BikePortland

County erred in suspension of citizen bike/ped committee (Updated)

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

[**See updates below**]

Multnomah County has admitted an error in their decision to temporarily suspend their Bicycle and Pedestrian Citizen Advisory Committee.

Yesterday, after seeing an email that was forwarded to committee members from Senior Transportation Planner Jane McFarland, I reported that the county had decided to not replace their bike/ped coordinator staff position and, as a result, would suspend the all-volunteer committee.

That decision surprised committee members and many in the community who were concerned that the county would be missing out on a very important part of how their transportation policy is made.

“TriMet’s agreement to pay the maximum amount of damages that TriMet believes it owes proves that Austin’s death was the result of a bus driver’s carelessness.”
— Stephanie Miller, Austin Miller’s mother

The Oregonian’s Aimee Green is reporting that Austin Miller’s parents have reached a settlement with TriMet for $200,000.

Austin Miller died on February 11, 2008 (at the age of 15) when he and a TriMet bus collided near the intersection of SW Murray and SW Farmington Road in Beaverton.

At the 2005 Bunny on a Bike ride.

Just a quick break in the action to share with you all that four years ago today I published my first ever post about biking in Portland (it was posted to the “Bike Fun” blog on Oregonlive.com, I launched BikePortland.org on my own a few months later).

6,655 posts, 75,481 comments and a lot of hard work later and here we are…doing pretty much the same thing (well, O.K., a lot has changed, but I’m still just posting stories about biking in Portland).

It’s been a long and crazy road.

(Photo © J. Maus)

Staffers and volunteers working on the City of Portland’s Bicycle Master Plan update are currently putting on a full-court press to finish what they hope will be the most ambitious and innovative plan of its kind in the country (much like our current one was when it came out in 1997).

Part of that massive effort (which I’ll be sharing more about in future stories) is the creation of new materials that help flesh out the case for biking in Portland. Skimming through the City of Portland’s website the other day, I came across one such document (I assume it will be used in the upcoming Bicycle Master Plan open houses in May).

The BikeStation in Long Beach,
California.
(Photos © J. Maus)

A reader sent over a story from Marketwire that I thought was a very good sign for biking in America.

Tech Coast Angels (TCA), “the largest angel investor group in the United States”, has decided to invest $500,000 in Bikestation. Bikestation — which is now a registered trademark of Mobis Transportation Alternatives, Inc. — plans, designs, and operates “bike transit centers”. The facilities provide secure parking and other amenities to urban bike commuters (I visited a Bikestation in Long Beach back in 2007).

Dress up for a hoppin’
good time this Sunday.
-Slideshow below-
(Photos © J. Maus)

Continuing a proud tradition that started in Portland in 2004, this Sunday (4/12) bikers all over the city will don their best bunny costumes to help ring in Easter and the spring season.

My family and I have taken part in the Bunny on a Bike ride for several years now and it’s always one of the most enjoyable rides of the year. It’s a great way meet some great folks, enjoy a ride through your neighborhood and show off your bike-fun flair.

The ride starts from multiple locations throughout the city (see list below) and then converges on the Eastbank Esplanade (near Vera Katz statue). From there, the entire group will ride to a final, secret destination for a big potluck and Easter Egg Hunt.

Check out this cool event that will happen as part of the big NY400 campaign surrounding the 400th anniversary of the friendship between the Netherlands and New York City.

PRESS RELEASE APRIL 2ND 2009: NY400 BIKING IN NEW YORK CITY

400 wheels representing 400 years of friendship between New York City and the Netherlands.

400 wheels, 200 orange NY400 Batavus bicycles, will be leaving the Netherlands this week and are on their way to New York as a special gift, celebrating 400 years of friendship.

Why 400: Four hundred years ago, a Dutch ship called the Half Moon arrived on the shores of what is now New York City with Captain Henry Hudson at the helm. This year we celebrate the deep-rooted connection between the Netherlands and New York City including the common values of freedom, openness, entrepreneurship and tolerance, as well as the cultural ties of these forward-thinking societies.

Read more

The Columbian: Congressman says financial reality of CRC “may mean fewer lanes”

Front page of The Columbian newspaper today.

U.S. Congressman Brian Baird (D-WA) is featured in a front page story in today’s edition of The Columbian newspaper expressing his concerns about the “fiscal reality” of the new I-5 bridge (the story is only available in their print edition).

Echoing a sentiment shared by economist Joe Cortright at Sunday’s rally in opposition to a 12-lane Columbia River Crossing (where Cortright compared the CRC staff’s accounting to Bernie Madoff), Baird told The Columbian that “he has longstanding concerns about how to pay for a project expected to cost $3.5 billion” and that he has “received few answers”.

“Due to continued declining transportation revenues, the County has decided not replace that transportation planning staff position in the near future. Regrettably, a consequence is that we are unable to staff the Bicycle and Pedestrian Citizen Advisory Committee, and it will be suspended until further notification.”
— Jane McFarland, Multnomah County Tranportation Planner in an email to committee members

Members of the Multnomah County Bicycle and Pedestrian Citizen Advisory Committee were surprised this weekend when they received an email saying the committee will be “suspended until further notification”.

The email came from the county’s principal transportation planner Jane McFarland. McFarland wrote that “due to declining transportation revenues” Multnomah County has no plans to replace their recently departed bike/ped coordinator Jennifer Dederich and that, “regrettably, a consequence is that we are unable to staff the Bicycle and Pedestrian Citizen Advisory Committee…”

McFarland assured committee members that the County will “continue planning, constructing and maintaining bicycle and pedestrian facilities.”

At a meeting in City Hall last night, Parks Commissioner Nick Fish (in suit in upper left corner) learned more about urban mountain biking issues from a host of experts and advocates.
(Photos © J. Maus)

Are you a regular bicycle rider but have never taken a bicycle tour? Now that it’s spring, are you itching to hit the open road once the weather gets nicer and explore nature in a way you haven’t yet?

Then join us to learn more about Self-Supported Bicycle Touring. We’ll be discussing equipment, planning, and cost as well as day-to-day life on the road. We’ll also have a few loaded touring bikes to check out.

This class is FREE. Donations accepted.

CONTACT:
Shawn Granton, urbanadventureleague at scribble daht comm, urbanadventureleague.blogspot.com, 503-236-338

Location:
HI-Portland, Hawthorne District Hostel, 3031 SE Hawthorne Blvd (Mt. Tabor Room)
6:30pm – 8:30pm

Carfree Happy Hour

What: Portland Carfree Happy Hour

When: April 9th, 5-7pm (and the second Thursday of every month)

Where: Roots Organic Brewing Company 1520 SE 7th AVE

What’s your vision of sustainable transportation and how to make it happen for Portland and the greater world? How do you get around in Portland in and in the greater world? What are you working on? Please join Portland’s first Car-free happy hour to discuss, mingle, and eat and drink.

Car-free happy hour is an informal venue to mingle participate in a social exchange of information, ideas, and connections. If you’re interested in trip planners, maps, planning and the like for biking, walking, and transit, I encourage you to join Portland’s car- free happy hour.

Bicyclists, transit riders, pedestrians, motorists looking for other options, carpoolers, activists, consultants, nerds, journalists, public agency employees, politicians, neighbors, and friends are invited.

For monthly reminders and discussion: http://groups.google.com/group/pdx-carfree

County erred in suspension of citizen bike/ped committee (Updated)

Oregonian: TriMet settles Austin Miller death for $200,000

Holy moly, I’ve been doing this for four years!

Why should the City of Portland invest in bicycling?

An “unprecedented win for bicycling”: Bikestation gets $500,000 angel investment

Bunnies on bikes will hop through city Sunday

Press Release: 200 Dutch bikes in NYC for 400 years of friendship

The Columbian: Congressman says financial reality of CRC “may mean fewer lanes”

Multnomah County won’t re-hire bike/ped coordinator, suspends citizen committee

Commissioner Fish gets educated at off-road biking roundtable

Bicycle Touring Workshop

Carfree Happy Hour

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