Walk and Bike Challenge winners will be recognized at Beavers game

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This just in from the Bicycle Transportation Alliance:

Children and Families Walk + Bike to Baseball to Celebrate a Month of Sustainable Success!
Monday, June 1, 2009 – The Bicycle Transportation Alliance announces the close of a very successful Walk + Bike to School Challenge Month which will be celebrated at PGE Park on June 12th with Walk + Bike to Baseball. Seventy-nine elementary and middle schools participated across the state with an estimated 6,000+ students and parents choosing active transportation to and from school in the month of May. Eight Portland-area colleges and universities also participated in a version of the Walk + Bike Challenge Month called the Bike To Campus Challenge.

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Editorial: Bike boulevards aren’t just for bikes

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Marcella Red Thunder on the way to
pick her daughter up from school.
(Photos © J. Maus)

There has been a lot of talk and action around bicycle boulevards lately.

The term is used to describe low-traffic streets where bicycles are encouraged and supported through a number of engineering measures. They’re all the rage in the bike planning world and they’re one of the top priorities of the City of Portland in moving forward with its “transportation transformation.”

But lately I’ve noticed more and more non-bike and non-auto traffic on our local streets (skateboarders mostly) and have realized that the bicycle-centric term doesn’t quite do them justice.

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Guest article: Bikes are ‘King’ at new farmer’s market

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Dave McCabe

[This guest article was written by Dave McCabe. Dave is a resident of the Alberta Arts neighborhood and is a regular bike commuter into downtown. A relative newcomer to getting around by bike, he’s current taking repair classes at the Community Cycling Center.

McCabe is also editor of American Scooterist, a magazine of the Vespa Club of America and a frequent contributor to scooter magazines around the world.]

People on bikes have flocked to
the new King Neighborhood
Farmers Market.
(Photos: Dave McCabe)

While Saturday was Bike Day at the PSU Farmer’s Market, a biking phenomenon of its own quietly unfolded the next day at the new market in the King Neighborhood.

The King Farmer’s Market is the fifth one organized by the longtime non-profit, Portland Farmer’s Market (founded in 1992). This particular market is put on in collaboration with the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods (whose office is conveniently right next to the market). It is one block south of NE Alberta Street on 7th and Wygant in the King Elementary School parking lot.

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Safe Routes to School National Conference coming to Portland

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We’ll have a lot more coverage of this exciting upcoming event in the weeks to come. For now, here’s the official press release from conference host, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA):

The 2nd Safe Routes to School National Conference will be held in Portland on August 19th-21st, bringing stakeholders from across North America together to champion walking and biking to school safely. Themed “Two Steps Ahead,” the conference will highlight how Safe Routes to School programs across the country are changing the habits of an entire generation of children and keeping thousands of families ahead of health, traffic safety, and environmental concerns.

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The Monday Roundup

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Mapes in the New York Times, carfree NYC, climate change and public health, a celebrity bike activist speaks up, BRT in Salem, and a self-balancing unicycle.

This week’s news of bikes, transportation, and livability:

– David Byrne reviews local author Jeff Mapes’ excellent book, Pedaling Revolution, in the Sunday New York Times. The book is destined for the best-seller list. Congrats Jeff!

– Obama has appointed Polly Trottenberg as assistant DOT secretary; Streetsblog quotes a recent speech where she laments that state requests for federal dollars are so heavily weighted towards highway projects, despite the federal government’s commitment to sustainability.

– The dream of a high speed rail line between Eugene, Oregon and Vancouver, BC inched forward last week when the mayors of Portland and Vancouver, BC signed an agreement to work together to make it a reality.

– In the meantime, Washington State is requesting $800 million in stimulus funds to significantly expand existing passenger rail service between Portland and Seattle.

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Weekend Guide and Open Thread

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Zoobomb pile

The Olde Zoobomb Pyle
is getting a new home
(Photo © J. Maus)

Friday, May 29th

Pedalpalooza Kickoff Dance Party Construction and Clean Up Day
What more glorious way to spend a weekend than volunteering for a good cause?

The Pedalpalooza kickoff dance party (followed, per Portland tradition, by the world’s largest World Naked Bike Ride) is on June 13th this year. If you’re free this afternoon, drop in to help make the space magical! Ability to hold a hammer or broom the only requirement.

Many more volunteers are needed for the event itself. Shifts and signup info here.
12PM to 5PM
2181 NW Nicolai
RSVP to anomalily at gmail dot com

Zoobomb Public Art Unveiling
There’s a glorious new monument in town and it’s being officially unveiled and dedicated tonight. The Mayor will speak, the Sprockettes will dance, and bike lights will be given away.

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$960 million transportation bill passes Senate: Next stop, the Governor

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“The transportation package passed today is the most environmentally progressive in Oregon’s history.”
— From a statement by the Oregon Senate Democrats

The Oregon State Senate has voted in favor of House Bill 2001 by a margin of 24-6. The bill, which backers say will create 4,600 jobs a year, did not include any changes from the House version that passed on Wednesday.

The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) made a last-ditch call to action yesterday hoping that the Senate would strip out the $192 million earmark for the Newberg-Dundee Bypass project and instead add more funding for bike and pedestrian projects.

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Blumenauer, Bike Caucus members urge bike/ped funding in new transportation bill

As the work intensifies on Capitol Hill to re-write America’s next surface transportation bill, the lobbying is heating up to make sure it includes more money for biking and walking.

As the prime pusher of pedaling in Congress, Rep. Earl Blumenauer will play an important role in making sure those who are writing the bill understand the value of investing in non-motorized transportation. On that note, Blumenauer — along with 38 members of the Congressional Bike Caucus — sent a letter to the Committee on Transportation & Infrastructure on May 22 to make the case.

The letter was sent to the leading Members on the T & I Committee, Rep. James Oberstar (D-MN) and Rep. John Mica (R-FL).

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Portlanders relish a warm, carfree Last Thursday on Alberta

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bikes at Last Thursday on Alberta-5

Nearby residents Gregg Lavender
and Nikki Kress steal a kiss
in the middle of Alberta
Street last night.
– Slideshow below –
(Photos © J. Maus)

Last night, warm weather and the onset of summer brought throngs of Portlanders out to enjoy their neighborhood and the riches of their City at the first carfree Last Thursday on Alberta.

It was the first of six months that the main stretch of Alberta Street will be closed to cars from 6-10:00 pm.

The impact of not having to worry about car traffic is profound. I brought my family along last night and, after dancing in the street with the March Fourth Marching Band, we came across several dancers, musicians, artists, and performers who shared their gifts right in the middle of the road.

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Volunteer for the Cirque du Cycling Criterium

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Over 120 volunteers are needed to make the Cirque du Cycling Criterium a success. Meet in front of the Laughing Planet Cafe (between Failing and Beech St on Mississippi Ave.) at the designated time for your volunteer position.

All volunteers get a free t-shirt, food and drink and a fun-filled day of bike activities.

REGISTER ONLINE to volunteer (see all positions here)

Contact: Jim Anderson, jim-anderson at comcast dot net

Event details:

Cirque du Cycling Criterium, presented by Laughing Planet Cafe
Saturday, June 13, 2009,
N Portland, Mississippi Ave.

Cirque du Cycling, presented by Laughing Planet, is part circus, part bike street race and a benefit for Self Enhancement, Inc.

The whole event kicks off at 1:30pm with a free three-mile family ride to Peninsula Park. There is also a bike parade (3pm) (advance registration required) featuring all sorts of wild sculptural bikes: tall bikes, choppers, swing bikes and more.

There’s live music all afternoon, plenty of entertainment to watch and an evening criterium street race with a two-way racing right down the middle of Mississippi Avenue.

Come relax in the beer garden, bring your bike, settle into your lawn chair, peruse the shops of Mississippi and be awed by spectacular bicycle tricks and riding feats.

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From the Archives

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