BikePortland

Spreading the word, en Español

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Sing, play guitar, speak Spanish:
PBOT employee Timo Forsberg goes
the extra mile.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The Transportation Options Division within the City of Portland’s Bureau of Transportation has published it’s biking and walking maps in Spanish for years (and they recently added five new languages to the mix).

It’s one thing to print resources in multiple languages, but it’s another thing to have City staff that can go on Spanish-language television and speak directly to the audience in their native tongue.

Portland is lucky to have at least one City staffer who is both passionate about bicycling and proficient in Spanish. Today on KUNP Television (Portland’s Univision affiliate), Timo Forsberg stepped up in a big way. Watch him in the news clip below…

New storefront for Western Bike Works
at NW Lovejoy and 17th.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Even in a down economy, Portland’s bike business boom shows no signs of letting up, especially when it comes to bike shops. Throughout the city — from Northwest to East Portland — shops large and small are expanding or opening their doors for the first time.

On the corner of NW Lovejoy and 17th, Western Bike Works plans to open their gleaming new, 10,000 square foot shop this weekend (ironically, the former tenant was a car dealership). I stopped by yesterday for a chat with co-owner and GM Jay Torborg.

[Publisher’s note: As anyone who follows me on Twitter or who has read the comments and stories on this site closely over the years knows, I have a thing for language. In my opinion, the words we use have a very powerful role in shaping the narrative around transportation issues. I see examples of this impact almost every day. In Language Matters* (column originally called Language Police, but changed after some feedback in the comments), we’ll highlight communications from advocacy leaders, government agencies, and elected officials that offer examples of how transportation language is used — and misused.]

Sunday Parkways kicked off last weekend. To prep the media for the event, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) sent out a press release. Here are the excerpts that caught my eye (emphasis mine):

Oregon State Parks’ Scenic Bikeway
Program wasn’t considered
in the rankings.
(Photo © J. Maus)

New ‘Bicycle Friendly State’ rankings by the League of American Bicyclists put Oregon in 8th place, a loss of three places since last year and the first time since the rankings began in 2008 that Oregon has not made the top five.

Washington retained the #1 spot for the fourth consecutive year followed by Maine, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and New Jersey. Also ranking above Oregon are Iowa and Florida.

What’s wrong with Oregon? Are we in a bike-friendly freefall? Not quite. While Oregon needs to do better to stay among the top bike states in the U.S., the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) and even the League itself say the ranking system is far from perfect.

Event Name: 2011 Human Power Challenge
Event Start Date: 28 May 2011
Start Time: 8:00:00 AM
Web Site: http://www.ohpv.org/HPC/index.html
Event Description: Oregon Human Powered Vehicles Presents: The 12th Annual Human Power Challenge (HPC)

The event will be held on Memorial Day Weekend, May 28 & 29, 2011 at Portland International Raceway (PIR) in Portland, Oregon. This unique event has a large variety of racing formats. Rider skills and strengths will be challenged as they compete in any or all of the following:

• Individual Time Trial
• 1/8 Mile Drag Race
• Auto Cross Speed & Agility Course
• 200 Meter All Out Speed Test
• Mass Start Road Race
• Short Track Curvy Road Race

Pre-registration is encouraged – costs start at $45 for the weekend – add’l costs for add’l bikes or classes per rider. See the link for registration info. Racing is held rain or shine, both Saturday and Sunday.

The Human Power Challenge is happily more than just a race filled weekend – it has culminated into being one of the most festive social gatherings for the recumbent and HPV clan. We do like to spend lots of time chatting, while gazing at the variety of vehicles present, while telling outrageous tales. HPV racing is not the only activity featured at the Human Power Challenge. In conjunction with our event, the Electrathon America folks hold an annual race that features small electric powered aerodynamic vehicles that demonstrate the skills and talents of high school and adult pioneers of alternative transportation. These vehicles are designed to optimize electric power, capturing engineering skills that must procure an end result of both endurance and speed. This event is exciting and inspirational, “at the flick of a switch.”

Come and experience a degree of camaraderie and racing that few events have attained, or hope to. Admission is free for spectators, so come cheer your favorite racers to victory. We invite you to come and get “bent” with us, to be a part of the HUMAN POWER CHALLENGE!

More details concerning any of the exciting HPC events and general race information are available at the OHPV website http://ohpv.org/HPC/index.html then follow the links to the appropriate area of interest. Any persons or teams interested in participating in this exciting event can receive further information by sending an email to pirhumanpower[at]comcast[dot]net.

Amity police chief responds to Reach the Beach ticketing incident

“Officers attempted to educate the riders by issuing traffic tickets since all other attempts to educate the riders have failed… It is unfortunate that such a great event and fundraiser should be tainted by such a widespread disregard for the laws.”
— Dan Brown, City of Amity Chief of Police

This past Saturday during Reach the Beach, hundreds of riders rolled through Amity, Oregon, a small town in Yamhill County about 45 miles southwest of Portland.

When many of them rolled through a stop sign without coming to a complete stop, Amity police officers began pulling them over en masse and writing out $317 citations. As we shared on Page Two this morning, one person who was ticketed sent a message to a local email list titled, “Amity Police Bully Reach The Beach.” The man who wrote that message says he objected to the ticketing because he alleges there’s no way the officer could have actually observed all the people he told to stop (because he was busy writing tickets).

Here’s an excerpt from the email:

Concept drawing of proposed new Portland Center for Performing Arts building on SW Main Street at Broadway. (View looking west on SW Main St)

The email below came from a participant in Reach the Beach, a large charity event ride that took place throughout Oregon on Saturday. I’m looking into the story now.

“There was a police operation in Amity during Reach The Beach where a cop was attempting to ticket hundreds of us for running a stop sign. His methods and tactics varied throughout the day and the group I was in got away with a warning after a lengthy detention. I did hear that some of you got tickets.

Read more

East Burnside gets new bike lanes over I-205

new bike lane on E Burnside over I-205-2-2

The City of Portland has installed new bike lanes on the East Burnside overpass of I-205. The bike lanes had previously dropped on either side of the overpass (at NE 94th and 97th).

The new lanes take advantage of a wide shoulder and PBOT has even a striped a buffered section in the center of the overpass. These new bike lanes have added importance because this is where the I-205 multi-use path jogs from one side of the interstate to the other.

The Community Cycling Center is taking their “I ride” campaign to new places. The non-profit that sees bicycles as “vehicles for social change” announced today they have purchased bus bench advertisements at 15 locations in north and northeast Portland.

I spotted one of the ads yesterday on NE Prescott Street, right across the street from Harvey Scott School.

Join us this Wednesday (5/25) for a social meet-up in the Cully Neighborhood. If you live or ride in this area of Northeast Portland, roll over to The Spare Room (NE 42nd and Alberta Ct.) for some great conversation, a raffle, and a chance to make connections with other people who care about bicycling in that community.

The Spare Room is right on the Going Street Bike Blvd and it’s just a mile or so from the brand new cycle track on NE Cully Blvd we reported about last week. I’d also love to hear from locals what it’s like riding in this area.

In Seattle, bicycle politics are getting a little heated, though many aren’t sure why.

Here’s the bike and transportation news that caught my eye last week:

– Bike to Work Week led to a lot of positive press about bicycling last week. Here’s one woman’s story about overcoming her fear of bicycling. And there was plenty of excellent advice floating around the web for first-time bike commuters of all stripes, including drag queens.

– An inside look at how U.S. bike sharing systems are different than their European forebears and what cities will launch bike sharing in the next few years.

Spreading the word, en Español

Portland bike shop boom continues with openings, expansions

Language Matters: PBOT on Sunday Parkways

Oregon slips to 8th in ‘Bike Friendly States’ rankings

Event: 2011 Human Power Challenge (5/28/11)

Amity police chief responds to Reach the Beach ticketing incident

Center for Performing Arts proposal includes new building on SW Main

Reach the Beach rider fumes over mass ticketing in Amity

East Burnside gets new bike lanes over I-205

Non-profit brings ‘I ride’ campaign to bus bench ads

Join us Wednesday for a NE Portland/Cully Get Together

The Monday Roundup

Latest Headlines

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From the Archives

The 10 busiest bicycling spots in Portland