BikePortland

Michigan DOT gives bikes 12-feet of space on state highway

12 feet for bikes on a state highway.
(Photo: Michigan DOT)

The Michigan Department of Transportation has done something pretty extraordinary for a state DOT. They’ve recently installed a 12-foot wide buffered bike lane on a one mile stretch of Northwestern Highway (Hwy 10). The new bikeway includes a five-foot bike travel lane and a seven-foot buffer from other traffic.

I find this project notable for several reasons: DOTs are not known for giving such ample width for bikes (much less on a state highway); it shows the power of having a good complete streets policy; it’s more significant than anything I can recall ODOT doing; the 12 feet of was wider than even advocates had asked for; and since the space was already available (it was previously a paved shoulder) the cost was only about $22,000.

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Brand: Kona
Model: Kahuna
Color:Gray
Stolen in Portland, OR 97214
Stolen:2012-11-16
Stolen From: 1915 SE Cesar Chavez Blvd, Portland, OR 97214
Neighborhood: SE
Owner: Anna Pattis
OwnerEmail: anna.l.pattis(replace with at sign)gmail.com
Description: New Kahuna Kona Mtn Bike with 29″ wheels and small frame for a woman.
Police record with: Portland Police
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Grassroots campaign blossoms for major bikeway on SE Foster

On FosterUnited.org

Citizen activist, transportation planner, and southeast Portland resident Nick Falbo has upped the ante in the grassroots effort to add a high-quality bikeway to SE Foster Road.

As we reported last month, the City of Portland and residents are currently working on an update to the Foster Road Streetscape Plan and a new bikeway on the street has figured largely into initial discussions. Those involved with the project are vying to influence exactly how the cross-section of SE Foster between SE 52nd and 90th ends up. With grant applications in the pipeline and some funding already in hand, the stakes are high. How the lines in the plan divide up Foster — and specifically, how much roadway space is devoted to bicycles — remains an open question.

Roger Mallette.
(Photo: His Facebook profile)

Roger Mallette died Sunday from unknown causes after a fall in his Portland office over the weekend.

Mallette, 48, was the founder of Retro Image Apparel/Micro Beer Jerseys, a company known for its expansive line of bike jerseys featuring licensed artwork including Star Trek, Dr. Seuss, The New Yorker magazine, the Lucky Lab Brew Pub, and many others. According to Mallette’s business partner Gene Luther, whom I spoke to on the phone this morning, a fellow tenant of the Olympic Mills Commerce Center found Mallette lying on the floor on his back near a shelf in his office on Sunday afternoon. First responders say he had been dead for 10-12 hours. The official cause of death is unknown, but Luther shared that he had a bump on his head and there were things that had fallen off the shelf near him. It’s likely he slipped and fell. He had been suffering from a serious bout of the flu (he took several days to call me back last week and said it was because he’d been in bed and was sick).

Mallette’s family flew into Portland from St. Louis to handle various matters and just left this morning. No date has been set for a local memorial service; but Mallette’s body will be flown back to St. Louis where he’ll be buried at veteran’s cemetery.

Brand: Gary Fisher
Model: HKEK
Color:Grey
Stolen in Portland, OR 97212
Stolen:2012-12-5
Stolen From: Stolen from my garage.
Neighborhood: Irvington neighborhood. NE 12th
Owner: Jeremy Thiessen
OwnerEmail: jthiessen9(AT)yahoo.com
Description: Mountain bike modified for bike commting. Had narrow road tires and fenders on it. Several reflective stickers on the frame.
Police record with: Portland PF
Police reference#: T12010463
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

yellow fram fuji newest 4.0 2010

Year: 2010
Brand: fuji
Model: newest 4.0
Color:yellow fram
Size:white front fork
Serial: icfj9b04788
Photo: http://i.imgur.com/lLyTd.jpg
Stolen in Portland, OR 97203
Stolen:2012-12-6
Stolen From: Astor Elementary bike rack. My 11 year old son rides his bike 5 miles round trip, to and from school monday-friday. He has for the last 2 years.
Neighborhood: North Portland, Near University of Portland
Owner: jaime carse
OwnerEmail: dalidali76(replace with at sign)hotmail.com
Description: Bright yellow Fuji newest 4.0 42″ frame.
Police record with: portland
Police reference#: 12-106493
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Tonquin Trail gets new name and a master plan

Rollin’ through the Ice Age.
(Photo: Metro)

The Tonquin Trail — a 22 mile system of paths that will someday connect the cities of Sherwood, Tualatin and Wilsonville — is now officially named the Ice Age Tonquin Trail. The project has also just completed a master plan that is set to be forwarded onto city, regional, and county officials after a slate of public hearings early next year.

About 12,000 to 17,000 years ago, the same cataclysmic floods that started in Montana and created the Columbia River Gorge, also spilled into the Willamette Valley and left an a geologic imprint that remains today. The National Park Service has recognized the path of these floods and passed the Ice Age Floods National Geologic Trail into law in 2009.

PBOT staffer Peter Koonce (L) and Metro
Councilor-elect Bob Stacey at Wonk Night.
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)

Last night a solid crowd (about 37 people) showed up for our Wonk Night here on the 4th floor of the Title & Trust Building in downtown Portland. We met in the spacious lobby of Lancaster Engineering (which happens to be adjacent to my office) and enjoyed snacks, drinks, and hearty discussions.

The folks that showed up made just the right mix of officials, planning students, engineers, and citizen activists. Faces in the crowd included: Metro Councilor-elect Bob Stacey; ODOT Region 1 Active Transportation Liaison Jessica Horning; ODOT Region 1 Grant Manager Lidwien Rahman; PBOT Signals, Streetlights, and ITS Division Manager Peter Koonce; Oregon bike tourism advocate and bike journalist Russ Roca; Active Right of Way volunteer and northeast Portland neighborhood activist Ted Beuhler; animation expert Spencer Boomhower; bike advocate John Beaston; Portland Pedicabs owner Ryan Hashagen, and many others.

After giving everyone ample time to chat and meet each other, I shared some thoughts about my recent trip to New York City. I had also laid out some of the materials I picked up at the NACTO Designing Cities conference (which, for this wonky crowd, proved to be quite popular).

Year: 2003
Brand: Curtlo
Model: custom
Color:orange/brown
Serial:04110
Photo: http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8347/8247820563_ebf868e0ee.jpg
Stolen in Portland, OR 97232
Stolen:2012-12-05
Stolen From: 1400 NE Alberta Street, directly in front of Zoom Care.
Neighborhood: Alberta Arts
Owner: Jeff Nichols
OwnerEmail: jnichols621@gmail.com
Description: This is a custom cyclocross bike with skinny road tires on it (unlike the tires in the photo). It had a Wound Up X Fork, and a Campy Centaur drivetrain.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 12-157623
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

black Jamis Coda Sport 2010-2011

Year: 2010-2011
Brand: Jamis
Model: Coda Sport
Color:black
Photo: http://i.imgur.com/oMLst.jpg
Stolen in , OR
Stolen:2012-12-01
Stolen From: NE Prescott and 20th. Apartment building basement.
Neighborhood: Alberta Arts
Owner: Stephen Mitchell
OwnerEmail: Samitchell1231( atsign )gmail.com
Description: There is a large scuff mark on the handlebars right in the center.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: T12010416
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

How bikes are becoming more like cars

It occurred to me today that, when it comes to accessories and their presence on the road, bikes are slowly but surely becoming more and more like cars. Consider this: Not only are more and more cities dedicated increased roadway space to bicycles; but the proliferation of sound systems, iPhone mounts on handlebars, super-bright hub-powered light systems, and other product trends point to a significant leveling of the vehicle playing field.

As seen just south of SW Whitaker St.
(Photos: Jim Parsons)

As we reported back in September, PBOT has repaved SW Barbur Blvd just south of downtown Portland. As part of that project, they’ve widened the bike lanes and have painted a striped buffer. The new buffered lanes are about 3/4 of a mile long and go from SW Caruthers near I-405 south to SW Lane at Naito.

The new lanes were completed late last month. Our roving correspondent Jim Parsons snapped a few photos…

Michigan DOT gives bikes 12-feet of space on state highway

Gray Kona Kahuna

Grassroots campaign blossoms for major bikeway on SE Foster

Roger Mallette, founder of Retro Image Apparel, has died

Grey Gary Fisher HKEK

yellow fram fuji newest 4.0 2010

Tonquin Trail gets new name and a master plan

What you missed at Wonk Night

orange/brown Curtlo custom 2003

black Jamis Coda Sport 2010-2011

How bikes are becoming more like cars

First look: PBOT adds buffer to bike lanes on SW Barbur Blvd

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From the Archives

Protestor blocks bus and bike lanes on Division with his car