BikePortland

July 2009 site stats and top stories

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Here are BikePortland’s traffic stats from the month of July. Two of our stories — an editorial about the “Should Cyclists Pay a Road Tax?” ad on the MAX, and an article about a bid to convert the Memorial Coliseum into a venue for bike racing, were picked up and spread widely among local news media; our story about credit card fraud at an online retailer gained national attention.

Our third most popular story this month was actually posted in mid-June — the World Naked Bike Ride is, apparently, always news.

Finally, Jonathan’s story about a three-family bike camping trip he went on a few weeks ago was the sleeper story of the month, earning a lot of enthusiastic traffic and expanding the public view of just what’s possible with kids, and without a car.

Russ and Laura on a recent bike trip.

Just a reminder to come join us for a special event tonight at Roots Organic Brewing in Southeast Portland.

Beginning at 7:00 pm (doors open at 6:00), we’ll welcome carfree professional photographer, journalist, advocate, and bike tourer Russ Roca to Portland. Russ is here for the first stop on his Path Less Pedaled project (which he got started on already with this excellent video of a Portland bike move over the weekend). I’ll join Russ on stage for an informal interview, he’ll show some of his recent work, and then we’ll open up for a Q & A.

We’ll be meeting in the Roots Brewing event space at the corner of SE 7th and Clay. Hope to see you there!

What:

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When:

New waterfront condo comes with trail extension

New piece of Willamette Greenway Trail-5

Waterfront Pearl condo with new trail section.
(Photos © J. Maus)

The new Waterfront Pearl condominium just north of the Broadway Bridge might be in a world of hurt financially, but it also boasts a nice new piece of riverfront trail.

The new section of the Willamette Greenway Trail built as part of the condo project begins just south of the Portland Police horse stable, where NW 9th meets NW Naito. A sign near the Naito sidewalk leads you to the riverfront. The new trail is much wider and smoother than other trail sections in that area and it comes with two large lookout areas with benches.

The dance on Williams begins as a bus
moves right across a bike lane for a stop.
(Photos © J. Maus)

As noted in a story we published last month, bike traffic on N. Williams Ave. is at an all-time high. One of the main issues with biking on that road is how bikes and buses interact. With a bike lane sandwiched in between buses and bus stops, there is a constant leap-frogging that takes place.

This “dangerous dance” as one reader recently referred to it, is stressful for bus operators and a major concern for people on bikes.

Since our story, I’ve personally experienced this several times. Just this morning, while biking east on Hawthorne (N. Williams isn’t the only place where this is a problem), a bus signaled and then swung right — directly into the bike traffic lane I was in. Luckily, I was ready for it and was able to brake and move to the left without incident.

Cover of PSU’s Metroscape magazine.

The Summer 2009 issue of Portland State University’s Metroscape magazine features a cover story titled, “Bike Wars: Hostile forces — drivers and riders — go wheel to wheel in the streets. Can’t we all just get along?”

The 17-year old magazine is published twice yearly by PSU’s Institute of Portland Metropolitan Studies. The Bike Wars article was written by a freelancer named Kyle Cassidy. In it, he claims that as bike use has skyrocketed in Portland, so have feelings of tension between people in cars and on bikes.

Here’s an excerpt from Cassidy’s introduction:

Money for roads increases; Cash for Clunkers grows; distracted driving censured; boating fees provide test case; a bike bell crackdown; the trajectory of big ideas; bike sharing praised; skateboards get the spotlight.

Here are the news stories that caught our eye in the last week:

– Oregon’s governor has signed a new transportation bill into law — Chris Smith reports that there’s plenty of money for roads and highways (including the Newberg/Dundee bypass and — probably — the Columbia River Crossing) but not much for other modes.

– Speaking of the CRC, Joe Cortwright has an op-ed in the Oregonian about how we don’t need it and can’t afford it, and the O’s editorial board has a piece calling for our political leaders to push it through quickly.

At a bike move from Southeast
to North Portland.
-Watch video below-
(Photo: Russ Roca)

Like many bike-loving visitors of Portland, Russ Roca and his partner Laura Crawford are finding that it doesn’t take long to become wrapped up in our local bike scene.

From Long Beach, California, Roca and Crawford chose Portland as the first stop in their Path Less Pedaled project. Roca, a bike-based professional photographer and multimedia journalist, and Crawford, an artist, sold nearly everything they owned and have set out on a global bike journey to meet and tell the stories of people who “live their lives in unique ways”.

Add this to the growing number of signs that the Northwest is absolutely going crazy for bikes. In the past week or so I’ve heard about not one, not two, but three different photo contests looking for bike-related images. Here’s a quick roundup…

Wend Magazine will feature only bike-inspired photos during the month of August. Wend features a Friday Photo each week that highlights the outdoor splendor of the Pacific Northwest. But this month, they want your best bike shots. Weekly winners will get a pair of Keen Footwear SPD-compatible shoes. A Keen messenger bag will go to the Grand Prize winner. More details at WendMag.com.

Brand: kona
Model: jake
Color:red
Size:49cm
Serial: f907k2043
Stolen in portland, OR 97211
Stolen:2009-08-01
Stolen From: it was stolen from my house near 13th and alberta.
Neighborhood: northeast (alberta)
Owner: meredith talbert
OwnerEmail: meredith.c.talbert@gmail.com
Description: my bike has a black rack on the back, clip-in pedals, and women’s (smaller than stock) handlebars,
Police record with: portland police
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Royal Blue GT karakoram 1989

Year: 1989
Brand: GT
Model: karakoram
Color:Royal Blue
Size:Fits 6′ rider
Stolen in Portland, OR 97214
Stolen:2009-08-2
Stolen From: Luckey Lab Brewery on Hawthorn
Neighborhood: Hawthorn
Owner: Tom Hill
OwnerEmail: hill.63@hotmail.com
Description: Royal blue GT Karakoram setup as a commuter bike. It has a rack on the back, slick tires and a holder for a bike lock on the seat tube. It has a bell and black hand grips. It is an old bike but in good condition. The front derailer is a triple but the lowest gear is locked out – the bike was setup as a double.
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Woman in critical condition after downhill bike crash near Timberline Lodge

Laura Sherrod’s bike.
(Photo: Oregon State Police)

22-year old Laura Sherrod remains in critical condition today after she crashed her bike on Timberline Road Saturday afternoon while riding down from Timberline Lodge and Ski Area on Mt. Hood.

According to the Oregon State Police (OSP), at about 3:15, Sherrod and a group of riders departed from the lower parking lot of the ski area. Sherrod was riding a 16″ Trek “Mountain Cub” bicycle when she collided with a fog marker. The police say she was found by a passing motorist on the highway shoulder and the incident was, “apparently not witnessed by any of the other bicyclists”.

Year: 2007
Brand: Cannondale
Model: Road
Color:Black – matte
Size:52 cm
Serial: ?
Stolen in Portland, OR
Stolen:2009-08-2
Stolen From: Stolen from the back of a Chevy Scottsdale pick up truck at Quimby & 20th. Right before the start of ‘Hottest day of the year ride’, 10:00 – 10:15 am.
Neighborhood: Nob Hill
Owner: Bettina Hetz
OwnerEmail: bettinagrace@yahoo.com
Description: Phil Wood hubs, Mavic rims, Campy crank set and components, white leather seat, Shimano pedals,
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

July 2009 site stats and top stories

Tonight: Join us for an evening with Russ Roca

New waterfront condo comes with trail extension

Is a fix in store for the “dangerous dance” on N. Williams (and elsewhere)?

PSU publishes response to ‘Bike Wars’ magazine article

The Monday Roundup

A visitor’s view of a Portland bike move

Trio of photo contests ask for your best bike shots

red kona jake

Royal Blue GT karakoram 1989

Woman in critical condition after downhill bike crash near Timberline Lodge

Black – matte Cannondale Road 2007

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From the Archives

With six kids and no car, this mom does it all by bike