🚨 Please note that BikePortland slows down during this time of year as I have family in town and just need a break! Please don't expect typical volume of news stories and content. I'll be back in regular form after the new year. Thanks. - Jonathan 🙏
Looking south on Naito with Steel Bridge on the left and NW Glisan/1st/Flanders on the right. Approximate location of the new crossing is marked in orange. (Note that the ramp from Naito on the right is no longer open.)
I have some really good news: the Portland Bureau of Transportation finally has a plan and funding to close one of the most nagging gaps in our bike network.
At the May 9th meeting of the Portland Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC), one of the members asked a PBOT staffer if there was an update on the crossing of NW Naito Parkway at the Steel Bridge and NW Glisan. My ears perked up because PBOT has been actively working on a fix here since at least 2009. Much to my excitement the staffer replied, “Yes there is some goods on that one.” Turns out a project has been confirmed by all parties, funding has been secured, and construction is scheduled.
This is a huge deal! The bike path on the Steel Bridge that connects to the Espanade/Interstate Avenue and Waterfront Park is one of the most important bikeways in the city. And it has become even more important in recent years as PBOT has vastly improved the bikeway on NW Naito Parkway (the glaring bike lane gap near the Steel Bridge was finally closed in 2016). And in 2021, PBOT opened the Ned Flanders Crossing and has just recently put the finishing touches on the NW Flanders neighborhood greenway that connects to it.
Once this new crossing is built, we’ll have a quality bikeway from the Eastbank Esplanade to NW 23rd.
Northbound view.People trying to cross today. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)PBOT plan drawing.Plans overlayed with existing conditions.
The problem is there’s no way to connect the new bridge and greenway on Flanders directly to the Steel Bridge. The big sticking point with this project has always been its proximity to a heavy railroad crossing used by Union Pacific Railroad. Dealing with railroads is always cumbersome. It also meant that ODOT’s Rail Division had so sign off on any plans. And the Old Town Neighborhood Association was also in the mix because they’ve wanted a “quiet zone” at this crossing for years. The nearby railroad crossing meant that anything PBOT did with a new crossing had to pass muster with Union Pacific and ODOT and the project had to include upgrades to the tracks, signals, surrounding signage, and so on.
“In the last year-and-a-half, we’ve made more progress than the last 10 years.”
Well it appears that all the pieces have finally come together. “In the last year-and-a-half, we’ve made more progress than the last 10 years,” PBOT Project Manager Gabe Graff shared at the BAC meeting. Graff said Old Town neighborhood advocates deserve a lot of credit for lobbying state representatives and other decision makers and ultimately breaking the bureaucratic logjam. The final piece was funding and ODOT has stepped up with $2.4 million in the current Statewide Transportation Improvement Program (STIP).
According to PBOT plan drawings shared with BikePortland (PDF), the new crossing will begin on the east side of Naito 10-20 yards north of where the current curb ramp from path to the bike lane is now. The 10-foot wide crossing will likely have green and white stripes (to help separate biker and walkers) and it will connect to NW 1st Avenue right near the corner it creates with NW Glisan. Other changes to the bike path near the crossing will be made to ensure safe sight lines.
Right now PBOT, ODOT and Union Pacific are ironing out an intergovernmental agreement (IGA). Construction on the new crossing is scheduled to begin in 2025.
So much potential here. This is NE Lombard looking westbound at the 33rd Ave bridge. (Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
If Portland ever wants to move the needle toward bicycle use, we must build more high-quality bikeways on major streets. There’s been one segment of one of these streets that I’ve had my eyes on for many years and I finally spent a bit of time taking a closer look.
I’m talking about Northeast Lombard east of Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. It’s a 62-foot (plus or minus) expanse of pavement at the very northern edge of Portland’s residential grid that separates thousands of homes from industrial jobs and natural areas along the Columbia River and slough. With its 45 mph speed limit (and a typical speed well over 50) and average daily traffic count of 29,000 cars — the section of Lombard between NE 11th and Cully Blvd/72nd Ave (and beyond) is a classic “stroad.” In many ways it looks and feels like a freeway, but with its cross traffic, driveways, bike lanes, and proximity to the neighborhood, it also functions like a street.
Despite all this space, the street currently has just very narrow (five feet or so), unpainted and unprotected bike lanes. The cross-section includes four general purpose lanes (two in each direction), bike lanes on both sides, and a lane used for parking cars on the south side. That’s about 52 feet for driving cars and just 10 feet for riding bikes — and most of the time that biking space is filled with gravel, partially blocked by parked cars and RVs, or littered with driving detritus.
The north side has zero homes, driveways, or cross-streets. Making this protected would be so easy.Eastbound at 33rd. Note all the extra space next to that car.Very rare sighting of a bicycle rider!Had to wait about 10 seconds to see a reading this high.RVs and other vehicles frequently edge out into the bike lane.
There’s no reason it has to be this way. We are just choosing to live with an outdated design that fails on almost every measure we say we care about: It’s a car sewer that’s unsafe for all users, it doesn’t have adequate biking or walking infrastructure, and there is no bus rapid transit or light rail. And it should be noted that there’s another stroad — NE Columbia Blvd — just a few hundred feet away. Drivers get redundancy, bike riders get scarcity. Is it any wonder more people don’t ride in this city?
Can you imagine an excellent bike lane on this street? You’d have a fast and direct connection between the Woodlawn and Cully neighborhoods. You could also connect to existing bike routes and bridges on NE 33rd and 42nd. Industrial workers at the Portland Airport and the hundreds of other business in the Columbia Corridor would have a more viable alternative to driving. Getting to Cully Park at 72nd would suddenly be feasible for many more people. It would help spur vibrancy at the new Las Adelitas residential development. If we were able to update the design all the way to 82nd, you could hop on an e-bike and go from north to east Portland in less than 15 minutes. It could be Portland’s first bike highway.
Heck, the north side of the street doesn’t even have any homes, cross-traffic or driveways! We could plop down a few hundred jersey barriers tomorrow and protect the bike lane!
Yes I realize there’s the neighborhood greenway on NE Holman and Simpson, but that’s not good enough. The Holman route gets broken up by Fernhill Park (at NE 37th) and you have to navigate your way to NE Simpson to stay on the greenway. It also has speed bumps and very poor pavement quality in many spots. The biggest reason I’m not a fan of Holman is because it’s hidden. As even the City of Portland’s own bicycle coordinator for the past 30 or so years has stated, these hidden bikeways are likely a major reason why more people are not riding bikes in Portland.
The simple fact is that we must make bikeways more visible if we want more people to pay attention to it. And there’s not better way to make biking visible than to put bike-specific infrastructure on streets where a lot of people drive.
And let’s not forget Martin Greenough. Martin was 38 years old, lived near Lombard and Cully Blvd and had just gotten a new job north of Columbia near MLK Jr. Blvd. He had only lived in Portland for two weeks and wanted to bike to work and realized Lombard was the quickest way to do it. He opened a city bike map and saw that Lombard had bike lanes, and he went for it. Then on the night of December 12th, he was riding on Lombard near 42nd and was struck by a drunk driver and killed. If we had physically separated bike lanes (instead of a gap like where he got killed!), Martin might still be alive today.
Relevant pages from PBOT Columbia Lombard Mobility Corridor Plan.
Lest you think I’m some radical for this idea, consider that the Portland Bureau of Transportation has already put some serious thought into it. Their Columbia Lombard Mobility Corridor Plan that was passed in 2021 had some specific ideas for how to improve this stretch of Lombard (see pages from the plan above). On this segment they recommended we, “add separation to existing bike lanes to increase separation between bicyclists and fast-moving traffic.” The plan also called for closing a ramp at NE 32nd and reconfiguring the dangerous intersections at 33rd and 42nd. While PBOT’s plan was disappointingly timid (they were too afraid to suggest anything that might decrease car capacity) at least they recommended removing the parking lane to make room for wider bike lanes and a future sidewalk and/or raised bike lane. In one of their recommended options that keeps the parking lane, they were suggested removal of one driving lane westbound to make more cycling space.
So we’ve got the space, the rationale, and the plan. Now let’s find some political will and make something happen. There’s so much we should do on this stretch of Lombard! What we shouldn’t do is settle for what we have.
Now the same union that organized a four-day work stoppage is on the offensive once again. Laborers Local 483 (an affiliate of Laborers International Union of North America (LiUNA)), says Wheeler’s move to reduce already-planned and budgeted for fee increases from the bureau of transportation, water and environmental services “threaten to layoff dozens of union-represented workers.”
“The services that Portlanders rely on, whether they’re long-overdue road improvements, capital projects, or wastewater treatment services – the quality of those services rely on our members,” said Laborers’ Local 483 Field Representative James O’Laughlen in a statement released Monday. “Earlier this year, our union went on strike for important economic recognition of our members’ service throughout COVID. Many of our members have still not received full payment for those negotiated improvements. Now, before the full benefits of what these members won are even realized, the Mayor’s rushed action to reduce rates threatens to lay off those very workers.”
During a Portland City Council work session May 12th bureau directors said one reason the increases were so vital was that they would help pay for recently agreed-to collective bargaining agreements with Local 483. “It doesn’t uphold the City’s end of our negotiated agreements,” said Local 483’s Business Manager Ryan Sotomayor. “Our bargained victory and its long-delayed implementation by the City impacts the integrity of hundreds of working families, whose economic victories undeniably set a precedent for all other workers in our city.”
Local 483 is fighting Wheeler’s move by calling it a “penny-wise pound-foolish misstep” and “political theater”. So far 672 people have participated in the campaign by sending an email to City Council members. They also plan to testify at the City Council meeting Wednesday.
Here’s a snip from their campaign website:
Together, we say NO.
NO to the penny-wise and pound-foolish missteps of Mayor Wheeler.
NO to political theater.
NO to short-sighted band aids on issues that the Mayor has long ignored until his re-election came into focus.
NO to rate reductions that do nothing for working Portlanders and those on fixed incomes – only businesses.
NO to reductions that will cost Portland residents more in the long-term.
NO to continued disrespect of Portland City Laborers
NO COSTLY RATE REDUCTIONS – NO LAYOFFS – NO DISRESPECT
City Council voted 4-1 in favor of Wheeler’s $7.1 billion budget last week, with Commissioner Mingus Mapps — whose portfolio includes all three bureaus with frozen fee increases — the sole no vote. Now the City Budget Office will amend the budget with the changes passed on Wednesday and there will be a final budget adoption hearing at Council June 14th.
I’m not sure what it is exactly about all my bike-related t-shirts, but I often just can’t bear to throw them away. Some were gifted to me by a person I respect. Some are from an event that I have fond memories of (and that I think will live on only if the shirt does). And others are just cool and inspirational. T-shirts can be more than just fabric and fashion. They’re cultural currency often shared and sold as a gesture of support and solidarity. They are subtle (or not) flags we fly to identify ourselves and attract similarly bike-minded future friends.
So let’s share our shirts! At this week’s Bike Happy Hour (tomorrow, Wednesday May 24th from 3-6 pm at Gorges Beer Co on SE Ankeny at 27th) I encourage everyone to wear their favorite bike tee and be ready to share why you like it, where it came from, and so on. If you have extras and want to swap, trade or give away to folks in need, bring those too!
If you are new to biking and want a bit of cultural camouflage, you can even show up without a bike shirt and we’ll get you sorted out.
So far I’ve got commitments from two local businesses — Biketown and Cyclepath Bike Shop — who plan to bring new shirts from their stockpiles to give away for free to Bike Happy Hourers. (If you are from a local bike company or organization and have shirts to share, bring them on by!)
So dig deep into your closet and let’s see what you’ve got. I can’t wait to see you and your shirt tomorrow!
Workers attempt to free the bike from the MAX undercarriage as its rider is attended to on the sidewalk. (Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
A man was seriously injured in a collision with a MAX train on Friday. It happened around 2:00 pm at the intersection of North Interstate Avenue and N Willamette Boulevard.
When I rolled up on the scene, a man was being tended to by first responders on the sidewalk of N Interstate in front of Ivy School while several TriMet workers were trying to dislodge a bicycle from underneath the front of a northbound Yellow Line MAX train. The train was stopped several yards into the T-intersection with N Willamette, right before the southern crosswalk that leads to the Killingsworth MAX station.
The man was conscious but seemed dazed and he was holding his right sight arm and shoulder very gingerly. I could see many scrapes and abrasions on his right side.
I’ve since heard from two people who say they witnessed what happened.
(Graphic: BikePortland)
One person said the bike rider was in the northbound Interstate Ave left turn lane prior to the collision (this is a very common movement here because Willamette is a popular neighborhood greenway and many people access it by turning left off of Interstate). A southbound train was coming toward the northbound rider and when it went past him, the rider apparently began to turn. “He did not see the train coming the other way,” the witness said. “The train was hitting the horn and slowing down.” By the time the bike rider realized what was about to happen, he tried to stop but it was too late.
The other witness said he was walking his dog and heard the MAX come to a screeching halt. After seeing the aftermath, the dog walker approached the bicycle rider and “He told me he was hit from behind and didn’t know what really happened.” It’s unclear if the bike rider recalls being hit by a separate car driver from behind or if he was speaking about the MAX train hitting him. Given the fog of trauma around crashes like this, it’s hard to know exactly what happened.
What is clear is that the bicycle rider is very lucky he was not more seriously hurt! And thank goodness this is a slow-speed area for the MAX, given the urban context of this section of the line and that it was approaching a station.
Also a good reminder to take extra care when you are around double tracks. You have to clear both tracks in both directions before you are safe to cross.
There’s a bear out there. (Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
Consider this a warning: A black bear is roaming around the northwest hills.
According to Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife, they’ve received at least three separate black bear sightings. A public notice released Friday listed NW 53rd, Leif Erikson Road, and Upper Saltzman/Fire Lane 5 as the places where the sightings were made.
“While bears in Forest Park are not unheard of, it is unique to have this many sightings over a short period of time,” said ODFW, who continues to track the case. Apparently the ecology of Forest Park is hospitable to black bears.
KGW reports that there are an estimated 25 to 30 thousand black bears across Oregon: “Officials with the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife said there have only been five reported black bear sightings in the city of Portland, Forest Park included, in the last three years. With four of those five this month.”
Portland Parks and Recreation is also posting this caution sign (above) online and at park entrances:
Who remembers in 2015 when someone’s okapi got loose and roamed through the park? I saw it chillin’ up on Leif, but I’ve yet to see the bear.
Stand your ground; don’t “play dead” with a black bear. Don’t run. Having your bike between you and the bear is still the best idea and can serve as a last line of defense. If the bear approaches, shout, make noise, stand tall, throw small rocks.
If you survive the encounter, please report your sighting to the ODFW Sauvie Island Office (503) 621-3488.
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.
We moderate our comments here at BikePortland, but that does not mean they have to be anodyne. It’s fine to fight hard, and that’s what commenters “pierre delecto” and “Watts” do in this thread. They do it with flair, they are interesting to read, and they make good points. Most importantly, they don’t get insulting.
The exchange is a good example of how to disagree strongly, even colorfully, without sounding like a couple of kids fighting in the backseat.
Here’s Watts’s final salvo:
What decisions are you talking about? If you had any experience at all with NAs you’d know they have very little power. They can write letters. But then so can you. You can also join them and get a taste of real power.
The idea that NAs run some shadow government is the stuff of pure conspiracy theory.
Here’s why you don’t like NAs: they are a vehicle for regular people to engage with their community, people you would rather be excluded from the civic discourse because you are afraid they will not be your political allies. Attacking NAs is like restricting polling hours in places that tend to vote against your party. It is exclusionary politics.
Welcome to the week. Here are the most notable stories our writers and readers have come across in the past seven days…
This week’s Roundup is brought to you by the Ride the Dirt Wave – Klootchy Creek event coming June 3-4th. Grab your best buds and head out to the Oregon Coast (off Highway 26, before Cannon Beach/101 turnoff) to discover the amazing singletrack and flow trails at Klootchy Creek. Two days of riding and creature comforts await! More info and registration here.
And now, let the Roundup begin…
This week’s must-read: When author Adam Gopnik takes up the cause of explaining America’s addiction to cars and what it will take to wean us from it, you better believe it’s worth your time to read it. (New Yorker)
Portland, please steal these ideas!: We have all the pieces in place to seriously tame cars and their drivers and finally reclaim our city. We should use Brussels as a blueprint. (Bloomberg)
Oh no you don’t: Seattle and other cities are suing two automakers for a design flaw they say is leading to public harm — could this be a crack in the door toward stronger regulation of car designs in general? (The Urbanist)
Very relatable drama in Berkeley: Staffing shortages leading to project delays, controversy around a failed protected bike lane project in a well-off neighborhood — the mess at Berkeley DOT reminds me of what has happened in Portland and could happen more as our budget implodes. (Berkeleyside)
Biden’s climate problem: The Biden Infrastructure Law is fueling freeway expansion and new highway projects nationwide — and that should be a problem for a politician who says he cares about climate change. (E & E News)
Make traffic count(s): I’m posting this for all our readers who work at local planning agencies and engineering firms because we desperately need a breakthrough in counting non-car traffic. (Tech Crunch)
It’s the commute: If our leaders want more people to go back into the office, they should start by making the commute as pleasurable as possible. (NY Times Opinion)
Bike theft battle: The Denver Police Department knows that the best way to return stolen bikes is to get them registered so they’ve partnered with a third-party to make it happen. (Denverite)
E-cars dirty secret: Electric cars might now spew toxic exhaust from their tailpipes but they slough off toxic chemicals from their tires. (Reuters)
Automate it: Safe street advocates in Los Angeles are using Portland as an example and pushing elected officials to adopt a bill that would open the door to more automated traffic enforcement cameras. (Streetsblog LA)
Relax! Drivers will soon be required to slow down before passing — and they’ll be more likely to cross over that centerline. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
12 years ago, things got very tense in the relationships between users of Skyline Boulevard. The road is popular with bicycle and car users alike due to its sweeping curves, natural context, and proximity to downtown Portland. But joy turned to terror as we began to hear reports of serious road rage and harassment against bicycle riders. It was a big enough deal that over 100 people showed up to a forum on a Thursday night to talk about it. And among the crowd was the Multnomah County District Attorney, the road rager himself, a bicycle lawyer (or three), representatives from Oregon Bicycle Racing Association, and so on.
Clearly, this issue had struck a nerve. And besides just the classic driver-vs-biker energy, much of the anxiety in the room was sparked by confusion over whether or not drivers are allowed to cross over a double-yellow line to safely pass a bicycle rider. It’s a common misconception among drivers that they can’t cross the centerline on two-lane rural roads, so they get extra peeved when they come up on a slower-moving bicycle rider. And then, instead of waiting for a wider section of the roadway or just crossing the centerline (which is legal, keep reading), they pass too closely.
Whether they do it on purpose or not, the result is frayed nerves and a terrifying experience for the bicycle rider.
Fast forward to 2023 and I’m happy to report that Oregon is about to pass a new law that should help fix this issue. Senate Bill 895 has passed both chambers of the Oregon Legislature without much fanfare and is headed to the House Floor and then the Governor’s desk to be signed any day now. The bill (which we first covered back in April) does several important things to amend Oregon Revised Statute 811.420 (the law that governs passing in a “no passing” zone).
Currently, when driving in a no passing zone, there are some exceptions when you are legally able to pass another vehicle. The law says you can pass someone on the left in a no passing zone if they just turned onto another road, driveway or alley; or if you need to move further to the left — even across the centerline — you are allowed to do so in order to avoid an “obstruction” in front of you.
SB 895 adds two key sections to ORS 811.420. The first is that drivers must drive at a speed that is at least five miles per hour under the speed limit when they pass another vehicle or any type of “obstruction” on the road. And second, the bill amends the definition of “obstruction” to explicitly include “a person who is riding a bicycle or operating another type of vehicle and who is traveling at a speed of less than one-half of the speed limit.”
That’s it! Hopefully the DMV and other educational outlets will help everyone (including police officers!) learn about the new law so that it begins to change behaviors and leads to more sane passing on roads like Skyline. (And hopefully the current Republican boycott of the legislature doesn’t create a procedural snafu that prevents this bill from being pushed across the finish line.)
We owe a debt of gratitude to the bill’s chief sponsor, Eugene-area Democrat Senator Floyd Prozanski. But it would not have happened without the advocacy and insights of Doug Parrow and Richard Hughes, two retired Oregonians who took it upon themselves to identify this problem and do the legwork to create the bill and get it through the system. Thanks Richard and Doug!
Last week I received an email from longtime southwest Portland trail activist Don Baack, who has been concerned that a protected pedestrian walkway wasn’t required along the frontage of a new apartment building under construction on Southwest Gibbs St.
Baack had contacted the office of Commissioner Mingus Mapps to learn more about the reasoning behind the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s decision to have pedestrians walk in the road, between the fog line and a guardrail. (Mapps is the commissioner-in-charge of PBOT.) Don thought it would be safer for a person walking to be separated from the traffic by the guardrail, on a path off the roadway.
Don got a response from the Commissioner’s office, which impressed me. My most recent queries to the bureau’s press office have gone unanswered, and back in September when I did get a response it was very general and applicable to most of the southwest.
PBOT said they required a six-foot shoulder widening on SW Gibbs as part of this development; but added that, “Unfortunately, due to significant storm water, soil, and topographical challenges on the hill we couldn’t require a standard curb and sidewalk improvement.”
SW Gibbs St. looking west from narrowest point of shoulder.
What Don learned from Mapps’s office was more specific. A staff member wrote:
I checked with the bureau and there is a trade-off between protection from traffic and protection from the slope on the side of the street that led to the planned placement of the rail.
—Commissioner Mapps’s office
That’s a good, solid answer. But Don and I have walked the shoulder together, and we both know the area well. There is not a steep slope to the side of the street in front of this property.
That led me to pass on a couple of photos to Mapps’s office and ask for clarification about the “trade-off.” I received a reply that made me feel like I might be getting somewhere:
We have raised your concern with the bureau and they are looking into it to see what options we may have.
—Commissioner Mapps’s office
It seems positive to me that there might be other options.
SW Gibbs, looking east. The original frontage had a steep slope in back of the chain link fence. Photo Lisa Caballero/BikePortland
What’s going on?
I don’t know exactly what’s going on, maybe I’ll learn more next week from the Commissioner’s office. If you’re feeling generous you can label the remainder of this post “analysis,” otherwise consider it speculation.
The six-foot (or less) shoulder widening seems to have become the default frontage requirement in southwest Portland, and it’s been that way for a number of years. There are reasons for that, for example the stormwater infrastructure might not exist, which limits the amount of impervious surface allowed, including cement sidewalks. The Bureau of Environmental Services (BES) was being straightforward on the frontage improvement/stormwater issue when it wrote in its West Portland Town Center memorandum that:
Neither PBOT or BES have discretionary funds to spend on infrastructure around future development projects, particularly on local streets, even if the developer is paying to improve all or portions of the ROW in front of their development. In addition, incremental improvements funded by developers may be possible for street improvements, but incremental stormwater improvements may not be possible in SW Portland because of the existing lack of infrastructure and downstream capacity limitations.
In other words, even if a developer wanted to build the usual required frontage improvement such as a sidewalk, the city might not allow it because the stormwater infrastructure isn’t present to handle the run-off. And the city does not have the money to put in new infrastructure for future developments. That means no sidewalks, and a code variance granted that puts pedestrians in the roadway in essentially a bike lane.
From what I can tell, however, that is not the situation on Gibbs. There is a combined sewer/drainage pipe under the road and the permitting documents do not mention lack of capacity as a reason for not allowing a sidewalk. It appears that a sidewalk was never considered.
But one can imagine how a rubric might have emerged that points to shoulder-widening as the default southwest solution, a rubric that misses the places where sidewalks are in fact possible, or that doesn’t encourage creative solutions to pedestrian safety.
As far as the non-existent slope goes . . . before the new building went up, there was indeed a steep bank in that location, which you might be able to see on the left side of the above photo, behind the chain link fence.
All of that area has since been backfilled against a retaining wall that sits on the property line, about three feet from the building. Maybe Development Review missed that?
SW Shattuck Road looking north in front of the Alpenrose Dairy. The street does not have sidewalks on either side.
One potential plan for residences on the Alpenrose Dairy site.
The big picture: the Governor’s push to make building easier
Apparently, the city is not willing or able to invest in stormwater infrastructure for southwest Portland. Nonetheless, building continues, often without sidewalks. For example, what will happen with the Alpenrose site? I don’t know how that project is moving along, or if the city will require the developer to build sidewalks and bike lanes on SW Shattuck. It needs them.
The backdrop to southwest Portland’s active transportation woes is Governor Kotek’s controversial HB 3414 which is proceeding through the Oregon legislature. It is part of her push to rapidly increase Oregon’s housing supply in response to the houselessness crisis. The bill would limit the ability of cities to deny developer-requested variances (exceptions) to local building code requirements, like frontage improvements and bike storage. My observation in Portland is that PBOT’s Development Review office has always been generous in granting variances to frontage and transportation requirements. In fact, the city watered down its code governing transportation improvements in 2018 to make it easier for developers to comply with it.
The first question of Commissioner Rubio’s permitting process survey last winter fits in with the governor’s pro-developer response to the housing crisis: “What are the top five requirements the City of Portland should consider suspending or modifying to support increased housing productions?”
So what can and will be required of developers is in flux. Meanwhile, an entire area of town is densifying with little in the way of safe walking and biking facilities. And that is counter to numerous Portland policies. Most recently the three-year PedPDX status report reiterated its Mission Statement:
To an informed Portland resident, the contradictions between the city’s aspirational policy and the reality of what gets built is frustrating. And the possibility of hard-fought building requirements being sidestepped is alarming.
Bustling scene at an industry party hosted by Fat Tire Farm in northwest Portland Saturday May 13th. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
Last week something very rare happened. A Portland bike shop, Fat Tire Farm on NW Thurman (just a few clicks from Forest Park), hosted an industry night where anyone who worked in a local bike-related business was welcome to show up and hang out. There was amazing free food (thanks Tamale Boy!), free drinks, a big raffle, and lots of solid folks to talk with. In my 18 or so years following this scene, I can’t remember a shop doing something like that. Like any industry, there are sometimes beefs among bike shops and there’s never been an intentional effort to build any type of community or coalition at that scale. It was a promising event and hopefully another shop or local bike company grabs the torch and keeps it burning.
That is all to say that, despite some wild ups-and-downs, Portland’s bike industry is very healthy as everyone shakes off the throes of the pandemic. And just maybe, the shared experience of going through that and tackling other challenges (like bike shop burglaries), is drawing people closer. Yes that’s partly just my eternal optimism speaking, but I also have a few good bits of industry news that have been piling up in my inbox.
So it’s time for a roundup!
Sneak peek inside the new space. (Photo: Retrogression)
Retrogression moves to larger space
Fixie fans rejoice! Retrogression has moved to a bigger space. The shop that specializes in fixed gear and track bikes has left behind their old space on SE 11th just north of Division Street for larger digs at 1530 SE 7th Ave. Co-owner Angie Beaulieu moved the operation from San Diego to Portland in 2019. Retrogression has established a huge following not just in Portland but well beyond thanks to their big e-commerce presence. The shop is known for their hard-to-find, high quality frames, parts, and accessories. “Unlike other ‘specialty’ retailers in the bike industry, we don’t hop from trend to trend. We have always focused 100% on track bikes & fixed gear and will always continue to do so,” Beaulieu writes on their website.
The new shop is much larger and will feature a wider selection of parts and more breathing room for the community to browse and hang. The new shop opens this coming Tuesday, May 23rd and there’s a big re-opening party planned for Saturday, May 27th. (Join a ride led by Portland fixed-gear brand Destroy Bikes to the party from Mt. Tabor.)
(Photos: North St. Bags)
North St. Bags moves to north Portland
You know it’s a good sign for your business when you’re forced to move to a larger space every few years. That’s been the case for North St. Bags as they just settled into yet another new spot on North Flint Avenue. This mighty little brand launched at our BikeCraft event in 2009 (we’re so proud!) has moved at least three times that we can remember. They just moved from a spot on inner southeast Clinton street to the Hawthorne District back in 2018.
Now in a part of town that matches their name, the North St. crew will be right on one of the busiest bike streets in the city. The new space opened April 18th and allows them to spread out all their fabric, sewing machines and other tools, while still having space for a big showroom. And that’s a good idea because North St. is always coming out with cool new stuff! The company is best known for their Woodward combo pannier/backpack, but their line has grown a lot over the years. They’ve recently launched a nifty set of “micro-panniers” for adventure riding and I’ve been using their new Vancouver Daypack, which is a simple and small — but very useful and high quality — addition to my obscene collection of packs and bags (yes, I have a problem).
Swing by the new North St. Bags at 2134 N Flint.
Chris King launches new carbon wheels
The vaunted, Portland-based Chris King Precision Components has once again pushed the boundaries of performance and quality with the introduction of what they call, “the world’s first fusion fiber road wheel.” The new ARD44 wheels ($2,895) were created for people who do not mess around. Here’s more from the company website:
“The ARD44 is designed for serious cyclists who want all-out speed on flats, climbs and through corners. It’s an aero wheel that shines across a wide range of terrain, from smooth pavement to rough gravel roads. Built to surpass even the most rigorous industry standards, the ARD44 Wheelset is built around King’s industry-leading R45D hub and an aero-profiled, 44mm deep FusionFiber® rim. The combination delivers unparalleled power transfer, speed, and stability. ”
And because it’s King — a company that puts as much R&D into reducing its ecological footprint as they do to their products — they also boast that unlike traditional carbon fiber, FusionFiber® is recyclable and is easier to shape which leaves less waste in the manufacturing process. Combine these wheels with King’s legendary hubs and you’ve got something very special (and something that comes with a lifetime warranty).
Not great.
Shop break-ins making headlines
One thing that might be making local bike shops come out of their shells a bit more and be more willing to build relationships with other shops is all the burglaries that have been happening. Sort of like bonding over shared trauma. Fat Tire Farm and River City Bicycles have beenin the news lately after repeated problems with thieves crashing and slashing into their stores. On a similar note, I’ve heard a rumor that the Trek Bicycle Portland downtown store (1001 SW 10th) might be moving soon to what they feel is a safer part of town. That would be a big move since there’s been a bike shop at that location since at least the 1980s (first as Cycle Craft, then Bike Gallery)! Stay tuned for more on that one.
Got an industry tip? Pass it onto me via maus.jonathan@gmail.com or text via 503-706-8804. Thanks!
Klootchy County Park, Off Highway 26 just before the Cannon Beach turnoff and Hwy 101.
Guided rides and festivities Saturday ($22), followed by races on Sunday ($45)
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It’s really one of the best biking stories in Oregon that our tourism commission and state have done so much to promote and develop great recreational riding. From the first-of-its-kind State Scenic Bikeways program to Travel Oregon’s big investments in bike marketing over the years, we’ve many great successes thanks to help from our friends in government and policymaking at the highest levels.
That trend continues today with recent news that the Oregon Coast Visitor’s Association (OCVA) has funded a three-year run of mountain bike events to encourage folks to come out and try the excellent trail networks that have sprung up in recent years. They’re calling it “Ride the Dirt Wave” and the first event of the summer at Klootchy Creek is right around the corner on June 3rd and 4th.
Back in 2019 Travel Oregon and OCVA teamed up to host a meeting of all the major bike clubs, trail builders, and destination marketing folks on the Coast. The idea was to work together and collaborate on events that would bring people to the Coast to ride bikes. The thing is, the trails in the Coast Range are really, really fun. Epic even. But because they’re far from big cities or major destinations like Mt. Hood, they don’t get a lot of attention. In the past few years, MTB advocates have worked with land managers to carve out some excellent trails and now it’s time more people knew about them! Unfortunately Covid hit and a lot of momentum stalled out.
Now our friends at event promotion company Oregon Rides (Daniella and Elliot Crowder, owners of Bike Newport and legit advocates who’ve spent years supporting cycling in Oregon), are ready to go for it again and they’ve created the Ride the Dirt Wave event series. “We have brought together three bike clubs and three trail systems on the North, Central and South Oregon Coast to put on this awesome event. It is a large collaboration and everyone is pretty psyched!”
The event at the Klootchy Creek Trails June 3rd and 4th is the first one of the series. And since Klootchy is just 75 miles west of Portland off Highway 26 (map), it’s the closest of the three (the others are in Newport and the Whiskey Run Trails in Coos County).
The Klootchy event starts Saturday with guided rides on the trails led by local bike clubs and the people that actually built the trails! How cool would it be to get that type of inside knowledge?! There are ride options for beginner to advanced riders. And of course there will be food, a beer garden, music and games. Transition Bikes will be there with demos so you don’t even have to show up with your own rig. SRAM will also be on hand offering support and swag including snacks and non-alcoholic drinks for everyone. The event will also celebrate World Bicycle Day (which happens to be June 3rd!) with SRAM’s World Bicycle Relief program that gives bikes to people in Africa.
Then on Sunday, it’s time to see how fast you can ride. The Flow Duro Challenge is sanctioned by the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association and is intended for intermediate to advanced riders who will get two timed runs down a flow trail. Competitors will keep their fastest time and points from the Klootchy event will be combined with upcoming events at Whiskey Run (July 22-23) and Newport (August 12-13) to crown a series champion.
A portion of the proceeds from all the events goes directly to the clubs that build the trails and advocate for these areas. And of course, your attendance also helps spur local economic impacts which are so important to the small towns along the Coast.
So be sure to check out this event and get registered for one or both days. Saturday is just $22 and racing on Sunday is $45. Have fun out there! And remember to tell them your heard about it on BikePortland!
