BikePortland

Broad coalition of advocates blast Metro over recent survey

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

A survey created by Metro and sent to their nearly 10,000 member Opt In Panel last month has drawn the ire of non-profits, local business owners, and citizen advocates — 26 of whom have signed onto a letter outlining their concerns that was sent to Metro President Tom Hughes and members of the Metro Council today.

When the survey was released at the end of December, we shared the negative reactions it received from many in the local transportation advocacy world. Many who took the survey, myself included, cringed at the content and framing of several of the questions.

Fixed gear riders on the Esplanade-6.jpg

What do fixed gear
bikes say about a city?
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

The Priceonomics Blog has delved deep into their bicycle price guide to rank cities according to (among other things) a “Fixie Index.” The blog searches and then compiles pricing information from “millions of listings” on the web including eBay and Craigslist.

Since “Fixies (fixed gear bikes) are considered to be a strong indicator of hipsterness,” writes the blog’s author Rohin Dhar, they decided to run the numbers and see which cities would come out on top.

According to their analysis, the city that came out on top wasn’t Portland (much to their surprise):

Time for a change?
(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland)

City and county officials throughout Washington County are in the process of reviewing a $140 million list of transportation projects that will fund improvements throughout the county over the next five years. The money comes from the county’s Major Streets Transportation Improvement Program, known as MSTIP. The program has doled out $555 million in projects since 1986.

While MSTIP has traditionally favored adding lanes, widening roads, and other auto-centric projects, the attitudes of voters in Washington County have changed considerably since 1995, which was the last time the project list went to voters. A 2008 survey proves that Washington County residents now demand roads that are more pleasant to walk and bike on.

I take a look at the survey and go deeper into MSTIP below the jump…

Bob Oxford proudly displays his personal ride
(Photos: Will Vanlue)

What do bicycles and wastewater treatment have in common? Well, plenty, if you work at CleanWater Services in Tigard.

My morning routine usually includes riding past CleanWater’s Durham Facility and every time I go by I see employees using bicycles to get around the sprawling, 20-acre facility. Last week I stopped in to learn more.

The three leading mayoral candidates will answer questions about active transportation.
(L to R: Charlie Hales, Jefferson Smith, Eileen Brady)
(Photos: J. Maus (Hales and Smith), Eileen Brady Campaign)

Sherwood wants to keep bikes away
from their new Cannery Square plaza.

The City of Sherwood (about 17 miles southwest of Portland) is holding a public hearing during their City Council meeting tonight on a new ordinance that would ban “wheeled activities” — including bicycles — near public spaces.

A reader tipped us off to this issue via coverage on OregonLive.com.

Sherwood Police Chief Jeff Groth is spearheading the new ordinance. Here’s how he lays out the issue on page 52 of tonight’s City Council Meeting Packet (PDF here):

Realtor Wren Shiffler on a delivery
in the Kenton neighborhood.
(Photo courtesy Portland Afoot)

While we hear a lot about convenience and safety issues, the fact is a lot of people drive because it’s the only thing they know. A lack of information about biking, walking and transit options is often the main barrier that keeps people from trying it out. (This is why PBOT works so hard on their SmartTrips marketing program.)

Now, local media non-profit Portland Afoot has a plan to further bridge that information gap. Publisher Michael Andersen got in touch with us over the weekend to share an exciting new product he has put together with two local Realtors

Year: 2009
Brand: Lemond
Model: poprad
Color:red
Size:57cm
Stolen in Portland, OR 97214
Stolen:2012-01-16
Stolen From: my car on 20th and burnside
Owner: Mario villanueva
OwnerEmail: mario.villan@gmail.com
Description: disc brakes, bar end shifters, road brake levers as well as interrupter brakes, black brooks saddle, egg beaters, carbon fiber fork and seat post
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

black Centurion LeMans RS 1983

Year: 1983
Brand: Centurion
Model: LeMans RS
Color:black
Size:58cm
Stolen in Portland, OR 97211
Stolen:2012-01-15
Stolen From: Stolen from my house during a house show near the corner of Rodney and Jessup (NE)
Owner: Granville Goff
OwnerEmail: goff.granville@gmail.com
Reward: no questions asked
Description: Black Centurion LeMans RS 1983- black gray and pink lettering all original parts excluding gear wheels break lines and tires. Original leather bar wrap, drop bars, short stem, Metal hardware for hand pump. missing crank set end cap, toe baskets, rear fender, bell, rear and front reflectors. light to moderate scratches on frame, Shimano crank set
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: T12000490
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

blue Worksman Trike

Brand: Worksman
Model: Trike
Color:blue
Stolen in Portland, OR 97217
Stolen:2012-01-15
Stolen From: was stolen from in front of revolver bikes in nopo.
Neighborhood: nopo
Owner: Eric Swain
OwnerEmail: ericrswain@gmail.com
Description: Blue trike. 24″ wheels. Cottered cranks. Front drum brake.
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Biking to work pays off for everyone at King Cycle Group

Bike parking inside the Chris King factory.
(Photo: King Cycle Group)

In 2011, one local company gave its employees 216 days in paid time off just for riding their bikes to work.

Offering serious incentives for bicycling is part of a tried and true recipe for success at King Cycle Group, the parent company of Chris King Precision Components and Cielo Cycles — a manufacturer of bicycle parts and bike frames based in Portland’s northwest industrial district. The company was founded by Chris King in 1976 and moved to Portland in 2003. Today they have 94 employees and show no signs of slowing down.

Remember the flap about Sunday Parkways at City Council last week? After listening to the full audio of the meeting, I feel like it deserves a second look — not only for the policy debate but for the way the story was covered and reacted to in the local media.

To quickly recap: A standard vendor contract relating to Sunday Parkways was on the agenda and Commissioner Dan Saltzman used it as an opportunity to debate budget priorities. He said that while Sunday Parkways is a “fun” event, it’s not more important than funding street paving or biking and walking improvements. (Note: The city doesn’t think so either, that’s why the proposed budget still includes millions in paving and road projects.)

Broad coalition of advocates blast Metro over recent survey

Portland and the “Fixie Index”: Priceonomics Blog runs the numbers

Washington County 101: MSTIP and what residents want – UPDATED

Bikes at work at CleanWater Services

PSU to host mayoral candidate forum on active transportation

City of Sherwood wants to ban bicycling in and around “public spaces”

Portland Afoot taking low-car info into neighborhoods

red Lemond poprad 2009

black Centurion LeMans RS 1983

blue Worksman Trike

Biking to work pays off for everyone at King Cycle Group

Opinion: Sticking up for Sunday Parkways

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