Freeya can make it more likely to find big scores like this (you’ll just need to pack extra straps). (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
Note: This story part of a paid promotional partnership with Freeya.
Free piles, freecycling, recycling — they all go very well with bicycling. Not only do many people ride bikes because they want to have a lighter footprint on the earth and because they like how much money it saves them over driving; but when you’re on a bike it’s much easier to scope out free piles and pull over quickly to pick something up.
Add into this mix a boom in bikes that can easily carry extra cargo and you’ve got a free-cycling revolution.
All this is partly why I was happy to hear about a new app called Freeya that helps people donate and discover free items. You’ve seen their banners on our site already and this story is part of that same advertising partnership. The folks who created Freeya happen to be Portlanders who love to bike, but the app isn’t just for bike lovers.
Here’s how they describe it:
“Freeya helps people donate or discover free items through 1:1 connections that require no contact. Freeya is like an infinite free pile in the palm of your hands. A place you can say goodbye to the old and hello to the new. Our mission is to free up your time, space and wallet.”
Screenshots from the app.
Freeya is like an infinite free pile in the palm of your hands.
The idea behind Freeya is to make finding and getting rid of free stuff easier than it is today and keep stuff out of landfills. Co-founder Bryan Kappa also created ChipDrop, a service that connects arborists and gardeners to set up the free exchange of wood chip mulch.
To launch the app, Bryan and Andrea Kappa (his partner and co-founder) are partnering with local businesses to stock the app with free stuff, like bike lights from Metropolis Cycles. To redeem the free goods, app users simply claim the item in the Freeya app as they would with any other posted item. For example, on free bike light day, just find one of the lights in the app, claim it and scoop it up at Metropolis (2249 N Williams Ave). Freeya will share who their partners-of-the-day are on their Instagram. The items will also show up in the feed alongside everything else in the app.
The Freeya folks will also lead a Pedalpalooza ride on August 27th where folks will round up items with the app and donate them to a nonprofit.
And if you use the app in the month of September, you’ll be entered to win some big-ticket items, including a custom built (by Metropolis Cycles) Surly Ogre or a Rad Power Plus e-bike.
Visit Freeya.com to learn more and be among the first to download the app when it launches August 15th.
And thanks for supporting a business that supports BikePortland!
Friends of the Green Loop Executive Director Keith Jones (in yellow) used the Blumenauer Bridge as a launching point for a Green Loop route tour on Sunday. (Photos: Taylor Griggs/BikePortland)
The Green Loop mapped. (Source: City of Portland)
Last weekend, one of Portland’s most ambitious planning projects got a big boost. With the Earl Blumenauer Bridge now open as a new carfree path across I-84, the Green Loop plan to connect a six-mile linear pathway through all four quadrants in Portland’s central city has closed a critical gap and the vision is more cohesive than ever.
With the opening of the new bridge, it’s finally possible to travel around the entire Green Loop path without stepping out of its central city boundaries. After the dedication ceremonies for the bridge on Sunday afternoon, I accompanied Keith Jones, executive director of Friends of the Green Loop, on a six-mile ride on streets, paths and bridges that he and other loop boosters say will form the backbone of the route.
The Green Loop project is a conceptual idea for a ring around Portland’s city center described in the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s Central City 2035 plan. Its implementation plan describes the loop as a “destination or activity in and of itself” with a “unique combination of leafy green canopy, urban pedestrian plazas, comfortable mobility zones and engaged adjacent development.” It’s one part active transportation path, one part relaxed hangout space, one part opportunity for central city businesses.
“I can see how the Green Loop will connect the dots between active pedestrian traffic and Portland’s small businesses.”
– Dan Ryan, Portland City Commissioner
“It will be our ‘Urban Promenade,’ promoting walking, jogging, biking and connecting people to light rail and streetcar as ways to get to hard-to-reach places. It will be an amenity that draws people from around the region to a different kind of recreational destination, an urban trek through the city — safe, green, active, vibrant and fun for all ages and abilities,” the plan reads.
This plan has been in the works for some time, but projects of this magnitude can’t all come together at once. However, the puzzle pieces that will make up the Green Loop have been connecting throughout the last several years: the carfree Tilikum Crossing is already in place as the loop’s southern connector across the Willamette River, and the route can utilize existing bike paths in South Waterfront, which may serve as the template for paths throughout the rest of the loop.
The Cart Blocks plaza opened on the Green Loop route along the North Park Blocks downtown last year as the first step in the planned downtown “culinary corridor” of food carts and farmers markets. Green Loop boosters think this foodie row can one day be as successful as the beloved Alder Street Food Cart Pod displaced by Ritz-Carlton construction in 2019.
On Sunday, Jones described the Green Loop to me as a “connected path of community spaces that goes around the city,” but also pointed out that these community spaces need support in the form of physical infrastructure in order for the project to come to life. The streets that make up the route will need a major renovation so people walking, biking and rolling can be prioritized over people driving cars.
Jones at the Cart Blocks.Riding east toward Naito Pkwy on SW Lincoln.This two-way bike lane in South Waterfront could be the template for bike infrastructure on the Green Loop.The Tilikum Crossing is the Green Loop’s marquee southern connection.
Jones led a small group of riders who were up for braving Sunday’s sweltering heat to check out the bones of the loop. We started north of the new Blumenauer Bridge, heading west on NE Broadway to cross the Broadway Bridge, which forms the north tip of the loop across the Willamette. Jones doesn’t want the Green Loop to utilize the Broadway/Weidler couplet, which has only thin, unprotected bike lanes, to get from the Lloyd District to the Rose Quarter. Instead, he’d prefer it utilizes NE Holladay. But the details of this segment aren’t entirely clear, complicated by the proposed I-5 expansion project at the Rose Quarter nearby.
Once we crossed the Broadway Bridge, Jones pointed out the former U.S. Post Office site, which the city has big plans for. Dubbed the Broadway Corridor, this area is set for development over the next two decades, and it will eventually be a key part of the Green Loop. Right now, however, it’s mostly a barren mass of concrete.
After a quick stop at the Cart Blocks which are located south of W Burnside St between Park and 8th Avenues, we rode south down SW 9th/Park Ave through downtown and the South Park Blocks, making our way toward the Tilikum Crossing to head into the central eastside.
In contrast to the leafy canopy along the Park Blocks downtown, the central eastside has very few carfree plazas or green spaces whatsoever. The Green Loop will utilize 6th Ave as its main corridor on the east side, and there’s a lot that needs to be done there to make it a nice space. Where some might see industrial desolation, however, Jones and the Green Loop advocates see potential.
Kate Merrill, who’s on the Friends of the Green Loop Board of Advisors, pointed out the value of adding green space to the pavement-heavy central eastside, which the Green Loop would help accomplish.
“It’s more important than ever to add green to many areas in the urban core that are currently heat islands, including many routes through the central eastside, as climate change becomes more severe,” Merrill said.
Jones says the central eastside is where business owners are most enthusiastic about the Green Loop, which would go hand-in-hand with development plans for the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry property to transform the neighborhood.
The street mural outside Milagro, a Latino arts and culture center on SE 6th Ave, demonstrates what some parts of the Green Loop could look like.
Bar Bottelón on SE Davis and 6th Ave is one of the businesses most supportive of the Green Loop.
Jones initially worried that the Green Loop wouldn’t get the attention it deserves at the Blumenauer Bridge celebration. But he was pleasantly surprised at the exposure it received: Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty was wearing a Green Loop t-shirt during her speech and Congressman Earl Blumenauer gave it a shout out as well. Jones also led Portland City commissioners Mingus Mapps and Dan Ryan (and staff from Carmen Rubio’s office) on a tour of the Green Loop in the central eastside, where they spoke with business owners who are excited about the the project. Jones said he wanted to demonstrate to city staff the “people aspect” of the loop. And he seems to have earned another important fan.
“I can see how the Green Loop will connect the dots between active pedestrian traffic and Portland’s small businesses,” Commissioner Ryan commented on Facebook after the ride.
For those who are now Green Loop curious, you won’t have to wait too long for more updates. Jones says a “Green Loop Landing” plaza will debut at the south end of the Blumenauer Bridge this month – more details on that to come. And urban re-greening group Depave is tackling a project to reinvigorate a stretch of pavement on SE 7th Ave between Stark St and Sandy Blvd, which would also be in the Green Loop’s line of sight.
For now, it was impactful to imagine what such a project could do for Portland. It’s clear there are whet appetites for bold plans here. Why not think big?
Skate park in the street. Why not? (Photos: Paxton Rothwell/BikePortland)
As the Blumenauer Bridge opening day events settled down, a block party was just getting going a few blocks south. Depave hosted a seven hour long block party on SE 7th Ave between Sandy Blvd and Stark Street. The event showcased how an expanse of underused city street can be reinvented as a community space. From the turnout, I would call the party — and the plan that inspired it — a huge success.
The party kicked off with local band Ten Spiders Band performing a rendition of Joni Mitchell’s “Big Yellow Taxi.” The lyrics “paved paradise and put up a parking lot” echoed with beautiful irony of the multiple vacant parking lots flanking the closed-off 7th Ave. Just imagine how this mostly-forgotten land could benefit our community and the Central Eastside!
Creatively used public space.Ten Spiders Band performPeople flocked to the space, making the demand clear.
“We’re really glad that Depave can host a block party like this to help people think outside the box and explore different ideas”
Dylan Rivera, PBOT
People poured into the block party to check out the sights. The cornhole, skateboard ramps, vendors, free ice cream, beer, bands performing under shade and ride-through misters attracted people from all walks of life. Even houseless residents came to join the festivities, cool off, and access resources. Katherine Rose, Depave’s communication and engagement coordinator, mentioned that “our misters and shade structures are actually providing an oasis in a part of town that doesn’t have other cooling centers set up.” This block party showcased some of Portland’s highest values: imagination and community.
Below is a look at current conditions compared to Option 1, the cul-de-sac:
(Source: Depave)Depave’s Katherine Rose and Ted Labbe (left to right)Depave’s information boothVisualizing green street curb bump outs
Rose said that Commissioner Mapps and Chris Warner, the director of PBOT, visited the block party to look at Depave’s design concept. The focal point of the block party was to inform as many people as possible about the redesign concept. I asked Dylan Rivera, PBOT’s public information officer, what people can do to help the city make projects like this a priority. “Make your voice heard when an opportunity like this comes up,” he said.
As the sun began to set on the block party, people had gotten on top of the vacant building abutting 7th Ave to enjoy the view from above. The skaters had stopped traffic on Sandy to let one of their finest accelerate downhill on 7th and jump over a barricade. When he stuck the landing, people from across the block cheered and applauded. It inspires hope to see how closing a city block to car traffic and bringing in a few vendors and games can inspire so many to see a new possibility.
As I was rolling away from the party I overheard a quick conversation. “What is going on?” a couple approaching the party asked.
“It’s a block party for the celebration of the new bridge. But they want to put some green space in here” a woman replied.
“That would be great! It’s just what this area needs.”
Filling the asphalt expanse of SE 7th Ave with people made this section of inner southeast Portland feel alive. But the “For Lease” signs, boarded up windows, and graffiti on the surrounding buildings reminded me that this event was only temporary. The Central Eastside needs a permanent community space to bring life back to these blocks of underused buildings and street space. If you think this is a good place for it, make sure to let them know via the survey.
Left to right: Metro Councilor-elect Ashton Simpson, former City Commissioner Chloe Eudaly, Congressman Earl Blumenauer, Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty. (Photos: Taylor Griggs/BikePortland)
Though people have been sneaking across it for a week (and thousands prematurely maneuvered it at the World Naked Bike Ride on Saturday night), yesterday was the first chance for folks to officially ring in the opening of the Congressman Earl Blumenauer Bicycle and Pedestrian Bridge, and though it was a searing hot day Sunday, hundreds of people gathered at a celebration to mark the debut of this long-awaited piece of infrastructure.
The sleek new bridge is named for Oregon Congressman Blumenauer, who has a long history of supporting biking in Portland and across the country, is founder of the Congressional Bike Caucus, and he’s known in Portland and on Capitol Hill for riding bikes and his signature bow ties. Blumenauer skipped the bowtie yesterday – it was too sweltering for such neckwear, although some attendees wore one in his honor and the City of Portland added them to bike lane characters nearby.
Commissioner Mingus Mapps and Friends of Green Loop Executive Director Keith Jones.Portland City Commissioner Dan RyanCommissioner Dan Ryan, Keith Jones, Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty.Commissioner Jo Ann HardestyBlumenauer approves of the plaque.Congressman Earl Blumenauer
The gathering was a who’s-who of Portland politicians. In addition to the Congressman, four city commissioners were in attendance, as were Oregon Metro President Lynn Peterson, Metro Councilor Juan Carlos Gonzales, Metro Councilor-elect Ashton Simpson and several Oregon state representatives. During the opening ceremony speeches, Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, who leads the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), asked the hundreds of attendees to up their transportation advocacy and help make Portland the bike and pedestrian haven it has the potential to be.
“I know we need [better bike and pedestrian infrastructure], but I’ve got some colleagues that may need convincing,” Hardesty said. “I will be depending on you, because we need you. I can’t do it without you.”
After a very fond introduction, Hardesty welcomed Blumenauer to the podium with a kiss on the cheek. When the Congressman took to the mic, he waved away the crowd’s fanfare.
“It’s too hot for extended applause,” Blumenauer said. (Someone in the audience yelled “I love you!” in response.)
“When I biked over here this morning, I just was overcome,” Blumenauer said. He demonstrated toward his grandchildren, who were sitting in the front row, choking up as he elaborated on what his namesake bridge means to him and to the city.
“What we’re doing here today is celebrating their future,” he said.
Though Blumenauer was clearly honored by the bridge named in his honor, he emphasized that just because he now has a piece of infrastructure named after him doesn’t mean he’s done working. (“I’m not dead yet!” he said.) He urged Portland bike advocates to get aspirational about what this city can accomplish if people get serious about our cycling infrastructure.
Bowtie-wearing bike lane character.
“Let’s commit to getting two million bicycles out of garages and attics. Let’s take that goal for 25% bike mode share and make it a third,” Blumenauer said. “I’m looking forward to working with you to bring these things across the finish line, to build the coalition to expand our vision and to be the national leader for cycling. Burning calories rather than fossil fuels is what we do best here.”
This new crossing is part of why Time Magazine recently called Portland one of the world’s greatest places, and it is a lovely way to travel across Portland’s east side. A glance to the west through the bridge’s fence barrier will give you a beautiful view of downtown Portland, with the White Stag sign glittering in the horizon. A traveler who doesn’t bristle at heights can take a look at the freeway below the bridge and notice how gratifying it is to be above car traffic as part of the peloton representing what’s so special about Portland.
The celebration lasted all day long. Though the crowd trickled down after the opening ceremony as people sought air-conditioned shelter, the fact that so many people came out to party at a new bridge during a heat wave says a lot about how dedicated so many Portlanders are about making it better to bike and walk in this city.
The politicians who spoke at the ceremony were heartened by this, too.
“With this bridge and today’s celebration, we have a symbol of what’s right in Portland,” Hardesty said during her speech. “A project like this does not happen without people putting their hearts and souls into it.”
Cassie Wilson riding an Adaptive BIKETOWN bike on the Eastbank Esplanade. (Photo courtesy Cassie Wilson)
Note: This post is part of a paid promotional partnership between BikePortland and BIKETOWN, operated by Lyft.
Cassie Wilson is a bright spot in Portland’s vast transportation advocacy scene. She’s part of a new guard of activists with an energy for making change that can only be rivaled by her anxiety of making none. Much of Wilson’s fire comes from her youth and the widespread sense among many in her demographic that us older folks have totally dropped the ball when it comes to leaving her generation a habitable planet.
I’ve followed Wilson’s work for a while now (you might recall her guest opinion we published in June 2021), and was thrilled when she recently rode an adaptive bike for the first time. It meant not only does another person get to experience the joy of cycling, it was also proof-positive that our city has created a public bike-share system that is truly breaking down barriers.
The existence of Adaptive BIKETOWN has allowed Wilson to be able to propel herself long distances under her own power for the very first time. Read more about her and this huge step in her personal mobility in the Q & A below:
“Adaptive BIKETOWN allowed me to visualize myself and other disabled people having the choice to get around by bike in the future.”
BikePortland: Can you share a bit of personal background?
I’m 24 years old and have lived in Boring, OR [a small, rural town about 15 miles southeast of downtown Portland] for most of my life. I spend a majority of my time advocating for climate, transportation, and disability justice through my work at The Street Trust and outside of that through the Sunrise Movement and in serving on several advisory boards in the region. When I’m not busy doing those things you can find me crocheting, listening to audiobooks, or enjoying the beauty of Oregon that we’re fighting so hard to protect from the impacts of climate change.
How do you describe your disability?
I have a form of dwarfism, so I’m only 3-feet, 7-inches tall. I can’t stand or walk for long periods of time so I use a mobility scooter most places I go.
How does that impact your ability to move around the city?
Wherever I go, I have to think about accessibility. As someone new to riding transit and using my mobility scooter as a form of transportation, I’ve had to think about accessibility in new ways. There are still sidewalks without curb cuts which leads me to have to backtrack and find another route to my destination. There are sidewalks that do have curb cuts, but they point into the middle of the intersection forcing me to go right next to moving traffic to get into the crosswalk. Some bus stops are in areas without sidewalks or where you have to cross through flower beds to get to the bus ramp which is difficult to safely and reliably board when it’s on an uneven surface. Additionally, there’s really only space for two wheelchair users on each bus, so if it’s full I either have to wait for the next one or find another route. With my scooter being battery powered, I try to get most of the way via transit to avoid worrying about needing to find an outlet to charge it.
“I ended up riding 5 miles which I realized was the furthest I’ve ever manually moved my body in my life”
What type of vehicles have you used to get around?
Living in Boring I have no access to public or active transportation infrastructure, so I eventually realized I’d have to drive if I wanted to work, go to school, or really do anything. Even though I am able to drive, cars are still super inaccessible to me. I had to get a wheelchair lift installed in our van and I have to get in with a stool that has a handle allowing me to pull it up into the car and store it in the passenger seat. Now that I am able to go places independently, it actually makes me less reliant on driving because I can drive to Gresham and then travel to Portland via bus or MAX instead of driving all the way there.
When did you first discover an adaptive bicycle?
I’d been aware of adaptive cycles for a while, but didn’t realize how easily accessible they were to disabled people in the Portland area until I connected with Roshin Kurian from PBOT who oversees Adaptive BIKETOWN’s operations. She encouraged me to come down and check out the adaptive bikes they have available to rent, and I ended up finding a small handcycle that worked for me.
What did it feel like to ride one? And how was it different from other vehicles/mobility devices you’d used in the past?
It was super fun to ride a bike for the first time in my adult life! The first time I went to Adaptive BIKETOWN and rode the handcycle I actually ended up riding 5 miles which I realized was the furthest I’ve ever manually moved my body in my life. I used to use a manual wheelchair before I could take my mobility scooter places, but it was a lot easier to propel the handcycle for much farther with less effort. I still don’t have the strength to get up most inclines, so bringing a friend along to give me a boost when needed makes a big difference.
What role did Adaptive Biketown play in the evolution of your mobility?
(Photo: Jonathan Maus)
Adaptive BIKETOWN allowed me to visualize myself and other disabled people having the choice to get around by bike in the future. As a disabled person, it takes a lot of time and energy to find accessible alternatives to most things in life and that includes traditional bikes. Adaptive BIKETOWN lowers the barrier to entry because the variety of cycles they have available to rent all in one place makes it easier to find one to meet your needs.
What do you want people to know about Adaptive Biketown?
One of my favorite things about Adaptive BIKETOWN is its location. The shop is right on the Eastbank Esplanade and close to the Springwater Trail which makes it a nice car-free area to get comfortable on a bike for the first time.
They currently have free one hour rentals and discounted rates beyond that for those who qualify, so this summer is a great time to go check it out!
Anything else you’d like to share with us?
I think we still have a long way to go in terms of infrastructure and investments in these types of programs to make cycling safe, accessible, and convenient across the region. There could definitely be further innovation in the world of adaptive bikes to meet people’s wants and needs. The handcycle is a fun time, but my dream bike to truly get me places would probably be some sort of foot-power e-trike that fits my dwarf proportions and doesn’t exist yet!
“Is high speed on two wheels only accepted and laudable if you’re physically gifted enough to achieve it?”
Welcome to the Comment of the Week, where we highlight good comments in order to inspire more of them. You can help us choose our next one by replying with “comment of the week” to any comment you think deserves recognition.
Dawn of the ‘throttle kids,’ by BikePortland contributor Megan Ramey garnered 110 comments, not bad for a first post! The article was about the increasing number of teenagers she is seeing using Class 2 e-bikes with throttles to get around Hood River.
The comment thread, as sometimes happens, took on a life of its own. Many of the comments revisited the issue of what to call a “bike” to distinguish it from an “e-bike.” Apparently, this is somewhat of a hot-button issue.
Simmering not far below the surface of the opinions, and maybe giving them some of their spit, lies the deeper divide of how, and why, riders ride. Some cyclists train hard and go fast. For others, a bike is utilitarian, part of a daily commute, and an e-bike helps the owner with both hills and age.
Into this long-running tension stepped Karstan, a self-described former “vehicular cyclist” who shared a change-of-heart story.
Here’s his comment:
I’ve recently noticed a trend in the comment sections for BP’s ebike articles: the same folks arguing that ebikes are “too fast” are also often the ones that boast about how fast they can go on their “not-at-all-acoustic-or-analog-just-a-regular-bike-please-and-thank-you” bikes under their own power. Is high speed on two wheels only accepted and laudable if you’re physically gifted enough to achieve it? I don’t see many folks lambasting the lycra-clad, maybe-taking-HGH, TDF-wannabe that passed too close during their morning bike ride. Why is it a problem when someone goes the same speed with a little electric assist? Do they have to earn it through a fortunate combination of beneficial genes, spending power, and enough free time to train for it?
I’m a former “vehicular cyclist” who rode higher-end road bikes with narrow tires, aggressively, hard and preferably over 20 mph thank you very much. Ebikes were very much “cheating” in my mind. One day about 10+ years ago I was talking to someone who was excited about getting an ebike. She was a mother with 3 kids who wasn’t athletically inclined or even physically active. Biking was previously out of the question for her in her suburban NJ town. But with an ebike, she enthused, she could achieve a speed closer that made her feel more confident and in a way that made getting on a bike approachable, She could even arrive without being a sweaty mess! I lambasted[ly] mocked her. That was NOT “a real bike” and was “cheating.” The idea of being passed by her while I was sweating up a hill on my bike made me furious. I left the conversation feeling angry and self-righteous. Couldn’t she just get out of her SUV and ride a bike? It would be so much better for her and the environment! And, it suddenly dawned on me… my ego. Why else would I be so against her getting out of her car and onto an albeit electrified bicycle? She wasn’t going to get out of the SUV now. Biking as I knew it wasn’t an option for her. And I’d just done my best to make her feel awful for considering an alternative. It took me a few hours to process these thoughts, but I contacted her the next day and apologized profusely. I begged her to get that ebike and said I looked forward to going on a ride with her.
Isn’t it better to have these folks zipping around on their ebikes than driving a Nissan Titanic or whatever? If an electric motor is all it takes to get someone out of that ICE-powered Ford Fiefdom and onto two wheels, isn’t that a good thing? Should there be some more regulation regarding motor wattage and top speed? Certainly! But the nitpicking over language, etc. is the worst kind of gatekeeping, IMHO.
TL;DR: I’d rather be crowded on the MUP, being passed by 20 teens on over-powered “mopeds” (or choose your epithet of choice) than have one of them flatten me in their Dodge Deathstar when they blow through the stop sign at the other end of my ride.
You can read Karstan’s comment, and all 109 other comments in this thread, under the original post.
Welcome to the first day of August and the start of another wonderful week here on BikePortland. We have lots of fun stuff to share, so let’s kick things off with a roundup of the most notable items our writers and readers came across in the past seven days…
DOTs gonna’ DOT: Activists in Texas are raising the red flag on their DOTs freeway expansion projects, which are somehow almost always found to have “no significant impact” on the surrounding community and can therefore skirt thorough environmental analysis.
Great news: Politico details why gas prices are likely to remain high in the future as society transitions away from internal combustion engines, oil companies struggle to meet demand, the vehicle fleet transitions to e-cars, and investors bet to renewables.
Better bike routing: Google Maps has announced an update to their biking directions which includes details about what type of road conditions to expect, whether or not you’ll encounter steep hills, and so on.
Rolling down NE Lloyd just before turning onto the Blumenauer Bridge. Full gallery below. (Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
I have no idea how many people showed up to Peninsula Park for the World Naked Bike Ride tonight, but I don’t think people stayed away like organizers had hoped.
The crowd was absolutely massive, and the vibes and spirit folks showed up with were even bigger. It was a perfect summer night to take off all your clothes and ride with a few thousand people.
I didn’t shoot as many photos as usual. Instead, I tried something new and recorded audio interviews with a bunch of people. It was really fun and I had some great conversations with participants, onlookers, and even a bunch of folks who just happened to be at the park celebrating a 21-year-old’s birthday party and were very upset when thousands of naked people descended on their picnic. I’ll share it all as a podcast soon.
One other thing I will mention is that there were a lot of upset drivers out there tonight. This year has been off the charts in terms of people driving through massive group rides. I heard of several people being hit and I personally saw 3-4 drivers gun it through the group. Sigh. That type of thing used to be super rare.
But a handful of angry people are absolutely meaningless to the hundreds of supportive people who came out to cheer on the group, and the thousands of people who rode tonight with smiles on their faces and lots of warm, fuzzy feelings in their hearts.
This was Portland at its finest!
One of the highlights was when the group took over the Blumenauer Bridge, which doesn’t officially open to the public until Sunday morning (today!).
If you are on the ride still, let us know how it’s going! And we’d love to hear your overall impressions of the ride.
The Portland City Council is making strong statements about climate action. Are they going to follow through?
Last week, Portland City Council moved forward on a work plan to address the climate crisis outlining the “actions Portland can and must take to eliminate carbon emissions by 2050.” This plan emerged from City Council’s 2020 Climate Emergency Declaration, which set new, ambitious emissions reductions targets and reentered Portland’s climate plan to focus on climate justice and equity.
But transportation advocates have largely stayed focused on their own work instead of commenting on this work plan at all, and those who have spoken up aren’t impressed by the vague language in the plan and the lack of dedicated funding for many of the action items in the plan. Adding to the unease are recent pro-freeway expansion Council votes which don’t give the City of Portland much credibility when it comes to climate action.
The Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS), headed by Commissioner Carmen Rubio, led the construction of this work plan, but it’s broken up into multiple categories which involve other City bureaus, especially the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT).
There are nine actions outlined in the work plan’s transportation category. They are as follows:
A graph of City Council’s emissions reductions targets. The moonshot aim is to cut emissions in half by 2030 and hit net zero by 2050. (Source: City of Portland)
Make low-carbon travel options safe, accessible, and convenient for all Portlanders.
Use equitably designed pricing strategies and parking management to encourage less driving when people and businesses have other travel options.
Decouple transportation funding from fossil fuels.
Make low-carbon transportation options more affordable, especially for those who can least afford them.
Support state and regional vehicle miles traveled reduction policies.
Make new construction ready for electric vehicle charging.
Make it easier to use electric vehicles if you can’t charge at home.
Make freight cleaner.
Replace petroleum diesel at the pump.
The document explains how the city intends to follow through on these actions, with some explanations more detailed than others.
Many action items are vaguely worded and/or have no dedicated funding.
The description for accomplishing the first item is a good example of this. Here, the document says this action item will be accomplished via “allocation of space on city streets for non-single occupant auto trips, increase funding for infrastructure projects, activation and programs that support more people making more trips by walking, biking and transit.”
Other actions are more straightforward: for example, Portland has a plan in the books to price driving and parking in order to reduce car dependency, which gives a bit more weight to the second action item.
“Clapping each other on the back for saying you’ll do something about [the climate crisis] only adds insult to injury.”
– Liam Castles, in city council testimony
The 2020 Climate Emergency Declaration came right after Mayor Ted Wheeler and then-Portland Bureau of Transportation Commissioner Chloe Eudaly revoked their support for the I-5 Rose Quarter expansion project, which added some legitimacy to their climate action ambitions. Now things are different. Not only did the City recently rejoin the Rose Quarter project, they also unanimously voted to support the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program’s (IBRP) Locally Preferred Alternative just a week before adopting the climate work plan. The IBRP will expand I-5 over the Columbia River and advocates don’t think it will provide the active transportation infrastructure necessary to offset the increased car capacity.
At the July 20th City Council meeting when Council heard public comment about the climate work plan, youth climate activist Liam Castles criticized the commissioners for what he sees as their performative support for climate action that doesn’t have any weight behind it.
“You are voting on my future and the future of every young person in Portland,” Castles said. “Clapping each other on the back for saying you’ll do something about [the climate crisis] only adds insult to injury.”
Wheeler responded to Castles by encouraging him to run for City Council in the future.
The commissioners did agree with critics that even the best-laid plans aren’t meaningful if they aren’t followed by action.
“We have a lot of work ahead, and it will take real substantive action from all of us to make the consequential changes that we did for Portland, for our families and for future generations,” Rubio said.
Current PBOT Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty acknowledged critics by thanking climate activist organizations the Sunrise Movement, Verde and The Street Trust for being good partners “no matter how frustrated they get with us at times.”
While commissioners all agreed to move forward with this plan, they’ll still accept written input until August 24th, when they’ll reconvene on the subject. Commissioners emphasized the ongoing nature of this work and said the plan will continue to evolve as more stakeholders weigh in.
The Pacific Northwest is currently in the midst of a brutal heat wave that has already been linked to the deaths of four Oregonians. Like the work plan says, it’s now or never. The question is whether or not these strong words will be followed up with action, which will require dedicated funding and considerable work on the part of City Council.
Now that the project’s Locally Preferred Alternative has been endorsed and the project is moving into its financial and environmental assessment and design phase, interest groups on all sides see this as a crucial moment to retrench, build power, and prep for the next phase of the fight.
Last night was a strong show of force for the coalition as they embark on the massive task of competing with the million-dollar marketing budget of the project team in a bid to prevent the Oregon Department of Transportation from spending billions on a project they say won’t solve the problems we face.
Among the crowd was a whos-who of activists, planners, elected officials, and freeway fighters — many of whom were around a decade ago to fight the previous iteration of this project, the Columbia River Crossing.
One of them was Mara Gross who fought the CRC as a staffer with Coalition for A Livable future. “I am sad to say that the same issues we saw back then are still at play today,” Gross said, as the first of several speakers aimed at riling up the crowd. “It’s still a mega-freeway expansion over the river. It’s still seven freeway interchanges over five miles.”
Just Crossing Alliance isn’t looking to kill this project, they just want to make it better. And that means smaller. Smaller footprint, smaller budget, smaller impact on the earth and people who live around the project.
Oregon State Representative Khanh Pham sits on the Joint Legislative Committee on the I-5 Bridge and has been an outspoken critic of the IBR project. She and many others are worried about the financial commitment required to build the currently proposed design, and how that investment will rob more pressing priorities like fixing urban arterials. Last night she said:
“ODOT keeps telling us, ‘I’m sorry, but we just don’t have the money to be making these critical investments in your street. And so you’re just going to have to accept that, every year, another community member is going to die trying to cross the street or riding their bicycle.’
And, you know, I now see as a legislator, that in fact, the money is available. It’s just being used on other priorities.”
In the 18 months Rep. Pham has been in office she’s learned that if she wants to make good on her activism credentials and continue to speak her truths to power in Salem, she needs support. “I am only as powerful as the grassroots community that’s behind me,” she told the crowd. “I need you to back me up and show that this legislator is not just a renegade, spouting off on her own… we really need to show that there is a growing and mass movement behind this this effort.”
Pham then looked in the crowd toward Metro Councilor Mary Nolan (who I believe referred to Pham as a “sister”) and led a loud round of applause for the “courage and conviction” of her recent lone “no” vote against the LPA.
The turnout and enthusiasm last night will buoy the spirits of advocates and will act as salve for their wounds after the project was almost unanimously approved by local governments. They’ll need the boost as the project moves into the next phase of the process.
The next big debate is likely to center around a new cost estimate that the IBR team has said will be released in November. Currently estimated at $5 billion, the new number is likely to be much higher. And next session at the Oregon Legislature, lawmakers will be asked to make a down payment on the project.
Just Crossing Alliance backers hope the payments they pledged last night will give those politicians pause.
The 2012 ride, with live music and international media correspondents at the start location, was one of the biggest ever. (Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
“We are trying to remind folks that this isn’t Bridge Pedal.”
– WNBR organizer
After growing into Portland’s biggest free bike event, the World Naked Bike Ride wants to get back to its roots. Organizers of this year’s edition — which will embark from Peninsula Park Saturday night — say they want the ride to evolve from a massive party to a more manageable protest.
Started with humble intentions in 2004 as part of a global protest against fossil fuels, Portland’s first WNBR had less than 200 participants. Four years later it grew to 2,000. Then it was around 7,000 in 2010 before hitting a peak of over 10,000 riders in 2014.
But the novelty of growing the event and reveling in its size and influence has worn off for many of its fans and organizers. While it was exhilarating for advocates to see so many people riding bikes and they worked hard to stoke interest and attention on the event, there were also downsides.
This year it will feel different. “It’s going to be much more back-to-the-roots,” one of the organizers told me in an interview Thursday.
“For so many years the ride was getting bigger and bigger and people outside the core bike community were showing up. That was really exciting, but this year we are trying to remind folks that this isn’t Bridge Pedal [a large annual organized ride with corporate sponsors]… This is a protest,” they said.
Organizers aren’t promoting the ride as aggressively as they used to. To dilute interest and dampen attendance at tomorrow’s ride, they’ve encouraged other naked rides throughout this year’s Pedalpalooza.
Don’t get it wrong: Seeing a lot of newbies and new faces on the ride is a great thing, but what organizers are getting at is that in recent years the WNBR became a major destination event with hundreds of people driving cars to the venue. “I get a lot of emails from people asking where to park their cars,” they said. “The last thing WNBR needs to do is flood a neighborhood with a bunch of parked cars. It just doesn’t make any sense.”
Protest messages at past WNBRs.
In addition to a demonstration against oil dependency and fossil fuels, the ride is also about body positivity. But as WNBR has grown, many complaints have surfaced from people who don’t feel safe on the ride. The vulnerability of bicycling is one thing, but being naked around thousands of strangers adds another layer which can be very unwelcome and even unsafe for some people.
Organizers of the ride are putting a lot more energy into rider safety this year. Instead of selling merchandise, live music and having 100s of porta-potties at the start location, they’re urging folks to plan ahead and be more self-sufficient. That doesn’t mean you’ll be left hanging. There is more focus this year on making sure there are ample course marshalls, medics, and mechanics along the route in case anyone needs help.
WNBR organizers know they can’t control what happens Saturday night; but there are forces beyond their control that could lead to a smaller turnout. Many people are rightfully concerned about the ongoing spread of Covid, the heat could keep people away, as could fear of interactions with Portland police or aggressive car users (there’s been an uptick in people driving through group rides this summer). Then there’s the looming monkeypox virus — which is primarily transmitted through skin-to-skin contact in close quarters
“There’s a lot of reasons having a smaller ride is probably to the benefit of the community,” the organizer said.
Please keep all this in mind as you make your plans. For more information, read the WNBR FAQ. And don’t forget the two afterparties! On the ride, follow Diablo and his Tiki Bike to one of them. For the other party, check out the details and follow PopCartPDX on IG.
Existing conditions on NE 33rd at Mason. The new two-way bike lane would be on the right next to Wilshire Park.
The City of Portland wants to make it easier to bike, scoot and walk around Wilshire Park in the Beaumont-Wilshire neighborhood. Two upcoming projects would add bike lanes to key stretches of NE 33rd and Skidmore, which would give people a safer way to cross a major north-south street, create a better connection to an existing neighborhood greenway, and allow people to avoid a gap in the network that requires sidewalk riding.
The Portland Bureau of Transportation has plans for two separate but connected projects.
NE 33rd
Click to enlarge. (Source: PBOT)
(PBOT bike map with location of new bike lanes circled.)
The first project would create a better connection between NE Mason and Skidmore across 33rd. Mason and Skidmore are currently used as east-west bike routes through the area and are important options when the nearest neighborhood greenways on NE Klickitat and Going are too far away. Skidmore also intersects with NE 37th, a major north-south greenway.
The problem is 33rd — a very high-traffic street with no dedicated cycling space. The official city bike map (right) recommends that bicycle users roll up onto the sidewalk in Wilshire Park to make the connection.
PBOT wants to get bike riders onto the street. They plan to re-allocate space currently used as free car storage to create a two-way, physically-protected bike lane. To make it even safer for bike users, PBOT will add a user-activated signal to help folks get across 33rd. The design is similar to what PBOT did just a few blocks north in 2010 at NE Going and 33rd.
A PBOT rep told us the project will be installed later this summer as part of a paving project on 33rd.
NE Skidmore
PBOT’s initial proposal for NE Skidmore between 33rd and 37th.
A closely related project would change the layout of Skidmore between 33rd and 37th. This four-block stretch adjacent to Wilshire Park is 40-feet wide, has no lane striping and is used as a typical residential street with free car storage on both sides.
PBOT has released an initial proposal that would create 12-feet of dedicated cycling space. The idea is to continue the two-way bike lane from 33rd along the south side of Skidmore (but instead of a cement-curb buffer, this section would be a paint-only buffer). As you can see in the cross-section drawings from PBOT, their initial proposal would maintain four, seven-foot lanes for drivers — two for moving and two for parking.
Balto’s post on Nextdoor.
You might recall at the onset of the pandemic in April 2020, neighborhood resident and noted bike advocate Sam Balto created his own “extended sidewalk” on this stretch of Skidmore. Balto has spent years pushing his neighbors and PBOT to see the potential of this street.
“Besides the 7 homes that have driveways on this stretch of Skidmore why do we need this road?? It’s 42 ft wide and a quarter mile long. Couldn’t it serve the public better besides being just another road??”
Many of the 627 comments expressed shock and confusion that anyone would care about changing this street.
But Balto’s campaign appears to have worked. A PBOT rep confirmed with me yesterday that while the above cross-section drawings are just an initial proposal, they plan to do something as part of an upcoming Fixing Our Streets project that’s scheduled for construction in 2024.
CORRECTION, 4:21: I originally reported that these proposals had been presented at a BWNA meeting. That was incorrect. I regret the error and any confusion it caused
