Trail group sees “major failings” with North Portland Greenway alignment

Interstate Ave -4

Advocates say putting the Greenway Trail
on surface streets (like N. Interstate shown here)
is unacceptable.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

The City of Portland Parks & Recreation bureau continues to come under fire for their work on the North Portland Greenway Trail project. PP&R is in the process of designing the route of the paved path that will connect Kelley Point Park north of St. Johns to the Eastbank Esplanade in the central city. However, as we reported last month, many people are disappointed by the chosen alignment in the trail’s southern portion. Instead of staying along the Willamette River and creating a path away from auto traffic, PP&R has focused their efforts on what they consider a “near-term buildable” route on sections of busy, and sometimes narrow surface streets. The route, critics say, fails to live up to the vision and promise of the trail.

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Freezing rain, icy conditions slated for tomorrow morning

A frosty Broadway Bridge on January 11th.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

Looks like the weather is set to go from bad to worse. The near freezing (and below it at times) cold we’ve been experiencing has tested our resolve for weeks. Tomorrow, weather watchers are forecasting freezing rain. The Bureau of Transportation is nervous about how icy conditions will impact roads. And they should be. Earlier this month, when the morning commute was marked by extremely icy conditions, we heard of dozens of people who slipped and crashed while riding into work. Here’s more from PBOT about what might be in store:

The National Weather Service in Portland has issued a freezing rain advisory for light icing in effect from 4 a.m. to noon on Wednesday, January 23. The public is advised to be alert for limited visibility, freezing temperatures and ice accumulations on roadways, bridges, overpasses and sidewalks Wednesday morning.

According to the National Weather Service, the “main threat of freezing rain will be between 6 a.m. and 10 a.m., with the threat of freezing rain lasting until noon in areas closer to the Columbia River.”

The traveling public is advised to be prepared for localized icy conditions and make a plan now for their Wednesday morning commute. People should avoid driving on icy streets, take transit if possible or delay their trip until conditions improve. Motorists should be ready to use chains if conditions are icy in the morning, slow down, use headlights and leave plenty of distance ahead of you.

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Silver Raleigh RX Women 2012

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 2012
Brand: Raleigh
Model: RX Women
Color:Silver
Size:54
Serial:A1F5013311
Photo: http://i.imgur.com/BRttB9B.jpg
Stolen in Portland, OR 97212
Stolen:2012-12-29
Stolen From: My car in my driveway, near NE Morris and Rodney.
Neighborhood: Eliot
Owner: Joan Petit
OwnerEmail: azuldaisy@gmail.com
Reward: $100
Description: 2012 Raleigh RX Women’s Cyclocross bike. Silver with purple and white accents, with a white seat and black handlebar tape on the drop handlebars. Silver fenders and eggbeater pedals (not in photo). Stolen from my car while the car was parked in my driveway.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 13-150540
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

The Monday Roundup (on Tuesday)

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Welcome back from the historic (and long) weekend. I hope you all got the chance to watch the inauguration festivities. If you didn’t, the big takeaways from folks in the bikeosphere are that Obama 1) walked on the new protected bike lanes on Pennsylvania Avenue and 2) mentioned climate change in a big way during his 20-minute speech. On that note, let’s get down to the news from the past week shall we?…

— If you haven’t yet reveled in the grandeur of seeing the first President to walk down a bike lane on inauguration day, Streetfilms has wrapped it all up with a bow for you.

— And as for that climate change mention, here’s more from the NY Times.

— Hopefully Obama makes the climate change/transportation/bicycling connection. We’ve certainly known about the vast negative impacts of cars in cities for a long time — even here in Portland. Local historian Dan Haneckow remembered architecture critic Ada Louise Huxtable, who warned Portland and the nation way back in 1970 that too many cars would ruin our cities.

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Gray Rocky Mountain RC-ST

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Brand: Rocky Mountain
Model: RC-ST
Color:Gray
Stolen in Portland, OR 97209
Stolen:2013-01-15
Stolen From: Railway of parking lot, 1040 NW Naito Pkwy
Neighborhood: oldtown/chinatown
Owner: Timothy Heilman
OwnerEmail: tim@dv8.org
Description: Mavic Speed City tires. Hydraulic front and rear disc brakes. Monkeylectric 32-LED lights affixed to spokes of front tire.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 13-150551
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Red Redline Conquest (Disk)

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Brand: Redline
Model: Conquest (Disk)
Color:Red
Stolen in , OR
Stolen:2013-01-21
Stolen From: My car at the intersection of SW9th and SW Park (downtown Portland).
Neighborhood: Downtown
Owner: Brian Cook
OwnerEmail: nrgnme( atsign )gmail.com
Reward: Yes
Description: Bright red frame, cusom rims, Armadillo all conditon tires, black wrapped drop style handlebars,shimano 105 shifters (left shifter is mising cosmetic components on the very top). Rear derailer cable housing recently replaced using black plastic ferrules. Small piece of duck tape on the left side of the frame near the handle bars where the cable has worn through the paint. There is a cats eye headlight and odometer mounted to the handlebars. A three red light (three adjustable light levels) is mounted below the seat. It has front and back, black plastic fenders and a black rear bike rack.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: T13000713
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Orange Kona Jake the Snake 2006

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Year: 2006
Brand: Kona
Model: Jake the Snake
Color:Orange
Size:54
Serial: F602k0960
Stolen in Portland, OR 97214
Stolen:2013-01-20
Stolen From: New Seasons – SE Division and SE 20th
Neighborhood: SE Portland
Owner: Jeff Barna
OwnerEmail: jjpfbarna(replace with at sign)gmail.com
Description: Frame and fork Kona – rest of bike custom built; single-speed (39×16 – no chain tensioner), dent in top-tube, black fenders, Mavic rims (front rim blue anodized), black fork and rear cargo rack, Avid canti brakes, silver brake levers on drop bars.
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Gray Surly Cross Check 2005

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Year: 2005
Brand: Surly
Model: Cross Check
Color:Gray
Size:56cm
Stolen in Portland, OR 97201
Stolen:2013-01-18
Stolen From: Surly Cross Check stolen from PSU Urban Center 1/18/2013 between 2-4pm.
Neighborhood: PSU
Owner: Dylan Carlson
OwnerEmail: dyland.carlson(AT)gmail.com
Reward: Yes
Description: It is light gray 56cm with mustache bars, gray Oury grips, gray Odyssey pedals, and a dual pull brake lever on the left. It also has a paul components light mount, a Adams traila-bike hitch on the seat post, black planet fenders and a Pay N Take sticker.
Police record with: PSU Safty
Police reference#: 13-000080
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Soak up the sun with these weekend ride picks

Wintertime Palm Tree Ride

Gawking at an exotic monkey
puzzle tree during the 2007
Palm Tree Ride.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

I know it’s still frigid out there, but at least the sun is out. This weekend is expected to stay clear and sunny and there’s nothing like a brisk bike ride with friends to take the edge of your winter doldrums. Check out our three two weekend ride picks below for some ideas and inspiration…

Local shop Western Bikeworks kicks off their 2013 monthly ride series with an easy and flat 25-miler. The ride will leave from the shop NW 17th and Lovejoy) at 9:00 am led by none other than Maria Schur (trust us, she’s great). Everyone that shows up will get a $5 gift card and Maria tells us each month’s ride will build in distance and difficulty toward an overall goal to be “century-ready” by early summer. “It’ll be good for newbies or anyone wanting to shake their winter cobwebs off!” — Sorry folks… This ride is next Saturday the 26th.

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BTA plans new ‘BikeSwap’ event at PDX Bicycle Show

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2012 Pedal Nation-PDX Bike Show-9

There’s always cool new stuff at the show;
now there will be cool used stuff too!
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

The PDX Bicycle Show is coming up on March 23-24 and the Bicycle Transportation Alliance has something big in store. They’re set to debut a new event dubbed BTA BikeSwap. The event, which they’ll publicly announce next week, is being billed as, “an opportunity for families, new cyclists and experienced riders to buy and sell their cycling gear.”

The BTA is partnering with the Community Cycling Center and the Bicycle Show’s organizers, Pedal Nation Events. The BikeSwap will be a benefit for both the BTA and the CCC. Is it just a bike swap meet? Not exactly. Check out what makes it unique:

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From the Archives

Portlanders show solidarity with Palestinians at ride for para-cycling team