BikePortland

Join us to ‘Get Your Shift Together’

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

(Photo © J. Maus)

We’re excited to announce Get Your Shift Together, our latest social gathering that will feature some awesome folks from Portland’s (in)famous grassroots bike group, Shift.

This Thursday (5/27), join us at Plan B (1305 SE 8th Ave) to learn more about what Shift does, how you can get involved (they need help!) — and most importantly — get the lowdown on the huge plans for bike fun Shift is cooking up for June. Yes, I’m talking about Pedalpalooza, that crazy 17 days of bike madness has well over 200 events already, including the world famous Naked Bike Ride, a kickoff parade, and of course the Multnomah County Bike Fair.

Year: late 80’s
Brand: Univega
Model: mixte (maxima uno)
Color:charcoal grey
Size:small
Stolen in Portland, OR 97212
Stolen:2010-05-20
Stolen From: Yellow 4plex on N.E. 15th ave. inside lobby.
Neighborhood: n.e. irvington
Owner: janet kindel
OwnerEmail: janetkindel@gmail.com
Reward: $75
Description: front black basket, attachment for chariot bike trailer on rear wheel, blue cat eye light on front, purple bell.
Police record with: portland PD
Police reference#: T10003014
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

The streetcar construction (black and) blues

Portland Streetcar crews are in the middle of major construction all along Broadway right now. Work zones are always of special concern for people on bikes, but this stretch of Broadway — between NE Grand and and the Broadway Bridge — is not a nice place for bike traffic even without construction.

Add in one of the most glaring safety gaps in Portland’s entire bike network (the intersection of Broadway and Williams, which the City listed as dangerous over 2 1/2 years ago yet has done nothing to make safer) — and you’re bound to have some problems.

Portlander Aaron Reyna is the latest victim of that intersection. He got in touch with us after being hit at that intersection yesterday morning. Here are snips from his email where he describes how the confusing construction zone resulted in him taking a trip to urgent care (emphasis mine):

[Contributor Michael Andersen is the editor of Portland Afoot, a forthcoming “10-minute newsmagazine” and wiki about low-car life in Portland, especially TriMet riders. Their launch issue comes out June 1.]

Colin Maher of TriMet.
(Photo: Michael Andersen)

Three years into a quest to go beyond bike lockers, TriMet is about to build what it hopes will be the next generation of 24-hour bike storage at the Sunset Transit Center in Beaverton.

Yesterday, TriMet bicycle planner Colin Maher told a small crowd at PBOT’s Bicycle Brown Bag discussion that, “Bike lockers are great, if you have one. And that’s the trouble.”

Year: unk
Brand: Stonegrinder
Model: unk
Color:purple, black
Size:26
Photo: http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2654/93/105/581200221/n581200221_1728891_794477.jpg
Stolen in Portland, OR 97212
Stolen:2010-05-19
Stolen From: Corner of NE Hancock St & NE 11th Ave near Lloyd Center Safeway, in front of a single-story apartments/multiplex. Theft may have taken place in the evening of Wednesday the 19th of May, before 11:30 p.m. (when I found it missing in its entirety).
Neighborhood: Irvington
Owner: Sarah Morrigan
OwnerEmail: miss.sarah.andrea.amy@gmail.com
Description: This was a recycled/rebuilt mountain bike from Community Cycling Center (hence I doubt there is a valid serial number, and if any I was not informed where to look), and comes with their signature yellow fender (on front wheel only). The linked photo was taken over a year ago, the difference being the cargo rack does not have the ugly stuff anymore, and I had to remove the rear fender last year as it kept scratching the tire. The right rubber grip on the handle bar is missing (this I know; has been so for a while). 503-427-8269.
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

On Alberta Street, a thriving bike ecosystem

One of the many bike sightings I came across on NE Alberta Street on Saturday.
– Slideshow below/Photos © J. Maus)

A Breakfast on the Bridge was held
Wednesday to celebrate the newly revamped
path on the Going Street Bridge.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Yesterday was a good day for Lenny Anderson. For a man well-known to local politicians and city employees as a persistently unsatisfied advocate, he was smiling and singing the Bureau of Transportation’s praises.

“I’ve got to give them credit, the city really came through this time.”

The reason for Anderson’s happiness (besides the presence of friends, coffee, and pastries) is an improved connection for biking and walking traffic to the Swan Island industrial area on its main artery, N. Going Street.

Flyer for “No Drill, No Spill, No Kill” Critical Mass ride planned in New Orleans.

Year: 2008
Brand: Surly
Model: Long Haul Trucker
Color:Tan
Stolen in Portland, OR 97202
Stolen:2010-05-20
Stolen From: 30th and Division
Neighborhood: Seven Corners
Owner: Maureen Canterberry
OwnerEmail: sample_infinite@yahoo.com
Reward: Yes
Description: My bike is tan, a little scuffed, and has a left pedal missing (I’ve been riding on the crank). Please help me get it back.
Police record with: PPD
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Contest: What’s your Big Idea for Biking in Oregon?

Oregon is a state on a mission. For the last few years, the movement to make this the premiere state for bicycling has been gaining some serious momentum. We’ve got nearly every piece of the puzzle on the table and we’re working to put it all together — but we need some big ideas, rallying points, an idea so exciting that it captures the attention of everyone in the state.

So I’m announcing a contest to find the best Big Ideas for Biking in Oregon.

“This is precisely why the BTA, WPC [Willamette Pedestrian Coalition] and I are calling for a vehicular homicide law. There ought to be some higher level of consequence when you use a deadly weapon to kill someone, even if you didn’t do it on purpose.
— Ray Thomas, lawyer

Yesterday, Multnomah County Senior Deputy District Attorney Chuck Sparks released a report (PDF here) on the fatal TriMet bus crash that killed two people and injured three others while they walked across a street in downtown Portland on April 24th.

According to the report, the lead police investigator found that “the driver was entirely at fault in causing this crash,” but, after looking at all the evidence and hearing from 33 witnesses, the Grand Jury opted to not bring criminal charges against bus operator Sandy Day.

On the surface, this seems outrageous: Ms. Day drove her vehicle through a crosswalk without being able to see whether or not someone was in it (due to a blind spot). While Ms. Day clearly did not have criminal intentions, she violated a traffic law and her negligence to clear her blind spots resulted in the death of two people.

Year: 2008
Brand: trek
Model: 7.3
Color:blue
Size:adult
Stolen in Portland, OR 97209
Stolen:2010-05-19
Stolen From: 239 NW 13th St – across from Blue Hour – locked to bike stand
Neighborhood: Pearl District
Owner: stephanie swanson
OwnerEmail: stephanieswanson@marketshiftstrategies.com
Description: rack, fenders, kickstand; front light holder, side white mini light
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Join us to ‘Get Your Shift Together’

charcoal grey Univega mixte (maxima uno) late 80’s

The streetcar construction (black and) blues

Pay-by-card bike parking arriving this summer in Beaverton

purple, black Stonegrinder unk unk

On Alberta Street, a thriving bike ecosystem

Advocates celebrate a new path onto Swan Island

In New Orleans, a mass of bikes to fight a mass of oil

Tan Surly Long Haul Trucker 2008

Contest: What’s your Big Idea for Biking in Oregon?

TriMet tragedy, like Sparling case, shows gap in Oregon law

blue trek 7.3 2008

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From the Archives

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