BikePortland

I moved by bike! It was fun and easy (and you should do it too!)

About to embark. (Photo: Shawne Martinez/@rescuewe)

In the year that I’ve been living and biking in Portland, my understanding of what a person can do with a bike has grown exponentially. I’ve taken my bike on big grocery runs, changed my perspective on how to accomplish scenic day trips and I never, ever want for a car. I know now bikes are the perfect tool to carry around a gaggle of kids or a couple of dogs, and that you can stay cool biking on a blazing hot day if you plan your route around tree canopy coverage.

But there was still one thing I wasn’t totally sure about. Can a person really move by bike? I knew other people had done it, but come on, me?With only a back rack and two panniers to my name? As you can see, I was brainwashed by the Portlandia depiction of two senseless bike movers ruining some woman’s precious belongings. In fact, moving by bike is easy and fun. And now that I’ve successfully done it, it seems like the only sensible way to handle the notoriously dreaded task of schlepping everything you own from one place to another – at least it certainly is when you have an skilled and willing crew of cargo bike owners to help you.

My transformation from a bike move skeptic to a full-throated advocate happened quickly. Last week, I signed a lease for a new house in Piedmont, a neighborhood in north Portland pretty far from the place in southeast’s Richmond neighborhood where I lived before. After telling people about my move, I immediately received offers from people who wanted to help haul my stuff on their bike trailers. (I think this kind of reaction has never happened to anyone moving in a U-Haul.)

So, okay! I was moving by bike. This meant I’d have to get organized: no more relying mostly on overflowing tote bags or loosely tossing my stuff on the passenger seat. I was pretty confident about my smaller stuff, but since I had no idea how many people would show up, I accepted the potential fate of leaving behind my big area rug or table.

I chuckle now to think of my ignorance.

When the time came to hit the road, I had so many helpers at my disposal that we ran out of stuff to carry. People tried to haggle with my housemate who’s staying put, practically begging him to hand over more furniture for us to add to the load. (Understandably, he didn’t want us to do that.)

Our motley crew consisted of almost 20 people and a diverse range of hauling devices, including several lengthy trailers, a couple dog carriers and a pedicab (operated by newly-certified pedicab operator Kiel Johnson, who not only carried all my books but also saved the day by picking up the pizza at the end.) Our youngest team member was Shawn Martinez’s six-year-old daughter, who had the special task of carrying the essential Portland cyclist-authored How to Move By Bike book in her backpack. I felt a little guilty that my panniers were bearing the tiniest load, but nobody gave me a hard time about it. All in all, I can honestly say it was the least stressful move I’ve ever experienced.

It’s no big deal to see a huge box moving truck taking up space on neighborhood streets, so why should a caravan of people hauling stuff on bikes make people bat an eyelash?

The bike ride itself was easy. Turns out, a group of cyclists carrying this much stuff is pretty visible to people driving cars, and except for a couple minor trailer mishaps, it was a breeze. I was very pleased we had the chance to anoint the new Blumenauer Bridge with what I believe to be its first bike move experience. Once we got to my new place, I was sure this would be the best housewarming party I’d ever have.

One thing I was slightly surprised by was the lack of attention we received from passersby, most of whom didn’t seem particularly impressed. But actually, I think this might be a good thing. While I do believe everyone who participates in bike moves should be given kudos and plenty of pizza and beer or LaCroix, it should also be said that moving by bike isn’t that hard. It’s no big deal to see a huge box moving truck taking up space on neighborhood streets, so why should a caravan of people hauling stuff on bikes make people bat an eyelash? I was also shocked to find out the majority of the participants were bike moving newbies – that should be even more of a testament to how feasible this is for just about anyone.

So, why move by bike? It’s not because I think the fossil fuel emissions I would generate from one U-Haul trip would be so egregious I’d have to spend the rest of my life feeling ashamed, and it’s only slightly for the novelty and to prove a point. Honestly, it’s because it’s fun, and I think if more people knew how fun it was, they might start to rethink their relationship to cars and to the people around them.

Thank you to everyone who participated in my first bike move! I hope I won’t move houses again for a while, but I will absolutely be there to help whoever needs it next – and I guarantee there will be others excitedly behind me.

PBOT releases plan for bike lane around Elk Fountain statue

After months of speculation and back-and-forth at City Hall, the Portland Bureau of Transportation just announced they will stripe a bike lane on SW Main between 3rd and 4th avenues. This is the block where the Thompson Elk Fountain and statue had lived before it was removed following damage it sustained during protests. There was urgency to create a bike lane here because the current bike facility ends at 3rd, which would leave a short but significant gap from the projected bikeway couplet PBOT is building on 4th and on Broadway.

With limited road space and the presence of the Elk Statue, some people thought we’d have to choose between a beloved icon and much-needed bike lanes. Thankfully, City Hall has figured this out. Here’s an excerpt from PBOT’s statement:

“Interim striping on SW Main Street will extend bicycle facilities from SW Third Avenue to Broadway, closing another gap in Portland’s bike network, and improving access to Portland State University, Portland City Hall, and the South Park Blocks. The work on SW Main Street will support the return of the Thompson Elk Fountain and related streetscape improvements currently under exploration by the Portland Parks Foundation.”

The SW Main project was announced along with the great news that PBOT will begin construction of the $750,000 SW Broadway Bikeway Improvements project next week. As we shared back in April, this project will finally connect the bike route between the Broadway Bridge and Portland State University. The design will mimic what was already installed between Hoyt and Oak in late 2020.

To further improve Broadway, PBOT also announced today that the block of SW Main adjacent to the Arlene Schnitzer Concert Hall will be permanently carfree and turned into a public plaza. This block had been routinely off-limits to cars at specific times and days, but this would be a full-time driving prohibition in order to, “create an outdoor public space for events and programming,” related to the cultural district.

Also of note is that PBOT says drivers will no longer be able to turn right from SW Main onto 4th. And between 4th and 6th, PBOT will reduce the number of driving lanes from two to one in order to make space for a bus and bike lane. Check graphics below for details:

It’s more good news about Portland’s transportation system! With the opening of Better Naito, the Blumenauer Bridge, and other many other projects, PBOT continues to change Portlanders’ relationships to our streets for the better. The new plaza on SW Main also helps fulfill a promise of PBOT Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty to add more carfree streets downtown.

Learn more about the SW Broadway project on PBOT’s website.

Tell TriMet how they should spend $183 million

TriMet’s STIF budget priorities, charted. (Source: TriMet)

TriMet, Portland’s regional transit agency, has plans for how to spend funds from the Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund (STIF) in the fiscal years 2024-2025. Now the agency wants your input on how they should use it.

This funding amounts to about $183 million over two years and makes up just one portion of TriMet’s funding sources. The agency’s 2023 budget is almost $2 billion total, made up of federal grants, operating revenue and tax revenue. But unlike some of those other funding sources, TriMet is required to share their two-year spending plan for these statewide funds and allow for public comment on the proposal.

Here’s how TriMet says it wants to spend this STIF money in fiscal years 2024-2025. (For comparison, this is how they spent their last STIF allotment.)

$44.2 million for transit service expansion, like “new bus lines, more Frequent Service lines, route changes, earlier/later trips and weekend service.”
$29.6 million to provide reduced fare for people who earn low incomes, which will support the new summer pass program for high school students who qualify, a free month pass for new and re-enrolling program participants and an increase in free passes for low-income seniors, people with disabilities and veterans.
$56.7 million for electric bus expansion to support TriMet’s goal of operating a zero-emissions bus fleet by 2040. The plan of fiscal year 2024-2025 calls for “funding for electric buses, more charging infrastructure and project development work for the new Columbia Operating Facility, including a hydrogen fueling station for future fuel cell electric buses.”
$1.8 million for school transportation, continuing a program offering free transit passes to public high school students in the TriMet service area whose families earn low incomes.
$16.3 million for regional coordination, which will allow the agency to “maintain and expand transit and last mile shuttle services throughout the metro region” and upgrade their online trip planner so people can plan trips between TriMet and other transit agencies, like C-TRAN in Vancouver.
$4 million for TriMet’s partnership with Ride Connection, a nonprofit provider of transportation services for seniors and people with disabilities, which will allow TriMet to purchase new vehicles and expand paratransit service.
$9 million for developing Rose Lanes, which allow for bus and streetcar priority on car-congested streets.
$3.6 million for bus stop amenities, including “more bus shelters, digital information displays, and ADA improvements at bus stops.”
$12.8 million for security improvements, including more security cameras and continuing the Safety Response Team program.
$6 million for calls for “maintaining and expanding funding to further support operations, and long-term asset maintenance and upgrades” for Portland Streetcar.
$0.4 million for compliance requirements to “ensure that all recipients of the funds in the metro area spend their funds according to the rules of the program.”

Even if funded, some of these programs may be limited by other issues TriMet is facing right now. Most notably, the ongoing bus driver shortage has forced the agency to slash bus service, and it’s hard to imagine the they’ll be able to expand new bus lines if they can’t find people to operate the ones that already exist. The budget proposal acknowledges this, but doesn’t say how TriMet intends to solve this problem.

Check out the full spending proposal here, and be sure to fill out the included survey to tell TriMet which programs are most important to you.

The Ride: Connecting across the Clackamas River

A ride recap from our adventurous contributor Josh Ross.

When it comes to cycling from Portland to surrounding areas, the more you stretch out distances the more you run into the realities of geography. If you decide to head east then you have to deal with the Columbia River to the North, Mt. Hood to the east, and the Clackamas River to the south.

Crossing the Clackamas allows a connection to the wonderful country roads on both sides, but it remains elusive due to highways. That is, until recently when I found a connection through Estacada. It’s hardly a secret but for some reason I’d never seen it before. With a little massaging to find the low traffic options I’m ready to share a beautiful route covering country roads to the southeast of Portland metro. I recommend doing this route on a clear day so you can enjoy the constant views of Mt. Hood.

OK, let’s ride…

As is often the case, I started from the Springwater because I live nearby. You could also follow the Columbia and Marine drive if you are farther north. Either connect to the route by heading north through Portland or by coming across the Sandy River after heading towards Corbett. The Springwater does make for a nice flat, low stress, way to get warmed up but the ride really starts once you cross Highway 26 and Orient Drive.

At this point you’ll find yourself on low-traffic country roads. You’ll also be at the start of the roller coaster that this ride is. Throughout the day you’ll climb then descend to a river only to have to start climbing again. (If you attempt this in colder seasons watch for ice in the early morning and especially as you get close to the river. During my rides in January there was not only ice in the morning but in areas of shade throughout the day.)

The first of these climbs will be a warm up. It’s not too much elevation and it gets you started before descending to Dodge Park. From there the climbing really starts — you are going to gain about 1,200 feet of elevation. About half-way up you could take Ten Eyck Rd across the Sandy River and into Sandy to cut about 20 miles off the route.

If a ride to Sandy is ambitious enough then take to the low-traffic roads northwest of Sandy. Make sure you swing past Jonsrud Viewpoint and take in the scene looking up the river at the mountain. From there make your way back to Boring to rejoin the Springwater path. You’ll have a beautiful ride to be proud of.

If you stick to the route and keep climbing there’s a big reward. When things start to level off you’ll get to one of the most beautiful parts of the ride. This whole section has some of the best views of not only the mountain but also gorgeous glacial valleys. You can see how the ice once flowed off the mountain and cut the valley. It’s easy to imagine setting up a small cattle farm here in the early part of the 20th century and it doesn’t seem like much has changed.

After coming through a few valleys, you’ll cross the Sandy and head towards Highway 26. You do need to spend a few miles on the shoulder of the highway. It’s not ideal but the shoulder is wide and the time spent is short before you turn to the right and head onto low-traffic roads again. After some hefty climbing you will find yourself in Sandy where you’ll find plenty of places to refuel, grab a coffee, or whatever.

Leaving Sandy is where the next section of the ride begins. You’ve got a steady climb out of Sandy before descending towards Eagle Creek. Most of this riding is facing Mt. Hood as you cover low-traffic roads, but you will have to climb as you leave Eagle Creek. Keep an eye out for the giant… uhm… rooster next to the American flag before you descend towards the Clackamas River. There’s actually two, but the one next to the flag is the obvious one and makes for a nice picture and a laugh.

After you come across the bridge in Estacada there’s a short section of gravel road. You could take the highway if you want to stay on paved roads. I did the first time and it was doable, but not pleasant. Instead, cut through the park. The road surface isn’t paved for one mile but it’s possible on a road bike. The biggest thing you’ll need to watch for are huge potholes filled with water and unknown bottoms.

When you hit pavement again, get ready to climb out of the river valley. At the top of the climb, you’ll need to turn onto Springwater Road for a mile. It’s not great but there’s a shoulder. It’s also flat which makes things feel a little better. Your time here is short and the section after it is another beautiful meander through low traffic country roads.

The last section is the least pleasant of the ride. I’ve done it many times over many years but it’s not awesome and I don’t think there’s a better option. The views continue to be beautiful but you will find yourself climbing on a road with more traffic and less shoulder than you’d like. It’s about three miles before things get better again when you turn and head towards Carver Park. Keep an eye out for any right hook issues as you turn left onto Clackamas Highway and you are on the home stretch. Make your way through the city in whatever way fits your needs.

I’ve put this together as a ride that’s about 100 miles. That might be ambitious for some and that’s okay as there’s distinct sections that are all worth enjoying. Parking in Sandy and using Ten Eyck Rd would make for a loop through the valleys. You could start in Boring and make a loop out to Sandy and back. The section between Estacada and Sandy is a tough one to hit without doing a much larger loop but you could cut a good 20 miles with the more direct route to Sandy. Whatever you end up doing, make sure you don’t route on Hwy 211. Otherwise, enjoy the views. I look forward to hearing everyone’s experience!

Route on RideWithGPS.

Beaverton gets $2 million grant for ‘Downtown Loop’ project

A major project that could completely redesign Beaverton’s downtown loop has received its first injection of financial support thanks to the federal government. On Wednesday, U.S. House Representative Suzanne Bonamici and Senators Ron Wyden and Jeff Merkley announced a $2 million grant for the Downtown Loop project.

The funding comes just five months after a woman was hit and killed by a driver as she tried to walk across SW Hall Blvd.

The project aims to re-imagine the couplet of SW Watson and Hall between 5th and the MAX light rail line in order to connect Old Town and Beaverton Central. The streets and intersections on the loop today are dominated by drivers and their cars, but Rep. Bonamici says the future will look much different. “On a recent tour of the Beaverton Downtown Loop, I saw firsthand the challenges that people experience when walking, biking, or using transit in Beaverton’s downtown area,” Bonamici said in a statement.

Senator Jeff Merkley said the project will “make Beaverton thrive. “This federal funding will make Beaverton’s vibrant Downtown Loop safer for pedestrians with wider sidewalks, safer for bicyclists with protected bike lanes, and more easily accessible by public transportation with more bus stops. “

Beaverton City Councilor-elect Kevin Teater. (Photo courtesy Kevin Teater)

While project will ultimately create much more space for buses, bikes, and walkers, the final vision for how best to do that is yet to be determined. This $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation will support moving the project forward into design and development. Specifically, the money will be spent on the design and construction of a demonstration project in the downtown area.

Beaverton City Councilor-elect Kevin Teater rides his bike through intersections on the loop almost every day. “And I fear for my life multiple times a day,” he told me in a phone interview this morning. “The opportunity to really reimagine how that works is incredibly refreshing and encouraging.” Teater said elected officials in Beaverton share a sense that change is needed when it comes to how folks get around and this project might provide an opportunity to do something big. “I think we’ve got the leadership in place that’s willing to ask really bold questions, like dramatically changing the forms of transportation downtown and realizing that it’s a it’s a neighborhood and not just a destination,” he said.

“This grant funding is really meaningful,” Teater added. “And hopefully we can get some good going out of this.”

Join Councilor-elect Teater for a ride to Beaverton Night Market this Saturday evening. Meet at Merlo MAX Station at 4:30. More details on the Pedalpalooza Calendar.

Beware of a dangerous bump as you approach Blumenauer Bridge

Note: I’m well aware that some Portlanders (especially some who work for the City of Portland) think that I complain too much. I understand why folks think that, and I totally understand why. I’m also not ashamed of it. I think that’s part of the important role BikePortland plays in this community: To point out stuff that isn’t as good as it should be in hopes of making it better. Sometimes things just need to be said, even if it’s a downer. So here goes…

The very first time I rode across the new Blumenauer Bridge and went over the curb ramp transition from the bridge to the street on the southern end I was really disappointed when my bike and body went “kerplunk!” The bump is just too severe.

Here’s a video from a while back where I rode over the bump. You can hear it jostle my bike:

As soon as I rode it the first time I was shaking my head that we spent $14 million or so on this amazing new bridge, only to give it this dangerous and uncomfortable bump. That was several weeks ago, and I chose to not saying anything publicly because I didn’t want to rain on the big parade of excitement and enthusiasm. As soon as I did, there would have been (and likely will be now) a chorus of critics saying “those cyclists are such complainers!” or “that BikePortland guy is always mad at something” or “Come on, Jonathan that’s a tiny thing. Look at this great new bridge and be happy!”.

So I stayed silent.

Then last night I saw that someone I know hit the bump and had a really bad crash because of it (photo of aftermath at right). The person, a very experienced rider who knows the route and location well, had rented a Biketown and was headed north on 7th when they hit the bump and flew off their bike. They suffered lacerations on their ribcage and fingers and got pretty banged up. Luckily they had no serious injuries.

I should have spoken out sooner about this! I want everyone to know about this hazard.

Until it gets fixed by the city (they know about it and I assume a crew will address it soon), be extra careful as you approach the south side. The big bump is on the driveway as you go from the street to the bridge sidewalk/path. It’s more severe going northbound, but your speeds are likely a bit slower due to the incline. However it also requires attention going south.

And for anyone that has crashed on the bump, I’m sorry for not saying something sooner.

UPDATE, 1:21 pm: PBOT has announced they will fix the bump next week. See Tweet below…

Attention #pdxbikes #pdxtraffic: We will be modifying the southern curb of the #BlumBridge beginning next week. Please use caution and observe the BUMP signage in the interim. We anticipate the modifications will take approximately two days to allow for concrete to cure. pic.twitter.com/JAST5REOG2
— Portland Bureau of Transportation (@PBOTinfo) August 11, 2022

Weekend Event Guide: Swap Meet, Harry Styles, Bridge Pedal and more

Time to get ready for the weekend. As you make plans, consider grabbing a Gorge Pass. It’s just $40 for unlimited rides for you and your bike on any of the Columbia River Gorge transit shuttles. Find bike routes and custom itineraries at GorgePass.com/bikes.

Friday, August 12th

Riding Up That Hill – 6:00 pm at Laurelhurst Park (SE)
Inspired by the classic Kate Bush song that’s enjoying a renaissance of late, this ride will go from Laurelhurst Park to the Skidmore Bluffs and along the way you’ll learn the finer points of the dance. More info here.

Monster Ride – 7:30 pm at Multnomah County Multicultural Center (SE)
If you’re looking for an excuse to dress up like a monster and ride around town, this is the event you’ve been waiting for! More info here.

Saturday, August 13th

Bicycle Swap Meet – 9:00 am to 2:00 pm at Chris King HQ (NW)
A good, ol’ fashioned swap meet where you’re sure to find some gems. Hosted by Chris King so you know there will be some super nice stuff to be had. More info here.

Music for an Adaptive Bike Ride – 10:00 at Adaptive Biketown HQ near OMSI (SE)
A bike ride hosted by Cassie Wilson inspired by the music of Harry Styles? Yes! Join The Street Trust and for a ride that will open up your eyes to Harry’s wonderful tunes and to people with disabilities who love riding bikes as much as you do. More info here.

North Portland in Motion Ride – 10:30 am at St. Johns Plaza (N)
One of a series of rides led by a Portland Bureau of Transportation planner that will give you a real-life look at the projects being considered in the North Portland in Motion plan. Bring your open mind and utopian vision of cycling on the peninsula! More info here.

Sunday, August 14th

Bridge Pedal – All day on all the downtown bridges
It’s the big one! The 26th annual Bridge Pedal is your only chance to bike on the big bridges like Marquam and Fremont with thousands of other people. I plan to be there so look for the dorky dude with a microphone if you want to be interviewed! More info here.

Clue Ride – 5:30 pm at Revolution Hall (SE)
It’s another interesting ride in the theater-and-costume genre. If you liked the Big Lebowski Ride or Bike Play, this is right up your alley. This time, ride leaders and their friends will perform skits dressed in old-timey garb and riders will have to guess whodunnit. Prizes at the end. More info here.

Have fun out there this weekend! And remember to check out the Gorge Pass and thank them for supporting our work.

CORRECTION, 8/12 at 8:57 pm: This post initially had the North Portland in Motion Ride under Sunday. It is on Saturday. I regret any confusion this may have caused.

Oregon Humanities Pedalpalooza ride tells Portland’s ‘civic love’ stories

Given all the rumors of Portland’s downfall, it can be hard to remember there are so many people who love this city and actively work to make it a better place for everyone. Oregon Humanities wanted to highlight some of the ways people show their love for Portland, and what better way than a Pedalpalooza ride?

Last night, I joined the Oregon Humanities “Civic Love” ride, intended to show off how Portlanders have demonstrated “love for society, expressed through a commitment to the common good.” Oregon Humanities Program Manager Rozzell Medina led the ride, guiding a couple dozen people to several sites representative of this ethos. Throughout the evening, we heard from people who show their civic love for Portland in different ways, together forming an ecosystem of people who care about this city and the people who live here and use diverse tactics to make change.

The ride began at Lovejoy Fountain Park downtown. From there, we headed a few blocks west to a plaza at Portland State University near the headquarters of North Star Civic Foundation, an entrepreneurial foundation that works to encourage bold civic leadership. North Star’s Executive Director Caitlin Baggott Davis shared her thoughts on how to best demonstrate civic love and overcome what she called “civic distress” – a problem currently ailing many Portlanders.

The antidote, Baggott Davis said, is civic friendship, which is cultivated while working with other people to advocate for societal change.

“Civic friendship is the jam. It’s how you bring together people across different experiences to share knowledge and a vision of what the city could look like,” she said.

Baggott Davis published an op-ed in the Portland Tribune earlier this year expanding on her view, essentially calling on Portlanders to be the change they want to see in the city. This was a key theme of the ride: instead of falling into despair, why not help?

Caitlin Baggott Davis, executive director of North Star Civic Foundation

Next, we rolled north to Skidmore Fountain near the Saturday Market to learn about Street Books, a local bike-powered mobile library bringing books to people living outside. This site is where founder Laura Moulton met one of her most valued Street Books collaborators, Ben Hodgson, when he visited the library cart while he was homeless. (Since then, Moulton and Hodgson have cowritten and published a book about the mobile library.)

Moulton said she has found a lot of value in being able to go out into Portland’s streets and use the power of books and bikes to reach people who are rarely included in conversations about how our city works. Now that Street Books has been a beloved city institution for some time, Moulton said she is able to use the platform to advocate for larger changes.

“We’re in a position to be able to remind people that everyone needs a seat at the table. Everyone deserves to participate in deciding what makes a place great,” Moulton said.

For the last part of the ride, the group headed across the Steel Bridge to the Rose Quarter. On the way, we were treated to the beautiful views of the Willamette River at dusk on a summer evening. This kind of natural beauty might be commonplace to Portlanders, but it never gets boring, and it’s something that most everyone who lives here can agree on.

At the Rose Quarter, Albina Vision Trust Board Chair Rukaiyah Adams joined us to talk about how civic love can help us overcome some of the biggest blights on this city’s history.

The Albina Vision Trust advocates for renewing Portland’s historically Black Albina district that was largely decimated with the construction of I-5 and the Rose Quarter. Irreversible damage was done when the city razed houses occupied by Black Portlanders to clear space for the Veterans Memorial Coliseum and the freeway, and the testament to that destruction is still very much intact.

“We essentially destroyed the homes of Black veterans to build a monument to white veterans,” Adams said. “For Portland, this is the equivalent of a Robert E. Lee statue.”

However, Adams said she remains optimistic. She said we can’t overlook the flaws of our city and we have to be honest about the past, but we also need to find some way to move forward.

“The way we express love is by telling the truth,” Adams said. “We have to find a way to work together to love each other and to express love in urban design.”

If the idea of embracing civic love sounds overwrought to you, just remember you may be doing it already. Whether we say it outright or not, we show optimism and hope in what this city could look like every time we get on a bike. Though this ride expressed it more directly, I believe every Pedalpalooza ride is a civic love ride.

Job: Executive Director – Salmonberry Trail Foundation

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Job Title

Executive Director

Company / Organization

Salmonberry Trail Foundation

Job Description

SALMONBERRY TRAIL FOUNDATION
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR position description
August 3, 2022

The mission of the Salmonberry Trail Foundation 501(c)3 is to build a world-class recreational trail that enriches the Oregon outdoor experience for all. When completed, the Salmonberry Trail will provide safe transportation, contribute to community health and wellness, encourage forest education and recreation, and facilitate cultural and historic preservation and interpretation.
The Executive Director in collaboration with the Board of Directors and strategic partners will:
• Build a financially viable and sustainable organization.
• Marshall the resources to fund and build an 87-mile non-motorized, multi-use trail along the old Port of Tillamook Railroad rail corridor from the valley to the coast.
• Support local economies through new economic opportunities along the corridor.
• Improve and increase access to public lands for a wide range of users and communities.
• Maintain and improve the sensitive river and coastal environments, while preserving the Trail’s right-of-way.
• Preserve, interpret and share the Salmonberry Trail’s cultural, natural, and historic significance.
The Executive Director is responsible for implementing the overall strategic direction, leadership, staffing, and administration. The position requires spirited leadership, a passion for the mission, and building deeply collaborative relationships. Other key duties include fundraising, marketing, and community outreach. The position reports to the Board of Directors.

Strategic Priorities:
Maintain excellent board relations. Forge an effective partnership with board members on Mission, Strategy, Evaluation and Budget. Be proactive, consistent, professional, timely and accurate when communicating with all board members.
Build trail. Lead a team that will raise funds and enlist support for building sections of trail in Washington and Tillamook counties. Partner with county, regional and state project managers on the land use planning process, providing input for technical reports, and the sharing of information. Proactively communicate with agency and community partners.
Grow a community of supporters. Build support for the Trail. Work closely with the Salmonberry Trail Intergovernmental Agency “STIA”, Tillamook and Washington County commissioners, Port of Tillamook managers, Department of Forestry, Parks and Recreation, ODOT, Metro, elected Senators and Representatives, and others. Spearhead volunteer events and grow the volunteer base. Show gratitude by thanking donors and volunteers. Celebrate and communicate successes. Represent the Foundation at public forums, foster good relations with communities and homeowners adjacent to trail. Guide web and marketing communication specialists to keep the story of Salmonberry Trail alive.
Secure funding from diversified sources to support organizational growth and build trail. Create and implement a fundraising strategy that includes individuals, businesses, foundations, and public sources to support organization growth and provide matching funds for infrastructure proposals. Create and manage a development team and fundraising operations. Accurately manage data in CRM system.
Develop organizational capacity to support growth. In-line with an approved budget, increase organizational capacity to deliver on current commitments and build toward future. Manage organizational operations including hiring, training, retention of competent, qualified staff. Step-up to and address performance situations as needed with a fair and professional performance review process. Evenly apply the policies and procedures in the Employee Handbook.

Professional qualifications:
• A history of transparent and high integrity leadership.
• Five or more years senior nonprofit management experience.
• Experience and skill working with a Board of Directors.
• High level strategic thinking and planning.
• Comfortable in an entrepreneurial environment.
• Ability to effectively communicate the organization’s mission to various audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to oversee and collaborate with staff.
• A history of successfully generating new revenue streams and improving financial results.
• Active fundraising experience. Excellent donor relations skills and understanding of private and public funding communities.
• Demonstrated success in establishing relationships with individuals and organizations.
• Solid organizational abilities, including planning, delegating, program development and task management.
• Strong financial management skills, including budget preparation, analysis, decision making and reporting.
• A bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Strong work ethic.
• Bilingual a plus.

Compensation & Benefits
• Base salary $90k-$110k, DOE.
• Health and other benefits.
• Remote work & Flexible schedule.
• Work/Life balance encouraged.

How to Apply

Send us a message at jobs@salmonberrytrail.org to get started. We look forward to hearing from you.

Why public transit is part of our family life

Disclaimer: Before I share our family transit adventures let me acknowledge my privilege: taking public transit is a choice for us. We have enough money to fund our old minivan and a typical driving life (or at least we did, before gas and food prices took a jump.) Many people don’t have a choice. They schlepp kids and groceries via transit (or on foot) because they can’t afford a car and gas, or a disability makes them unable to drive, or they’re immigrants without papers or licenses. For plenty of folks, public transit use is a necessity born from a lack of privilege. Riding the bus with young children isn’t a sacrificial chosen “adventure” it’s just a regular chore, like washing dishes or changing diapers. I want to acknowledge these public-transit families first, because in an absolutely unglorified way, they are out there riding transit every day, while I am merely making some first attempts on occasion.

That being said, I’m going to share about these privileged transit rides because I think mass transit use is better for society — but shifting car-driving Americans from their personal vehicles to public buses and railways will require a significant change in the habits of those who can make this drive-or-ride choice.

If we’re going to reduce cars on the road (and make walking and biking better for everyone), it’s people like me that need to make the change. We could drive, but will we choose to ride?

“It can be hard to hold on to the ideal of making a better world when baby’s diaper just exploded, the toddler spilled a full cup of juice, mommy is out of coffee – and we’re late!”

So, why make that choice?

If you’re reading this, you can probably already make a long list of reasons, so I’ll just say that choosing to use public transit can be one of those little daily acts to make society a better place; a drop in the bucket, like turning out the lights, taking shorter showers, or recycling instead of sending trash to the landfill. It’s a small impact if only one person does it, but on a grand scale — if we can convince way more people to do it — the impact for the greater good would be significant.

That’s a nice ideal, but it can be a hard sell for a parent of little ones. The family needs to go someplace today, and their transportation choice will have an immediate impact on mama’s sanity and schedule. It’s one thing to take the bus as a solo work commuter, but quite another to wrangle multiple children, stroller, diaper bag, and sippy cups in time to make the train. It can be hard to hold on to the ideal of making a better world when baby’s diaper just exploded, the toddler spilled a full cup of juice, mommy is out of coffee – and we’re late!

Despite the challenges, using mass transit is good for us, not only in a hoped-for-ideal, but also for our own family life directly.

One of the biggest benefits is that I’m preparing my children to be independent transit users, which will give them the means to get themselves to their own activities. While they are little, this feels a lot like having the toddlers “help” with household chores: it’s not immediately helpful, but building such habits in our children will pay off in the near future. It will be life-changing for our kids to be able to get themselves to their own activities! As I have written before, I don’t want to spend every afternoon for the next decade driving kids all over town to their activities (nor could I, with five children and one driver). I want them to be able to get around on their own (and free myself from taxi duties — a win-win!).

Still, in our current phase of family life (with five kids ages 8 through infant), using public transit is hard. It feels like a sacrifice. It takes longer and is significantly less flexible than driving our personal vehicle. The normal trials of transit use, like missing an hourly bus with cranky toddlers in tow, feels like a disaster. Yet therein lies one of the more important benefits of our family’s public transit journey: we are living out our values in a way that is sometimes hard and requires us to give up our personal convenience and privilege. Isn’t this one of the more important lessons we want to teach our children?

Every time we use transit instead of driving, we are teaching our children and ourselves how to make choices based on what we value, rather than what is most easy, comfortable, or commonplace. We can choose the public good over personal convenience. When using transit really feels like a sacrifice, I hold on to this: doing what is hard, but right, is one of the most important lessons I will teach my children. If riding the bus can help me to teach that lesson, then I can try to think of the sacrifices involved as little gifts to all of us.

With that in mind, we are setting a small goal to begin exploring our community via bus and light rail. We have plans to replace a weekly car trip with a MAX ride. I’m nervous about committing to this, but our modest biking goals really changed our family’s transportation lifestyle for the better. Over the past year, we’ve replaced most of our short car trips with bike rides. We are happier and healthier. We’re more connected to our local community, and we’re closer as a family. I’m hopeful that our modest public transit goals will help us grow even more, and I’m eager to see where those bus and rail lines take us.

Has your family made the shift from cars to transit? I’d love to hear about it. Leave a note in the comments or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you. Happy (carfree) travels.