BikePortland

Meet Travis Wittwer, bike parking (and bike rack) enthusiast

Travis Wittwer.
(Photo © J. Maus)

North Portland resident Travis Wittwer loves bike racks and bike parking. That’s nothing extraordinary on the surface; I mean, I like bike racks too, and I’m sure many of you appreciate them and even get excited/happy at the sight of an on-street bike corral or a whimsical art rack. But Travis really loves bike racks. He hunts them.

I’ve known about Travis’s interest in bike racks ever since he and friend debuted their hilarious “Wild Creatures” film at Filmed by Bike in 2008. It was a spoof of The Crocodile Hunter but instead of crocs, they hunted bike racks (it was followed up last year with “Rack Attack!“). Since then, his interest in bike racks has not waned. The other day he sent me a Google Map of Portland bike racks, complete with photos and annotations (see it below).

Travis’s relationship with racks has clearly reached a newsworthy level, so I decided it was time to ask him a few questions about it…

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Get a seat at the BAC.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The City of Portland has announced a call for new members of the Bicycle Advisory Committee. The committee, which dates back to the early 1970s, is currently staffed by PBOT Bike Coordinator Roger Geller and its role is to advise the Mayor, PBOT, and all other city bureaus on anything and everything related to bicycling.

A typical BAC meeting might consist of getting the lowdown on an upcoming project that impacts our bikeway system (like a new light rail line or a large development), hearing an update on current and/or future bike projects, and discussing a big picture issue like how to manage traffic concerns on multi-use paths. I’ve attended countless BAC meetings over the last five years and I have the utmost respect for its work and its members. And, as far as meetings go, many of them are far from boring. In fact, BAC meetings are often held with overflow crowds of interested citizens and other bike-interested folks.

Scene from Biketobeerfest 2009.

That’s right, it’s a weekend so epic it begins on a Thursday. There’s only so much summer left, so treat yourself to as much music, food, scenery and merriment while you can.

Thursday, August 26th

5:00pm-9:00pm: Kalkhoff Bikes Party
Head to the Kalkhoff Bikes showroom in the Pearl District for this German-themed party featuring beer, freshly grilled bratwurst, and special deals for attendees. RSVP by calling or emailing the Kalkhoff showroom.

6:30pm-8:00pm: Equity Ride
Join ODOT, The Audubon Society of Portland, Bicyclists of Color, Community Cycling Center, East Portland Action Plan, Friends of Trees, and the Portland Bureau of Transportation on a ride on and around the I-205 bike bath as representatives from each group show you neighborhood projects in the area that their organizations are involved with that focus on equity. Ride meets at the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization at 10301 NE Glisan.

Year: 2008
Brand: yuba
Model: mundo
Color:blue
Size:large
Photo: http://gallery.bighead.org/d/31706-1/SDC11713.JPG
Stolen in Portland, OR 97232
Stolen:2010-08-23
Stolen From: 2226 NE weidler, heidi manor apartments
Neighborhood: Sullivan’s Gulch
Owner: brian ventura
OwnerEmail: lorax@bighead.org
Reward: 50 dollars
Description: 2008 Yuba Mundo, blue with tan grips, twist shift rear and paddle shift front. 18 speed with silver chain guard and silver platform pedals. Large cargo area with black net on left side, “take me to timberline” sticker on right and Joe Bike sticker on down tube. bell and light mounts on handle bars. Full black fenders, black center stand. light blue sticker on top tube before the large white Mundo branding. Front and rear reflectors and rear mount for light on lower cargo stay. yellow wheel reflectors in spokes.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 10-153971
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

white&blue lemond poprad 2005

Year: 2005
Brand: lemond
Model: poprad
Color:white&blue
Size:49cm
Stolen in Portland, OR 97239
Stolen:2010-08-24
Stolen From: OHSU tram, bottom
Neighborhood: South Waterfront
Owner: Christina
OwnerEmail: cmb555@gmail.com
Description: white Lemond with blue lettering, possibly still with women’s Brooks leather saddle, slightly worn, upside down cropped handlebars, black fenders, typical Bontrager accessories
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Ask BikePortland: Can work crews block the bike lane?

Construction blocking bike lane on Williams-1

Bike lane blockage on N. Williams
last week.
(Photos © J. Maus)

This week’s question comes from reader Darren P. Darren wonders about something I think many people have encountered over the years…

“Road crews block bike lanes with their road work signs. The signs intended to warn us of dangers are dangerous. Is this legal? Is there a better way?”

Year: 1999
Brand: Specialized
Model: Stump Jumper Comp
Color:Blue
Photo: http://www.bikepedia.com/QuickBike/BikeSpecs.aspx?Year=1999&Brand=Specialized&Model=Stumpjumper+Comp&Type=bike
Stolen in Portland, OR 97214
Stolen:2010-08-23
Stolen From: 38th and Hawthorne. Bike racks between Bank of America and Fred Meyer.
Neighborhood: Hawthorne
Owner: Aaron Longwell
OwnerEmail: aaron@newmedialogic.com
Reward: 250
Description: Saddle is torn, chainstay is heavily grooved from chain scratches.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 10-153964
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Car news roundup: Louder hybrids, more distracting cars, and a crazy theory

“… mass transit advocates block new roads and otherwise penalize drivers in an effort to force them out of their cars, thus making their lives infinitely more difficult.”
— Mark Tapscott, Washington Examiner

A few interesting news items relating to automobiles have come across my desk recently so I thought I’d round them up together.

The first is welcome news about something I’ve wondered about for years now. According to the AP, Toyota will begin selling a louder version of their Prius hybrids. Nearly-silent hybrids might seem cool to some, but for humans walking and biking near them, they can be deadly. The AP story points out that hybrids are twice as likely to have run-ins with people compared to cars with conventional engines. In Japan, the “whirring sound” of an engine will come via a $148 speaker system. Toyota isn’t planning on bringing something similar to the U.S. quite yet.

The Bureau of Transportation has completed their re-design of a North Portland intersection where two bike boulevards and a high-volume street intersect. The N. Wabash/Willamette/Bryant triangle has been significantly re-striped, two median islands have been added, there’s a new crosswalk, and other new signage. Taken all together, this intersection — which used to be relatively uncontrolled (see photo below) — is now a key hub in Portland’s burgeoning bike boulevard network. PBOT project manager Kyle Chisek says the signage, markings, and other work at this intersection cost about $9,000.

To get an idea of how major this change is, check out the before and after. Below is a satellite view of the intersection before the changes:

View of SE 50th and Hawthorne.
Truck was pointed west and coming
out of eastern most intersection.

There was a crash at around 7:00 am this morning at SE Hawthorne and 50th involving a woman on a bike and a garbage truck. The truck operator was headed west on Hawthorne when the collision occurred. This is the portion of Hawthorne where there’s a bend in the road and most eastbound traffic is diverted south onto 50th.

The extent of the women’s injuries are unknown. I’m awaiting more details from the Police Bureau Trafffic Division. Here’s what KATU TV is reporting:

Year: 2008
Brand: Giant
Model: FCR 3
Size:Small
Serial: gs8v4837
Stolen in Portland, OR 97209
Stolen:2010-08-18
Stolen From: 1200 NW Marhall St, ASA Flats
Neighborhood: Pearl
Owner: Aziz Jarrahzadeh
OwnerEmail: aziz.jarrah@gmail.com
Description: Black/silver FCR 3 – performance spd spedals with black burn flea lights
Police record with: portland PD
Police reference#: T10005474
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Metro, City purchase land to build trail in Baltimore Woods

Baltimore Woods looking south
with St. Johns Bridge in the background.
(Photo: NPGreenway)

Metro and the City of Portland have collaborated to purchase six acres of land north of the St. Johns Bridge where they plan to extend the Willamette River Greenway Trail by over one-third mile. The $1.9 million purchase was made possible by Metro’s 2006 natural areas bond measure, the City of Portland’s Grey to Green initiative.

The land is an area known as Baltimore Woods and is located adjacent to N. Decatur Street at North Caitlin Avenue. A statement from Metro says the purchase will “help fill the gap between Cathedral and Pier parks.”

Meet Travis Wittwer, bike parking (and bike rack) enthusiast

Portland Bike Advisory Committee seeks new members – UPDATED

Weekend Event Guide

Thursday, August 26th

blue yuba mundo 2008

white&blue lemond poprad 2005

Ask BikePortland: Can work crews block the bike lane?

Blue Specialized Stump Jumper Comp 1999

Car news roundup: Louder hybrids, more distracting cars, and a crazy theory

PBOT gives North Portland intersection a traffic calming makeover

Garbage truck/bike collision at SE 50th and Hawthorne – UPDATED

Giant FCR 3 2008

Metro, City purchase land to build trail in Baltimore Woods

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