🚨 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 🙏
Two bits of news that came across my desk in the last 24 hours speak to the growing momentum (should we call it a revolution?) across America for carfree streets and more dedicated space for bike traffic.
According to an article published in the Los Angeles Times yesterday, a group of Angelenos calling themselves cicLAvia are pushing the city to plan an event similar to Bogota’s ciclovia (which also inspired Portland’s Sunday Parkways events).
Since 1993, the Portland International Raceway (PIR) has hosted the holiday tradition known as Winter Wonderland. Each year, over 100,000 people drive their cars along the racetrack which is adorned with massive, holiday-themed light sculptures and animated displays accompanied by festive Christmas tunes and holiday cheer.
U.S. Representative Earl Blumenauer announced a new bill yesterday that would expand the existing Safe Routes to Schools program to high schools. The Safe Routes to High Schools Act would enable high schools to vie for federal grants that would help them build walking and biking facilities for students.
The goal of the bill is to improve the health of our nation’s teenagers, make traffic around schools safer, and provide a less expensive way for kids to get to school.
A one-pager on the bill states that the obesity rate for kids between the ages of 12 and 19 have more than tripled in the past fifteen years, with 17.6% of high school age kids now classified as obese. Another statistic that provided impetus for this proposed legislation is a Centers for Disease Control estimate that 25% of traffic within three miles of a school comes from parents dropping off or picking up their children.
Today through Saturday the National Bicycle Tour Directors Association (NBTDA) is holding their annual conference in Portland.
The NBTDA is based in Minneapolis and their mission is to “provide development and networking opportunities” for “individuals and entities who operate recreational bicycle events”. Over 100 ride directors from all over the world are members of the organization.
For the past seven years, local bicycle component manufacturer Chris King has partnered with Komen for the Cure on a line of special edition products called “Pretty and Strong“.
This year, the partnership has expanded to include the photography of PDXCross and the creation of a calendar they hope will raise awareness of breast cancer.
After the Cross Crusade rampaged all last weekend in Astoria (and a bit too much if this thread on the OBRA email list is any indication), the cyclocross action will just get more heated this weekend.
Tonight there’s a pre-registration party for the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association’s 2009 Cyclocross Championships being held this weekend in Salem. The party goes from 6-8 pm at Hopworks Urban Brewery in Southeast Portland and it’s being hosted by the Buy Local Cycling Team. Racers will be treated to a live band, legendary Hopworks beer, race videos, a chance to preview the course, and more.
Year: ?
Brand: Schwinn Suburban (i think)
Color:Green
Size:5 speed
Stolen in portland, OR 97217
Stolen:2009-11-01
Stolen From: Stolen from behind a fence in our back yard either halloween night or the 1st of Nov.
Neighborhood: Arbor lodge
Owner: Danielle Wayland
OwnerEmail: moonwoods@gmail.com
Description: Green Schwinn with bouncy seat. Rack on back, new cables all around. Sticker that says “happiness is an abundant life”.
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike
Bryan Parman with the Portland Police Bureau Traffic Division has just confirmed that the two people operating motor vehicles that struck and killed a man on N. Willamette this morning were cited for driving under the influence.
Portland Police PIO Mary Wheat has also released the identity of the man who was killed. It was 31-year old Portlander Kipp Daniel Crawford. Crawford was a local musician and member of the band Thanks Kipp.
According to a report just published by The Oregonian’s Noelle Crombie, the people operating motor vehicles in this incident were 41-year old Carlos Tyrone McCall and 44-year old Felisa Washington-Berry. Crombie also reports that:
There are many ways that being bike-friendly impacts a city’s bottom line. We might not always be able to quantify it with a study or whip out statistics to back it up, but the impact is real. One demonstration of that impact I’ve noticed a lot since doing this site is how our reputation for being bike-friendly draws new residents and businesses to the area.
Here are just two stories I came across in the past few days that confirms this phenomenon.
Yesterday, The Oregonian’s Silicon Forest blog reported that OVP Venture Partners, “arguably Oregon’s most visible venture capital firm”, recently moved into a building just south of the Hawthorne Bridge. Here’s the snip from The O (emphasis mine):
I’m still awaiting more details from the Police about this morning’s fatal crash near University of Portland at N. Willamette and Haven in North Portland.
So far, all we know is that two cars were involved and one man is dead. KATU is reporting that the police say the man was “pushed into traffic” and that neighbors say they heard an argument prior to the incident. KATU also reports that the drivers of the cars are being held for questioning.
Year: 2006 ?
Brand: Scott
Model: Speedster s30
Color:red/black
Size:?
Serial: 87F2005579
Photo: http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://bikespace.net/largeImages/1574701a940882917.jpg&imgrefurl=http://bikespace.net/index.php%3Fmode%3Ditems%26id%3D651&usg=__TUfhURR7hwrqdaV3sc0oon6wsTg=&h=495&w=660&sz=130&hl=en&start=5&sig2=5u1-VhoGXSqS6ZUX-tNEJA&um=1&tbnid=qayX2DU_KsgggM:&tbnh=104&tbnw=138&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dpictures%2Bof%2Bscott%2Bspeedster%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1T4SUNA_enUS248US248%26um%3D1&ei=3sbxSt73CJGwtAP5pJT4AQ
Stolen in portland, OR 97212
Stolen:2009-11-3
Stolen From: My garage on the corner of NE33rd and Morris
Neighborhood: Alameda neighborhood
Owner: Jeff Eilbes
OwnerEmail: jeilbes@uwalumni.com
Reward: $250
Description: This bike was stolen out of my garage on the corner of NE 33rd and Morris. The picture is not of my bike, but same model and frame color. My bike has red handle bar tape and a red and black italia saddle. Also has shimano clip in pedals, a hand pump on the lower part of the frame and a black bag attached to the seat. My phone number is 414-550-6352. Any help would be awesome, this is my only mode of transportation
Police record with: 09099286
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike
[I’ve just published a new story with photos, notes and a video of the area around the crash. — Jonathan]
The Portland Police Bureau has determined that a man was hit by two motor vehicles while riding his bicycle in the area of North Willamette and Haven near University of Portland early this morning. The man — who has not yet been identified — later died in the hospital.
Here’s more from the Portland Police:
This morning at 2:26 a.m., Portland Police responded to the area of North Willamette Blvd and North Haven Street on a call of a bicyclist that had been hit. Officers located an injured man at the scene and he was immediately taken to an area hospital. This man later died at the hospital. Police are attempting to identify the deceased man.
Investigators from the Major Crash Team have determined that the bicyclist found on North Willamette Blvd. was hit by two vehicles. Both drivers and their vehicles are at the scene of this incident and investigators are interviewing both drivers.