Get your wallets ready for three big bike swaps and sales coming this month. I love a good bike swap and when I noticed three being planned in the next two weeks I figured it was worth sharing here on the front page.
With warmer and dryer temps finally on the horizon, this is a great time to start scheming and dreaming about the perfect rig to help you make the most of it. Or maybe you’re like me and being surrounded by piles of cool old parts and bikes, and the people who have stories to tell about them, is your happy place? Or maybe you’ve god a good stash of used stuff you’d like to convert to cash?
If so, here are the details on the events…
End of Winter Bike Swap
March 18th, 11:00 am to 2:00 pm Baerlic Brewing, 2239 SE 11th No vendor spots left (but maybe DM the organizer for the waitlist?) – Free to enter Link
Huge Bicycle Sale – WashCo Bikes
March 18 – 19th, 9:00 am to 5:00 pm Summerlin Center, 1750 Blankenship Road in West Linn 1,800 bikes and loads of accessories – Live music – Proceeds benefit WashCo Bikes and Free Bikes for Kidz Link
Portland Bike Swap – Community Cycling Center
March 26th, 11:00 am to 4:00 pm Lloyd Center Mall, 2nd Floor of Marshalls (1405 Lloyd Center) All proceeds support Community Cycling Center’s Low Income Commuter Services! – Free entry – $20 for vendor space Link – Vendor registration – Contact pax@communitycyclingcenter.org
These are paid listings. And they work! If you’d like to post a job on the Portland region’s most popular bike and transportation news platform, you can purchase a listing online for just $75. Learn more at our Job Listings page.
Operations & Policy Analyst 2 – Training Program Coordinator
Oregon Department of Transportation
Public Transportation Division
Policy and Strategic Investment Unit
Salem/Remote
The role:
We are looking for someone who is organized and focused on success to join our team in the Public Transit Section. In this role you will be responsible for coordinating a training program for staff and our partners, as well as administering the Public Transportation Advisory Committee. You will have opportunities to work with a broad range of people from staff to the public to legislators and agency administrators. Apply today to work in this pivotal role!
We encourage people from all backgrounds to apply for our positions and hope you will join us on our path to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are an agency that embraces social equity through our values, strategic planning, and actions. Leaning into our equity priorities means we continually examine what we do, the impact we have, and our progress toward weaving social equity into who we are. To learn more about our social equity commitments, visit our Social Equity website.
A day in the life:
• Design and implement an annual training plan to support the needs of the Public Transportation Division programs.
• Conduct training needs assessments to identify skill or knowledge gaps that need to be addressed. Design and develop training programs to meet the needs.
• Assess training program effectiveness and determine the impact of training on knowledge gap. Collect and analyze feedback and use to implement improvements to the program.
• Market trainings to partners, providing communications through external channels.
• Stay up to date on new training methods and techniques.
• Coordinate advisory committee work including developing workplans, calendars, databases, and other documentation for the Public Transportation Advisory Committee (PTAC).
• Serve as primary point of contact of all official PTAC communications. Ensure compliance with public records and meeting laws.
• Provide administrative support, invitations, agenda development, note taking, and action item coordination for all PTAC meetings.
• Work is performed in a standard or virtual office environment. Some travel is required. Work may include conflicting requirements and tight deadlines. Some overtime may be required to manage deadlines.
• Must be able to drive or be able to provide efficient and effective means of transportation as needed to perform job duties.
What we need:
• Any combination of experience and education equivalent to five years of experience that typically supports the knowledge and skills for the classification
• OR
• A bachelor’s degree in business or public administration, behavioral or social sciences, finance, political science or any degree demonstrating the capacity for the knowledge and skills; AND two years professional-level evaluative, analytical and planning work.
Learn more and apply!
• This recruitment will close March 30th, 2023.
• Click here to learn more and to apply! Please note that we can only accept applications and/or resumes through our website.
• For questions about the job announcement or online application, call 503-586-6863 or email ODOTRecruitmentNH@odot.oregon.gov.
ODOT is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer.
Operations & Policy Analyst 2 – Technical Resource Coordinator
Oregon Department of Transportation
Public Transportation Division
Policy and Strategic Investment Unit
Salem/Remote
The role:
Are you skilled at coordinating programs and facilitating work groups? Are you interested in improving the lives of Oregonians by strengthening effective public transportation options across the state, especially in underserved areas? Come join our team in Public Transportation and put your skills to use. Apply now and join our team!
We encourage people from all backgrounds to apply for our positions and hope you will join us on our path to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are an agency that embraces social equity through our values, strategic planning, and actions. Leaning into our equity priorities means we continually examine what we do, the impact we have, and our progress toward weaving social equity into who we are. To learn more about our social equity commitments, visit our Social Equity website.
A day in the life:
• Work with partners to understand technical needs to improve public transportation access and service.
• Develop technical assistance plans to support service providers.
• Design and develop technical resource programs.
• Coordinate and manage funding for technical assistance. Monitor compliance with rules, regulations, and statutes for funding programs that support technical assistance services.
• Prepare and manage Requests for Proposals (RFP). Administer contracts for personal services and other resources.
• Lead consultant and staff work. Develop and review work scope, budgets, reports, and other information.
• Analyze program effectiveness and determine the impact of efforts towards improving transit provider knowledge.
• Coordinate and facilitate the Public Transportation Advisory Committee (PTAC) technical resource committee.
• Plan meetings, prepare agenda, create meeting minutes, prepare communications, and follow-up on action items.
• Prepare reports and presentations for external audiences such as public transportation providers, legislators, and the Oregon Transportation Commission.
• Work is performed in a standard or virtual office environment. Some travel is required. Work may include conflicting requirements and tight deadlines. Some overtime may be required to manage deadlines.
• Must be able to drive or be able to provide efficient and effective means of transportation as needed to perform job duties.
What we need:
• Any combination of experience and education equivalent to five years of experience that typically supports the knowledge and skills for the classification
• OR
• A bachelor’s degree in business or public administration, behavioral or social sciences, finance, political science or any degree demonstrating the capacity for the knowledge and skills; AND two years professional-level evaluative, analytical and planning work.
Learn more and apply!
• This recruitment will close March 30th, 2023.
• Click here to learn more and to apply! Please note that we can only accept applications and/or resumes through our website.
• For questions about the job announcement or online application, call 503-586-6863 or email ODOTRecruitmentNH@odot.oregon.gov.
ODOT is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer.
Operations and Policy Analyst 2 – Intercommunity Transit Program Coordinator
Oregon Department of Transportation
Public Transportation Division
Policy and Strategic Investment Unit
Salem/Remote
The role:
Join our team of professionals who are working to improve public transportation access and service. Put your skills to work by coordinating discretionary funding programs that support intercommunity public transportation. Researching, analyzing data, and directing the budget for the program. You will work with community leaders, members of the public, vendors, and other team members as you help maximize the benefits of investments in transit services. Apply today!
We encourage people from all backgrounds to apply for our positions and hope you will join us on our path to diversity, equity, and inclusion. We are an agency that embraces social equity through our values, strategic planning, and actions. Leaning into our equity priorities means we continually examine what we do, the impact we have, and our progress toward weaving social equity into who we are. To learn more about our social equity commitments, visit our Social Equity website.
If you are a current State of Oregon employee, you must apply through your employee Workday profile.
A day in the life:
• Coordinate discretionary grant programs that are focused on improving public transportation access between communities.
• Develop discretionary grant program policies and guidance.
• Ensure potential projects adhere to funding program policies and guidelines.
• Provide oversight of projects funded by these programs, in partnership with regional staff. Assess deliverables and performance of projects.
• Oversee contracts for consultants that provide support to the program.
• Monitor and evaluate implementation of the program in coordination with other Public Transportation Division staff.
• Analyze program data and outcomes, evaluate against goals and performance measures. Recommend methods to improve program outcomes.
• Work is performed in a standard or virtual office environment. Some travel is required. Work may include conflicting requirements and tight deadlines. Some overtime may be required to manage deadlines.
• Must be able to drive or be able to provide efficient and effective means of transportation as needed to perform job duties.
What we need:
• Any combination of experience and education equivalent to five years of experience that typically supports the knowledge and skills for the classification
• OR
• A bachelor’s degree in business or public administration, behavioral or social sciences, finance, political science or any degree demonstrating the capacity for the knowledge and skills; AND two years professional-level evaluative, analytical and planning work.
Learn more and apply!
• This recruitment will close March 30th, 2023.
• Click here to learn more and to apply! Please note that we can only accept applications and/or resumes through our website.
• For questions about the job announcement or online application, call 503-586-6863 or email ODOTRecruitmentNH@odot.oregon.gov.
ODOT is an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer.
Members of the Powell safety workgroup last Wednesday. Oregon House Reps Khanh Pham (left) and Rob Nosse (right) hold the sign, which is a mockup of safety changes they want ODOT to make. Senator Kathleen is in black in the middle and House Rep. Mark Gamba is behind Nosse. (Photos: Taylor Griggs/BikePortland)
There’s always the fear that momentum for an issue like this will fizzle out as the news cycle moves onto a new topic. But while the public conversation about it has cooled down, a group of advocates, lawmakers and transportation officials have continued to hold regular meetings about safety on Powell Blvd.
I attended one of these “Powell Safety Workgroup” meetings in the Cleveland High School library last Wednesday.
This group has meeting monthly since December. It’s comprised of Oregon representatives Mark Gamba, Rob Nosse, Khanh Pham and state Senator Kathleen Taylor (all of whom represent parts of the southeast Portland area), Oregon Department of Transportation and Portland Bureau of Transportation officials, Portland Public Schools staff, and representatives from transportation advocacy groups BikeLoud PDX, The Street Trust and Oregon Walks.
A study of existing conditions and crash history on Powell Blvd. (Claire Vlach, Oregon Walks)
Portland-based nonprofit Oregon Walks compiled a list of proposed safety improvements on Powell they saw will make it a “grand boulevard that is slow, human centered and safe” where “people want to linger rather than avoid.” The list (in visual form above) includes immediate suggestions to implement automatic speed enforcement systems and make low-cost intersection safety improvements as well as longer term infrastructure changes such as narrowing driving lanes and overall supporting mode shift to transit, bicycling and walking.
Members of BikeLoud PDX are also taking part in these meetings and have focused on demanding that ODOT follow its own Blueprint for Urban Design, which recommends spacing crosswalks every one to two blocks on streets like Powell. Policymakers are making requests, too: Gamba inquired about building raised crosswalks on Powell, an infrastructure tool which has been shown to reduce pedestrian crash rates.
Meeting attendees in the Cleveland H.S. library.
Advocates are pleased that local politicians have shown a firm dedication to the cause over the last several months (they seemed impressed by Gamba’s support of raised crosswalks). But so far, transportation department officials haven’t made any commitments beyond what they’ve already installed and/or announced, so any further changes remain to be seen.
In addition, Mayor Ted Wheeler announced last week the construction of the first large city-run homeless encampment site on SE Gideon Street, just north of Powell near the Bob Stacey railroad overcrossing. If this camp is built, there will be more foot traffic on Powell, making it all the more urgent to make it a safer place for people walking and biking — especially because homeless people are overrepresented in Portland’s traffic crash deaths.
In a report released today, the Portland Bureau of Transportation said people who live on the street made up 19% of total traffic deaths in 2022, despite making up just 0.7% of the total population. Of the 28 people who were killed in traffic while walking, PBOT says 10 of them were homeless at the time of the collision.
According to Senator Taylor, the next workgroup meeting in April will be an opportunity for members of the media to hear a more official briefing about what’s happening on Powell and what the group has been doing over the past six months. Stay tuned for updates.
Welcome to the Comment of the Week, where we highlight good comments in order to inspire more of them. You can help us choose our next one by replying with “comment of the week” to any comment you think deserves recognition.Please note: These selections are not endorsements.
In last week’s article about Governor Tina Kotek’s interview with OPB’s Dave Miller (Oregon Governor has some questions for TriMet), BikePortland did what BikePortland does best—draw on a deep knowledge of transportation issues, put it all together, and find relevance where others might miss it.
In this case, Jonathan picked up on Governor Kotek specifically mentioning TriMet in response to a called-in question from the Street Trust’s Sarah Iannarone about transportation safety. He then pulled from his recent podcast with David Bragdon, and also from long-time advocates’ grumbling “about lack of accountability at TriMet,” to find significance in the Governor pivoting to TriMet on a safety question.
But enough about us.
Then you, BikePortland commenters, did one of the things you do best: fill out news stories with detailed and genuine personal experience about getting around in this town.
Michael responded to Governor Kotek as a “fellow resident of NE Portland,” and added specificity to her general comment about inadequate TriMet service. Here’s what he wrote:
As a fellow resident of NE Portland, I can unequivocally say that 90% of the time, no, [TriMet is] not a real option.
It’s ridiculous that my weekly 15 minute drive to South Portland becomes an hour-plus trip if I were to take Trimet. When the 87 bus runs only every 30 minutes, it makes it really hard to make my trip north to get to my frequent doctor’s appointments–God forbid my appointment runs even slightly long and I get stranded next to the loud, uncomfortable, and unsheltered stop at Airport & 122nd.
It’s great that we have these fancy, high capacity articulated buses on Division now, but they still only run every 15 minutes. I get Trimet’s desire to fix capacity issues by running bigger buses–it’s cheaper after all and I remember very well the operator shortage issues we were having recently–but that really only works at the margins to make transit more convenient. What Trimet desperately needs is to fix capacity by increasing frequency, as that will have the synergistic effect of making the bus more convenient for the people who currently have to make the choice between coming up with an active plan on how to get to A to B and figure out how much of a time sacrifice they’re going to make versus just hopping in the car in their garage or a few feet in front of their house or apartment and just… driving away.
Headways of longer than 5 minutes along major transportation corridors is a policy failure, pure and simple.
Welcome to the week. Here are the most notable stories our writers and readers have come across in the past seven days…
EV-car weight warning: When a crash research expert at Insurance Institute for Highway Safety (IIHS) is worried about the weight of large electric cars — especially as it pertains to the safety of bicycle riders and walkers — you know we have a problem. (IIHS)
African women racers: The UCI will field a record number of female competitors from Africa during the upcoming road racing season, an excellent sign that could inspire a whole new generation to follow suit. (Cycling News)
WFH and parking lots: This national look at parking reform specifically mentions what could be a nail in the coffin on parking lots: the shift to work-from-home instead of the downtown office. (NY Times)
Amish and e-bikes: Given how simple, yet efficient battery-powered bicycles are, it should come as no surprise they have become a preferred transportation mode for many Amish people. (Electrek)
Dancing in the dark: New Strava data reveals that women ride, walk and run much less often in the dark than men do. (Cycling Weekly)
Boldly carfree: At almost five miles long, the new bike tunnel in Bergen, Norway will be the longest in Europe. (Euro News Green)
Consultants, costs, and concerns: A must-read about how the lack of institutional knowledge about transit projects at American government agencies is one of the main reasons it costs to much to build them. (Slate)
Forest Park is among the locations the plan recommends for trail access improvements. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
There’s always been something a bit off about Portland’s Off-Road Cycling Master Plan (ORCMP). Despite two years of work that went into it, and despite the plan being unveiled to the public in 2017, it was never an officially binding plan. For some odd reason, the City of Portland refused to finalized it and the word “draft” was never removed. It was supposed to go to City Council for adoption in 2019 and there was a concerted push from advocates to get it over the finish line at that time — but it just never happened.
I’m not sure if it was out of fear of controversy, or disagreements about various recommendations in the plan, or that it was never prioritized amid the constant shuffle of bureau leadership at City Hall. But what I do know is, because the plan was still in draft form, Portland was not able to move forward on any type of off-road cycling trail projects, plans or policies. If you know anything about how planning works in Portland, you know that nothing gets built or added to a project list or even considered for funding unless it can be tied back to an adopted plan.
So I’m very happy to report that today, finally, the Portland Parks & Recreation Bureau has finalized and published the Off Road Cycling Master Plan! Advocates from Northwest Trail Alliance, the group that has spent eight years on this effort, say it provides, “a blueprint for Portland’s off-road cycling opportunities.”
“The ORCMP is an exciting new and critical piece in a framework of guidance that planners and city officials rely on to implement new access to trails across the city,” NWTA said in a statement this afternoon. “Further, off-road cycling will contribute to safe routes to school; help Portland reach its climate action plan; and all-around promote the healthy, outdoor lifestyle that Portlanders value.”
NWTA Executive Director Lisa Olivares said, “While the ORCMP doesn’t imply immediate, dedicated funding for any locations identified, NWTA looks forward to continuing our work with land partners to support growth in off-road cycling opportunities as presented in the plan.”
Parks lists eight locations where we could see “improvements to existing trails or new natural surface off-road cycling trails”:
Powell Butte Natural Area
“Dog Bowl” at N. Willamette and N. Jessup
Mt. Tabor Park
Forest Park
Lesser Park
Loll-Wildwood Natural Area
River View Natural Area
Washington Park
There are 16 existing parks identified in the ORCMP as potential sites for bike parks (like Gateway Green) and there are three corridors where the plan recommends adjacent off-road cycling trails: the Springwater, the North Portland Greenway alignment, and the I-205 path.
While there is no dedicated funding attached to the plan, now that it’s published, Parks can begin to add off-road bike trail projects to it’s all-powerful Capital Improvement Program (CIP) list where they can be considered for funding during the annual budget process.
This might seem like a boring administrative step, but the finalization of this plan is big step forward and we’re looking forward to what happens next. Stay tuned!
A new neighborhood greenway on N Burr Ave outside Roosevelt High School is a popular idea.
A map of the NPIM project area. (Images: PBOT)
The Portland Bureau of Transportation has been working on the North Portland in Motion (NPIM) project for almost two years now, following the same ‘in motion’ framework they’ve used to explore active transportation needs in other areas of the city.
Last summer, they ramped up public engagement efforts, hosting three Pedalpalooza rides across the north Portland peninsula (BikePortland tagged along for one of them) as well as pop-up events at the Kenton and St. John’s farmer’s markets to share project ideas, and more.
In September, PBOT released a list of potential NPIM projects in an online open house and received over 700 written comments, demonstrating how substantial public outreach can pay off.
So, what did north Portlanders have to say about greenways and the state of streets in their neighborhoods?
Greenway priorities
Results of PBOT survey asking which greenway projects are most “urgently needed.”
The NPIM project idea list includes several potential new neighborhood greenways across north Portland. A chart included in PBOT’s engagement summary breaks down which possible new greenways received the most support from respondents. According to open house commenters, the top three greenway projects are the Upper St. Johns Greenway Network, Lower St. Johns/Cathedral Park Greenway Network and the Willamette Blvd Greenway project.
Illustrations of the potential greenway project designs. (Source: PBOT)
Corridor priorities
PBOT survey results for which corridor projects are most urgently needed.
NPIM planners have also sketched out ideas for corridor improvement projects, which would involve near-term implementation of infrastructure like traffic calming treatments, new marked crosswalks and even buffered bike lanes. According to the survey respondents, the top three corridors in need of such improvements are Willamette Blvd, Lombard St and several streets around Cathedral Park.
However, PBOT provided potential designs for corridor improvements on Willamette and around Cathedral Park, but not for Lombard. Parts of Lombard are owned by the Oregon Department of Transportation, which installed bike lanes on a stretch of the street last year. PBOT has also been working on a Lombard repaving project in downtown St. Johns, but the NPIM draft documents don’t currently include any plans for the corridor.
Other comments and concerns
In addition to their summary report, PBOT provided a list of the open-ended comments from the open house, which point to some other trends in concerns from north Portlanders.
Numerous comments pointed to concerns about street racing across the peninsula, asking PBOT to intervene with infrastructure to deter this behavior:
“I chose the N Ainsworth project because speeding/ street racing has been popular, and it is a serious safety hazard for the many pedestrians/cyclists. I believe a roundabout placed at N Denver and N Ainsworth could do a lot to reduce the speeding and racing behaviors.”
“Projects to slow traffic and build better bike infrastructure on Fessenden and Portsmouth are my priority because the drag racing on these streets is out of hand. I live at this intersection and I have had two cars totaled in two years while parked in front of my house due to excessive and erratic driving. Both were hit and runs. The unsafe driving is absolutely out of control.”
Others commented on speeding issues more generally:
“I’ve lived on N Charleston & N Smith for 9 yrs. In that time I’ve noticed an increase in cut through traffic and excessive speeds over 50mph. This is also marked as a safe route to school which feels like a joke on most days…Many drivers speed down our road between Central and Smith because there are no calming measures. Even if stop signs was added at N Hudson or a crosswalk at Central/Charleston I think the issue would be greatly improved.”
“I believe that improved bike and pedestrian infrastructure along N Willamette and N Ainsworth are the most urgent projects. I appreciate that the speed limit along Willamette was recently reduced to 25 mph, however, many cars still exceed that limit by 10 or more mph…I believe that increased pedestrian crossings, buffered bike lines, and speed cameras are needed to slow traffic down. Diverters and speed bumps are desperately needed on N Ainsworth as more and more drivers speed down this street as a cut through between N Interstate and N Greeley.”
Then there were some people who expressed skepticism about the project as a whole. One commenter wrote:
“You are forgetting those of us who need to go to work in a timely manner. I will NEVER ride a bike, nor can I ride a bike. Yet they are creating unsafe driving conditions. People on bikes need to not wear dark clothing at night. Their bikes need to have lights on their tires and a light in the front and a good light on the back of their bikes. Rather than wasting the money mucking up the traffic flow, spend it on better street lighting and SAFETY ‐‐ as in criminals running these neighborhoods.”
But in general, most people seem to be excited about the potential for new active transportation projects in north Portland. It’s only a matter of which ones will be prioritized given limited funding.
The future of NPIM
The project timeline.
The NPIM team says they will have a draft plan available for public review in June, after which PBOT will develop the final plan and bring it to Portland City Council. If all goes well, this could happen by the end of next summer, and infrastructure installments could begin shortly thereafter.
The NPIM team also plans to continue their robust public engagement efforts and host more community walks and bike rides this spring and summer. Stay tuned for more information on the plan as it is available. For now, you can take a look at all the potential projects on the NPIM website.
Crossing SE Division near I-205. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
Source: ODOT
Comparing the rise in pedestrian deaths to an epidemic that deserves a public health response similar to what we saw with Covid-19, the Portland based nonprofit The Street Trust has laid out a list of six steps Oregon should take to make streets safer.
“We need to tackle these rising death rates at the root (route) cause: the continued investment and prioritization of the automobile and driving alone at the expense of the health and well being of people, communities, the environment, and the economy,” wrote The Street Trust Executive Director Sarah Iannarone in an article released Thursday.
The article was cheekily titled, “What Oregon Can Do to End Traffic Deaths (Besides Close Crosswalks),” (a reference to ODOT’s recent move to close over 180 crosswalks in the Portland region as part of an ADA safety initiative).
The push from The Street Trust comes as the number of people who died while walking on Oregon highways was up about 45% in 2022 compared to the previous year (see chart at right). That statistic gives this issue added urgency. And The Street Trust’s focus is well-timed because the Oregon Department of Transportation is well aware of the problem and is actively looking for remedies.
ODOT slides
At a meeting of the Oregon Transportation Commission on March 9th, ODOT Public Transportation Division Administrator Karyn Criswell shared a presentation on the Bicycle Pedestrian Safety Action Program, a proposed new program that would look to streamline severe crash responses, speed up infrastructure solutions, and redirect funding from car and truck safety issues directly to more pedestrian-focused projects. “Severe and fatal crashes involving people walking and biking have been happening far too often and they are on the rise,” Criswell told OTC members in her pitch for the new program.
“The numbers demand an action and w’re prepared to move in that direction,” said ODOT Delivery and Operations Administrator Mac Lynde at the meeting.
The Street Trust wants to keep pushing ODOT to do more and they’ve come up with six things they think Oregon could do this year to bend the pedestrian death curve downward:
Redirect resources from driving alone toward walking, biking, rolling and using public transit.
Be honest when we talk about “safety” and align spending with road user injuries and fatalities.
Enforce reduced speeds with traffic cams and implement fines equitably.
Establish community-led Fatal Crash Review Commissions to examine the root causes of crashes.
Develop a statewide ‘Orphan Highways’ Improvement Strategy and Plan.
Establish a task force for a statewide public health campaign around street safety.
Iannarone said she doesn’t expect masses of Oregonians to give up driving until viable alternatives are more robust, but she thinks, “A stated commitment to safety from our elected officials, a focus on community engagement, and coordinated safety investments across our siloed governments and agencies would be a start on the right track.” (Read more from her article here.)
For ODOT’s part, they hope to formally launch the Bicycle Pedestrian Safety Action Program later this year.
One of the most powerful transportation policymakers in the state of Oregon is “skeptical” that actions taken by government can influence peoples’ decisions on how they get around.
Lee Beyer is the newest member of the powerful Oregon Transportation Commission, the five-person board appointed by the governor to oversee and set policy for the Oregon Department of Transportation. That alone makes Beyer a very important voice, but his stature goes well beyond the OTC. As a member of the Oregon House and Senate he served 20 years in the state legislature — and is a former co-chair of the Joint Committee on Transportation. In that capacity, Beyer was one of the main architects of the landmark transportation package known as HB 2017. (He was also a staunch supporter of the infamous Oregon bike tax.)
At a meeting of the Oregon Transportation Commission in Salem on Thursday, Beyer was listening from the dais during the public comment period when environmental advocate Bob Cortright from the nonprofit 350 Salem stepped up to speak. Cortright (not to be confused with his brother Joe, also an notable ODOT watchdog), used his time to make the case that the Oregon Transportation Plan (being released in draft form later this spring) won’t meet its targets unless it does more to reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT).
Here’s the exchange (same as audio above):
Bob Cortright:
The draft plan won’t correct this problem, because it’s really silent about the scale of reductions in VMT and mode shift that are needed. Again, we need to double or triple the share of trips that are made by walking, cycling and transit and reduce VMT by 20%. So those should be clearly included in the OTP [Oregon Transportation Plan]. The draft plan won’t correct this. This is a recipe for an OTP that doesn’t make progress in reducing greenhouse gas emissions. So again, I hope you make those changes as you go forward.
Lee Beyer:
Bob, I appreciate your concern. And the dilemma that I always see is, we can make it easier for people to walk or bike or whatever. And we can make it — I don’t know that we can make it easier for them to drive — But the issue is really self determination. I guess I’m a little skeptical. I come to believe that people are going to continue to do what they do what they want to do. And that it’s very hard to make that change. That’s more of a societal attitude issue rather than something that I think the [Oregon] Department [of Transportation] can do directly… We can make it easier… but my comment, or perspective is that I think as we move to less environmentally damaging cars, EVs or whatever, that people will continue to drive, because they like the freedom of personal mobility. That’s the frustration that I have with the system.
To have someone of Beyer’s stature say, essentially, that the state can have little influence on how many people will choose to drive or walk or bike or take transit, is very notable. Keep in mind that the room was full of top ODOT staff (including Director Kris Strickler).
One person I spoke to who was at the meeting said their jaw hit the floor when Beyer made his comments.
I reached out to Cortright after the meeting just to see if he was as surprised at Beyer’s comments as I was.
“I think it’s appropriate to be pretty shocked on several levels,” Cortright shared. “His comment pretty much denies and ignores the fact that public policy over the last 50-75 years has done boatloads to affect people’s transportation choices by the way we’ve built a very car dependent transportation system and then made driving essentially free.”
Beyond the very dubious merits of Beyer’s comment from a policy standpoint, Cortright feels words like that will serve to tamp down enthusiasm among ODOT rank-and-file. “It’s a bit fatalistic, it excuses the OTC and ODOT from any responsibility, and his skepticism sends a powerful message to ODOT staff that the OTC thinks all these efforts to reduce VMT aren’t worth it and what we need to do is just continue to make driving easier.”
