🚨 Please note: BikePortland is currently on hiatus and is not publishing new content. Learn more here and stay tuned for updates. Thank you. - Jonathan 🙏
Conference artwork by Portland-based artist Mika Rane.
If the thought of fast, frequent bus service makes your heart go pitter-pat; or if a five-story housing development above a transit stop gives you goosebumps, I have some good news: A major urban planning and transportation conference is coming back to Portland. Mpact Transit + Community, formerly known as Rail~Volution, will be four days of panel discussions, speeches, networking, and and mobile workshops devoted to making cities work better. It all happens in venues throughout Portland from October 26th to 29th.
Portland hosted the first Mpact in 1995 (and again in 1998 and 2010) when it was spearheaded by retired U.S. Congressman (and then city commissioner) Earl Blumenauer. It was 10 years after Portland’s first MAX light rail line and Blumenauer wanted to bring transit and land use advocates and insiders together to make sure the system got its first extension (which opened two years after the conference).
Mpact coming home to Portland for the first time in 1is just the latest sign of a renaissance in a city once known (thanks in large part to the aforementioned congressman) as America’s epicenter of urbanism and livable city policies.
“The 2025 conference arrives at a time when cities and transit agencies everywhere are grappling with challenges related to funding, the evolving role of downtowns and the necessity for diverse housing options,” reads the Mpact website. “As it has since its inception, the conference will highlight the interplay of multimodal transportation, housing, and economic development in creating vibrant places for everyone to live.”
Metro Council President Lynn Peterson was at that first Rail~Volution. “So much of what we envisioned 30 years ago has come to fruition here in Portland,” she said in an official statement about the event. “Our region is again at an inflection point. It is a time for big ideas and a bold vision.”
Peterson is right. Portland’s new form of government and the ongoing destruction of the federal government by the Trump regime, presents an opportunity to think differently about the future of mobility in our city.
1995 conference flyer.
If you are fluent in BRT, TOD, TSP, and LRT, and/or just care about transit, cycling, housing, land use — or any facet of transportation and urban planning — you should find a way to participate in this conference. The schedule is packed with interesting topics, speakers, and workshops — from trails in Forest Park, to transit-oriented development (TOD) in East Portland. It all kicks off with a welcome reception at Oregon Museum of Science and Industry on Sunday, October 26th.
Welcome to Monday. A bit late with the Roundup because I was working on naked ride stuff from yesterday. I hope you’ve got a great week planned.
Below are the most notable stories I came across in the past seven days. Thanks to everyone who suggested links this week!
Big win for housing: California’s governor has finally signed SB 79 into law, a groundbreaking policy that is expected to open up construction of housing units adjacent to major transit stops. (Human Transit)
Inhaler emissions: A new study found that asthma inhalers cause about the same amount of climate change inducing emissions each year as 500,000 cars. It’s unclear if the researchers considered that many of those inhalers are necessary because of cars. (Al Jazeera)
It’s a trend: Maybe this cultural moment of reconsidering our relationship with automobiles might actually stick? I mean, according to David Zipper there are three new books on the topic that are worth your time. (Bloomberg)
Smartphones with wheels: It’s hilarious to me that Big Auto is so excited about making cars feel like tech gadgets that now they have glitches just like tech gadgets. Case in point: A Jeep software update recently rendered many of them machines un-driveable. (The Stack)
E-bike rebates work: Denver, Colorado was the first city to launch an e-bike rebate program and in the past 3-4 years they’ve handed out a whopping 10,000 rebates. Portland’s program follows their lead and we can only hope it goes as well. (City of Denver)
Bike bus is rockin’: Portland’s Sam “Coach” Balto continues to transcend typical advocacy channels by luring massive pop stars onto the bike bus. Learn more about who he is and how he does it. (Cycling Weekly)
Potholes: Major e-bike news outlet uses a tragic case of an e-scooter rider in Portland to illustrate their argument that road conditions — not car drivers — are another major threat to rider safety. (Electrek)
Culture shift: “In cities that have made [bicycles] mainstream, the idea of going back to car-clogged streets is considered ridiculous.” The fact that this outlet wants to see a bike boom in cultural terms is both frustrating and welcome. (The Economist)
Get it right, media!: An unfortunate story from north of our border where the legit issue of electric vehicle safety is covered, but the imagery shows a bicycle that is almost never the cause of concern. This story should have made it clear that the “safety problem” is with e-motos and not traditional e-bikes you find in traditional bike shops (or in their lead image). (The Columbian)
Dieselgate back in court: Whether or not five automakers cheated on emissions tests and then lied to customers about how toxic their engines were, will be decided by a judge. The case is back in court and a decision is expected early next year. (BBC)
The ride going south on NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd. (Full gallery below – All images: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
On Sunday, thousands of Portlanders showed they are unafraid by making themselves as vulnerable as possible. Many of them fully or partially naked, and all of them astride bicycles, they gathered across the street from the Oregon Convention Center to show an increasingly aggressive Trump regime that Portland will not cower, and that real power comes from community.
“Even in the worst of times, we can still have a good time and laugh,” said one person I spoke to as the plaza filled in anticipation of speakers and the start of the ride. “At some point I hope enough people will see that we can stop this dictator if we all come together. Coming together makes you feel better about where we’re at and that you’re not alone, and that we can do together, what none of us could do alone.”
“We’re not here to, you know, tear down buildings and burn the city down,” another person in the crowd shared with me. “We’re here to have a good time and do things our own way. And if that means getting naked and riding around the city in the rain, then hell yeah, let’s do it!”
The crowd was having fun. The mood was light. People passed out clear ponchos. There were jugglers and a troop of “clowns against fascism.” When bagpipes blared, everyone cheered the arrival of Portland’s Unipiper. The forecast called for temperatures in the mid 50s and rain, so I was surprised at how much skin I saw. There was so much pent-up demand for a mass protest bike ride, and nothing was going to stop people from making a statement.
The ride was organized by World Naked Bike Ride PDX, an ad hoc group that emerged after leaders of the original version of Portland’s World Naked Bike Ride took a year off in 2024. Their leader (in white suit and pink vest below) greeted the crowd with basics about safety and set the tone for the ride, before introducing the first speaker.
“We are going to close that detention center,” said an anti-ICE activist named Pedro. “It is not a matter of whether we’re going to close it, it’s when it’s going to close!” “A lot of politicians are dragging their feet, looking for all kinds of excuses, trying to talk themselves into not doing anything while allowing ICE to be in that detention center, brutalizing people, removing people from their homes, removing people from their workplaces, removing people from the communities, and we are not having that shit here anymore!”
“Don’t let the government say that you are a terrorist,” he continued. “ICE is the mother fucking terrorist!”
When it was time to saddle up and roll out, the ride spilled out of the plaza and onto Northeast Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd toward the Burnside Bridge. The group stretched the entire width of MLK from at least NE Couch to the Convention Center. As the front reached the western edge of the Burnside Bridge, they pulled over, dropped their bikes and laid down. It was a mass die-in and moment of silence where everyone could collect and connect their thoughts.
From there they rolled on NW Naito Parkway toward the ultimate destination of the ICE headquarters building on South Waterfront. All along the route people on sidewalks smiled and cheered. Drivers honked in support.
As the group went into the tunneled underpass of Interstate 5 just west of the ICE facility, folks began to hoot and holler. Seconds later, those shrieks of joy gave way to a roar from other protestors already assembled along S Bancroft St. Thousands of riders streamed onto the street as federal troops held long guns on the roof above, Portland Police officers on bikes looked over their shoulders nervously while holding back excited crowds on the sidewalk, and the Unpresidented Brass Band played what felt like a hero’s march.
As the rain began to fall in buckets, all I could here was, “You guys are awesome! You are heroes! Thank you!” Body paint streaked across naked skin but you could still read “Fuck ICE” and “Chinga La Migra.”
As the street became impassable and the crowd swelled like a sponge in the pouring rain, I could tell police were getting uncomfortable. After the ride doubled-back on itself and there were several minutes of revelry, dancing, and soaking in the triumphant moment — ride leaders urged everyone to continue north. From what I observed, everything remained peaceful.
The power was our presence. “Here we are,” said one person I spoke to. “Like, this is all of us. And this is Portland.”
Back in June I shared the story of Vivek Jeevan, a man who believes he was the victim of a road rage collision while on a group bike ride. Jeevan called 911 and a Portland Police Officer responded to the scene and take a report.
There were several things about this case that piqued my interest. First, I know Jeevan from his work as a cycling and road safety advocate in our community. He’s a League of American Bicyclists Certified Cycling Instructor, he owns a bicycle riding education business, and is a dedicated local cycling advocate who could be found on Saturdays over the summer volunteering for Bike Loud PDX at the downtown farmers market behind a table with a sign that read, “Take a bicycle safety quiz.”
So when Jeevan expressed his dismay about this incident and his disappointment in the way the officer responded to it, his concerns carried more weight in my mind than a typical source.
The law this incident hinged on — that requires bicycle riders to use a bike lane when one is present — is one I’ve covered at length over the years. It’s also a law Jeevan knows very well. In a twist of irony about this particular collision, in 2023 Jeevan organized an effort to change the law that was inspired by a Portland woman who claims she was improperly cited for breaking it while riding downtown in 2022.
Given his concerns over what happened on Northeast 7th Street back in June, Jeevan requested bodycam footage from the incident. His request was initially denied on the grounds that there was no public interest in the footage. Jeevan appealed the denial on the grounds that BikePortland was interested in reporting on the findings and the PPB reversed their decision and granted his request.
I’ve watched and listened to the footage. It’s rare that we get this type of access to police interactions and the footage provides a valuable window into how some police treat bicycle riders an incidents they’re involved in. I believe it highlights a pervasive cultural bias that favors drivers and is skeptical of bicycle riders, and it shows how that bias plays out in some police-cyclist interactions.
Below is my summary of the footage.
Screenshot from Officer Williams’ bodycam. Viv is on the right. The person he was riding with at the time of the incident is in the middle.
“So, you were going north on 7th. What lane where you in?” Officer Williams asked Jeevan at the outset of their exchange.
“The main lane,” Jeevan replied. “I was part of about 25 cyclists…”
“Were you in the bike lane or were you in the car lane?” the officer interrupted.
After Jeevan once again began to explain himself, the officer once again interjected. “So you overtook the main lane?” he asked Jeevan, to which Jeevan tried to reply that he didn’t “overtake” anyone and that he was just riding straight. But the officer immediately challenged him: “Nah, you just told me you were in the main roadway where you’re not supposed to be, when there’s obviously a visible bike lane. Because it’s available to you, you’re required to use it.”
At this point the two continued to talk over each other at times and it was clear the officer didn’t want to take time to listen to what Jeevan was trying to explain to him. As Jeevan (a very soft-spoken person who is not one to lean into conflict) grew frustrated and continued to explain the context of what was going on prior to the collision, Officer Williams spoke over him to say, “That does not matter.”
“I’m a certified traffic instructor. I teach traffic skills,” Jeevan pleaded, trying to break through and earn respect in the conversation, only to have Officer Williams speak over him to say, “Yeah. Perfect. Awesome,” in what sounded to me like a dismissive and disrespectful tone.
Jeevan tried again: “Cyclists are allowed to use the traffic lane, right?” “Yes,” the officer ultimately acknowledged.
The officer then moved on to asking about the collision itself. Bear in mind, this happened in a complicated context where Jeevan and one other rider had been gapped by the larger group of about 25 riders. As the two riders approached the intersection of NE 7th and Holladay, Jeevan says one driver began to rev their engine and then pulled in front of them. As he typically does, Jeevan was riding sweep and was supporting the other rider who was with him. He says he was taking the lane (outside the bike lane), riding two abreast when the first driver zoomed past, and that once the driver was in front of them he moved back out of the bike lane to check in with the other rider. It was at that point, Jeevan alleges, the second driver became aggressive too.
In the bodycam footage, Jeevan explains to PPB Officer Kyle Williams that as the light turned red he and the person he was riding with began to signal a stop. “Then we heard someone from behind yelling, ‘What are you doing? Get out of the way!’ But it was a red light [it might have been a stale yellow, I haven’t been able to determine exactly] and we were stopping anyway, and for some reason, [the driver] came up from behind and didn’t like the fact that there were bicycles there and he drove right into me.”
“He drove right into you?” the officer asked.
“He drove into me,” Jeevan replied. “In a way that hit me with his side view mirror and it collapsed, and that became a crash so I called it in.”
Officer Williams then walked across the street to interview the driver, who I’ll refer to by his initials, JK.
“So what happened?” the officer asked.
Bodycam screenshot showing the driver, JK.
“He’s out in the bike lane and I’m trying to get by,” JK replied. “So I beeped and I don’t know if he hears it or not, but all he does is just look back and then, like, was just determined to stay there, so I squeezed by him.” Then JK, in an attempt to demonstrate that he didn’t intentionally run into Jeevan, added, “I know how close my car is to somebody, and if I wanted to hit him, he’d have been on the ground.”
“So what happened when you were coming up to the intersection?” Officer Williams asked.
“He was out, nowhere near the bike lane,” JK answered. “So I go around them… I honked, he didn’t get over, so I squeezed by.”
At one point during their exchange as the officer and JK discussed whether the signal was yellow or red, JK became frustrated. In an attempt to calm down JK, Officer Williams said, “Hey, hey hey, it’s just an accident… It’s okay. It’s not a big deal.”
Then JK tried to blame his damaged mirror on Jeevan. “That guy [pointing to a witness] saw [Jeevan] hit it,” JK told the officer.
“So you made contact with him [Jeevan]?” Officer Williams asked.
“No I didn’t make contact. He hit my rear view mirror on purpose… With his elbow.” JK replied.
The driver seemed frustrated that he was put into this position, that his mirror was damaged, and that his insurance premiums might go up as a result of the collision. You can hear the officer try to calm him down several times. “He’s not claiming any injury… I just have to write a report due to the fact that it’s a bicyclist. You’re not in trouble,” Officer Williams reassured him.
“My insurance? You’re not doing nothing with that, come on man!” JK pleaded with Officer Williams. “I haven’t even checked to see if it’s valid!” the officer replied.
After stepping away for a minute, the officer came back to JK with his verdict. “So I’m writing up the report. It’s non-injury, non-damage — It’s just saying that I spoke to you guys and said you guys are okay. You don’t have to report it to DMV. If you had to report a crash to DMV, then it’d be a problem. It’s just gonna be like, ‘Hey, I spoke to you both. You guys said this happened. Nothing happened.’ That’s literally all it is. All right, you can go chill in your car.”
The driver continued to bemoan the situation, so the officer added, “I don’t know why you’re upset. This is, like, the best solution.”
“I just can’t believe you guys are here,” JK said as he walked back to his car.
“I know, that’s ridiculous,” Officer Williams replied.
After Officer Williams was finished filing the report in his patrol car, he walked back over to JK. “Like I said, you’re not in trouble,” the officer said to JK. Then, referring to Jeevan, he added, “He’s also some, like, certified bike instructor guy…”
“Then why is he not in the lane?!” JK interjected.
“I know. I already kind of said that [to him] too,” Officer Williams replied. “So, Portland has weird laws for bikes, so he’s technically right, but he’s also ignorant at the same time.”
“It’s just flat out inconsiderate, trying to be king of the road,” said JK.
“Yeah, he was definitely ignorant and I agree with that,” Officer Williams concurred. Then he added, “There’s no injury, so you’re good, all right? You’re good to go.”
When Officer Williams returned to Jeevan one last time to sum up his conclusions, he said, “There’s no criminal nature here, so [the incident] is just documented. There’s no injuries, so no one needs to report to DMV.”
Then, in a contrast to the more friendly banter with the driver, Officer Williams blamed Jeevan for what happened, called him ignorant, and lectured him about what he should have done differently to avoid it. “My suggestion would be to use the bike lane… you easily could have moved over and prevented that hostile situation and just have been the bigger person,” Williams said to Jeevan. “He [the driver] also could have been the bigger person by not doing it. Honestly from my point of view, you guys are both ignorant and you guys both instigated each other. So I got somebody saying that you tucked your elbow out there, but the other person saying you got hit by the thing. That’s what it is. That’s it. Have a nice day.”
And without waiting for Jeevan to respond, the officer was already walking back to his patrol car. Jeevan, a bit stunned by it all, said “Thank you.”
What’s notable to me about these interactions is how differently the officer spoke to the two men. There was sympathy, patience, compassion and collegiality in the officer’s tone and demeanor when he spoke to JK that was absent when he spoke to Jeevan.
Unlike what he did to Jeevan, Officer Williams didn’t give the driver unsolicited advice on what he could have done differently and he didn’t call the driver “ignorant” to his face. On the contrary, the officer agreed with JK, insulted Jeevan to him behind Jeevan’s back and went out of his way to assure JK that he wasn’t in trouble, that he did nothing wrong, that was just an “accident,” and that his insurance premium wouldn’t be affected..
If you step back and look at what happened, Jeevan had a reasonable argument for being out of the bike lane at that moment. While safely using his bicycle, Jeevan was victimized by an impatient driver who made an unsafe pass, struck him with his rear-view mirror, then verbally berated him until the police showed up. Jeevan was understandably shaken up by the incident, so much so that it took him 10 days to regain the confidence to ride his bike again.
But to Officer Williams, Jeevan was just an “ignorant” cyclist who should have moved to the side to let an angry driver pass. And after a cursory investigation, Officer Williams determined both men were equally at fault and the incident was minor enough to not be reported to the DMV.
Police officers have an incredibly difficult job and they’re just fallible humans at the end of the day. But from what I heard in this footage, from what I know about Jeevan, and from what I’ve experienced myself after being stopped by PPB officers, this incident illustrates the challenge some cyclists face in interactions with police — and how cultural bias that favors drivers can make it hard for bike riders to get justice on our streets.
Broadway Bridge as seen from N Interstate Ave. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
Multnomah County says a maintenance project will close the Broadway Bridge for six months beginning Monday, October 13th. The closure will have a significant impact on surrounding streets and bridges as folks opt for detours around the closure. All car and truck drivers, as well as Portland Streetcar and bus riders, will need to find other routes to and from downtown.
Bicycle riders and walkers will be able to use the south sidewalk, which will remain open for most of the closure. However, the County says even the south sidewalk will be closed for two hours on two days: Monday October 13th and Tuesday October 14th from 9:00 am to 11:00 am.
To be clear:
this closure impacts all drivers, as well as bus and streetcar riders, for the entire six months;
bike riders will share the south sidewalk, which will carry bi-directional cycling, walking, and micromobility vehicle traffic.
the bridge will be closed to all users — including bikers and walkers — for two hours this coming Monday and Tuesday.
The reason for the closure is a lift deck replacement project. According to Multnomah County, in order to do the work, a contractor will remove small sections of the bridge deck, one at a time, to ensure the movable bridge sections remain carefully balanced and can be opened to river traffic as required by law. New streetcar tracks will also be installed in the section of the bridge deck being replaced.
The last major Broadway Bridge closure I covered was in 2015 when the bridge was repainted. The work zone around that project was roundly criticized by bicycle users.
County officials expect the closure to last from October 13th 2025 to April 11th 2026. Visit the County’s website for more information.
The Springwater Corridor path on the way to Boring. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
The weekend is almost here. And in case you didn’t realize, we’ve likely left warm summer days behind for good, so it’s always a good idea to check event websites for updates in case of rain delays or cancellations. And don’t forget to pack a rain coat and/or extra layer (especially if you’re on an e-bike).
Here are my picks for this weekend…
Saturday, October 11th
Harvest CX #6 – All Day at Frenchman’s Bar Park in Vancouver (WA) Get ready for Columbia CX, which organizers describe as a course with, “Multiple barriers with long stretches of grass, dirt, gravel, pavement, and hopefully some wet packed rideable sand!” More info here.
Southerly Ladies Ride – 10:00 am at Trolley Trail (Milwaukie) Join an experienced ride leader for a small monthly group ride that’s for ladies only! Ride leader Maria Schur adds, “This ride is ‘no dudes, no e-bikes, no offense’.” More info here.
Meet Portland Bicycling Club – 2:30 pm at Gateway Transit Center (NE) If you’re curious about PBC (Portland’s oldest riding club), this is a great opportunity to ride and chat with club leaders while getting to know good cycling routes in Portland metro. More info here.
Sunday, October 12th
Cyclocross Crusade #2 – All Day at Portland International Raceway (N) The Heron Lakes course beckons and IYKYK that this is a really fun course full of challenges that’s also great for spectators and heckling. More info here.
A Boring Out and Back – 9:30 am at Upper Sellwood Park (SE) Did you know you can hop on the Springwater path and ride it all the way to the neat little town named Boring? This is one of those classic, rite of passage Portland rides! More info here.
Emergency Naked Bike Ride – 2:30 pm at location TBA Organizers want to mass all cyclists to protest against ICE and increased aggression from the Trump administration. Come on any bike and in any outfit. Nudity is totally optional. 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.
Tigard’s new Mayor Yi-Kang Hu posted this photo of himself this morning along with the message: ” Safe routes = healthy kids, calmer streets, and a stronger community.” (Photo: @YiForTigard on Instagram)
Less than 24 hours after Yi-Kang Hu was named City of Tigard’s new mayor, he was on the Metzger Elementary School bike bus and celebrating Walk and Roll to School Day by chalking bike symbols on the pavement at a local park. Yes, Tigard’s new mayor rides a bike — and not just for photo-ops.
A former Tigard city councilor, Mayor Hu was voted into his new role Tuesday night by fellow councilors after former Mayor Heidi Lueb resigned last month.
This morning I received a message from reader Shawne Martinez, a Tigard resident, member of the Tigard Transportation Advisory Committee and dedicated climate change and cycling advocate. “Mayor Hu has attended many bike events and community rides. It’s great to have a Mayor who will actually be on a bike often!,” Martinez shared (I could hear the excitement oozing from his words).
Mayor Hu (grey hoodie, waving) this morning on the Metzger Elementary Bike Bus. (Photos: Shawne Martinez)
Mayor Hu’s Instagram account (@YiForTigard) is full of him on his Batch e-bike — from this morning’s Walk and Roll festivities at Metzger Elementary, to a post back in January after a cold ride into work when he shared, “What a gorgeous morning for a bike ride!” In October 2024, Mayor Hu posted a photo of thousands of bicycles parked in Taipei, Taiwan and wrote: “For the past few days, I’ve been traveling around the city solely by bus, subway, and train, and I absolutely love the clean, affordable, and stress-free experience.”
Mayor Hu was born in Taiwan and immigrated to the United States with his family as a child. He’s a lawyer with a B.A. degree from Reed College, a Ph. D. from Oregon Health Sciences University and a law degree from Lewis & Clark College. Hu will serve as mayor until the end of 2026. Learn more about him on the City of Tigard website.
More of this coming soon to a park near you. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
This site could just as well be called PublicSpacePortland. Yes bikes and the people who ride them are cool and they can save the world; but at the end of the day, what I really care about most is safe and high-quality public spaces — be they parks, sidewalks, plazas, paths or roads.
In America, for better or for worse, our best public spaces are usually city parks. That’s why I was thrilled to see a news release from the City of Portland this morning about how they’ve eased the permitting rules for mobile vendors in parks — including many surprising locations like along NW Germantown Road in Forest Park. This is a big deal because public space only works if the public shows up, and having food trucks and other types of vendors in parks will encourage people not only to visit, but to stay there longer.
In a statement about the new rules on Tuesday, the City of Portland said they’ve launched a new, “simple and affordable” same-day permit system. “Whether it’s food carts, craft vendors, or mobile services, this streamlined program is designed to support small businesses while energizing public spaces,” the statement reads.
If vendors meet basic business licensing requirements, agree to remove their own waste, and have a self-contained vehicle to operate from, they can pay as little as $5 per day for the privilege of selling their wares at one of 41 parks across the city. With a same-day permit and freedom to choose where they set up (as long as it’s in a designated parking space, more on that below), this program is much easier than previous rules. Before these changes, mobile vending could only be done in certain parts of a park that had been identified by the city and required a permitting process that was more arduous and time-consuming.
The new permit program relies on use of existing parking spaces adjacent to parks and vendors are required to use the city’s “Parking Kitty” app to pay for any spaces they use. That’s an efficient way to make the program work, but it limits which parks are eligible because not all parks have paid parking lots nearby. Peninsula Park in North Portland for example, is left off the list because it doesn’t have a parking lot or adjacent paid parking spaces.
Detail of vending location map. Notice the spots in Forest Park! Full map here.
The new rules also specifically forbid human-powered carts like trikes or cargo bikes. “The unit must be a licensed motorized vehicle or a tow-behind trailer that remains connected to a licensed motorized vehicle. Push-carts and non-motorized carts not hitched to a vehicle are not allowed under this program,” the rules read.
When I asked Parks Program Coordinator Danny Dunn why trikes and bikes are not eligible for one of these permits, he said, “That’s a good question. I didn’t think of that.” Dunn then explained that since the vending will take part in parking lots and, “parking lots are specifically meant for motorized vehicles that are licensed to operate on roadways,” that means bikes don’t meet program requirements. “Allowing bikes in these spaces would completely redefine the space and how it’s typically used,” Dunn shared, “It’s a great question though and it’s something I would love the bureau to consider and work on.”
Trikes and smaller, non-motorized vendors can already sell in parks using a different permitting system that allows them to vend on sidewalks in the public right-of-way. Speaking of which, City Councilor Mitch Green wants to cut red tape on that program as well.
This all follows a pilot program launched early last year by the Portland Bureau of Transportation that aimed to bring more food trucks to Central City sidewalks.
There’s clearly momentum in City Hall and the Portland Building for more vendors in public spaces and that should make urbanists and anyone who cares about vibrant public spaces very happy.
Permanent median barriers, heavy-duty furnishings, a vibrant mural (that will last a long time without car tires on it), and a basketball court welcome folks into a new plaza on NE Mason at 72nd. (Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
Do yourself a favor and roll or walk over to Northeast 72nd and Mason. What you’ll see is a carfree plaza bordered by a grassy parkway, a vibrant mural on the pavement, a basketball hoop, and places to sit and watch the community unfold around you. Talk of carfree streets often assume they’re only possible in the Central City; but thanks to visionary politicians, neighborhood advocates and supportive city policy, we are finally seeing plazas extend way beyond downtown.
I rode east on NE Mason the other day and forgot that the City of Portland’s Roseway Plaza opened last month. It was such a beautiful day out and I was just awestruck at how cool the space was. What was once just a blank expanse of pavement (see below) is now a legit gathering place in the middle of the neighborhood protected against the intrusion of cars by permanent concrete medians that protect both entrances.
Big improvement huh?! See more photos below.
The dream of Roseway Plaza emerged from the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s Mason/Skidmore Neighborhood Greenway project (funded through the Fixing Our Streets program) which runs east-west on those two streets between NE 37th and NE 77th. According to the Roseway Neighborhood Association (RNA), they worked with PBOT for years to make the plaza a reality. “The plaza is a welcoming open space for the community to gather, have fun, and make connections.” the neighborhood’s website reads. “We want to make sure that the space is accessible to those with limited mobility, and inviting to all community members. By activating the intersection and surrounding parkway, we also hope to calm traffic on 72nd Ave.”
That last part about calming traffic on NE 72nd Avenue appears to be a work-in-progress. Neighbors have asked PBOT to install stop signs on NE 72nd at Mason (where the plaza is), but as of right now the stop signs aren’t there (*scroll to end of post for update about the stop signs). As I approached the intersection I found myself staring at the plaza and didn’t realize cross-traffic might not stop. I realize “every corner is a crosswalk” and drivers should stop; but a lot of folks walk, run and bike in the street so that law doesn’t apply. I’ve asked RNA and PBOT for an update on this and will update this post when I hear back.
There are two other reasons I find this plaza notable: It’s very similar to what PBOT has the opportunity to do in another location very soon, and it’s an example of something a former PBOT commissioner pushed for.
The Roseway Plaza is in the middle of what’s known as Roseway Parkway, a wide park down the middle of 72nd Ave between NE Sandy and Prescott. The layout is nearly identical to what’s known as the Omaha Treeway between N Rosa Parks and Killingsworth in the Arbor Lodge Neighborhood. PBOT is currently in the design stage of a neighborhood greenway project for N Ainsworth that proposes a similar carfree plaza at N Omaha Ave. If you’re interested in that project, there’s a community walk scheduled for this Wednesday (10/8) that will end at the treeway. Meet at Arborlook Carts (5916 N Greeley) around 6:00 pm to join.
I also want to shout-out former City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty, because this Roseway Plaza made me recall something she used to talk about. As commissioner-in-charge of PBOT, Hardesty spoke often about wanting more carfree spaces citywide. In an interview with me in February 2021, she said, “We’re looking at places all over the city to make carfree, so that community members have gathering spots where they can bike, they can scooter, they can do whatever it is they want to do.”
Our conversations about carfree streets often revolve around the central city, but having a place like this on NE 72nd is a very positive sign that PBOT is moving the needle toward their vision of a lower-car Portland.
— Learn more about Roseway Plaza and PBOT’s many other plazas throughout the city on their website.
UPDATE, 10/9 at 9:34 am: PBOT says they plan to stripe a crosswalk at NE Mason and 72nd later this fall and a separate project will add traffic calming measures on NE 72nd. Here’s more from PBOT Communications Director Hannah Schafer:
“Both streets are greenways, and we don’t typically make four way stops when greenways intersect.
Additionally, the upcoming 70s Greenway: Cully Connector project will be adding speed bumps and sharrows on 72nd, as well as limiting access at several locations. All of this should serve to slow speeds and reduce volumes on 72nd, and the crossing will be clearly marked to improve safety and visibility.”
Volunteers cleared the shoulder of NE Rocky Butte Rd on Sunday. (Photo: Daniel Stuart)
Sometimes the path to safer biking and walking infrastructure is to simply keep what we already have clean and clear of obstructions. That’s one reason many cycling advocates talk about bike lane maintenance and sweeping as a core concern.
That’s also why about a dozen Portlanders showed up Sunday morning to clean up the shoulder of Northeast Rocky Butte Road. Their focus was on clearing the last half-mile section of the road that’s marked by sharp curves. With vegetation that has grown into the shoulder, these sweeping turns — which also create short sight lines — push bicycle riders and walkers even further into traffic and create dangerous conditions for everyone.
Rocky Butte is an extinct volcano surrounded by natural areas and homes just west of the I-84 and I-205 interchange (across the freeway from Gateway Green). It’s a very popular route for folks looking for an escape from city streets and test themselves with a climb that’s rewarded with a panoramic view from the park atop the butte.
Work area in red. (Map: Devery Sheridan)
The event was hosted by Friends of Rocky Butte and was sponsored by the Portland Clean Energy Fund (PCEF), whose mini-grant program helped pay for supplies and refreshments. Friends of Rocky Butte is a nonprofit that works to activate the area for recreation and community use. Their long-term goal is to bring together the patchwork of agencies that currently control land around the butte (Oregon Department of Transportation, City of Portland, and Oregon State Parks) under one coordinated management structure. Once unified, the group hopes to see investments in trails for walkers, runners, mountain bikers, and climbers — making Rocky Butte an urban recreation hub. (Last month the group hosted a live music concert in the historic tunnel that cuts through the butte.)
(Photo: Daniel Stuart)(Photo: Cynthia O’ Rourke)(Photo: Cynthia O’ Rourke)Before (see after photos below).
After coffee and donuts at a nearby park, volunteers split into two crews: One group tackled the hazardous turn (cutting back thick brush, widening the shoulder, creating a trail); the other group cleared vegetation along nearby sections, removing trash and vegetation and smoothing uneven ground. Before they got out there, the Portland Bureau of Transportation sent out a maintenance truck to cut back the thickest brush.
Before and after photos show their work has made a dramatic difference by opening up several feet of road space for folks on bikes and on foot. “There were loads of walkers and bikers all morning saying ‘thanks!’ as they went by,” Friends of Rocky Butte Board Member (and Executive Director of Oregon Walks) Zachary Lauritzen shared with me after the event.
(Photo: Devery Sheridan) (Photo: Cynthia O’ Rourke)(Photo: Daniel Stuart)After (and the crew that did the work).
“Sunday’s work — to create a safe alternative to walking in the road to access the summit — is a first step forward in achieving our vision,” Friends of Rocky Butte Board Treasurer (and NW Trail Alliance board member) Daniel Stuart added.
Lauritzen said the event should be a model of how the city works with community groups. “It’s a great example of a public-private partnership stretching the public dollar. PBOT did a first pass with their big machinery so that volunteers – people who care about improving their neighborhood and are willing to do something about it – could pick up tools and finish the job. For Rocky Butte to be a success story, this will be the first of many opportunities to improve the area.”
Stay tuned to Oregon Walks to take part in a series of walks to the Rocky Butte summit and keep your eyes on the Shift Calendar for group rides to the top of the butte. Biking up for the sunset is a rite of passage for Portland cyclists.
