🚨 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 🙏

League President urges Vancouver Mayor to reinstate bike program funding

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Vancouver BFC Award

League President Andy Clarke
riding in Vancouver in 2005.
(Former BTA Executive Director
Evan Manvel is on his left).
(Photo © J. Maus)

Andy Clarke, President of the national non-profit League of American Bicyclists has personally weighed into the fight to save Vancouver’s bike program from impending budget cuts. As currently proposed, Vancouver’s Transportation Improvement Program would eliminate that city’s bike program and advocates on both sides of the river have mobilized forces to make sure it doesn’t happen.

Now the issue has become a concern of Clarke, who visited Vancouver in 2005 to award the city a Bronze level Bicycle Friendly Community award. He has written a letter to Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt and I reached Leavitt today to get his response to that letter.

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PBOT works up short-list of projects for state grant funding

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A ride with the family-15

Improvements to the Klickitat Mall
pathway are being considered.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The CIty of Portland Bureau of Transportation is currently creating a list of projects they hope will earn a share of about $12.5 million available in statewide grants this year.

There are three pots of money (all being administered by ODOT) that PBOT bike planners can compete for. Here are the names and amounts available for each one (all programs are statewide):

  • Urban Trail Fund – $970,000 (program is new this year, more information about it here)
  • ODOT Bicycle and Pedestrian Program Grants – $5 million
  • Transportation Enhancements Program Grants – $6.5 million

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Job: Development Director (Bicycle Transportation Alliance) – FILLED

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Job Title
Development Director

This position has been filled.

Company/Organization
Bicycle Transportation Alliance

Job Description
Reporting To: Executive Director
Rate of Pay: $45,000 – $55,000 DOE
Status: Full-time, salaried with benefits
Location: Portland, OR

Vision Statement
Bicycling transforms communities by reinventing transportation and offering solutions that help solve the universal challenges to health, livability and the environment.

Executive Summary
The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) is a non-profit membership organization with a mission to create healthy, sustainable communities by making bicycling safer, more convenient and more accessible in Oregon and SW Washington.

The BTA is looking to fill an exciting and vital position with our organization. We are looking for a Development Director who is committed to building a dynamic and productive development program that will help our organization grow. The primary responsibilities of the Development Director are to diversify and double our revenue over three years by expanding our foundation and corporate gifts as well as increasing our individual donors and to set up an effective team that will grow our membership and activate our members as donors.

Responsibilities
Fundraising and Corporate Sponsorship
• Grow foundation giving from $125,000 to $175,000 by the end of year three.
• Grow corporate sponsorship from $100,000 to $150,000 by the end of year three. Re-value current sponsorship opportunities and grow new packages.
• Identify and coordinate event fundraising opportunities
• Manage the BTA’s foundation and agency relationships
• Ensure that donor requirements for data collection and program outcomes are well matched to organizational capacity and workplans
• Drive and grow the BTA’s annual fundraising event, the Alice Awards + Auction

Membership Development
• Grow individual donations from $250,000 to $325,000 by the end of year three.
• Set standard for 50% of all members donating above basic membership levels
• Develop and manage membership recruitment campaign to grow from 4,000 members to 6,000 by year three.
• Set standard for membership retention to 60% by building effective member services program with competent staff and leadership.
• Write and coordinate special appeal and planned giving opportunities
• Maintain and develop prospect lists
• Grow the BTA’s business membership program

Fiscal and Administrative Management
• Work in partnership with the Executive Director and the Finance Director to manage budget priorities and fundraising opportunities to support the BTA’s strategic plan.
• Understand the financial framework of the organization and monitor appropriate financial measures including membership retention, membership gains, major donor prospect and event revenue.
• Manage BTA’s contact management system in Salesforce to ensure efficient and dynamic communication with supporters
• Regularly interpret and use revenue data to make informed decisions and recommendations regarding budget administration.
• Increase revenue from BTA merchandise sales

Team Leadership
• Provide strong leadership and management to permanent direct reports (Membership Services Coordinator, Business Services Coordinator)
• Provide leadership and support to contract and/or non-direct report staff (Alice Awards and Auction Event Coordinator, Technology Resource Manager).

Requisite Experience
• Bachelor’s degree and more than 5 years of management level development experience including contact relationship management, major donor acquisition and cultivation, grant writing, direct mailing, online fundraising and event management.
• Professional development in fundraising, marketing and event management
• Passion for bicycle transportation and/or an interest in creating livable, healthy and sustainable communities

How to Apply
Please send your cover letter, resume as well as a completed BTA application form in PDF format via email to humanresources(at)bta4bikes.org. No calls, please.

Download the BTA job application: http://bta4bikes.org/docs/BTAEmploymentApplication2010.pdf

To learn more about the BTA, visit: http://www.bta4bikes.org

The BTA does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, marital or familial status, physical or mental disability or legal source of income.

Report notes nationwide increase in biking and walking

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Cover of report.

New data released today by the U.S. Department of Transportation and the Federal Highway Administration shows that biking and walking have increased by 25% in America since 2001.

The National Bicycling and Walking Study: A 15-Year Status Report, put together by the Pedestrian and Bicycle Information Center (and funded by the FHWA) looked at trends in biking and walking levels since 1994 and is an update to a study done that same year. The report noted a significant increase in walking, fewer injuries and fatalities to people walking and biking, and an increased amount of federal investment in non-motorized transportation modes.

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Black/Silver Trek 7200 2007

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Year: 2007
Brand: Trek
Model: 7200
Color:Black/Silver
Size:20
Serial: WTU326C1084B
Stolen in Portland, OR 97232
Stolen:2010-06-15
Stolen From: NE Hazelfern Pl, between NE 39th & NE 42nd
Neighborhood: Laurelhurst
Owner: Alex Tait
OwnerEmail: fionamtait@hotmail.com
Description: Bike had krypton lock attached when stolen (it wasn’t over the tyres, probably attached under seat). Also, had tag-along attachment under seat.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: T10003658
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

brown schwinn varsity (i think) ’74i

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Year: ’74i
Brand: schwinn
Model: varsity (i think)
Color:brown
Size:54ish?
Stolen in Portland, OR 97214
Stolen:2010-06-15
Stolen From: Stolen at holeman’s bar/restaurant on 28th and burnside late sunday night by someone leaving bar
Neighborhood: se/ne
Owner: cliff kicklighter
OwnerEmail: cliffkicklighter@yahoo.com
Reward: yes
Description: Old schwinn,converted to single speed (not fixie) with original wheels/tires. ChoPped handle bars, mountain bike style. Front brake only. Has (had) huge chain and lock wrapped around top tube
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

‘Bicyclists of Color PDX’ seeks multi-cultural riding community

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Flyer for Saturday’s ride.
(Larger version here)

We’ve reported on a local non-profit’s effort to break down Portland’s biking color barrier, now there’s a grassroots riding group with a similar mission.

On Saturday, Bicyclists of Color PDX will take their inaugural ride. The new group was formed by Michelle Garcia, a community college student and bike shop employee who moved to Portland from Oakland, California. After hearing about the group from a brief story in The Oregonian earlier this month, I emailed Garcia a few questions to find out more about the group and her motivations for starting it. Below is a Q & A we had via email.

Why do you think this group is necessary?

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Man on a bike squeezes himself between TriMet bus and parked car on Hawthorne

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[*Note: The original headline of this story was, “TriMet bus squeezes man on a bike into parked car on Hawthorne.” It was later changed to more accurately reflect what happened.]

UPDATE, 6/17: TriMet has released onboard camera footage of this incident. Read our follow-up story for full details.
bikes and buses

(Photo © J. Maus)

A collision between a TriMet bus and a bicycle on SE Hawthorne yesterday miraculously ended up without serious injuries. According to The Oregonian, the incident happened near the corner of Hawthorne and Maple (map). Here’s more from their story:

“[Sebastian] Case [the man on the bike] said he had passed the bus a few blocks earlier, as it made a stop to pick up passengers next to the Burgerville on the corner of Southeast 12th Avenue and Hawthorne. As he continued east along Hawthorne, Case said he could hear the bus approaching behind him.

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Event: Cafe Au Play/Tabor Commons Family Bike Parade (7/17/10)

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Event Name: Cafe Au Play/Tabor Commons Family Bike Parade led by Joe Bike
Event Start Date: 17 July 2010
Start Time: 11:00:00 AM
Web Site: http://www.joe-bike.com/2010/07/11/july-17-family-bike-parade-and-the-grand-opening-of-cafe-au-play/
Event Description: The concept is a super-relaxed, .75-mile family bike parade around Clinton Park. Why? Just for fun, and also to kick off the grand opening of the Mt. Tabor neighborhood’s new community center, Cafe Au Play. The cafe is at 56th and Division, next to Dairy Queen. The parade starts across the street, behind Atkinson school. Before the parade, Joe Bike staff will offer tips for successful, stress-free family biking and safety, and then will lead a very relaxed traffic-free parade around Clinton Park. The parade route is about .75 mile long. The parade will end at Cafe Au Play, where there will be food, music, and family mayhem. To learn more about Cafe Au Play, please visit http://cafeauplay.org.