🚨 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 🙏

Fatality spurs action from ODOT on SW Barbur

Scene of fatal crash on SW Barbur Blvd-4

Signs are currently the only thing
warning people that humans might be present
on this section of Barbur.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Southwest Portland transportation advocates have been pressing the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to improve the dangerous crossing of SW Barbur Blvd near the Rasmussen Apartments for many years. Now, after the death of 26-year old Angela Burke in December, ODOT appears poised to finally make it happen.

ODOT will present their proposals at a SWTrails meeting to be held at the Multnomah Arts Center at 7:00 pm tonight. Here are more details as reported by The Oregonian a few days ago:

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Event: Capital Bikeshare Lessons Learned (4/8/11)

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Event Name: Capital Bikeshare Lessons Learned
Event Start Date: 8 April 2011
Start Time: 3:00:00 PM
Event Description: We’re pleased to announce that Gabe Klein, former Director of the Washington DC Dept. of Transportation, will be in town Friday April 8th, along with Alison Cohen, President of Alta Bicycle Share, Inc., which operates Capital Bike Share in DC.

Alison and Gabe will share lessons learned from Capital Bike Share, including the process of funding, launching, and operating the largest bikesharing system in the nation, from the perspective of the city and the operator.

When: Friday April 8th 3-4 pm

Location: ITS Lab (Room 315), Engineering Building at PSU – 1930 SW 4th Ave., Portland

Please spread the word!

Chrome Mercier Kilo TT Stripper Pro 2010

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Year: 2010
Brand: Mercier
Model: Kilo TT Stripper Pro
Color:Chrome
Size:53cm
Stolen in Portland, OR 97206
Stolen:2011-03-15
Stolen From: the enclosed backyard at my house…SE 42nd and Rhone
Neighborhood: Southeast, Creston-Kenilworth
Owner: Will Huessy
OwnerEmail: w.huessy@gmail.com
Description: Fixed gear track bike, all chrome frame. Black tape, seat, and brakes. plastic clips, brushed silver rims and chrome hubs. NB:pea sized dent on the right side of the down tube, approx. 4 inches from the down tube. This bike is noticeable, I have not seen another men’s all chrome track bike in the southeast in a while (not trying to be cool, just stating facts…)
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: T11001818
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

purple sherpa explorer 1990’s

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Year: 1990’s
Brand: sherpa
Model: explorer
Color:purple
Size:16″?
Photo: http://img820.imageshack.us/img820/7123/pic1103.jpg
Stolen in Vancouver, WA 98663
Stolen:2011-03-16
Stolen From: a residence at nw lincoln ave & 45th street.
Neighborhood: lincoln/northwest
Owner: matthew vilhauer
OwnerEmail: matthewvilhauer@yahoo.com
Description: an older purlple sherpa explorer mtn bike with bluish annodized handlebar, curved add on bar ends, single clip on type rear fender and a scuff on the right side of the seat. the fork has rust and paint loss on the drivetrain side. it has the twist style shifters, cantilever brakes and shimano components.
Police record with: vancouver pd
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Event: Safe Routes to School Kick-Off (4/2/11)

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Event Name: Safe Routes to School Spring Kick-Off
Event Start Date: 2 April 2011
Start Time: 10:00:00 AM
Web Site: http://www.portlandonline.com/transportation/index.cfm
Event Description: FREE, family-friendly event to celebrate health, safety and physical activity. Hands-on workshops for adults. Activities and games for kids. Helmet fitting and giveaway, bike repair, healthy lunch, community bike ride, and more!

Time: 10:00am-2:00pm

Location: Beach School (1710 N Humboldt St, near N Interstate and Alberta)

Cost: FREE

Everyone invited. Childcare and Spanish translation provided.

RSVP: SafeRoutes(at)PortlandOregon(dot)gov or 503-823-4998.

Two Portland bike companies help raise money for Japan

With the future of people stricken by the disaster in Japan on the minds of many Portlanders, two local bike companies are doing their part to help the relief effort.

London-based Rapha, whose North American headquarters are in North Portland, is helping quake victims by doing the thing they do best — hosting a ride. Rapha Rides for Tohoku is a fundraising campaign they’ve launched with partners throughout Japan and the United States. So far, there are 15 rides slated to happen this weekend. The Portland ride will leave from Albina Press (4637 N Albina Ave) at 9:00 am on Saturday. You can see the full list of rides here.

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Product Review: Ergon GP1 Biokork grips

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Ergon GP1 Biokork grip

As a custom frame builder, I pay a lot of attention to the distances between the three primary contact points that a rider shares with their bicycle — their saddle, pedals, and grips. The millimeters in between guide my decision making from design to assembly. Component and accessory designer Ergon concerns itself, not only with where you connect to the bike but how your body interfaces with the bike in an effort to let you ride with maximum efficiency and comfort. Ergon, based outside Koblenz, Germany has been developing ergonomically designed handlebar grips and winning design awards for them since 2004.

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Thieves saw through City bike rack in North Portland

City bike rack at N Rosa Parks Way and Interstate.
(Photos: Jimmy C.)

Back in 2007, we shared what looked to be a clever method of stealing bikes — unscrewing the bolts that anchor the rack to the sidewalk. Then about a year ago, we reported an actual theft that had occurred in Southwest Portland after someone completely unscrewed a staple rack.

And now, in the most brazen attempt to take a bike I’ve ever seen in Portland, reader Jimmy C. has evidence of a staple rack on N. Interstate and Rosa Parks Way that has been completely sawed through. Here’s the note Jimmy sent us along with these photos…

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Latest addition to the BikePortland team

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Hi everyone, you might have noticed that things have been quiet here on the Front Page. Here’s why…

We have a new baby in the house! Everett Raine Alexander Maus (the “Raine” part was inspired by the intense rainstorm that hit Portland just a few minutes after he was born around 3:00 pm on Sunday).

We’ll get back to our regularly scheduled programming very soon, it’s just a matter of finding bits of time between snuggling the baby and taking care of momma and the girls ;-).

Event: Division Streetscape Open House (3/15/11)

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Event Name: Division Streetscape Project open house
Event Date: Tuesday, March 15, 2011
Event Start Time: 5:30-7:00pm
Event Location: St. Philip Neri Church, 2408 SE 16th Ave

Event Description:
The project is currently in the design and engineering phase. Construction is scheduled to begin in January 2012.

The City of Portland is designing improvements for Division Street that includes curb bump-outs, green street vegetated stormwater facilities and other pedestrian safety improvements.
In addition, the sewer line under Division will be replaced, and the street repaved.

We will hold an open house to give the community an opportunity to review designs being developed for Division Street. The design process is currently at 30%. This is an excellent time to see how the design is coming along and to talk with the design team.

More info: Rhetta Drennan, 503-823-6006, rhetta.drennan(at)portlandoregon(dot)gov

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From the Archives

Portland’s invisible machine: Behind the scenes at the World Naked Bike Ride