Mayor announces date for annual Transportation Safety Summit

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Mark your calendars for March 13th and plan to attend the 6th annual Transportation Safety Summit. Mayor Sam Adams posted details on the event today:

SAVE THE DATE MARCH 13 for the SIXTH TRANSPORTATION SAFETY SUMMIT

WHEN: Tuesday, March 13, 2012
5:30–9:00 PM

WHERE: Jefferson High School,
5210 N Kerby Portland, OR 97217

The Sixth Transportation Safety Summit kicks off with a Community Initiatives Poster Session from 5:30–6:15 PM. This is a great opportunity to showcase your work before local transportation and community leaders.

Please contact Sharon White at sharon.white@portlandoregon.gov to reserve exhibit space.

For more on this event, see our coverage from 2011 and previous years here.

Activists to Mayor Adams: Free the Disco Trike or face bike swarm – UPDATED

(Graphic: PDX Bike Swarm)

After Dan Kaufman’s Disco Trike was confiscated by Portland police during protests last Wednesday, activists are now increasing pressure on City Hall to release it.

In a blog post this morning, PDX Bike Swarm claimed that, “the police had no reason to confiscate it and we want it back.” In addition to impounding his trike, Kaufman says police ripped his video camera out of his hand and handcuffed him.

Now PDX Bike Swarm has issued a threat to Mayor Sam Adams:

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Best ‘bike lobby propaganda’ ever? NBA star LeBron James bikes to work

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LeBron James (R) and his publicist.
(Photo by Jack Balayla, Twitter)

LeBron “King” James is arguably the biggest star in the NBA. So when the Miami Heat player was spotted by a fan riding his bike to the arena for a game last night, it was sort of a big deal.

The photo was snapped by Jack Balayla (@jackNruth on Twitter) and from there it went to the Palm Beach Post newspaper and now it’s making headlines on ESPN and NBA.com. Adding to the mystique of the bike ride is that, during the game, James made one of the most amazing plays ever.

According to reports, James decided to bike into work because of traffic snarls caused by the Miami Marathon. But, in a post-game interview shared by ESPN James made it seem like the ride was no big deal.

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People on Bikes: Eastbank Esplanade

For the latest installment of our People on Bikes series, Will Vanlue headed out to the Eastbank Esplanade to catch some evening commuters enjoying a bit of winter sunshine.

The photos were taken near the Hawthorne Bridge between 4:00 and 5:00 o’clock this past Friday. For those of you not familiar with Portland, the Esplanade is a multi-use path (MUP) not open to cars or other motorized vehicles. Check the images from the shoot below…

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The Monday Roundup

Seattle is switching gears from sharrows on
busy streets to neighborhood greenways.
(Photo: Will Vanlue/BikePortland)

Here’s the news that caught our eyes this past week…

– After telling a crowd at the Transportation Research Board Annual Meeting that it’s, “very unlikely we will have a surface transportation bill during this year of Congress,” USDOT Sec. Ray LaHood has changed his tune. He now, says “things are moving.”

– San Francisco has started construction of a separated bikeway in Golden Gate Park on John F. Kennedy Drive. The bikeway is one component of San Francisco’s planned crosstown bikeway network which they hope will include 100 miles of connecting facilities by 2020.

– Chicago’s new coffee and bike shop, the Heritage Bicycles General Store, is now open. Along with looking like it could have been lifted from a Portland neighborhood, the shop will smell like Portland too: Heritage serves Stumptown coffee.

– Christine Grant lived in the world’s most bike-friendly cities for six months and brought back 10 lessons for the Pacific Northwest in how we could make our cities better for bicycles.

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Dark brown Surly Steamroller 2007

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Year: 2007
Brand: Surly
Model: Steamroller
Color:Dark brown
Size:53
Photo: http://imageshack.us/photo/my-images/688/steamrollerbig.jpg/
Stolen in Portland, OR 97214
Stolen:2012-01-28
Stolen From: SE Stark and Sandy, across the street from the Slammer and Rum Club. Some time between 6:30pm and 3:00am.
Neighborhood: Inner Southeast
Owner: Katie Campbell
OwnerEmail: campbell.katiei@gmail.com
Reward: Kisses, beer, cash
Description: Dirty Shirley. Root beer brown, worn paint job, worn seat. Black tape on lower half of bars. No logos, has a Blood Wizard sticker on the right down tube. Ratty sticker on the headset.
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Remembering Gail Achterman

Gail Achterman speaking at the Oregon Bike Summit in April 2008. She died Saturday afternoon.
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)

Gail Achterman, known and respected by many for her role in setting Oregon transportation policy, died this afternoon after a bout with pancreatic cancer. She was 62 years old.

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lt blue Fuji Mini racer 1970’s

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Year: 1970’s
Brand: Fuji
Model: Mini racer
Color:lt blue
Size:mini
Stolen in Portland, OR 97206
Stolen:2012-01-28
Stolen From: SE 76th and Duke / Bybee. Bikes were on our front porch, cabled (i know, I know) to a steel bar.
Neighborhood: Mt. Scott-Arleta
Owner: teressa rundstrom
OwnerEmail: run.tr7@gmail.com
Reward: $100
Description: Small boy bike skinny steel rims with black and blue camo handlebar tape, rust color brake pads. Bianchi saddle.
Police record with: portland PD
Police reference#: T12000894
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

blk/pink Specialized Dolce 2008

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Year: 2008
Brand: Specialized
Model: Dolce
Color:blk/pink
Size:27
Serial: 70755579
Stolen in Portland, OR 97206
Stolen:2012-01-28
Stolen From: SE 76th and Duke / Bybee. Bikes were on our front porch, cabled (i know, I know) to a steel bar.
Neighborhood: Mt. Scott-Arleta
Owner: teressa rundstrom
OwnerEmail: run.tr7@gmail.com
Reward: $100
Description: Cutest ever black with scroll pink lettering and design. Pink walled New tires.
Police record with: portland PD
Police reference#: T12000894
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

‘Velo Cult’ bike shop set to open in Hollywood

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Velo Cult bike shop in progress-1

Velo Cult is moving into this
former antique mall on NE
42nd Ave in Hollywood.
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortlanD)

Velo Cult Bike Shop is moving into the Hollywood neighborhood. I swung by the space on NE 42nd Avenue yesterday to meet owner Sky Boyer, and Portland, I’m happy to say, we’re in for a big treat.

For a city that prides itself on great bike shops, what Boyer has planned will be something even Portland doesn’t have yet — a shop where the art and culture of bicycling gets just as much priority as the bikes themselves.

Boyer spent eight months looking for just the right building to house his shop. “I’m picky,” he said, and added that, for the type of space he wants to create, “It’s gotta have that feel.”

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From the Archives

With six kids and no car, this mom does it all by bike