🚨 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 🙏
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Welcome to the week.
The Monday Roundup is made possible by Showers Pass, makers of quality waterproof rainwear and gear that’s proudly designed and tested right here in Portland!
Here are the most notable stories our writers and readers came across in the past seven days…
Good drivers: It’s not just quality infrastructure that makes Dutch roads safer for cycling, it’s the fact that drivers are highly skilled due to the rigorous test all of them must pass before getting behind the wheel. (Streetsblog)
To free, or not to free: To stoke the ongoing debate about free transit, here’s an excellent article that argues eliminating fares would rob transit systems of the ability to fund themselves at the level required to make them functional and thus appeal to more people. (The Atlantic)
Kill stroads, blame engineers: A 10-year old book on walkability is out with new text that includes a scathing indictment of multilane “stroads” and the people who design them. (Bloomberg)
Covid’s carfree count: Only a few of the roads made carfree during covid will stay that way, but overall we made small strides to being a less car-centric country. (NPR)
E-car research: Electric car boosters might want to track this new research that says the emissions reductions gains some people dream about might be constrained by lack of availability of batteries. (Science Direct)
Winter riding: A snowy and cold city in Finland manages to keep 10% of its residents riding through winter in large part because bikeways get priority from snow plows. (We Love Cycling)
Festive without fear: Manhattan visitors are reveling in a carfree space on Fifth Avenue near the iconic Rockefeller Center tree — which makes me think we should do something similar around Pioneer Square. (Streetsblog)
It’s official! Ian Mackay (who we profiled in 2016) now owns the Official World Record for “greatest distance in 24 hours by mouth controlled motorised wheelchair,” after traveling over 180 miles on the roads of nearby Sauvie Island this past summer. (Guinness World Records)
“The Lloyd District has been seen as less vibrant than it really is…we wanted to create a new entrance to our district.”
-Joshua Baker
If you’ve biked across the new carfree Blumenauer Bridge (and hopefully you have by now), you’ve probably noticed a huge, colorful mural welcoming you to the Lloyd neighborhood on the north side of the bridge. The mural — which covers a large swath of a Metro-owned parking garage on NE 7th and Lloyd Blvd — was done in collaboration between Metro, the Portland Street Art Alliance, the Lloyd Community Association and local artist Jeremy Nichols. It was completed earlier this fall, and we finally got a chance to find out a little more about it.
Joshua Baker, a Lloyd Community Association board member and Outreach Program Manager for the Lloyd EcoDistrict organization, shared some insights about the mural. He said organizations in the Lloyd neighborhood wanted to use the construction of the Blumenauer Bridge as an opportunity to collaborate on a project to represent the neighborhood and its many unsung virtues.
Muralist Jeremy Nichols stands in front of his piece. (Photo: Portland Street Art Alliance)
“The Lloyd District has been seen by the rest of Portland as less vibrant than it really is,” Baker told me. “We wanted to create a new entrance to our district.”
One of the reasons the Blumenauer Bridge installation was so exciting and prompted so much fanfare is because it provides a vital link between the Central Eastside and Lloyd neighborhoods across I-84. Now that people walking and biking have this new connection, it opens up many more opportunities for revitalization in both districts, which are currently lacking in some amenities compared to other inner Portland neighborhoods. Since the bridge opened in August, NE 7th has cemented itself as one of Portland’s most critical north-south bikeways and a major player in the Green Loop initiative.
One of the Lloyd’s most notable virtues is the presence of diverse public transportation options. The mural highlights the Lloyd’s status as a Portland transportation hub, featuring bikes — both upright and recumbent — and a TriMet map, as well as a white cane to represent transportation accessibility.
A September press release for the mural quoted Metro’s Capital Asset Management Director Ryan Kinsella discussing the transit elements of the mural:
“It’s fitting that the Metro Regional Center can be a canvas for a mural that resonates with our goals and values of conserving natural areas and planning for the region’s long-term transportation needs! With this new mural, we look forward to inviting our communities across the Blumenauer Bridge, into the Lloyd District and their Metro Regional Center.”
Beyond the transit illustrations, the most prominent elements of this mural are all the depictions of flowers and pollinators — like bees, monarch butterflies and a lovely giant hummingbird. The Lloyd EcoDistrict organization has led a ‘pollinator corridor’ initiative, putting native plants in green areas on NE Multnomah street to create an environment where pollinating animals can thrive. (And in placing these plants along Multnomah, the street became the first ‘pollinator corridor’ bikeway in the country!)
These are just a few mural highlights — if you have a few minutes to look at it, try to spot some other more hidden elements. (My favorite are the Earl Blumenauer-inspired bowtie butterflies.)
It’s great to see the Lloyd district experience new life thanks to all the organizations invested in making it a hub for Portland coolness. This mural is emblematic of its rebirth, so make sure you check it out and brighten up a gloomy winter day.
As expected, the cost of a project to widen Interstate 5 between Portland and Vancouver and replace the Interstate Bridge has ballooned in costs
What started as the $3 billion Columbia River Crossing project more than a decade ago, is now estimated to cost between $5 and $7.5 billion according to a new estimate just released a few minutes ago. Here’s more from the project:
The new projected cost identified an estimate range of $5 to $7.5 billion, which was created by internal and independent experts, including a rigorous process that considers cost escalation and inflation factors affecting transportation projects across the country. Those factors include historically high inflation rates, workforce shortages, materials cost increases due to supply chain issues, and other market conditions.
“Construction projects across the country are experiencing unprecedented cost increases due to supply chain issues and increasing material and labor costs as well as other factors, and our program is no exception,” said Johnson. “We are confident that the program will land within the projected cost estimate range, and we are actively working to secure funding and manage cost escalation risks.”
The previous conceptual cost estimate identified a high end of $4.8 billion when it was developed in 2020, based on the scope of the previous Columbia River Crossing project. The new cost estimate for the IBR program covers the components of the Modified Locally Preferred Alternative, which in July 2022 was discussed with the Bi-State Legislative Committee and endorsed by the regional program partners of the Executive Steering Group.
If it ever gets built, the project would include a new bridge, more freeway lanes, extension of light rail over the Columbia River, three new rail stations, two new smaller access bridges (North Portland Harbor and a Hayden Island access bridge) and two interchanges.
The new estimate comes as lobbyists, policymakers, and project staff from Oregon and Washington gear up for the legislative session where the first funding commitments are expected to be made. A detailed financial plan is “anticipated” to be released early next year. The $6 billion price tag doesn’t appear to change the $1 billion funding request the project will make from both state legislatures. Here’s where they say the money will come from (from a fact sheet released today):
Existing state funding – $100 million
Connecting Washington transportation package – Mill Plain Interchange – $98 million
Move Ahead Washington transportation package – $1 billion
Anticipated Oregon funding – $1 billion
Toll funding – $1.25 to $1.6 billion – This range is consistent with toll revenue estimates for the prior program. A Level 2 Traffic & Revenue analysis for IBR will be reviewed by both states.
Federal grants – $860 million to $1.60 billion
Federal Transit Administration New Starts Capital Investment Grants – $900 million to $1.1 billion
In their statement today, the IBR project attempts to stave off concerns from elected officials who might balk at the high cost. Under the headline on their cost estimate fact sheet that reads, “The benefits of acting NOW” they warned: “With the recent passage of a historic federal infrastructure package, our region has a once in a generation opportunity to receive an infusion of potentially billions of dollars of federal funds through the IBR project. These funds are highly competitive, and if not spent in our region, they will go to other infrastructure projects in the U.S.”
UPDATE, 3:18: Just Crossing Alliance, a coalition of 32 nonprofits pushing for a “right sized” project has issued a statement about the new cost estimate:
“The Just Crossing Alliance supports a seismically resilient crossing for Interstate 5, but ODOT is once again demonstrating they do not have this highway expansion project under financial control, which could jeopardize the potential of replacing the bridge and adding needed public transit options… The multiple billion dollars in freeway expansion represent a huge opportunity cost to our state that could go towards green and accessible transportation investments instead of concrete.”
The author and her Showers Pass fit. (Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
— Note: This post is part of a paid advertising partnership.
If you want to stand a chance at biking year-round in the Pacific Northwest, at some point you’ll have to face up to the fact that you need some quality rain gear. This was something I put off for years as I mistook light windbreakers for sufficient rain gear to get through Oregon’s rainy winters. I had simply come to terms with the fact that anything more than a few drops of rain would render my jacket completely useless.
So imagine my surprise when I found out that some people actually stay dry through winter! With the help of Portland-based rain gear company Showers Pass, I got to see what that experience is like.
When I first heard about Showers Pass (whom it turns out we first profiled way back in 2006) I didn’t really understand why it might be important to wear gear specifically tailored for biking. It seemed to me that any old raincoat and waterproof pants would do the trick. I expressed this skepticism to the staff when I visited their headquarters on SE 6th Ave, and they kindly explained why I was wrong.
While I’m a proponent of the idea that you can bike wearing whatever you want (you will not find a single piece of lycra in my wardrobe), I have to admit, clothing meant for cycling offers clear benefits when the weather’s miserable.
While I’m a proponent of the idea that you can bike wearing whatever you want (you will not find a single piece of lycra in my wardrobe), I have to admit, clothing meant for cycling offers clear benefits when the weather’s miserable.
First, there’s the matter of safety. The Showers Pass jackets are designed to prioritize visibility, with a bright color selection and reflective features. The reflective accents on all of their clothing are specifically placed to make you more visible to people driving. And then there’s the hoods, which are roomy enough to fit a helmet underneath and are fashioned not to extend past your face so you can maintain peripheral vision, which is very important while biking. Plus, the hoods are removable with velcro, so you can choose to abandon them entirely if you want.
Second is comfort. Biking can requires some physical exertion that can quickly heat you up. This makes it hard to regulate your temperature, especially when it’s both frigid and rainy. You might start out a ride shivering and shaking and then feel yourself starting to sweat and overheat after just a couple miles of pedaling. Showers Pass gear is designed to mitigate that discomfort with ventilation and breathable, light fabrics. Many of the jackets are also designed with a subtle “tail” that will keep your whole back covered when you’re in a seated position instead of riding up.
So how does their stuff work in the real world?
The Jacket
Let’s start with the EcoLyte Elite Jacket ($299), which I got in the color “Glacier,” a bright teal. (It also comes in a goldenrod called “Harvest.”) I am naturally inclined toward all-black outfits, but I will say I like sporting such a bright color — it makes me feel safer and more visible to drivers during the day. (However, the Showers Pass staff told me that the reflective accents are more important for visibility than the color, and they stock darker colors in other styles.)
Along with the nice ventilation and hood design I already mentioned, I’m a big fan of the pockets on this jacket. There’s one on the left side positioned near the chest that keeps your stuff nice and snug without drooping down uncomfortably. I found that you can’t really even feel the weight of what’s in the pocket while you’re riding, which made me nervous at first, but eventually I grew to trust it. There’s also a roomier back pocket (kind of like a reverse kangaroo pouch) — which actually doubles as a little stuff sack for the jacket if you turn it inside out.
The jacket (both the face fabric and lining) is made of 100% recycled polyester. It’s sturdy enough to keep you dry during a downpour but isn’t bulky. The downside of this, though, is that it’s not an extremely warm jacket. If you get cold easily like I do, I’d recommend sizing up enough so you can fit a heavier sweater underneath.
The Pants
Next up are the Timberline pants ($175), which I have in black. These are surprisingly easy to get on and off over your other pants, with a zipper at the base of the legs so you can get them off over your shoes. The legs are tapered enough that they won’t get caught in your chain. These pants consist of a 3-layer waterproof Artex fabric with nylon face fabric, and I found that even when it’s not raining, they’re really helpful to wear over your pants to keep you warm on a cold and windy day.
The employees at Showers Pass suited me in the men’s sizes for both the jacket and pants because I’m tall (5’10”). Other than the sizing, I don’t think there is a difference in the styles between the men’s and women’s jackets and pants — but I can at least vouch that in the men’s sizes, the arms of the jacket and legs of the pants were both long enough for my lanky limbs.
Base layer, Gloves, Socks
I also tried out the Apex Merino Tech long-sleeve shirt — a nice, breathable base layer. At $89, this t-shirt is definitely a splurge, but merino wool is a very high-quality material that will last you a long time and provides a lot of benefits as a base layer in rainy and cold weather.
Last — but certainly not least — for the hands and feet: potentially the most important parts of your body to keep warm during the winter. I think gloves are possibly the most important item of clothing for biking in the winter, and I have tried out a lot of different kinds over the years. My Showers Pass gloves are the the Crosspoint waterproof knit wool gloves ($47), which are slim and stylish and allow you to get a good grip on your handlebars. They function well in drizzle and dry off quickly, but these gloves will definitely get wet during a torrential downpour. They’re not necessarily warm enough for the really frigid temperatures we’ve been experiencing lately, but that’s a difficult feat to accomplish — when it gets below freezing, I usually have to opt for my bulky ski mittens.
I also tried the Crosspoint waterproof socks ($29), which would serve you nicely if you had to bike during an atmospheric river, especially if you weren’t wearing the most durable boots. These socks feel a little stiff to wear at first, but that feeling goes away after a while once you’re wearing them.
Final thoughts
Overall, I really like my Showers Pass rain uniform. And while some of their products are on the higher end of the price range than what some budgets may allow, they actually offer a pretty large price range. You can find their jackets from $139-$325 and their pants range from $95-$245. These are high-quality items that are designed and sold by a Portland-based company, which I think is pretty cool. And since having the right apparel makes such a difference for biking through the winter, I definitely recommend doing your research and giving Showers Pass a look.
And thank to Showers Pass for helping me achieve my Pacific Northwest winter style goals! If I can do it, I’m confident that even the most winter-averse riders can embrace the rain with gear like this.
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Will Cortez is a community leader who knows how to work the inside-outside advocacy game better than almost anyone I’ve come across. He moved to the Portland region from the Philippines and became a U.S. citizen at the age of seven. When his parents got him a bike as a teenager (sort of as a punishment, which he talks about in the episode), Will caught the cycling bug and has never looked back.
Since his youth days in Hillsboro, he’s become a dedicated transportation advocate and an activist for inclusivity in all its forms — from helping Metro make ADA-accessible off-road trails for his day job, to volunteer racial justice organizing. A self-described “professional committee member”, Will has devoted countless hours to make sure government agencies around the region create infrastructure and policies that are not only good for bicycle riders, wheelchair users, and other non-drivers; but do it in a way that intentionally welcomes Black, Indigenous, and all people of color.
Will at the Oregon Bike Summit in 2010.
Will (center) with BikePOC PNW co-founders Silas Sanderson and Sukho Viboolsittiseri at the 2021 Alice Awards ceremony. (Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
At a cyclocross race in September 2022.
“Don’t speak about marginalized communities without asking them exactly what they need. Because we’ve seen examples of communities that we will deem historically marginalized, push back against having bike lanes… that is low on our list. We need these other things to happen first, right?”
After Will read our recent coverage of the BikeLoud PDX lawsuit, he sent me a message saying he was disappointed in the way the group framed one of the key rationales for wanting to force the City of Portland to build more bikeways: That neighborhoods with more lower income residents of color stand to gain the most from a legal victory. I wanted to understand more about why this concerned him, so we talked on the phone and I felt the conversation was worth taking more time to fully flesh out.
Will didn’t know it at the time, but it had been on my list to talk with someone about whether or not Portland’s cycling and transportation advocacy community has made substantive progress toward more racial diversity in the nearly three years since the George Floyd protests. As a news person, I know how issues and stories fade quickly once they’re not longer in the headlines. And with so much rhetoric in Portland about racism and racial equity the past few years, I wondered if folks had fallen back into the comfort of the status quo.
Will joined me for an interview in the BikePortland Shed on Tuesday (12/6) to talk through it all. We touched on not only the BikeLoud PDX lawsuit but also his experience as a volunteer on the Oregon Bicycle Racing Association’s Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion committee, his role as co-founder of BikePOC PNW and what its long-term goals are, why so many government advisory committees are still so white, and more.
If you want a better understanding of how racial inequity works in practice, why it’s so hard to make progress in Portland, and what it takes to be not just a person of color, but someone brave enough to step forward and be a community leader for racial justice and inclusivity, you do not want to miss this episode.
And with that, here’s our hand-picked selection of the best rides and events coming your way.
Friday, December 9th
Street Day – 8:00 am – 3:00 pm at 1259 Lloyd Center (NE) Stop by The Street Trust’s Lloyd Center HQ for ‘Street Day,’ a collab between all of Portland’s ‘street’ organizations: TST, Street Roots and Street Books! This will be an opportunity to help out these groups with their shared cause of “protecting human rights on the street.” More info here.
Friday Night Ride – Meets at 7:00 pm at Ladd Circle Park (SE) Bundle up and head into the night with the FNR crew, then connect up with the Midnight Mystery Ride after various libations and probably fire. More info here.
Saturday, December 10th
PDX Coffee Outside – Location TBD The location changes weekly for the Saturday park gathering of bike and coffee lovers. Check the group’s Instagram for location, which will be posted the day before. More info here.
PSU Farmer’s Market ride – 10 am at various locations (SE) It’s always a great time when you accompany Hami Ramani (and company) on the weekly bike journey to the PSU Farmer’s Market! More info here.
Bicycle Advisory Committee ride meeting – 10:30 am at SE 82nd and Division TriMet stop (SE) Join the BAC for one of their ride meetings, where you can talk policy and infrastructure with some of Portland’s most knowledgable bike folks. This ride will be about 10 miles through east Portland and feature the new Division St protected bike lanes, the 150s neighborhood greenway and advisory bike lanes on NE San Rafael. More info here.
Sunday, December 11th
Overlook ‘Rake and Ride’ – 10:00 am at Stacks Coffeehouse (N) Overlook Neighborhood Association Chair Nic Cota leads a monthly ride through his neighborhood, and this week will be an opportunity for people to help clear leaves from north Portland’s streets. Bring gloves and a rake (and a cargo bike if you have one) and get ready to use some elbow grease to make sure our bike connections are debris-free. More info here.
Bob’s Red Mill Ride – 10:00 am at Gateway Transit Center (NE) Join the Portland Bicycling Club for a jaunt from Gateway to Bob’s Red Mill HQ. More info here.
See all upcoming events here. Promoting an event? Know about something we should boost? Please let us know and we’ll get it on the calendar.
Electric bike company Rad Power Bikes announced this week their latest model will be a three-wheeled trike. The RadTrike is available for pre-order now for $2,499 and is set to ship mid-January.
The news has created a stir in the bike world because, well, let’s just say trikes occupy a strange place in the market. On one hand they’re awesome vehicles with a lot of advantages over a two-wheeled bike — especially for folks who have trouble balancing due to a disability, age, and so on. But on the other hand, they have never caught on as a mainstream product. They’re really hard to find and bike shops almost never carry them (likely because their showroom-footprint-to-profit-margin ratio isn’t all that great).
The feeling is that with the power of Rad’s reputation and marketing reach, trikes might finally get their due. And from the looks and features of the bike I’ve seen so far, it’s likely going to be a very popular model. I wonder though, will it break into Portland’s lineup?
Dan Kaufman and his trike through the years. (Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
“Maybe some folks can’t picture themselves on one, but I think they are as fun as hell. You just gotta rock the trike!”
– Dan Kaufman
The first person I wanted to hear from when I thought about this was Dan Kaufman. Dan pilots what is almost certainly Portland’s most famous trike. His “Disco Trike” has supported many bike events over the years with its on-board sound system. He currently rolls it out to weekly Black Lives Matter protest in north Portland and it was once the center of controversy when it was confiscated by the Portland Police Bureau during a protest in 2012 (it was returned one week later). Kaufman’s been riding the Disco Trike in Portland since 2006. When car-sharing firms pulled out of Portland in 2019, Kaufman added a battery-powered motor to it and now credits this boost in power for keeping him carfree. “Now I can get across town quicker, easy, and with gear,” he shared in an email to me this week.
Kaufman said he prefers his trike for its load-carrying capacity and because it allows him to ride very slowly, which is, “Great for parades and protests.”
He admits trikes are less efficient than two-wheelers, but believes there will always be a place for trikes — especially e-powered ones. He’s excited Rad is getting into the game because strapping a battery on a non-electric trike hasn’t worked perfectly. “It was just not built for the kind of speeds I can do now and it has meant beefing up the wheels and constantly tinkering with it,” Kaufman says. “Twice now I have broken the axle (once with disastrous results). I can’t count how many times the chain has fallen off. There is definitely a space for design-built e-trike for the consumer market. And if my latest upgrades don’t solve my issues I may be in the market.”
Serenity Ebert. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
And Kaufman is a trike rider by choice. Imagine what having a high-quality, relatively affordable e-trike on the market will do for people with disabilities, or anyone who isn’t confident on a two-wheeled bike. That’s why the City of Portland just added an electric trike model from Worksman to their Adaptive Biketown rental fleet.
Benefits aside, it’s not as if trikes are without flaws. In addition to the performance shortcomings, one very knowledgeable source I talked to about them recently said they are only fun to ride on very flat paths and surfaces. Since every road has a crowned angle to shed rain water, having two rear wheels on the same axle puts the rider at a slight, yet annoyingly noticeable tilt.
Beyond that, if you’re willing to give up some speed and efficiency for riding ease, stability, and a massive cargo capacity, the RadTrike is worth checking out. And if you’re a bit self-conscious about losing style points, let folks like Dan Kaufman and Portland bike activist Serenity Ebert (pictured) disabuse you of that notion.
Smirks aside, it’s the belief of this media outlet that trikes have always been cool. They just haven’t always been available.
“Maybe some folks can’t picture themselves on one, but I think they are as fun as hell,” says Kaufman. “You just gotta rock the trike!”
TriMet just launched the public feedback process for their plans to raise transit fares. The agency’s board voted in support of the increase last month and the changes, which would go into effect January 2024, would bump up the standard adult fare 30 cents from $2.50 to $2.80.
In a statement today, TriMet said, “As your fuel and utility prices are increasing, so too are our costs to operate the transit system… We understand that a fare increase may be challenging for people struggling financially.” Many of those people who are struggling stand to benefit from TriMet’s plan to increase service in areas with lower wage earners, but what good will the expanded access do if folks can’t afford to hop on?
In their messaging and in the survey they launched today, it’s clear TriMet wants us to remember their existing programs that make fares more affordable for some riders. In what feels like a strategic ploy to soften opposition to the increase, the first two questions on TriMet’s survey highlight their reduced fare efforts. One of the questions points out that, “Since 2015, TriMet has provided over $12 million in free fares to community-based organizations throughout the metro area.”
While TriMet seeks more money from riders at a time when ridership is already precariously low and we are in a fight for our lives to reduce emissions from transportation, Washington D.C. is poised to make their system free* for riders.
(*Note: When we talk about this issue, it’s important to realize that “free transit” is never truly free. It just means riders don’t pay a fare to board. The cost of operating the system must still come from somewhere.)
Local transit expert and writer (who also happens to be a TriMet operator) Don Iler makes a very strong case that Portland should follow D.C.’s lead (unfortunately, unlike D.C.’s system that’s controlled by its city council, TriMet is run by a Governor-appointed board and is totally unaccountable to voters, but I digress).
In an article published Monday via Medium, Iler lays out his argument for why transit should be free for everyone in Portland. Iler says the elimination of fares would boost ridership, make the system more equitable, increase foot traffic downtown, reduce car trips, speed up bus service, make buses safer (“In bus training they told me that 4 out of 5 assaults on operators on TriMet were because of arguments over the fare”), and so on.
“Portland was magical because city leaders were innovative and willing to try novel ideas, and attracted folks who liked a place trying to make a better world,” Iler writes. “Instead of doubling down on bad ideas, why not invest in new, good ideas? Now is the perfect time, with gas prices high, inflation eating into pockets, and a city looking for new ideas to cut down congestion. Make the bus free now!”
We hope Iler takes time to share this feedback with TriMet. You can too by visiting TriMet.org/fareproposal.
We had a great turnout and lots of fun at the first ever BikePortland Pitch & Bitch event last night. It was a new format for us so I wasn’t sure how it would go, but based off my impressions and the feedback folks shared with me last night, it seems to have been a fun night for all.
Here’s a review from one of the attendees that sums it up well:
“I went to the Pitch & Bitch to learn more about Bike Portland and the issues people are concerned about. I felt welcomed, was given free beer, and won a bike light. The room was full of smart and motivated people. So thanks Bike Portland for exceeding all expectations.”
We heard some really great story ideas during our pitch session, got introduced to some amazing activists doing great work, met new people, connected IRL with previously online-only friends, and we heard some helpful feedback during the bitch session. And thanks to Portland Design Works and Dumonde Tech we gave away lots of headlights and chain lube to our lucky prize winners.
Our wonderful hosts at Migration Brewing gave us the entire back patio (which will overflowed with people!) and had heaters turned up to keep everyone toasty. And BikePortland co-owner Mike Perham showed up to receive a rousing round of applause for funding free drinks and appetizers for everyone who showed up!
Here are some of the story ideas and issues folks flagged for us at the event:
Lynn turged us to more closely track that removal of large street trees in north Portland along residential greenway routes where shade is very valuable.
Rob from Naked Hearts PDX told us about the great work they’re doing by leading fun social rides and bringing people together. We will now add their events to our calendar and be sure to promote them!
Kiel from BikeLoud PDX (and much more) wants us to get in front of the upcoming PBOT project to build a protected bike lane on N Willamette Avenue all the way into St. Johns.
Kiel also said he thinks PBOT’s advisory bike lanes are the Next Big Thing and Portland State University engineering student Cameron Bennett chimed in that he’s working on a research study about them for PBOT.
Julian wants us to do more collabs beyond Portland, specifically his former town of Toronto, because he thinks our cities could learn from each other.
Jenna of @jennabikes on TikTok said she’s seeing a lot of MAX train cars overflowing on her commute to the West Side because TriMet is still using the old Series 1 cars that have stairs at the entrance and are therefore unusable to folks who can’t lift bikes onto them. And she also encouraged us to do more TikToks!
Erik said he’s noticed that nobody uses TriMet’s fancy, high-tech bike parking rooms at MAX stops. He also wants us to share an update on the languishing Sullivan’s Gulch Trail project.
Andrew showed up to tell us he wants to see the Off-Road Cycling Master Plan and the quest for new, local dirt biking trails get back into the conversation.
Joe pitched the idea that Portland should have different rules for streets and signals on the weekends when there’s so much less car traffic. Bikers and walkers should have more space to spread out on weekends when car volumes are so low (to which I 100% agree and have pitched this idea to PBOT myself in the past!).
Sam wants PBOT to leverage the huge popularity of pickleball to create courts to play the game on carfree streets and plazas citywide.
Bjorn said we should make the BikePortland archives more relevant and accessible to site visitors.
Nic said BikePortland readers should take time to reach out to other local media outlets so that our ideas and messages reach different audiences.
These are just some of the great exchanges from last night and we cannot wait to follow-up on these great story ideas.
It was a fantastic evening that gives the entire BikePortland team a shot of new inspiration — and much-needed momentum to launch a citywide event tour next year (stay tuned for more on that). It also just felt very nice to meet so many of you in person.
Like I said last night, BikePortland is accountable only to you, our community. And we value your input and directions on how we can serve you better. We appreciate your support.
Just a few of the kids who took the bike bus this morning. (Photos: Taylor Griggs/BikePortland)
You might think that it would be hard to sustain the world-famous Alameda bike bus during rainy and cold Portland winters. In reality, the children who participate in the weekly group ride to Alameda Elementary School look at the weather and shrug. It seems like nothing could deter them from getting outside on Wednesday mornings and to ride to school with their friends.
The bike bus was started by Alameda Elementary Physical Education teacher Sam Balto (better known to the community as ‘Coach Balto’) and in the past few months, it has become a true international sensation. Balto’s TikTok videos showing kids riding to school often net millions of views and receive nearly unilateral support in the comments. The bike bus has been featured on NBC Nightly News, the Kelly Clarkson Show and more. Anytime Balto can, he uses his platform to get the word out about active transportation at schools and why it’s important.
BikePortland last checked out the bike bus on a warm morning in September, and I wanted to know how the kids are faring now that it’s colder outside. What I found? The energy and enthusiasm — from kids and parents alike — hasn’t diminished one bit.
An Alameda Elementary School student sports homemade ‘Bike Bus’ gloves. (Photo: Sam Balto)
It wasn’t raining this morning, but it was cold. Still, about 50 kids who showed up for the bus, accompanied by a solid group of parents and volunteers.
Balto said some people have questioned if the bike bus could still be successful during the rainy season. But to the kids, it’s a non-issue.
“Children do not care about the weather,” Balto told me. “It’s adults who freak out about it and put up all these excuses about why kids can’t ride in the winter.”
I checked in with some of the kids about how they’re feeling about biking in the winter and the bike bus in general.
“I mostly like it with gloves, but not without gloves,” said a boy named Bowden. (He’s right, keeping your hands warm is crucial!)
I asked a student named Eleanor what she would say if someone told her it was too cold to bike during the winter.
“That’s your choice, but that’s not mine!” Eleanor said.
All the kids say they love the bike bus because they get to hang out with their friends.
“I mean, yeah, it’s really fun,” an Alameda student named Griffith said. “I’d do it every day if I could.”
“It’s fun to see your friends before school and hang out with them while doing activities,” a student named Noah said. “It gives me more energy and makes me happy.”
Elliot shows off his winter bike wear.
The kids who participate in the bike bus range in ages, from fifth graders to little siblings who aren’t old enough to be in school yet but still want to ride. Paul Buchanan, a bike bus volunteer who corks traffic for the kids, said he’s seen all of them become more comfortable on the road throughout the last few months.
“There’s a small child who used to be afraid to ride the last six blocks of the ride,” Buchanan said. “Now he’s riding all alone far from his parents. It’s amazing to see how the kids have grown.”
We’d be remiss not to mention the bright yellow ‘Bike Bus’- branded ponchos volunteers and some students wear during the ride. Cleverhood took notice of Balto’s bus and wanted to give people the chance to rep it in their bike wear. You can email the company to get a discount code for one of the capes.
But regardless of what winter stylings you sport, there’s a spot for you at the bike bus.
“I like that everybody bikes through the community, and it’s for all ages,” said Alameda student Elliot as he posed to show off his winter jacket. “But you have to stay warm while you’re biking. Otherwise, it’s going to be a long ride.”
We are working on a video of the wonderful kids we interviewed for this story. Stay tuned!
