Inset: Nextdoor post. Background: Holman Pocket Park from NE 13th photo by Jonathan Maus/BikePortland.
Is nowhere safe?
Our driving culture has devolved to such a low point in Portland that it often feels like there’s nowhere you can go without worrying about a car user having some sort of negative impact on your day — or your life.
On Sunday, a park in Northeast Portland that’s usually a place of community and calm for neighbors had its serenity pierced by a reckless driver. Someone plowed into the pocket park at NE 13th on the NE Holman neighborhood greenway. And to make it worse, the driver rammed over bollards that were fashioned to look like LEGO figures and installed shortly after the creation of the park in 2012.
I heard a bit more from a reader yesterday (in response to a post about it on social media). “This was quite a bad scene,” they shared. “It looked like they hit another vehicle and were running from that incident when this happened. After they hit the bollards they sat there and floored the gas trying to drive away for 5 more minutes until neighbors convinced them to shut off the car.”
NE Holman Pocket Park between 12th and 13th. From the Nextdoor post, the minivan driver was blocked by those two heroic LEGO bollards in the middle photo. (Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
If not for the two LEGO bollards in the middle of the path that runs through the park (see photos above), this driver would have likely created more havoc in the neighborhood. Thsoe bollards deserve a medal for their heroism!
I first heard about this from a reader who sent me a photo of the damaged bollard, and then sent me a link from the Woodlawn Nextdoor feed. When I read the post from a woman who saw the aftermath of the incident, my heart sank. Her words are troubling on so many levels (be sure to read to the end):
“In the Woodlawn neighborhood where my neighbor’s little kids play frequently and we generally think we are safe from cars. This van took out not only the first one but apparently was out of control and speeding fast enough to land/take out another one from the next pair as well, meaning it went over/toppling the first blockade and into the middle! JFC. Be careful out there. Teach your kids to listen for high speed cars, look toward it and safely distance themselves to stay clear. There have been too many of these lately.”
This is where we are. A mom telling other parents to teach kids to listen for reckless drivers even while playing in a park.
I’ve confirmed with a witness that the driver was arrested and taken into custody by the Portland Police Bureau.
Given that infrastructure and enforcement will only get us so far, we must do more to break the cycle of dysfunctional culture that breeds this type of driving behavior.
Flyers for events happening today. Background image from 2011 Occupy Portland protests by Jonathan Maus/BikePortland.
Bicycles and the people who ride them have a long history of joining social justice movements in Portland. During the Occupy Portland protests in 2011, an ad hoc group known as “Bike Swarm” played a key role in protecting protestor encampments from police officers. A version of Bike Swarm returned in 2020 and supported the Black Lives Matter protests that erupted after the killing of George Floyd in 2020.
The latest example will happen later today when anti-ICE groups and Vision Zero advocates come together at City Hall.
This unification of activists happens when Portlanders face threats that present themselves on the street — an environment where bicycles are often more adaptable, powerful, and effective than feet or cars. The current threat too many Portlanders face is federal Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agents patrolling streets. Earlier this week, City Councilor Sameer Kanal reported that two North Portland residents were “kidnapped” by ICE.
Councilor Kanal also appeared at Bike Happy Hour last week to share an update on his work to strengthen Portland’s sanctuary city status and to encourage bike advocates to stay connected to Council’s Community and Public Safety Committee meetings (which he co-chairs).
Later today, folks will have a chance to show support for immigrants and/or safe streets when advocates for both issues will converge at Salmon Street Springs for festivities ahead of City Hall rallies and a City Council meeting where a Vision Zero resolution is on the table.
Activists with Revolutionary Bicycle Club (RBC), whom some of you might recall meeting at Bike Happy Hour back in May, or more recently when they protested my interview with Mayor Wilson, are leading a ride to the Vision Zero parade in coordination with Revoke the ICE Permit PDX, a group calling for the City of Portland to revoke the permit that allows ICE to operate out of a building on South Macadam Avenue.
Organizers with RBC are appealing to safe streets advocates when they write in the description of today’s ride: “This is the moment to understand that our struggles are inextricably intertwined! From ICE kidnappings to car-culture domination, our streets have been made unsafe because we have allowed that to happen.”
RBC’s presence could make for an interesting contrast with the bike parade and popsicle handout being organized by City Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane as part of her push to raise awareness for Portland’s Vision Zero commitment. RBC is asking folks to wear red and black to show solidarity with immigrants. Councilor Koyama Lane is asking folks to wear (traffic cone) orange.
No matter what color you wear, what type of activism you prefer, or what group(s) you support, I hope you consider showing up to Salmon Street Springs at 4:50 for the gathering and/or making your way to City Hall for the rallies and 6:00 pm council meeting.
It’s time to show up and unite to keep our streets safe!
— Please note: I can’t make it to Bike Happy Hour or these events today (my son has a cross country meet and my knee has had a recent setback). Folks will still meet in the Rainbow Road plaza from 3:00 to 6:00 pm, but I encourage everyone to attend the Vision Zero parade and council meeting if you’re able!
CORRECTION, 9/18 at 7:40 am: The initial version of this story said one of the two people who were taken by ICE agents was waiting outside a school with their teenage child. That was not accurate. According to Portland Immigrant Rights Coalition, both men were pulled over while driving. I regret the error and any confusion it may have caused.
Here’s an example of putting a higher price on car use can benefit an entire community.
One of the ways the Portland Bureau of Transportation manages curbside parking in areas with high demand for spaces is to form parking districts. PBOT then works with neighborhood residents (via volunteer committees) to invest the resulting parking meter and permit revenue back into street upgrades.
Over the past year, PBOT worked with the Northwest Parking District Stakeholder Advisory Committee on a project to make walking safer. With input from PBOT’s Vision Zero team and recommendations from the Northwest in Motion Plan, they came up with a list of 15 intersections where the installation of a “no turn on red” policy and/or a “pedestrian head start” (a.k.a. leading pedestrian interval or LPI) could make a positive impact on safety for non-drivers.
In an update from PBOT shared today, they’ve completed these upgrades using funding approved by the committee. In addition to signage aimed at preventing right turns on red and signal changes to give walkers a head start through intersections, PBOT also added accessible push buttons at some of the intersections for folks who are blind or have low-vision.
For the uninitiated, pedestrian head starts give walkers a green signal several seconds before drivers. This gives walkers a chance to get through the intersection and it makes them easier to see by right-turning drivers. Think of these signals as bike boxes for walkers. PBOT cites studies that show pedestrian head start treatments can reduce pedestrian-vehicle collisions as much as 60%.
A July 2024 PBOT memo about the project said all 15 intersections could be upgraded for just over $140,000 — which shows just how affordable these upgrades are. (Note I’m not sure if the recently completed work took care of the full 2024 proposal. I will update this post once I clarify.)
According to that memo, PBOT created new “no turn on red” restrictions at 15 intersections, pedestrian head starts at 11 intersections, and new accessible push buttons at five intersections in the Northwest Parking District.
The intersections included: NW Everett at 18th, 19th, 21st, and 23rd avenues; NW Glisan at 18th, 19th, 21st, and 23rd; NW Lovejoy at 18th, 19th, 21st, and 23rd; NW Northrup at 23rd; NW Raleigh at 23rd, and NW Thurman at 23rd.
They are both delivery vehicles, but have very different impacts on the city. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
When it comes to American cities trying innovative things in the transportation realm, there’s an unfortunate tradition of mainstream media and the usual skeptics going into full, “sky is falling!” mode. Before the first major bike share system launched and before congestion pricing was implemented in New York City, the outrage machine kicked into high gear — only to fall silent when the things ended up working out as advertised (if not better).
Portland’s ‘zero emissions delivery zone’ effort was no different. When news of the transportation’s bureau’s project came to light, local media did their thing. It got so bad I had to publish a story just to try and set the record straight. And now that the six-month pilot is over, a report issued by the City of Portland last week says it was a success.
Portland experimented with zero emission delivery zones because our city has adopted climate and freight plans that specifically prioritize making trucking less toxic to the environment. Around 40% of Multnomah County’s carbon emissions come from the transportation sector and the Portland area is in the top one percent of the areas with the highest diesel emissions in the U.S. Beyond the health of our lungs and planet, the current delivery truck fleet is large and operators too often take advantage of lax enforcement. This leads to congestion and safety hazards when drivers double park, circle around to find parking, block public spaces during deliveries, and so on.
From a bike safety perspective, the use of big trucks in the downtown core has been a major concern for many years and we’ve had too many people killed in collisions with truck operators.
To address these issues, in 2023 the Portland Bureau of Transportation won a $2 million grant from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Strengthening Mobility and Revolutionizing Transportation (SMART) program. The idea was to cut emissions from central city truck deliveries and encourage different types of vehicles to make them. PBOT chose to focus on curb zone and parking regulations to achieve their goals.
ZEDZ map via PBOT.Parking signPage from PBOT reportSource: PBOT
“Cities are the centerpiece of the economy and we control valuable assets, like the curb zone,” stated PBOT Director Millicent Williams in an introduction to a report on the six-month pilot project released last week.
PBOT’s pilot project consisted of a 16-block area of downtown (roughly SW Naito to 6th and Salmon to Jefferson) where only zero-emission delivery vehicles were allowed to use 10 specific loading zones. Vehicles with internal combustion engines could still use metered parking spaces, internal loading bays, or they could do their loading outside the zone. To help companies comply with the new regulations and to assist their parking enforcement teams, PBOT created a free, digital parking permit.
PBOT staff also worked directly with delivery companies to help them find solutions for their businesses that would comply with the experiment. They helped companies source zero-emission vehicles, tested the use of microhubs where electric vehicles could operate efficiently, and encouraged the use of electric cargo trikes for last-mile deliveries. In the report, PBOT says they “promoted cyclelogistics,” and most of that effort focused on B-line Urban Delivery, a local company that made 45,000 deliveries to over 200 customers by pedal (and battery) powered electric cargo trikes last year.
PBOT connected B-line to new potential customers, worked with traffic data firm INRIX to map e-cargo trike routes and usage, and explored policies and programs that could increase e-cargo trike deliveries in the future. This is very promising collaboration! To give you a sense on where PBOT’s head is regarding e-cargo trike deliveries, read this excerpt from the report:
“In urban areas, cargo bikes can be an effective replacement for last-mile delivery vehicles with internal combustion engines. Among other benefits, cargo delivery bikes (including e-cargo tricycles) reduce harmful pollution, take up less curb space, can avoid congestion by using bicycle infrastructure and occupying less roadway space, enable parking closer to the delivery destination, and pose less of a danger to other road users. They also cost much less to purchase and maintain than a delivery truck, providing cost savings. While they aren’t suitable for all environments or delivery types and then may carry fewer goods, a UK study estimated 10–30% of trips by delivery and service companies could potentially be replaced with e-cargo bikes.”
One of the most promising steps PBOT could take to encourage more delivery trikes is to establish more microhubs near major destinations. “Building cyclelogistics microhubs in central locations could enable bicycle delivery companies to operate efficiently and reliably,” PBOT writes in the report. And if you think this is all talk and no action, consider the steps already taken to establish one such delivery hub at the future James Beard Public Market.
B-line CEO and Founder Franklin Jones told BikePortland this morning he was impressed with how PBOT approached this work. “The pilot showed PBOT has a serious interest in tackling real challenges associated with urban logistics,” and it, “underscored that innovation and collaboration between the public and private sector is alive and well,” he said.
So, how do we know it worked? Here are a few tangible results touted by PBOT in their report:
Six new companies contracted with B-line for delivery services.
Over 65 zero-emission vehicle digital permits were issued.
Delivery company DHL bought three electric vehicles for deliveries in Portland and installed new chargers at their local facility.
Amazon rerouted their zero-emission vehicles into the pilot area.
The first FedEx-branded zero-emission vehicles in Portland were spotted in the project area in March 2025.
HYPHN, a Portland-based moving company, purchased their first zero-emission vehicle as a result of the pilot.
The City of Portland Printing & Distribution department led by example and purchased an electric van for local deliveries, a move estimated to avoid nearly 90 metric tons of GHG emissions — the equivalent to carbon sequestered by 90 acres of forests in one year — over its lifetime.
From here, PBOT wants to push further. Their next steps wish-list includes: expand the zero-emission zones, consider new enforcement strategies, develop a pilot for on-street microhubs, and update city policy to support e-cargo trikes — which they see as including quadricycles and electric-assist trailers.
Portland has a commitment to slash carbon emissions by 50% or more by 2030 and to be net zero by 2050. Despite the fears this new approach to an old problem stoked in some circles, it seems like a great success for our city and the planet on several fronts. Or, as the report states: “For the City, this pilot represents another step toward encouraging a future of decarbonized transportation.”
Velotech is the parent company of BikeTiresDirect, Western Bikeworks, and Trisports. We are looking for someone that loves to talk about bikes and help our customers find the gear they need. If this sounds like you, take a look at the job description and apply below.
This position is responsible for responding to customer phone calls, emails, and for working directly with customers in our store. Customer Experience Specialists provide product information, advice and order assistance. Qualified Customer Experience Specialists also review orders and price match requests and assist with site content, including product reviews, photos and descriptions.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS INCLUDE BUT ARE NOT LIMITED TO:
Answer product questions & assist with the order process.
Analyze customer questions, troubleshoot, and provide clear answers in an efficient and professional manner.
Develop trust and loyalty with consumers and build value in our brands.
Navigate a sophisticated order processing system.
Generate performance reports and recommend improvements.
Coordinate with Returns to assist customers with returns and exchanges.
Assist walk-in customers with product questions and purchases.
Retrieve products from the warehouse to assist walk-in customers.
ADDITIONAL RESPONSIBILITIES/DUTIES:
Navigate a sophisticated order processing system.
Work with Marketing to assist with customer-facing content, including site maintenance, product images and descriptions.
Increase sales by genuinely helping customers learn about additional/alternative product options.
MINIMUM JOB REQUIREMENTS:
Basic computer skills.
Strong knowledge of cycling.
Previous customer service experience is a plus, as is sales, service and mechanical experience in the cycling industry.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, & ABILITIES:
Excellent communication and organizational skills.
Solid knowledge of cycling products.
Ability to work in a high volume, fast-paced environment.
Ability to work independently or with others to manage multiple tasks with minimal supervision.
BENEFITS:
Generous Employee Discounts.
Flexible Schedules.
Health Insurance.
Paid Time Off.
PHYSICAL/MENTAL DEMANDS:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to talk or hear. The employee frequently is required to use hands or fingers, handle, or feel objects, tools or controls.
While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk, reach with hands and arms, stoop, kneel, crouch and sit for extended periods of time.
The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this position include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, and the ability to adjust focus.
The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.
This description is intended to provide only the basic guidelines for meeting job requirements. Responsibilities, knowledge, skills, ability and working conditions may change as needs evolve.
Velotech is an Equal Opportunity Employer
How to Apply
If interested, please click on the link below to apply (or copy and paste into a browser). You can also find us on biketiresdirect.com careers page.
Yes it was great to walk and roll on carfree downtown streets at yesterday’s Sunday Parkways. But what was most memorable for me was the music. Between folks that the City of Portland partnered with who seemed to pop around every other corner, and the musicians who played at various hotels and businesses along the route, it was a real treat to watch and listen to such talented performers.
This video includes clips of performances by: Portland Opera’s Rising Stars, MC Shoehorn, Renegade Opera, JoAnna Lee, Karl Blackwood, and Trio Subtonic.
I’ve spent many hours thinking about how best to use BikePortland to help our community in this time of unprecedentedly reprehensible behavior from our national government and people who support it. I didn’t build this platform to stay in my lane when shit hits the fan. Sorry if this is off-topic for the Monday Roundup, but wanted you to know where my head has been lately. I’ll share more as the week goes on.
For now, below are the most notable stories folks shared with me and/or I stumbled on in the past seven days…
Brooklyn bribery: We think backroom deals between a commissioner and business owners is shady? In Brooklyn they do straight-up cash payments to get rid of bikeways! (Streetsblog NYC)
Big housing win: “California lawmakers passed SB 79, a bill that would override local zoning laws to allow dense housing developments up to nine stories near transit hubs statewide.” (LA Times)
Don’t fall for it: Some Republicans are capitalizing on a horrible death that happened on a light rail train in Charlotte, NC as a way to further marginalize public transit and push the narrative that driving cars is the only answer. (The New Republic)
Historic protest: An immense crowd of Free Palestine supporters stopped the final stage of the Tour of Spain. The bike race has been held for 89 straight years, but it couldn’t withstand fierce protests by large, well-organized pro-Palestine groups who wanted more visibility for the cause and objected to the Israeli sponsorship of one of the teams. The UCI has condemned the protestors and says their actions violate the Olympic Charter. (AP)
Road rage in Bend: A grown man driving a truck was so triggered by a bicycle rider in the road that he decided to assault him, causing multiple serious injuries. Turns out the cyclist was just a teenager. Thankfully, police arrested the driver. (The Source)
Real talk about mopeds and e-motos: This article from the UK about the rise in injuries from collisions involving large, high-powered “e-bikes” is chilling and could probably be written about a city in the U.S. (BBC)
Wasted money?: “ODOT and WSDOT are proposing to spend as much as $10 billion to widen a roadway where traffic is declining, is less than it was twenty years ago, and shows no signs of ever reaching the levels claimed in the project’s modeling and environmental analysis.” (City Observatory)
Thread of the week: The Bluesky thread from Qagggy! about what Seattle could accomplish with a bold mayor is very solid and inspiring. Let’s expect more than the status quo from “bike friendly” mayors!
Southwest Broadway was hoppin! (Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
Despite an early morning deluge, thousands of Portlanders turned out to walk and roll around a loop of carfree streets as part of the Sunday Parkways event today.
The open streets event that began in 2008 hasn’t visited downtown Portland since 2019. The route of this year’s event was a loop of SW Broadway and SW Park, and it felt like there was something fun to discover on every block. Businesses opened up for the open streets, giving away food and drink and hosting excellent live music. From the legit jazz band outside the Benson Hotel (who ironically blocked the bike lane with tables and chairs for viewing the music) to Karl Blackwood playing trumpet while the folks at Alder Bistro handed out free hot dogs, the sounds of the streets echoed for blocks.
I bumped into clowns, opera singers, theater actors, a saxophonist, and all types of community groups and nonprofits at the marketplaces along the route. It was also really nice to meet so many BikePortland readers and I appreciate everyone who introduced themselves!
This event has become just as much about community as it is about mobility. It’s a way for Portlanders to come together in the street.
Check out the rest of my photos below and stay tuned for a video Monday morning.
PBOT Director Millicent Williams admires her handiwork.Shoehorn! I’ve been watching this guy play for 20 years now.
Believe it or not, this is the main route between the protected bike lanes on S Moody in South Waterfront and a 400-student preschool. (Photo: Better Block PSU)
The Portland Bureau of Transportation has a laudable history of working with community groups to help bring road projects to life. The “Better Naito” protected bike lanes on Naito Parkway began as a demonstration project. So did the carfree plaza on SW Ankeny and 3rd and the recent NE Broadway Pave and Paint. Now, a project that aims to reimagine South Sheridan Street and connect the campus of Oregon Health Sciences University and the South Waterfront district to a thriving school, could take these city partnerships to the next level and set an important precedent for community-led projects.
PBOT Director Millicent Williams appeared at City Council last week to inform members of the Transportation and Infrastructure Committee about some of this work. “Our ability to continually improve the transportation system and respond to community-identified needs is foundational to building trust with Portlanders,” Williams shared.
“As downtown and the South Waterfront have grown, the conditions of Sheridan Street have only worsened.”
— Bodo Heiliger, International School of Portland
A few minutes later, that trust-building was on display as Bodo Heiliger took to the mic. Heiliger runs the International School of Portland (ISP), a 400 student, pre-K to fifth-grade school sandwiched between I-405, Naito Parkway and Harbor Drive (see map below). The one connection between the school and South Waterfront is South Sheridan, a street Heiliger said, “Has long been the street that time has forgotten.” “As downtown and the South Waterfront have grown, the conditions of Sheridan Street have only worsened,” he continued. “A jumble of incomplete sidewalks, missing bike connections, a freeway exit ramp and minimal traffic control right in the heart of a school zone make this area treacherous for our three-year-olds walking hand-in-hand to school.”
(Source: Better Block PSU)
Heiliger came to City Hall as part of a panel of partners working to remake Sheridan into a safer, more pleasant street. He and several volunteers at the school have taken advantage of an innovative program developed by nonprofit urbanism group Better Block PDX and the Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University. They host open calls for project ideas, then wed them to student planners and engineers. Chosen ideas become a capstone project for Master’s program students, who then create design and engineering plans that tee the projects up for construction.
ISP parent and school volunteer Ryan Mehan submitted the concept to Better Block and PSU in spring 2024. It was accepted and has since been developed into the 30% design stage — a key step toward getting built.
Today, Sheridan is shrouded in overgrown ivy and darkened by highway lanes that rumble overhead. It’s a street people use as quickly as possible and its value as a place for OHSU staff to park cars barely outweighs its general sketchiness. I had no idea there was a large, thriving preschool just yards away until I watched Mehan, Heiliger and others testify at City Council Monday.
Existing conditions on S Sheridan.
“To see small children have to navigate that area, it just gives me, you know, a nightmare!”
– Olivia Clark, city councilor
One of them was Paula Cano, a mom of two students (ages 3 and 7) who attend the school. Cano, who’s also head of early childhood development at ISP, and her husband (an OHSU employee) bike their kids to the school every day. “Right now it is not safe,” Cano told the councilors. “Our own faculty and staff often share with me the fears of simply walking down Sheridan to get a cup of coffee. There’s blind curves, missing sidewalks, poor lighting, and a lack of bike lanes make it frightening for adults — let alone our young students.”
That will all change once the Reimagining South Sheridan Street project becomes a reality. The plan is to update the street with continuous sidewalks, safer crosswalks, an all-way stop, and dedicated bike lanes. “We’ve long sought to create safe space for active transit along the block,” Mehan shared at the council meeting.
But just how to approach such a big project felt out of reach to Mehan, until he learned about the Better Block PSU program.
Better Block’s Ryan Hashagen has been on the ground floor of several exciting projects that began with someone like Mehan. Hashagen feels the Reimagining South Sheridan project could play a role in finally cementing the Better Block PSU program at the City of Portland. Up until now, PBOT has worked on the projects, but they’ve done so outside any formal guidelines or program structure. To get projects like Better Naito done, PBOT staff would bend existing street permit programs into new shapes to allow a demonstration, and then provide other assistance in whatever way they could cobble it together. But with the continued maturation of the Better Block PSU program, combined with the respect it has built at PBOT over the years, a new city council and form of government; and a project that has support from such high-profile partners as ISP, OHSU, and the Downtown Neighborhood Association — Hashagen thinks Reimagining Sheridan could set a precedent.
His goal is to firmly ensconce the program at PBOT so that community-led projects have an even more accessible path toward completion. That would take some sort of city council action and funding to make it real — and given the politics of the moment, where road safety and transportation planning advocates have numerous allies on City Council — that might happen sooner than we think.
Transportation and Infrastructure Committee Chair Olivia Clark (who happens to represent the district this project is in) has visited the project site. “I stood there and watched cars just rip through the stop sign, like they ignored it.” she recounted at Monday’s meeting. “To see small children have to navigate that area, it just gives me, you know, a nightmare!”
Clark was clearly interested in seeing this project through. She asked an OHSU representative how they’d feel about removing the parking to make room for the planned bike lanes. When given a supportive response, she turned her attention toward Better Block (a group she seemed impressed by). Upon being told by a PBOT staffer that Better Block is a community organization that’s ready and willing to step up and assist, a light bulb seemed to go off in Clark’s head.
“So [Better Block] is really a resource for us to consider working more with,” she stated. (I could imagine Hashagen smiling and nodding deeply as she said that.)
Now, if PBOT can just find a reliable way to fund it, they will have the administrative infrastructure in place to develop community ideas into real projects relatively quickly.
Go downtown and ride your bike on Sunday. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
Happy Friday everyone. Please tell your friends and co-workers and neighbors to head downtown for Sunday Parkways on Sunday. Let’s show the haters what kind of city we are and stoke the cycling renaissance!
Beyond that, here are my picks for the weekend…
Saturday, September 13th
The Chocolate Ride – 11:30 am at Irving Park (NE) No matter your favorite way to enjoy chocolate, this ride will have something for you. Ends at a new chocolate store with games and prizes. More info here.
El Grito Ride – 6:15 pm at Salmon Street Springs (SW) It’s the Cumbia edition, so get ready to dance to music from a guest DJ. Biketown bikes available on first come, first served basis. More info here.
Sunday, September 14th
Carry Shit Olympics – 9:00 am at Alberta Park (NE) Final event of this annual ode to cargo bikes. Come out and connect with other cargo bike aficionados and see all the amazing things cargo bikes can do (and can’t!). More info here.
Sunday Parkways Downtown – 12:00 noon to 5:00 pm This is it folks! Hop on a bike bus from your neighborhood and get ready to part of Portland’s downtown revitalization with thousands of other awesome people. Let’s show the world what Portland can be! More info here.
Capes and Costumes Cosplay – 1:00 pm at Director Park (SW) Dress up and join cosplay friends while you roll the Sunday Parkways route together in full costumed splendor! More info here.
Read, Write, Ride – 3:00 pm at Ladd Circle Park (SE) There’s more to life than Sunday Parkways. And if you love poetry and the written word, you’ll love this chill gathering aimed at inspiring your creativity. More info here.
Singles Bike Ride – 6:00 pm at Colonel Summers Park (SE) Back by popular demand, this is a great chance to hang with other singles in a low-pressure environment. Expect a river stop and a ride out to Cartopia food cart pod for food and drinks. More info here.
— Did I miss your event? Please let me know by filling out our contact form, or just email me at maus.jonathan@gmail.com.
National Inside Sales and Customer Service (Part Time)
Company / Organization
HGNR Inc (distributor of Dumonde Tech)
Job Description
National Inside Sales and Customer Service (Part Time)
Part-time employment
Location: St. Johns (North Portland, OR)
HGNR Inc, the distributor of Dumonde Tech bicycle products in the USA is looking for a part-time Inside National Sales Rep and Customer Service position.
Reports To: President, HGNR Inc.
Job Overview: The National Sales Rep’s (NSR) primary role is sales and customer service. A successful NSR will maintain and grow current dealer orders while soliciting new dealers with the goal of increasing annual company revenue.
Responsibilities and Duties:
• Sell HGNR distributed products to current and new dealers.
• Increase current dealer order volume and solicit new dealers.
• Promote products through promotional opportunities and sponsorships (events, teams, bicycle organizations).
• Be a product expert for dealers and consumers.
• Attend trade shows and local bicycle events as needed.
• Keep current with competition and trends in the bicycle lubricant market.
Qualifications:
• Minimum HS graduate, post-secondary education a plus.
• 3+ years sales and/or customer service experience. Bicycle or outdoor specialty retail industry a plus.
• Excellent verbal/phone communication skills.
• Comfortable soliciting new business in a professional and courteous manner.
• Strong written communication skills (primarily via email). Marketing writing skills a plus.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Windows, Word and Excel.
• Energetic, positive thinker, reliable, competitive yet caring.
• Bicycle mechanic experience or certifications a plus.
• Valid driver’s license.
• Able to lift 50 lbs. Trade show attendance may also require extended periods of standing.
PAY and HOURS:
Starting wage: $20.00/hr. (annual performance bonus available after the first year).
Schedule: flexible schedule
Hours: 20 hours a week (occasional weekends required)
Vacation: 80 hrs. paid vacation after one year, 40 hrs. floating and 40 hrs. during our holiday closure at the end of December each year.
How to Apply
Please email a letter of interest with your resume to jobs24@hgnr.com
Portlanders gathered for a memorial ride for Fallon Smart on August 26, 2016. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
Portland City Councilor Tiffany Koyama Lane is about to take her commitment to traffic safety to the next level. In what she’s calling “Vision Zero Week,” the councilor will preside over a resolution next Wednesday (September 17th) that will reaffirm the city’s ambitious proclamation issued one decade ago.
Inspired in part by her connection to Jeanie Diaz, a southeast Portland librarian who was killed by a reckless driver in 2023, Councilor Koyama Lane elevated Vision Zero during the city’s most recent budget cycle. While her resolution does not obligate any funding for capital projects or programs, it would make significant administrative changes that could increase political urgency around the issue.
And Vision Zero needs all the help it can get. When the proclamation passed in 2015, advocates wanted the city to include a firm date to reach zero deaths. That date? 2025. Today we’ve still got way too many people killed while using Portland roads. And we’re still searching for answers as evidenced by a newly formed City Club research project that will study Vision Zero for the next 12 months.
If passed, the resolution would do two main things. It move the lead Vision Zero staffer from the Portland Bureau of Transportation into the Deputy City Administrator’s office. As we’ve seen with a plan hatched by an office overseen by Mayor Keith Wilson — and pushed for by City Administrator Mike Jordan — that would have removed traffic diverters in northwest, there’s a clear need for a stronger PBOT presence in the DCA’s office.
Slides from a presentation made by Councilor Koyama Lane’s office in May 2025.
The resolution would also establish a new Vision Zero Task Force, “focused on identifying actions to meet the City’s goals in eliminating traffic deaths.” PBOT used to have a Vision Zero Task Force but they disbanded it in 2021. Also unlike the previous task force, this new one will not include reps from advocacy groups or individual road safety activists. Instead, it will be comprised solely of city staff and will connect with external groups or subject-matter experts only “where appropriate.”
Councilor Koyama Lane released a video on social media last week encouraging Portlanders to testify on the resolution and to wear orange when they show up. She’s also promoting three events for Vision Zero Week: on Wednesday there’s a ride to City Hall and a parade planned before the council meeting, on Thursday Portland will host the Age-Friendly Oregon summit, and Friday is the annual PARK(ing) Day where Koyama Lane says she is “taking to the streets” to convert a car parking spot on SE Stark and 30th into a community space with road safety-related activities.
I also hear Koyama Lane would love to meet more bicycle riders and lovers of safe streets at her Constituent Coffee event this Saturday (9/13) from 9:00 to 10:30 am at the PDX Saints Love Day Shelter (247 SE 82nd Ave).
