BikePortland

River View Cemetery board rules on bike access

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

An issue that has been simmering since April 2006 has finally reached some resolution. The River View Cemetery Association Board of Trustees has met several times in the last few weeks to address the issue of bicycle traffic going through their property. The issue reached a boiling point in September when the cemetery installed a series of speed bumps that many felt were draconian and unduly severe (they caused several injuries).

After forming a committee to look into the issue further and inviting a representative from the BTA from PBOT out to look at the roads, the non-profit’s Executive Director David Noble has announced, “for the time being, no restriction on bicycling has been enacted.”

Vancouver gives plenty of space and
separation for people walking and biking
along their waterfront. We should do the same.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Tonight, Portland is set to get schooled once again by the highly engaging and sharp Gordon Price from Vancouver B.C. Price is the director of the City Program at Simon Fraser University and he’s a noted thought leader on urban planning and transportation.

Vancouver’s transportation network and urban form is something to admire. They’ve done a lot that we should pay attention to.

Brand: Mizutani
Model: Seraph Super
Color:Light Yellow
Stolen in Portland, OR 97206
Stolen:2009-11-19
Stolen From: SE 47th & Knight
Neighborhood: SE Portland
Owner: Katherine Wu
OwnerEmail: wuk@reed.edu
Reward: $50
Description: Light yellow Ladies’ Mizutani bike with black handlebars and a kryptonite lock attached to it near the pedals
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Greenway Trail gets boost from The Oregonian; but it needs more

Riding along the river on what
should be a fully connected and
developed trail.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The North Portland Greenway Trail is on the cover of the “InPortland” section of The Oregonian today. The exposure for the project is an important boost to the project — whose backers need more political support to make it a reality.

The story lays out how the trail has made some small steps of progress, but that its actual construction is still far off (the advocacy effort behind the trail is already four years old):

“Even its lead advocate, however, sets 10 years as an optimistic timetable for the Greenway to receive funding and be fully constructed.”

It’s time to gear up and hunker down — this weekend, take a ride to a nice, warm, indoor location. Build up your repair and riding skills, learn to make informed investments in winter gear, or have a warm drink while enthusiastically debating the big picture.

Or take the opportunities below to just head out there and ride for miles and miles in cheerful company.

Should cyclists pay a road tax?
A majority of respondents said no.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Back in July a local web marketing company Webtrends wrapped a MAX train with the question, “Should cyclists pay a road tax?” I wasn’t too thrilled with it and made my concerns clear in an editorial about the campaign.

The campaign stirred quite a bit of debate and news coverage about the issue. Now Webtrends has released a follow-up report and analysis about their findings from the campaign. The company’s original plan was to create a follow-up MAX ad sharing the results of their findings (the ad in the photo above is still running).

Roger and me.
(Photos: Adams Carroll)

Thanks to everyone who packed into Plan B tonight to listen to my interview with City of Portland Bicycle Coordinator Roger Geller. As a special bonus, we also streamed the event live right here on BikePortland thanks to the technological magic of Dan Kaufman from Crank My Chain CycleTV. What a thrill to know folks from all over were tuning in via the web!

After some mingling and ordering of food and drink, we settled in for about a one-hour interview and conversation followed by an open Q & A session. We even took a few questions from the Internet audience.

Metro is getting heat for
their transportation plan.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Metro’s update to the 2035 Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) — which will guide $20 billion of investments in our regional transportation infrastructure over the next 25 years — is coming under fire from advocacy groups, Portland Mayor Sam Adams, and others.

Among Metro’s stated goals for the plan are to create an “efficient urban design”, “expand transportation choices”, “enhance safety”, and “reduce pollution”. But critics of the plan say it falls short in the key metric of reducing greenhouse gas emissions (34% of Oregon’s emissions come from transportation) and that it invests too much on highway widening and road projects. Metro Councilor and RTP point man Rex Burkholder stands behind the plan

Scott Bricker.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) Board Chair Mary Roberts has announced that Scott Bricker has “left his post” as Executive Director of the organization.

Here’s the intro to the statement just released by the BTA:

“The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) Board Chair Mary Roberts announced today the need for a change of leadership at the BTA and that Scott Bricker has left his post as Executive Director.”

Bricker had been with the BTA since 1998 and was selected as their leader in October of 2007.

Backpedal Cycleworks now open for biz!
(Photos: Adams Carroll for BikePortland)

Story and photos by BikePortland news intern Adams Carroll

Rick Shaputis, owner of SE Portland’s newest bike shop, Backpedal Cycleworks, knew it was crazy to open a bike store in the middle of a recession. He knew it was even crazier to open up his shop in winter, the traditional slow season for new bike sales. Still, when he found out about a vacancy in the SE Harold storefront which he now occupies, he couldn’t resist.

Year: 1990’s
Brand: Nishiki
Model: Colorado
Color:Blue
Stolen in Portland, OR 97211
Stolen:2009-11-15
Stolen From: In the back yard of a house on the corner of MLK & Lombard
Owner: Nick Jacobsen
OwnerEmail: nick@lokkju.com
Description: Blue mid 90’s Nishiki Colorado mountain bike. It has red walled street tires on it.
Police record with: Case# Pending, has been reported
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Up close and personal on the re-born Morrison Bridge

Bikes will soon have a lane of their own on the Morrison Bridge.
-Slideshow below-
(Photos: Adams Carroll for BikePortland)

The Morrison Bridge project is getting ever so close to completion. Once complete, it will have a separated lane for two-way bicycle traffic and a completely new ramp down to Water Avenue on the east side.

We noticed significant progress on the markings and the pathway construction so we sent out our new ace photographer/reporter/intern Adams Carroll out this morning to take a closer look.

Adams was able to get up onto the lift-span in the center of the bridge to bring you photos of the new material being used on the lift-span (concrete would be too heavy). Also in the slideshow below, you’ll get an excellent feeling for how it might feel to ride on the new pathway.

River View Cemetery board rules on bike access

Hey, guy from Vancouver BC, we’re listening

Light Yellow Mizutani Seraph Super

Greenway Trail gets boost from The Oregonian; but it needs more

Weekend Event Guide

Company releases analysis of ‘Should cyclists pay road tax?’ ad campaign

Report from ‘An Evening with Roger Geller’

Burkholder responds to criticism of Metro’s Regional Transportation Plan

Bricker out as BTA Director: National search for replacement begins

Backpedal Cycleworks opens in Mt. Scott neighborhood

Blue Nishiki Colorado 1990’s

Up close and personal on the re-born Morrison Bridge

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