🚨 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 🙏
We are a growing bike shop looking to hire a few mechanics to join our team!
Looking for one experienced mechanice and another one looking to cut their teeth in the industry (assembly and tune ups). We would consider part-time for the right wrencher.
Must be comfortable working with customers.
Must love riding bikes – bonus if passionate about electric bikes.
Comfortable working on all types of bicycles.
We are looking for a team oriented and enthusiastic bike person with great propblem solving skills.
Should expect to work weekends.
Guaranteed 2 consecutive days off every week
How to Apply
What you should have:
A strong work ethic
Thirst for knowledge
A drive to ask questions first
The ability to own up to mistakes, and learn from them
Love for people, bicycles and learning
Love for order, detail and communication
Eagerness to service and ride electric Bikes
Compensation starts at $21/hour and includes vacation and PTO. We will be launching health / dental plan shortly.
If you are interested, please repond with a resume, cover letter and at least 2 current references to Info@ebikestore.com.
BikeLoud Chair Kiel Johnson speaking at SE 26th and Powell.Co-counsel Scott Kocher and BikeLoud leader Cathy Tuttle.Riding to the courthouse.Co-counsel Scott Kocher at the courthouse.
Earlier this afternoon, BikeLoud Chair Kiel Johnson led about two dozen advocates to the Multnomah County Courthouse to drop off their lawsuit against the City of Portland.
The ride began on SE 26th and Powell at the memorial to Sarah Pliner, a woman who was struck by a driver and killed while bicycling last month, where Johnson spoke about why BikeLoud is suing the City.
Johnson said BikeLoud is aiming to create a Portland where there are no more ghost bikes or memorials to people who die while biking or walking.
“Wherever you want to ride your bike, to the grocery store, to the park, to wherever you need to go, you feel safe and comfortable and able to do that: that’s the mission that BikeLoud is working for,” Johnson said. “We’ve taken on this job to do it. We are doing this to make our streets safer, so you can walk and roll and ride your bike where you need to go safely.”
BikeLoud board member Cathy Tuttle set up a string of 129 flowers at the Pliner memorial — one for each person who was killed in a traffic collision in Portland over the last two years. These acknowledgments of the real death toll inadequate bike infrastructure has set the tone for the ride. The plaintiffs want people to know their lawsuits aren’t frivolous: people’s lives are on the line.
When we made it to the courthouse, Forum Law Group attorney Scott Kocher, who is representing BikeLoud in the lawsuit, encouraged people to keep up the hype.
“This is not the kind of case where we have to really be super low-key. You’ll hear people talking about it,” Kocher said. “I’m really grateful to everybody for your advocacy.”
Stay tuned next week for an interview with Kocher on our podcast.
Community Cycling Center staff at the billboard unveiling this morning. (Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
The Community Cycling Center has many reasons to be grateful as we head into this holiday season. 616 of them to be exact. That’s the total square footage of the massive billboard that debuted this morning on Northeast Sandy Boulevard just east of 22nd.
“It’s one of the most transformative and creative partnerships we’ve been offered in the history of our organization,” said CCC Development Director Brittany Morris as she and a few dozen other staff and supporters braved biting cold winds to celebrate the installation of the billboard. The message, “Moving Forward, Together!” below a seven-person tandem and the CCC’s logo, shop address, and website will now be seen by thousands of people every day.
Space for the billboard was donated by ReRack, the company that owns the building it hangs on. Rerack owner and founder Bo Grayzel was among the crowd this morning. “We’ve been trying to partner with the Community Cycling Center and we just said, ‘Hey, we got this billboard wall, you want to take advantage of it?’ so here we are. It’s a good fit.”
Morris estimates her “scrappy” nonprofit has saved about $25,000 in marketing expenses thanks to ReRack and other donations from the artists who created the image. Portland-based billboard company Outfront Media added sponsorship support.
CCC Community Programs Manager Nissy Cobb did the colorization and background art. I asked them what they hope people think when they look at the image. “I want them to see community. I want them to see themselves in the riders,” they said. “Because these are people that you don’t often get to see riding a bike. And that was the whole goal, to show people that you too can be on a bike and you can get there together.”
“All the people we serve are represented on this bike.”
– Brittany Morris, CCC
The tandem riders range from a child with a backpack, a Black person with their fist in the air, an amputee, and someone wearing a headscarf under their helmet.
“All the people we serve are represented on this bike,” Morris added. “Every single person we serve is at or below the poverty line, and the majority of them are people of color. So we really wanted that to come through. And also that all bodies belong on bikes, all people belong on bikes.”
CCC Executive Director Momoko Saunders called it, “A visual representation of our organization.” She especially likes the “Moving Forward, Together!” part. “We’re going to get there,” Saunders said, staring at the billboard through early morning sun, “There’s still a lot of work to do, but we’re going to move and we’re going to do it together. I think that really encapsulates how we feel right now about our community and our vision for what a bikeable and walkable Portland looks like.”
The billboard will run about 1-2 times per year for up to 4-6 weeks at a time, so get over there and check it out! It’s pretty low, so selfies are easy!
Artist credits:
Jonathan Scarboro: illustrator who donated his labor. Used to own Cat 6 Cycles and now is a professional counselor specializing in creative blocks.
Nissy Cobb: Digital colorization & background artist, also CCC Community Programs manager.
David Kurushima: Digital colorization, also CCC Board Secretary who volunteered his labor.
Lead counsel Scott Kocher (center, with dark blazer) talks to supporters outside Multnomah County Courthouse today. BikeLoud Chair Kiel Johnson is in blue to his right. (Photos: Taylor Griggs/BikePortland)
We just received a copy of the official complaint that was filed moments ago at the Multnomah County Court by lawyers working for BikeLoud PDX in their lawsuit against the City of Portland.
Before we get to the details of the lawsuit, there’s been a big development in the case already: The law firm of Thomas, Coon, Newton & Frost have signed on as co-counsel. This is very notable because TCN & F is well-known in transportation circles statewide and their case history goes far beyond bike law. In 1999, the firm won an $80.3 million settlement (a record at the time) from Big Tobacco. The firm also literally wrote the book on bike law in Oregon and has played a major role in bike and traffic safety legislation for decades.
Now lead counsel Scott Kocher of Forum Law Group has James Coon, Cynthia Newton, and Chris Thomas from TCN & F on his team. Beyond the helping hands, they add significant legitimacy to the lawsuit. (Disclaimer: Both TCN & F and Forum Law Group are financial supporters of BikePortland.)
In the 8-page complaint signed by these four lawyers and filed at the courthouse today, they allege that the City of Portland, “Has not only failed to implement its Council-approved Plans to provide safe places for people to bicycle, walk and use mobility devices on and around Portland streets, the City of Portland has failed to meet its most basic legal obligations to provide safe streets.” Among those obligations is the 1971 Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Bill (ORS 366.514). The complaint says Portland has “systematically failed to comply” with that law and they have, “failed to adopt any policies or procedures to implement its obligations.”
The suit goes on to say BikeLoud PDX and its 250 members suffer because of the lack of safe cycling facilities.
There are 22 specific road project locations listed in the complaint as examples of where the Bike Bill was not followed. They include (taken directly from complaint):
The “Hoyt Yards” area of the Pearl District in NW Portland, which comprises at least 24 complete city blocks, and was constructed entirely without bicycle facilities;
NW 13th Avenue;
NW Kearney and NW Johnson from 9th to Station Way;
NW 23rd Ave south of Lovejoy St and the NW Vaughn St intersection;
NW Savier St east of NW Aspen Ave;
NW Thurman St NW 29th Ave to NW 32nd Ave (including bridge);
NE Killingsworth from Commercial to MLK;
NE MLK at Columbia (intersection);
NE Lombard from St Louis to Richmond;
NE Everett Ct from NE 97th Ave to NE 99th Ave
NE 33rd Avenue over NE Lombard St which was constructed and/or reconstructed without bicycle facilities, and in part without pedestrian facilities;
NE Thompson E of 149th;
NE San Rafael from 148th to 162nd;
NE 46th Ave north of Columbia;
NE Couch and Davis East of 97th Ave and 97th Ave;
NE 136th between Whitaker Way and Prescott Ct;
NE and SE 82nd Ave;
Overpasses over I-205 at SE Market; NE Glisan; NE Prescott, NE Sandy;
SE Hawthorne Blvd;
SE Division St from SE 10th to SE Cesar Chaves;
SE 118th Ave from Pardee to Raymond; and
SW 11th from Gibbs to Gaines.
And those are just a sampling of the locations. The complaint says there are “numerous” others.
The lawsuit does not seek any financial compensation (beyond legal fees), but it does ask for four specific things:
a statement from the City that they have not fully complied with the Bike Bill at the stated (and unstated) locations;
an injunction from the court to comply with the Bike Bill at those locations (and any others that meet the legal requirement for action);
in locations where the City can prove they don’t have to comply with the Bike Bill, they must build the bike facilities as outlined in the Portland Bureau of Transportation Bicycle Plan for 2030;
a halt to any current or future projects subject to the Bike Bill unless and until the City can prove they are in compliance with the law.
Take a look at the complaint in the PDF below, and stay tuned for more coverage:
ORS 366.514, a.k.a the Oregon Bike Bill, is back in the spotlight. Leaders and supporters of BikeLoud PDX are meeting today at noon to rally and then ride to the Multnomah County Courthouse to official file their lawsuit against the City of Portland.
If you don’t know much about the bill, don’t feel bad — many Oregonians and even city and state transportation leaders don’t know about it, either. But Portlander Hau Hagedorn does. And I just so happened to have talked to her about it earlier this week.
Hagedorn is an advocate for increasing the Bike Bill’s annual expenditure requirements, but in her thesis she explores the bill’s inconsistent application and the myriad loopholes transportation agencies use to avoid compliance.
Lawmakers signing the Bill Bill in 1971.
Hagedorn’s thesis points out how biking in Portland surged after the BTA won their lawsuit against the city in 1995, setting a precedent for all state transportation agencies to take heed of the law. Since then, the Portland Bureau of Transportation has built hundreds of miles of bikeways and is considered one of the best bicycling cities in the United States. Other smaller Oregon cities like Eugene and Corvallis, also saw a rise in bike mode share in the early 2000s.
But things have since stagnated. Hagedorn makes the case that stronger implementation of the Bike Bill could help spur a much-needed renaissance.
“While several factors may have contributed [to the decline in cycling], one thing that might help to stop the decline in biking is to amend and improve the Bike Bill,” Hagedorn wrote. “ORS 366.514 requires the provision of bicycle infrastructure, but the implementation of the law is still inconsistent and does not always result in the type of facilities that encourage more people to bike.”
Hagedorn has mostly focused on the Oregon Department of Transportation’s Bike Bill implementation (or lack thereof), and she didn’t offer comment on the BikeLoud lawsuit against the city. But if BikeLoud’s allegations hold up, the critiques against ODOT would seem to apply to other agencies as well.
“I’ve worked with quite a few ODOT staff and they believe in biking and walking, but I just don’t see the implementation happening at a pace where it actually makes a difference,” Hagedorn told me.
The problem is that a lot of the details of the Bike Bill are unclear. The basic gist is that transportation agencies must include bike and pedestrian infrastructure in all road improvement projects and spend a minimum of 1% of state highway funds to do so. But exactly what constitutes a “road improvement project” in the eyes of the law is open to interpretation.
BikeLoud’s lawsuit could be a game-changer for exposing the details of how cities in Oregon must follow the intent of the law. If the advocates get their day in court, PBOT officials will need to answer for their past decisions not to include bike infrastructure on streets like Hawthorne Blvd and many streets in northwest Portland that were completely reconstructed to build the Pearl District and still lack bike facilities.
And since the bill applies statewide, it would stand to reason that other communities in Oregon may benefit from Portland advocates pushing for stricter implementation. BikeLoud’s litigation could inspire would-be bike commuters from Ashland to Bend to Pendleton to hold their transportation leaders’ feet to the fire.
“If this lawsuit is successful, it would be capable of being replicated in other areas.”
– Scott Kocher, Forum Law Group and lead attorney on the suit
Scott Kocher, who will represent BikeLoud in their lawsuit, indicated as much when chatting with members at a meeting on Wednesday evening.
“If this lawsuit is successful, it would be capable of being replicated in other areas,” Kocher said.
Hagedorn firmly believes Oregon advocates should be more familiar with the nuances of the Bike Bill and hold leaders accountable to it. Communicating the details of legislation like this can be difficult, but BikeLoud’s lawsuit may get the ball rolling again.
“I think we need to share that information more widely so people understand. It’s not complicated policy, but it’s fairly nuanced,” Hagedorn told me.
“It’s just disappointing. Staff want to do the right thing. They believe in creating bike lanes and sidewalks, yet they continue to implement these unsafe facilities,” she said. “I just feel like we need more people out there to understand the implications of the Bike Bill and how we can use it to move things forward.”
She rocked these shorts. No excuses! (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
Welcome to the weekend.
The Weekend Guide is made possible by our friends at Portland-based Showers Pass, who remind you that they’ve offered excellent and reliable rain gear and other apparel must-haves for 25 years!
Here’s our hand-picked selection of the best rides and events coming your way. For more suggestions, see the BikePortland Calendar.
Saturday, November 19th
Sorella Forte Women’s Group Ride – 9:00 am at River City Bicycles (SE) Nothing helps you get out of the house and on your bike like knowing there will be a group waiting for you. This is a great club and all skill levels are welcome. More info here.
HiFi Warehouse Sale – 9:00 am to 1:00 pm at HiFi HQ (SE) Grab killer deals on wheels and soft goods from this community-minded local company while chomping on snacks and bevs. More info here.
Through the Forest Over the Bridge – 9:00 am at Vera Katz Statue/Esplanade (SE) Join the fun-loving Cycle Cats as they venture north for a loop over the St. Johns Bridge and through Forest Park. More info here.
Sunday, November 20th
Cyclocross Crusade #7 – All day at Baron Park (Estacada) It’s the grand finale of what has been a fantastic Crusade series. The venue is the always-interesting Barton timber park, which has industrial wasteland vibes mixed with send-it sections, a massive run-up and lots of fun places to cheer. More info here.
Ride to World Day of Remembrance – 12:00 pm at MAX Stop on 122nd & Burnside (E) Advocate extraordinaire Cathy Tuttle will gather the troops and march to the big World Day of Remembrance event at 122nd and SE Powell. More info here.
World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims – 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm at SE 122nd and Powell (SE) Join Families for Safe Streets, Oregon Walks, The Street Trust, and other advocates and community leaders for an event to draw attention to the need for safer streets. Remember to wear yellow. 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.
ODOT graphics from the online open house (left) and Supplemental Environmental Assessment.
“ODOT is using these sleights of hand to hide the fact that they don’t want to study an alternative that does not add additional lanes of freeway into the neighborhood.”
-Aaron Brown, No More Freeways
The Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) has released the long-awaited Supplemental Environmental Assessment (SEA) for its I-5 Rose Quarter expansion plan. This will kickstart a new era for the controversial freeway project, as it opens up an online open house and another public comment period and faces continued scrutiny from advocates, who are largely unimpressed with the assessment and the changes ODOT has made to the plan.
This is not the full Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) advocates want from ODOT, which would require the agency to study alternatives to the lane expansion – a task they have not embraced (to say the least). Members of the Rose Quarter expansion opposition group No More Freeways (NMF), along with the Eliot Neighborhood Association and Neighbors for Clean Air, have taken ODOT to court on the grounds that they must complete an EIS.
ODOT’s timeline of environmental assessment for the I-5 Rose Quarter expansion project. (Source: ODOT)
In the SEA released this week, ODOT downplays the federal verdict, saying they had agreed with the FHWA that the Rose Quarter design changes needed additional analysis. In reality, this was a setback for the project partially prompted by the NMF-led lawsuit.
ODOT’s big focus in this new Environmental Assessment is the so-called “restorative justice” element of the widening project they say will be accomplished through the highway covers that will go along with the lane expansion. We looked at the details of their latest design for the covers, which will ostensibly reconnect the Albina neighborhood that was severely impacted by the construction of I-5 more than 50 years ago.
Overall, advocates aren’t impressed.
“The [SEA] shows that the covers are, at best, a half-baked policy… [ODOT] is now making it clear it won’t do anything to pay the costs of actually building anything permanent on top of the covers,” Joe Cortright, an ODOT watchdog and co-founder of NMF, wrote in a City Observatory article about the design. “This is clear evidence of the hollowness of ODOT’s promises of restorative justice: they have no commitment to seeing anything actually gets built on these highway covers.”
But any benefits the covers could provide would be possible without a lane expansion. NMF wants ODOT to add these freeway caps to reconnect the Albina neighborhood — no lane expansion needed.
“No More Freeways is excited about and supportive of ODOT’s plans to build caps to reconnect the greater Albina community included in the proposal but believe that ODOT should move forward with the project that does not include adding additional lanes of traffic to pollute the neighborhood,” a recent NMF press release states.
In the new EA, ODOT also heralds the benefits the project will bring for active transportation in Portland’s central city, including for the construction of the Portland Green Loop, which will be routed onto NE Broadway and Weidler with sidewalk-level raised cycling lanes. In the online open house for the SEA, ODOT states that the “movement for people walking, biking and rolling would improve overall with the project compared to without the project” thanks to:
– Improved bicycle and pedestrian connections with the highway cover. – Improved safety through signal timing to separate bicycles and pedestrians from turning vehicles. – Improved safety through physical separation from vehicles.
But in a laudable bit of honesty, ODOT also acknowledges that conditions for bikers and walkers will get worse. They cite crosswalk closures which would create out-of-direction travel for some people, longer delays for bike riders due to new signal timing that separates them from drivers, and they even admit that there is “potential for pedestrian/auto conflict at the proposed new I-5 southbound ramp location, which could increase due to the additional traffic at this location.”
A screen grab from a NMF virtual press conference Thursday afternoon.
Bike advocates are very skeptical about these purported benefits (despite city and state transportation officials’ attempts to quell concerns.) In another recent City Observatory article, Cortright wrote that the new design will create an environment in which “bike riders will have to negotiate on Portland’s busy North Williams bikeway will have to negotiate two back-to-back freeway ramps that carry more than 20,000 cars per day.”
Overall, some advocates think the SEA is a continuation of a historical lack of transparency from an agency bent on promoting the freeway industrial complex at all costs. They want ODOT to analyze the impacts of congestion pricing on reducing traffic impacts on I-5 through the Rose Quarter and study air quality impacts of the expansion – both of which they say the agency has largely avoided doing as of now, even as it releases more environmental analyses.
“We believe that ODOT is deliberately using these sleights of hand to hide the fact that they don’t want to study an alternative that does not add additional lanes of freeway into the Albina neighborhood,” NMF co-leader Aaron Brown said at a press briefing on the Rose Quarter project earlier today.
The fact that ODOT has released this open house and opened the public comment period right before the winter holiday season is also suspicious to agency critics.
“It’s clear that ODOT is making it as difficult as possible for people to comment,” Brown said.
Despite their belief that ODOT has been less than transparent in their communications about this project, NMF advocates want people to participate in the public comment period. They also say they will be launching new efforts for activists to get involved in fighting the lane expansion in the coming weeks.
You can browse all the documents (including the transportation technical report), learn about bike-specific plans, and share your comment at the online open house. Comments will be accepted until January 4. Stay tuned for more coverage on the SEA and advocacy efforts around it.
On November 8th, Portland voters set into motion a massive shift in local politics when we voted overwhelmingly to support the charter reform measures. Simply put, our politics will never be the same. And that means the way we do advocacy won’t either.
If you want to be a changemaker in Portland, and be a part the exciting future many charter reform supporters think is now possible, it’s time to put on your thinking cap and learn how to operate in the new system. Because guess what? The powerful people and organizations that have a different version of the future are lining up to take advantage of the new playing field.
It was in this spirit that I called Matt Glazewski and Catie Gould and asked them to sit down for a chat in our new recording space in the BikePortland Shed (my new backyard office). I wanted to know how transportation advocacy might change once Portland has a new form of government.
“Portlanders need to start caring about who our new city manager and new city administrator is going to be, because that person is not elected. And that person potentially could be there for 10 years, and never actually have the will of the voter. So that’s exciting. But it’s also a little scary.”
– Matt Glazewski
“In 2018, city council authorized PBOT to make two new parking permit districts. Zero new parking districts have been created since. There’s been three different Pbot commissioners in that time and the institutional memory is just very short. Ideally, our city administrator is going to have a much longer memory and say, Hey, we’re supposed to do this.”
– Catie Gould
Matt used to work as a policy advisor for Portland City Commissioner Mingus Mapps and we had an interesting conversation in episode 18 of the podcast. As a former city staffer, I learned a lot by hearing his perspectives on what charter reform will mean to the day-to-day operations of City Hall. And as a former leader with BikeLoud PDX, member of the PBOT Bicycle Advisory Committee, and current researcher and writer for Sightline Institute, I knew Catie would also have some important insights to share.
Here are a few things we touched on:
Why everyone needs to know City of Portland Chief Administrative Officer Michael Jordan, who is now in charge of the transition process and will be a key figure going forward.
Why the new city manager position will be so important to the success (or failure) of this new form of government.
Why depoliticization of city bureaus is such a huge deal and will have dramatic impacts on how transportation advocacy plays out.
How will the role of bureau directors change and why does that matter?
How will having 7 more city councilors impact Portland’s ability to influence policy of other agencies like TriMet, Metro, and so on?
As you’ll hear in this episode, we had a super informative conversation. I learned a lot and I think you will too. Thanks for listening. If you’d like a transcript, you can view a PDF here.
— Get all the links to subscribe and listen to this and past episodes at BikePortland.org/podcast.
Even my baby had the blues (he didn’t love this helmet). (Photos: Shannon Johnson/BikePortland)
I emptied my bike’s cargo box, which had been accumulating nerf guns, discarded jackets, and a random assortment of baby stuff.
Oh winter. Rain, chill, biting wind, and early darkness. Has anyone else retreated to their cars or just stayed home under the covers? Maybe you weren’t ready for the rain when it started (guilty). Maybe you got discouraged by a nasty driver or near-collision (we did). Maybe you got sick and felt crummy (us too!). Maybe your garage door even broke and you literally couldn’t get your bike outside (okay, that one is probably just us).
Whatever had you down and not biking, I feel you. We’ve hit a lot of bumps recently, so much so, that we almost stopped riding entirely. Among other things, we had trouble finding a baby seat that is compatible with our new e-bike, and liked by our baby. We had to troubleshoot and install a different option than planned. Meanwhile, we had some family setbacks and serious illnesses. Little by little, all our “stuff” migrated to the minivan. Then our garage door broke and we couldn’t get the box bike out at all. As obstacles to biking piled up, we lost the habit. Then we got discouraged about pedestrian and cyclist deaths (including one that was close to our home). For the first time since we began biking, I felt afraid.
Not riding made things worse. The blues were piling up. And our bike was gathering dust.
Our winter re-start
Despite the setbacks, I could see that it was time to restart our biking journey. We’d had a great first year of family biking. Looking back on it, I think it was the happiest year of my parenting life. I was finally able to get outside with my kids on a regular basis, doing something I genuinely enjoyed, and they loved too. It’s a lifestyle worth saving. It’s worth restarting. I put the image back in my head of the kind of parent I want to be, the kind of family life I want to lead. I want us to be outside together, biking together, living consciously, a community-based life. But getting back on the bike wouldn’t just happen on its own. We needed a fresh start.
Fresh starts may be easier in the spring, but we need to restart biking now – rain and chill and dark included. The great thing is, restarts can happen any time! You don’t have to wait for New Year’s Resolutions or warmer weather. Make a decision to bike through this winter, or whatever blues have set you back. Then get yourself set-up to make it happen. With kids, preparation is key.
Step 1. Bike spiff up/tune-up
Cleaning can be cleansing. I emptied my bike’s cargo box, which had been accumulating nerf guns, discarded jackets, and a random assortment of baby stuff. I even vacuumed up the dirt and cheerio crumbs. I stocked the under-seat compartment with spare tires and ordered an extra tire pump to keep with us. I finally moved the panniers from my analog bike to the e-bike, cleaning out the junk that had accumulated in the bottoms, and got us generally set-up to haul library books, picnics and kid gear again. I also finally raised and tightened my bike seat for better comfort. We got a rear-view mirror installed, pumped all the tires, and checked all the lights. At last, the bike was ride-ready, and everything in order.
Is anything getting junky on your bike? Maybe a pannier needs emptied out. Maybe something needs fixed or replaced. Maybe your whole bike needs a full tune up and some love. Take the time to make it happen. You’ll start feeling better as you go along, and look forward to riding again.
Step 2. Get set for success: prep winter kid gear
When you need to go somewhere with kids, every detail can derail you. “Mom, where’s my shoe? Mom, I can’t find my other glove. Mom, I lost my helmet!”
To successfully begin biking again, especially in the winter, I needed to get our gear ready. The goal of gear preparation is to make our bike exits as efficient as possible, thus cutting out one of our biggest excuses for not biking. If the bike isn’t ready, and if our stuff isn’t ready, and if we don’t know where the pump is or the rain gear, or the diaper bag….those not-ready gear issues can set us back half an hour, plenty long enough for us to give up entirely.
You can think of winter prep like seasonal kid clothing changes. Every fall and spring, Mama has to go through each kid’s clothes to clear out the old (too small now) and wash and fold the new (hand-me-downs). We have to do the same for our outdoor gear and winter bike stuff.
Here’s what we got ready:
Winter hats and helmet re-sizing (to fit over hats).
Matching gloves for each child (I’ll keep these in the cargo box).
Rain Cover ready (if you don’t have a fancy rain cover, consider a water-proof picnic blanket–it works great!)
Rain jackets hung up on garage rain gear rack (it can be nice to have a garage or front/back porch to hang up dripping rain gear, without having to take it all inside).
Seat blanket folded and placed in bike
Diaper bag packed and put in bike (including water-proof changing pad, in case we need to do an outdoor diaper change.)
Water bottles. My kids are always dying of thirst. I keep a few sippy cups and water bottles permanently in a pannier or bottom of the cargo box.
Baby bunting fitted to new baby seat (this was donated from a friend’s outgrown stroller accessories). I’m so excited at how cozy it looks.
*If you aren’t loading up a big cargo box, think about packing your backpack, and even your kid’s backpack, with predetermined essentials. Whenever possible, get these ready the night before.
Pro tip: Get the kids involved. Teach your children what they need, where to find it, and how to pack their own gear–even my three-year-old can do this, with a little help. The kids are proud of their responsibilities and it really helps us to get out the door when everyone packs their own gear and contributes to the trip (like filling up water bottles or packing snacks).
Step 3. Lay out Mama/Papa’s winter kit
I picked out my favorite rain jacket and found my hat and bike-friendly gloves, then chose a place to keep them stored and ready. I’m particularly excited about my new wool hat, which makes me feel cozy and adventurous at the same time. I also switched my “purse stuff” to a new waterproof biking backpack. I felt like a kid getting ready for the first day of school: I was so excited to wear my winter bike gear and new backpack, I couldn’t wait for the next day’s ride!
Step 4. Plan a fun and easy ride to a favorite destination
We needed a good first trip back on the bike. We needed an easy victory. Fortunately, there’s a toy store in town, just a few blocks away. I can’t think of a better winning errand than to go to the toy store with kids, can you? We needed to pick up a birthday present for a friend, and then the kids could look at toys and dream about items to put on their holiday wish lists. “Let’s go to the toy store!” was an easy way to get everyone dressed and happily aboard.
Of course, you don’t need a toy store. Kids are pretty peppy creatures. You can probably just pack a thermos of hot chocolate or apple juice, bike wherever, then sip your special drink together. Or just ride in the rain and laugh. That works too. Keep it simple and easy to start. There will be days for longer, colder, perseverance rides. But rack up a few fun rides first, to build your confidence. You’ll also realize what you forgot (the bag of gloves!), which is better to find out on a short ride than a long cold one.
Step 5: Set new goals and make riding a habit
We did it! We got back on the bike. Now we need to make it a habit again. Last year, we became bikers by setting the modest goal of doing one ride per week. I think we’ll return to that simple idea, but this time we’ll double it, and see what happens.
One ride down, and I’m already so much happier. I’m once again listing off destinations and re-planning our bikeable activities. The fresh air is good. The chill is invigorating. And riding bikes is fun again. I hope whatever might have got you down or off the bike, you find your way back. Don’t wait till spring. The Portland weather is lovely – so dust off that bike, gear up, and re-start enjoying it
Ain’t it a beaut?! Full gallery below. (Photos: Breadwinner Cycles)
Turns out Breadwinner Cycles is as tough as the bikes they make. The plucky company founded by former bike messenger-turned framebuilder Ira Ryan and former Utah resident and mountain bike rider Tony Pereira, is celebrating a decade in business.
Tony (left) and Ira in their first space – Ira’s garage! — in 2013.Ira and Tony at their launch party at Velo Cult in 2013.Tony (left) and Ira in 2014.Ira, Jude Gerace (former owner of Sugar Wheel Works), and Tony after acquiring Sugar Wheel Works. Breadwinner through the years. (Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
In 2017, they opened Breadwinner Cafe adjacent to their shop on North Williams Avenue. It became a hub for local riders and was a great spot for drinks and snacks, but after pedaling against revenue headwinds, Pereira and Ryan opted to close the doors in 2020. Today the shop is still buzzing, even without as much caffeine, in large part because of the addition of the Sugar Wheel Works business they acquired in 2019.
With over 1,000 steel bikes being ridden worldwide, Breadwinner wants to get a solid start to their next decade. And to do that, they’ve just announced a custom-for-all version of their favorite bike, the “B-Road.” Named after the type of roads Ryan was famous for riding back when he had time to win major endurance races, the 10th anniversary B-Road epitomizes the Breadwinner ethos that both he and Pereira embody: It’s blue-collar tough and capable, yet refined; It has just enough high-tech touches to make riding effortless, yet it retains a classic feel that creates a connection between rider and steed.
Breadwinner has gone out and spec’d this special, limited edition B-Road with the best parts in the business. It comes with a cool new graphics package they say is, “a nod to classic bike races,” and can be yours for $6,995. And while you’ll get a custom fit, you’ll still get your bike by this spring because of an expedited production promise.
Make yourself or someone you love very happy this holiday — and support this foundational piece of our bike community — by grabbing one of these beautiful bikes! Learn more about it on their website.
And congrats to Tony, Ira, and the entire Breadwinner crew. Your longevity is a testament to the quality of your bikes and your character! Thanks for doing things the right way.
Full gallery of the 10th Anniversary B-Road (Photos: Breadwinner Cycles):
A major recent project on Hawthorne Blvd is just one example, the plaintiffs say. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
“We feel change is too slow coming when the need is so great.”
– BikeLoud PDX
Portland nonprofit BikeLoud PDX plans to sue the Portland Bureau of Transportation for not building legally required cycling facilities when they did major road projects — a requirement outlined in ORS 365.514, a law known as the Oregon Bike Bill.
Nearly 30 years later, another group of Portland advocates want the Bike Bill to have its day in court once again. BikeLoud PDX announced their plans at a meeting Wednesday night. Scott Kocher, a lawyer with Forum Law Group who has won transportation-related lawsuits against PBOT in the past, will represent the nonprofit. (Disclaimer: Kocher is a financial supporter of BikePortland.)
“The suit seeks implementation of key improvements identified in the City’s Bicycle Plan where those improvements better serve current needs,” a BikeLoud press release states. “Portland roads need safe facilities to reach our climate, community, equity, and safety goals for all road users.”
According to BikeLoud, there are “numerous locations where the city has failed since 1971 to provide safe and adequate places for people to ride and roll when streets were constructed, reconstructed or relocated.”
One of these locations – and a primary impetus for this lawsuit – is SE Hawthorne Blvd. Advocates wanted the city to include bike lanes in its Hawthorne ‘Pave and Paint’ project completed last year, but PBOT refused. Zach Katz, a former Portland resident and bike advocate who has since left the state, raised about $13,000 in a GoFundMe campaign to sue the city for its Hawthorne decision. That money will be used to fund BikeLoud’s suit, although they’ve decided to take on more than just Hawthorne.
The suit will include a list of over 20 projects BikeLoud feels did not comply with the law.
The bike bill requires that agencies provide walkways and bikeways on all roadway construction, reconstruction or relocation projects. If, for example, a bike lane is not feasible on a specific road project, a viable alternative must be provided. Advocates began looking more closely at the bike bill in 2020 when The Street Trust attempted to expand the bike bill through the state legislature.
“BikeLoud volunteers write letters, testify at hearings, meet with elected leaders, and take staff on policy rides because we are dedicated to serving people who are outside of cars who want to go places too,” the press release states. “We feel change is too slow coming when the need is so great.”
BikeLoud says they tried to work with the City of Portland, but when PBOT refused to cooperate with a public records request that sought information about projects that might have skirted the Bike Bill, the nonprofit felt a lawsuit was necessary.
The plaintiffs-to-be are not looking for a financial settlement. They want the city to build the bike infrastructure they believe they’ve failed to provide in the past. If it’s not possible to build bikeways on specific streets that were reconstructed, a judge could help both sides negotiate a fair settlement that would build higher-quality, nearby alternate bike routes.
This lawsuit has the potential to put BikeLoud in the spotlight in a new way, and members are ready for it. At a BikeLoud member meeting in southeast Portland Wednesday night, the excitement was palpable. It’s clear members think this could provide the energy needed to reinvigorate biking in Portland.
“There’s a general feeling this city has lost some of its vision,” BikeLoud chair Kiel Johnson said at the meeting. “Bicycling doesn’t solve all the problems, but it does make things a little bit better. I think it’s a really important thing to advocate for.”
BikeLoud will lead a ride this Friday (11/18) to file the lawsuit at the Multnomah County Courthouse.
An example of trees in the street on SE Hawthorne Blvd. (Photo: PBOT)
“If you don’t do something like this, these trees aren’t happening.”
-Gena Gastaldi, PBOT
Good news for Joni Mitchell and fans of sustainable city planning in Portland: the Portland Bureau of Transportation is considering depaving paradise and trading parking spaces for trees.
Though many neighborhoods in Portland’s central city are as green as can be, this isn’t the case everywhere. Tree canopy coverage is unevenly distributed across the city, with people in wealthier parts of Portland benefitting the most from dense urban forestry that lower-income neighborhoods are largely devoid of. As climate change continues making our summers hotter and the cooling effect of urban forests becomes even more palpable, the disparity between the tree haves and have-nots will be more apparent. Climate justice advocates have called on the city to make sure all Portlanders have access to trees, and planners have begun to include more greenery in their blueprints for new street designs, especially in lower-income parts of the city where concrete is king (like 122nd Ave).
At yesterday evening’s Portland Pedestrian Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting, PBOT’s Interim Pedestrian Coordinator Gena Gastaldi gave a rundown of a new city street tree pilot project.
Two options for trees in the street. (Source: PBOT)
This pilot plan, a collaboration between PBOT, Portland Parks & Recreation’s Urban Forestry team and the Bureau of Environmental Services, aims to “develop a framework for tree planting in the curb zone.” It will be funded through a $500,000 grant awarded to PBOT by the Bureau of Environmental Service’s Percent for Green program, which uses a percentage of development charges to fund green infrastructure projects that “provide broad benefits for watershed health and the community.” The pilot is part of the recently-updated Pedestrian Design Guide, which has a large section dedicated to improving tree canopy coverage on Portland’s streets.
But beefing up canopy coverage is more complicated than just taking a shovel to the dirt. Particularly in the most car-dominant parts of the city (which are also often the poorest), sidewalks are narrow and there often isn’t enough room for trees. To confront this challenge, PBOT’s pilot would take tree planting beyond the limited sidewalk furnishing zone and into spaces previously reserved for cars.
PBOT has recently faced backlash from people threatened by their plans to reallocate on-street parking, notably on NW Overton, where the agency ended up scrapping an already-built bikeway to reinstall parking spots. It’s apparent they’re wary of this happening again and want to get ahead of any controversy: documents outlining this plan clarify that turning some parking spaces into habitats for trees is essentially a last resort for fitting greenery into tight spots, and Gastaldi said PBOT will practice restraint with on-street parking conversion.
“We’re not talking about getting rid of all the parking. We’re talking about strategically reallocating some of that space,” Gastaldi said at yesterday’s PAC meeting. “If you don’t do something like this, these trees aren’t happening.”
SE Duke and 75thSE Holgate near I-205Two locations PBOT says are prime candidates for trees-in-the-street.
You can see examples of these curb extension planting zones in several places around Portland, such as near Director Park downtown and on SE Hawthorne near 46th Ave. But these were created as one-off projects with no intent to replicate them elsewhere. Now, PBOT and BES are going bigger with their plan.
In addition to the benefits trees provide for on-street cooling (and more), one important point PBOT makes is that street trees have proven valuable as a traffic calming enhancement. This is true: studies have shown the presence of trees improves traffic safety by encouraging drivers to slow down – similar to the calming effects of on-street artwork, but with more photosynthesis – and this effect can be amplified by planting them outside of the sidewalk and in the street itself. (This is one reason people were so angry about PBOT removing the tree from the traffic circle at SE 7th and Tillamook.)
Right now, planners are still determining where to first focus their tree-planting efforts, but it will likely first take off somewhere in the greenery-starved neighborhoods in outer southeast. They may tie this pilot into the Lower SE Rising Area Plan in the Brentwood Darlington neighborhood, utilizing the community engagement efforts already underway for that plan to also get public input on the street trees project.
The planning and engagement process will take place through the rest of this year and next year, with construction starting in 2024. You can find out more about the plan here – we’ll keep you posted on more details when they’re available.
