Re-paving project will bring more traffic to Lincoln/Clinton bike streets

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Get Together in Outer SE-1

Be advised and expect increased motor
vehicle traffic on SE Clinton (shown here)
and Lincoln due to a construction detour.
(Photo © J. Maus)

A re-paving project will close two blocks of SE Division for two weeks beginning this Monday (12/6) later this month. The work, which the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) announced today, means all vehicle traffic from Division (an arterial) will be detoured onto SE Lincoln and Clinton — both of which are key east-west bikeways.

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US DOT wants to eliminate rear-view blind spot in motor vehicles

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The rules would mandate that people in
cars and trucks can see behind them
when backing up.
(Photos © J. Maus)

The US Department of Transportation wants to create a new safety regulation to help eliminate blind spots behind motor vehicles. The DOT says the proposal is aimed at preventing fatalities and injuries to people victimized by “low-speed back-up accidents” and it could also have an impact on people riding bicycles as well.

The proposal, issued today by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), “would expand the required field of view for all passenger cars, pickup trucks, minivans, buses and low-speed vehicles with a gross vehicle weight rating of up to 10,000 pounds so that drivers can see directly behind the vehicle when the vehicle’s transmission is in reverse.”

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Orange Giant Yukon 2006

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Year: 2006
Brand: Giant
Model: Yukon
Color:Orange
Size:17
Serial:CC5J2428
Stolen in Portland, OR 97201
Stolen:2010-11-25
Stolen From: Hamilton West Apartments, 1212 SW Clay Street
Neighborhood: Downtown
Owner: Nick Fox
OwnerEmail: djnickfox@gmail.com
Description: New city tires on bike, good shocks / suspension, bright golden orange color with black letters. Very good condition.
Police record with: Portland Police Bureau
Police reference#: 10-155960
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Police look for hate crime suspect who assaulted man on a bicycle

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The Portland Police Bureau are offering a $1,000 reward for help in solving a brutal assault and possible hate crime that occurred in Southeast over a month ago. Both the suspect and the man who was assaulted were on bicycles, according to police and media reports.

The PPB released a statement yesterday saying the assault happened just after midnight on November 1st near the footbridge overpass located at SE 16th and Brooklyn Street. According to KPTV, the man — who was severely beaten and spent weeks in the hospital recovering — says he was likely targeted in part because he was riding a “purple bicycle with Tinkerbell and Christmas lights on it”.

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A USGP finale preview by Pat Malach

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Cyclocross USGP 5-59.jpg

Fans cheer a rider during
the 2007 USGP stop in Portland.
(Photos © J. Maus)

The Greenware® U.S. Gran Prix of Cyclocross returns to Portland International Raceway Saturday and Sunday for the Stanley Portland Cup, the fourth and final round of the four-weekend, eight-race national series that started in September.

Since 2004, the USGP has featured the deepest, strongest and fastest professional fields racing on this side of the Atlantic, and ‘cross-crazy Portland has always provided a fitting finale. This year’s line-up will be another who’s-who of North American cyclocross stars, including a possible appearance by Euro road racing strongman Chis Horner, a Bend resident who finished 10th at this year’s Tour de France and has taken up ‘cross in his off-season.

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New anti-theft GPS bike tracker: What does our expert think?

Watch out thieves, there’s a GPS in there.
(Photos: GPS Track This)

[Via BikeBiz]

Word is quickly spreading on the Interwebs tonight about what many have considered the Holy Grail of bike theft — a GPS tracker for bicycles.

UK-based GPS Track This now offers (wholesale only at this point it seems) the “Spylamp Bicycle GPS Tracker”, a small device that is hidden in a rear light. They also offer a free smartphone/text/web service that can track your bike when it gets stolen. Here’s an excerpt from a story in BikeBiz.com:

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Pedaling propaganda in new ‘Green Patriot Posters’ book

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Artist: Jason Hardy
(See more below)

According to artist and founder of The Canary Project Edward Morris, the Green Patriot Posters project was launched to “create stronger, more broadly appealing imagery for the sustainability movement”. When he and his partners set up a website and asked designers to submit posters, they were intrigued by how many of them included bikes.

Green Patriot Posters is now a book co-edited by Morris and published by Metropolis Books (order it here and support BikePortland). Morris will be in Portland next week to talk about the posters and he was kind enough to get in touch and share a few of them with us…

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Metro wins national award from EPA for smart growth

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Two Metro councilors — Kathryn Harrington and Robert Liberty — traveled to Washington D.C. yesterday to accept a National Award for Smart Growth Achievement from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

Metro was one of five communities to be recognized. They received the award in the “Policies, Programs, and Regulations” category specifically for their 2009 Making the Greatest Place campaign. That effort helped spur action their regional 2040 Growth Concept plan.

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A few reasons you don’t want to miss BikeCraft this weekend

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BikeCraft IV-58

This pretty much sums up BikeCraft.
(Photos © J. Maus)

This weekend is our 6th annual BikeCraft holiday gift fair and you’ll be kicking yourself if you don’t come and check it out.

For the first time, we’ll have the doors open for two days to accomodate your busy schedule. Swing by 15 NE Hancock (just north of Broadway and right off Williams) anytime this weekend between 10 am and 6pm to be a part of the BikeCraft magic. As if you needed more convincing, I’ve prepared a short list of why you should be there…

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