BTA-led coalition seeks to restore active transportation cuts in City budget

BTA’s Gerik Kransky (L) and freight
advocate Corky Collier after the PBOT Budget BAC
meeting yesterday.
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

In the face of severe cuts to active transportation in the PBOT budget that came to light last month, a coalition led by the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) presented a proposal yesterday to restore nearly half of them.

With dwindling revenue forecasts, PBOT has had cut their budget for several years now. This year’s gap was estimated to be $4.4 million. Of that, PBOT proposed $1.5 million in cuts to active transportation — $1 million from projects and $500,000 to programs and staffing. The cuts would impact programs like Sunday Parkways, Safe Routes to School, neighborhood greenway projects, and more.

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Black Cannondale Bad Boy Fatty Rigid Commuter 2011

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Year: 2011
Brand: Cannondale
Model: Bad Boy Fatty Rigid Commuter
Color:Black
Size:Large
Serial:YM36574
Stolen in Portland, OR 97211
Stolen:2012-12-12
Stolen From: 5235 NE 28th Ave, Portland, OR 97211 Front porch
Neighborhood: Alberta
Owner: Shawn Cooney
OwnerEmail: bodyworkpt@gmail.com
Reward: $100
Description: Black bike with dark gray Cannondale lettering on frame. Disc brakes, cargo rack, front and back lights, fenders, and no shocks.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 12-157791
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Pedal Bike Tours cargo trailer stolen from northeast Portland street

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A cargo trailer belonging to Pedal Bike Tours, a bike rental and tour company based in Portland, has been stolen.

According to company employee Scott Klees, the trailer is a 12-foot long, single-axle, Continental Cargo Trailer. It was stolen off the street near the corner of NE 7th and Church on the night of Monday, December 3rd. Here’s more from Klees:

“… one of our guides used the van and trailer last Monday after BikeCraft to haul the garbage from BikeCraft out to the dump. Afterwards he parked both the van and the trailer near the corner of NE 7th and Church St. The following Saturday morning, the same guide went to retrieve the van and trailer for a tour only to find the trailer gone and the van moved slightly from where it was parked originally.”

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Candy apple red Redline RL444 1999

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Year: 1999
Brand: Redline
Model: RL444
Color:Candy apple red
Size:24
Stolen in Milwaukie, OR 97222
Stolen:2012-12-08
Stolen From: 70th & Johnson Creek area from the shed in my back yard.
Owner: Brian Moyer
OwnerEmail: Brianmoyer510@gmail.com
Reward: Yes
Description: FSA machined aluminum cranks, DK ironcross sprocket, Fishbone aluminum neck, Redline aluminum handlebars, orange seat post clamp, orange aluminum axle nuts, holy roller tires, black shark bite pedals, black Redline chain tensioners.
Police record with: Clackamas county sheriff
Police reference#: 12-36570
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Black Bianchi Milano

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Brand: Bianchi
Model: Milano
Color:Black
Size:3-speed womens
Stolen in Portland, OR 97214
Stolen:2012-11-21
Stolen From: Front porch of my home – cable lock was clipped. 32nd and SE Alder Street.
Neighborhood: Sunnyside
Owner: Bettina Hetz
OwnerEmail: bettinagrace( atsign )yahoo.com
Description: Planet Bike Beamer light mount on front handlebars.
Rechargable AAA batteries in rear seat light compartment.
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Black and Purple Specialized Comp Triple 2008

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Year: 2008
Brand: Specialized
Model: Comp Triple
Color:Black and Purple
Size:XS, Women Specific
Stolen in Portland, OR 97210
Stolen:2012-12-5
Stolen From: From my storage space in my underground garage in my building – the Westerly.
Neighborhood: Northwest
Owner: Sharon Su
OwnerEmail: Sharonwsu(AT)gmail.com
Description: 10-speed Specialized Women Specific bike. Black frame with Purple wording. XS frame.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 12-105251
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Wanted: Your stories

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Hi everyone. I’m leaving this Friday for a family road trip down to southern California (with stops in the Redwoods, Marin, Oakland, and more). As usual around the holidays, I won’t be posting as many stories as you’re used to. I’ll still be working and minding the ship while I’m on the road; but I’d love to share some of your stories here on the Front Page to supplement the drop-off in volume.

Earlier this year I was impressed by some of the reader stories I was able to publish. To make it easier, I even put together a handy submission form.

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St. Johns Truck Strategy open house is tomorrow (12/12)

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There’s a big open house for PBOT’s St. Johns Truck Strategy project tomorrow (12/12). I have not followed this one closely, but I have heard enough to know that it will be important for people that live nearby N Columbia/N Fessenden area to show up and make their voices heard. The goal is to figure out how best to ferry large trucks through a residential neighborhood. A lot of walking and biking safety issues have been discussed as part of this project.

Here’s some background from PBOT:

The purpose of this project is to improve the safety and livability of N Fessenden St and N St Louis Ave consistent with the St Johns Truck Strategy. The two primary focus areas of the project is to identify street improvements at the intersection of N Portland Rd and Columbia Blvd and along N Fessenden/St Louis Ave between Columbia Way and N Lombard St that discourage non-local truck trips and improve overall safety and livability along the N Fessenden/St Louis Ave corridor. The project will also be looking at additional pedestrian crossing safety improvements on N Lombard west of St Louis Ave.

Map of project area…

And the “issues to address” according to PBOT:

  • N St Louis/Fessenden corridor: truck volumes, traffic calming, pedestrian/bicycle safety, and access to transit service
  • N Lombard, west of St Louis Ave: freight mobility, pedestrian/ bicycle safety, traffic safety at N St John St

You can get some good background on the issues around this project from Rebecca Koffman in The Oregonian.

412 kids receive free bikes at annual Holiday Bike Drive

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Holiday Bike Drive 2012

Taking the new rig for a spin.
(Photo: Greg Lee)

The Community Cycling Center’s annual Holiday Bike Drive took place on Sunday. The event is a cherished tradition here in Portland as it brings together the community in a way that no other event does. Beyond simply giving out free bikes, the CCC carefully chooses recipients based on those in need. All the families that take part are referred to the event by a partnering social service program and the kids are given a full complement of accessories and skills education to go along with their bike.

According to CCC Communications Manager Melinda Musser, 412 children received bikes on Saturday and — underscoring the CCC’s success in broadening the reach of bicycling in our community — there were 18 languages represented.

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City, Alta Bicycle Share release new estimates for bike share budget

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Bike share ride with Oregon team-1

Getting real about the costs.
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)

At its meeting tomorrow, Portland City Council is set to authorize the contract with Alta Bicycle Share for our forthcoming bike share system. In advance of that vote, the City has released new cost estimate numbers for the project.

Thanks to new numbers from Alta, we now have much more detailed estimates for both the launch and ongoing operational costs. According to Alta, it will cost $4,599,823 to launch the system (that’s up from initial estimates of about $3.8 – $4 million). Those launch costs break down into $2,589,323 for 75 stations, $827,250 for 750 bicycles* and $1,183,250 to manage the launch.

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cream frame/light blue fenders Linus Custom made for TOMS roadsters 2010

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Year: 2010
Brand: Linus
Model: Custom made for TOMS roadsters
Color:cream frame/light blue fenders
Size:Mens and Womens
Stolen in Portland, OR 92711
Stolen:2012-12-11
Stolen From: NE Dekum St and NE Durham. Right outside of Breakside Brewing
Neighborhood: NE Portlad
Owner: Matt Molletta
OwnerEmail: mattro70(replace with at sign)gmail.com
Reward: yes
Description: 2 bikes stolen. Mens and Womens Custom Linus for TOMS bikes. Bikes are custom, made for TOMS employees only. You can’t buy them online or in stores. Women’s bike says “Linus for TOMS” on frame. Both are cream colored frame with light blue fenders. Both are 3-speed.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 12-107838
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

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