PBOT works on cycle track design, legal issues

City Traffic Engineer Rob Burchfield
presented the new cycle track to
the bike advisory committee
at City Hall last night.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Last month, when Mayor Adams and the Bureau of Transportation announced the new, cycle track pilot project on SW Broadway, many people in the community were excited. The removal of an entire lane of auto traffic on a marquee downtown street just to create more space for bike traffic was cause for celebration in bike circles.

However, it wasn’t all smiles in Bikeville and some people raised concerns about the new facility.

The concerns seemed to be primarily about how folks would negotiate a left turn out of the cycle track (bikes are separated from motor vehicle traffic by parked cars), and how the cycle track (a new facility type not specifically defined in Oregon statutes) would jibe with existing traffic laws that govern bikeways.

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Saltzman creates new pedicab committee to oversee policy changes

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Ryan Hashagen, owner of
Portland Cascadia Pedicabs.
(Photos © J. Maus)
-Video below-

Today in City Council chambers, Commissioner Dan Saltzman proposed an amendment to the City of Portland’s proposed changes to the Private For Hire code. The amendment, which passed unanimously, will create an ad-hoc committee to address the issue of how the City regulates pedicabs.

Last month, we reported that one local pedicab business owner, Ryan Hashagen of Portland Cascadia Pedicabs, was very concerned that the new code would have a negative impact on his business.

The City issued a statement refuting Hashagen’s concerns, but that didn’t stop Hashagen from swinging into action. He organized fellow pedicab owners, he rounded up pedicab operators to testify at City Hall, he did the local media circuit, and he met with Commissioner Saltzman to present his concerns.

Now it seems like Hashagen’s work has paid off.

According to Hashagen, the new committee would include representatives from pedicab companies, pedicab operators, the BTA, PBOT, the Police Bureau and the Revenue Bureau. The committee will be tasked to meet and come back to Council within 60-90 days with revisions to the current Private For-Hire code, or Hashagen says, “Maybe even an entirely new set of codes specific to pedicabs.”

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Industry vet sets roots, opens new bike shop in Southeast Portland

New shop- Lucky Thirteen Bikes-7

Shop owner Reggie Dean helps a
customer diagnose a wheel problem.
–More photos–
(Photos © J. Maus)

Reggie Dean’s bicycle career has taken him all over the country. Now, with the opening of Lucky 13 Bikes at 5020 SE Division, he hopes to finally settle down.

The 38-year old bike industry veteran has worked as a bike shop mechanic in the biking hot-spots of San Francisco and Asheville, North Carolina. Then he worked for Cane Creek Cycling Components where he helped develop their wheel-building program and was the team wrench for their professional women’s mountain bike team. From Cane Creek, Reggie moved to Mt. Kisco, New York, where he managed on of the “Top 100” bike shops in the country.

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Sunday Parkways – North Portland

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

What: These events present a wonderful opportunity for you and your family to get out and be active right in your own neighborhood. You will be able to walk, bike run, roll, meet your neighbors, and enjoy entertainment in the parks and along the routes

When: June 21, 9am-4pm

Where: North Portland. Throughout Arbor Lodge, Peninsula and Kenton Parks, plus Willamette Bluff. No starting point.

More Info: http://www.portlandonline.com/transportation/index.cfm?c=46103&

The Wild Side – Women On Bikes Ride

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

What: Discover the wilds of Cathedral Park, Smith and Bybee Lakes, and Columbia Slough. Helmets required, water suggested.
Distance: 12 miles Time: 2 hours

When: Thursday, June 4, 6:00pm

Where: Meeting Place – Columbia Park Cottage 4339 N Lombard.

Portland Farmers Market Group Ride

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

What: Family-friendly group ride leaving from multiple locations to the Portland Farmers Market. There will be refreshments, kid’s activity on-site, and “enter to win” prize drawing at noon. Bike parking is available.

When: Saturday, May 30. Arrive at 11am.

Where: Portland Farmers Market at PSU

More info: Watch www.portlandfarmersmarket.org for start locations & times

Ride of Silence

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

What: Silent, slow-paced ride to honor bicyclists injured or killed on
public roads.

When: Wednesday, May 20, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. The route is approximately eight miles long, and we will ride at a pace of no more than 12 mph. We expect to finish a little after 8:00 p.m.

Where: Starts outside the BikeFarm at 305 NE Wygant Street, near the intersection of NE Alberta and MLK.

More Info: The Ride will also occur in six other Oregon communities: Beaverton, Bend, Corvallis, Eugene, Pendelton, and Salem. For a complete listing of all Ride of Silence locations throughout the world, visit http://www.rideofsilence.org/.

Blumenauer, Bike Caucus members to take “Spinning Challenge”

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

This just in, from the Office of U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer:

Tomorrow, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-Ore.), Co-Chair of the Congressional Bike Caucus, will join with fellow Caucus members for the Congressional Cycling Fair. In honor of National Bike to Work Week and to show their support of bike issues and bike to work opportunities on the Hill, members of the Congressional Bike Caucus will square off in a mini-spinning contest versus the Altarum Institute’s Professional Women’s Cycling team.

According to the press release, other Bike Caucus members joining Rep. Blumenauer are Rep. Tom Petri (R- Wis.), Rep. Mike Quigley (D-Ill.), and Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D- D.C.).

I’d love to get a photo of this.

The congestion solution? Chill out and slow down

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward
new Hawthorne Bridge markings

Approaching the Hawthorne Bridge.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Since last Thursday, readers have left nearly 500 comments on our stories about a horrific crash on the Hawthorne Bridge between two bike riders.

The discussion has revolved around who’s at fault, the design of the sidewalk/path (it’s still unclear what it is, technically), how people should behave while crossing the bridge, and so on.

My thoughts and coverage instantly focused on the design issues. I wanted to hash out all the possible, infrastructure-based solutions and I thought this crash was yet another sign that our bike/ped network was falling behind and quickly becoming inadequate. I thought this high-profile crash was the perfect illustration that bikes need more space. Now!

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Food collection ride will help the hungry

Detail from event flyer

The Portland-based Ironclad Cycling Team and the Oregon Food Bank have teamed up for what organizers call a “unique food drive”.

Dubbed “Underpants and Heavy Cans”, the event combines the competitive fun of an alleycat, the warm-fuzzies of helping feed folks in need, a huge list of prizes, and handmade underpants (I’ll explain that later).

Ironclad team manager Dave Aldersebaes the ride was “born from a want to help our fellow citizens, and what better way to do it than by bike?”.

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Ride of Silence will roll through Northeast Portland

Ride of Silence - Portland-7.jpg

A scene from last year’s Ride of Silence.
(Photo © J. Maus)

For the fourth year in a row, Portland will take part in the national Ride of Silence event. The local edition of this ride — which began in Texas in 2003 and has spread to hundreds of cities — will take place in Northeast Portland on May 20th.

The Ride of Silence is a silent, slow-paced ride to remember people that have been injured or killed on public roads while riding their bicycles. It will also take place in six other Oregon communities: Beaverton,
Bend, Corvallis, Eugene, Pendelton, and Salem.

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