🚨 Please note: BikePortland is currently on hiatus and only publishing guest articles. Learn more here. Thank you. - Jonathan 🙏
Karl Rohde is no longer on the staff of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA). Rohde was the BTA’s Government Relations and Public Affairs Director.
Late this afternoon I received several phone calls and emails about the news after Rohde sent out an email to colleagues announcing his departure. I was later able to confirm it with Rohde himself.
It’s shaping up to be a beautiful weekend. Which is a good thing, because there are some compelling reasons to get out there and ride.
The big event of the weekend is the Build Less Bridge CRC Opposition and Alternatives Rally this Sunday at noon in Waterfront Park near the Morrison Bridge. A lineup of speakers including City Commissioner Amanda Fritz will inspire the crowd to work for alternatives to the proposed new 12-lane highway bridge in Portland.
If you are planning to bike to the rally, you can find out where meet up with other folks riding from your part of the area (or start your own ride) on this map
[Editor’s note: This guest editorial was written by Roger Geller, Bicycle Coordinator for the City of Portland.]
“What does it mean to be exemplary? To me it means the two “C’s” of cycling: Courtesy and confidence.”
In the past week I’ve been noticing harbingers of spring: flowering magnolia, daffodils in full bloom, tulips beginning to push their way up, birds early in the morning, sun later in the evenings, and, on especially nice days, a city beginning to pop with bicycling. We are approaching Portland’s high bicycle season.
“Visitors will find that special bike-crossing signals and bike lanes highlighted in bright green help to guide traffic in the most complicated intersections. Breaking up a ride with a stop at a cafe or a pub adds to the pleasure.” – Matt Furber, New York Times
Portland’s bike-friendliness earned prominent billing in the Escapes section of today’s New York Times. An article called “Portland, Portland Style: Touring by Bicycle” encourages travelers to bring their bikes to Portland to see the city the way locals do.
The article extensively quotes Roger Geller, the city’s bicycle coordinator, discussing the “exponential” growth in the number of people on bikes in recent years, and saying that the city’s “goal is to become a world class bicycling city.”
Unlike many bike-oriented travel articles that focus on renting a cruiser for a summer jaunt down Waterfront Park and back along the Eastbank Esplanade before heading to a fancy downtown restaurant, this piece focuses on citywide infrastructure, amenities and destinations.
One surprise at the Idaho Stop bill hearing two weeks ago was outright opposition from an unexpected quarter — the city of Eugene.
BikePortland obtained a copy of a letter in opposition from Lee Shoemaker, Eugene’s bicycle and pedestrian coordinator, outlining his concerns with the bill’s effect on road safety, particularly for young people on bicycles.
We just received word that the City of Eugene has decided to change this position. Instead of opposing the bill, the city will now take a neutral stance.
We’ve had a great mix of job opportunities listed on the BikePortland Job Listings this past week.
You can make bikes, sell bikes, or help the City of Portland get more people on bikes. What recession!? Learn more at the links below:
Sorry folks, this job has been filled.
Job Title
Sunday Parkways Short Term Volunteer Coordinators
Description
The City of Portland Transportation Options is looking for 4 coordinators short term from May 14 to August 19 to help train and manage volunteers for our three summer Sunday Parkways events on June 21, July 19 and August 16. Volunteers will be stationed along a 7-8 mile Sunday Parkways routes at intersections directing traffic to detours and escorting cars to their driveways. We need self-starters, motivated people who have some experience working with volunteers and/or events. Must be able to ride your own or one of our bicycles to monitor volunteers along the route on the day of the event.
Hours
32 per week Tuesday through Fridays or 36-40 hours Wednesdays through Saturdays and/or Sundays on specific weeks. $15.69 per hour, no benefits.
How to Apply
Please send resume and cover letter to: Linda Ginenthal, Transportation Options, 1120 SW 5th Ave, Portland OR 97204 or email Linda.Ginenthal@pdxtrans.org by Friday, April 17, 2009, 4pm. Women and people of color strongly encouraged to apply. EEO employer. For more information about Sunday Parkways, www.GettingAroundPortland.org and click on Sunday Parkways.
Two of the year’s most challenging rides are slated for this weekend: the infamously, absurdly hilly De Ronde van Oeste Portlandia (a.k.a. the Tour of Flanders) on Saturday and the Horning’s Hustle mountain bike circuit race on Sunday.
Many participants will find satisfaction in tackling, and maybe even completing, one of these courses. Others will ride to win.
For those who long for even greater glory, organizers have decided to reward the truly bold individuals who somehow manage to finish both events.
Organizers of the CRC Opposition and Alternatives Rally have just released their third spoof “Bridge Shopping Network” video. But something has gone awry — hosts Joe and Kristen’s sales pitch is interrupted by anti-CRC hackers!
From the release notes:
Here are BikePortland’s traffic stats for the month of March:
Visits – 163,462
Average visit length – 00:03:27
Pages viewed – 376,486
Stories posted – 134
Top Five Stories (*In terms of pageviews analyzed by Google Analytics):
1. Mandatory bike registration bill introduced in Salem
2. Major injury right-hook crash at 9th and Lovejoy
3. A conversation with Rep. Krieger about his bike registration bill
4. Details on the 2009 De Ronde van Oeste Portland
5. Local media releases hounds on Idaho Stop law
Check out our stats and top stories from January and February.
Planning to attend Sunday’s Build Less Bridge CRC Opposition and Alternatives Rally?
A new online map can help you meet up with other folks riding from your part of town, or organize a feeder ride of your own.
The event is on Sunday, April 5th at noon in Waterfront Park under the west side of the Morrison Bridge.
Routes on the map so far leave from places like Vancouver, St. John’s, Cully, Northwest, Mount Tabor, and the Woodstock neighborhood. Each route stops at one or more parks along the way to pick up more riders and join forces with other rides.