

The good, the bad, and the ugly on the Oregon Coast Bike Route