BikePortland

Planning Commission finds ‘missing middle,’ votes for more housing citywide

516 SE 33rd Ave2 — A 1905 duplex on SE 33rd Avenue in Portland. Like many other cities, Portland made these illegal on most lots in the mid 20th century. Photo by Portland for Everyone.

“What do the neighbors have to be afraid of? It’s buildings, people or cars.”
— Chris Smith, Planning Commissioner

An earlier version of this post was published by the Sightline Institute. It’s by BikePortland’s former news editor, Michael Andersen, who started covering the need for “missing middle” housing — especially in Portland’s most bikeable neighborhoods — for us in 2015. We last covered this issue in May, just before the crucial public hearings described here.

The most provocative housing policy event of this week in the Pacific Northwest started happening four months ago.

On Friday evening we learned what great lengths the Portland Police Bureau will go to retrieve a bicycle.

It happened around 6:00 pm in northeast Portland when someone reported that a child’s bike had been taken from the front lawn of a house on the 5500 hundred block of NE Simpson Street.

The suspect was seen walking away with the bike and didn’t stop after several neighborhood kids asked him to return it. Here’s how the ensuing chase unfolded, according to the PPB statement:

Arriving officers obtained the subject description and learned from the family members that the subject might have boarded a TriMet bus with the stolen bike.

Officers were able to locate the correct bus. Officers observed a child’s blue bike matching the victim description, mounted on the bus bike rack. Officers flagged down the bus driver, who confirmed that a male subject matching the suspect’s description was inside the bus.

Read more

Drone video spotlights Sellwood’s new bike traffic circle

timmons-circle-still — Still from drone footage of traffic circle on SE Milwaukie.
(Photo/video: Ted Timmons)

Our story about the City of Portland’s new traffic circle on SE Milwaukie and Mitchell spurred a robust conversation about its strengths and weaknesses. New drone footage (below) sheds more light on how it works.

Thank you!

This week’s Monday Roundup is brought to you by the Harvest Century coming September 23rd. It’s the last organized ride of the season, and with four route choices, there’s something for the entire family. Get 15% off registration when you use “BIKEPORTLAND18” code at checkout.

Here are the most noteworthy items we were introduced to in the past seven days…

Bike lobby strikes again: Framed around a project that looks a lot like Better Naito, advocates for better cycling in Baltimore have struck fear into the heart of Fortune magazine editor Rush Loving Jr.

Two of Portland’s transportation reform advocacy groups are ratcheting up their opposition to the City of Portland’s plans to tear down the Better Naito project at the end of next week.

crowd1 — 50 people showed up to our neighborhood park to talk with each other about the project.
(Photos: Kiel Johnson)

This is the conclusion to Kiel Johnson’s grassroots effort to talk to more of his neighbors about a transportation project. Don’t miss part one and part two.

After three days of knocking on doors inviting our neighbors to an ice cream social to discuss the proposed Lloyd to Woodlawn Neighborhood Greenway, it was time to find out if anyone would actually show up.

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Here are our latest job listings.

Learn more about each one via the links below…

–> eCommerce Manager (plus more) – Cento Cycling

–> National Inside Sales and Customer Service – HGNR/Dumonde Tech

–> Web Developer – Alta Planning + Design

j_ryde_bp-12 — Ryder uses his customers’ existing bikes to build his distinctive cargo creations.
(Photos: James Buckroyd)

You may have seen Jake Ryder’s creations via J_ryde on Instagram, ogled the cyclocross images he shoots as Sellwood Cycles’ official photog, or heard his name from a friend who is into Zoobomb or freak bikes. Either way, Jake is a multi-talented maker who has carved a niche based on his unique perspective on cycling.

I visited his shop in southeast Portland recently to learn a bit more about him.

PBOT Project Manager Scott Cohen explained the design to Kenton residents at a meeting last night.
(Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)

Can we just stop beating around the bush for a second and talk about what the City of Portland Bureau of Transportation is doing to our streets?

From Southeast Foster to St. Johns, they are slowly but surely redesigning roads citywide so there’s less space for driving cars and trucks. In addition, they’re also intentionally making it harder and less efficient to drive. This is nothing to be ashamed of. In fact, it’s worth a huge celebration. If we want to make good on our potential as a great city we must move aggressively beyond the driving-alone status quo.

While it’s fun to observe PBOT’s progress from an advocacy, political, and bureaucratic perspective, I often find neighborhood meetings are the most fascinating window into the sausage-making process.

Two more days until the weekend.

Here’s our selection of the events worth checking out…

Friday, September 14th

Midnight Mystery Ride – “At midnight we ride” location TBA
Don’t forget to check the MMR website for the start location of this month’s ride. Bring a jacket and something warm to drink! More info here.

The best printed bike map in the Portland region will soon be a collector’s item.

Metro announced yesterday that they will no longer sell the printed version of the vaunted Bike There! map.

The map was first published in 1983 and has gone through nine major updates. The ninth (and last) edition came out in May 2015.

In an email to shops that stocked the map, Metro’s Marne Duke said the decision was made because of, “A combination of the decline in demand of printed maps and the increase in free map offerings from local cities and counties around the region.”

The news was met with disappointment by many of our friends on Twitter:

“Bummer. Finding this map at the grocery store was what got me to start biking in Portland.” — Nick Falbo.

“No! I am definitely of the era that loves a paper map.” — Mike Mason

“I don’t use apps or Google Maps or whatever. I like good old printed maps.” — Susan R

44413874542_42d4b6dc91_b — These scooter users forced a bicycle rider to swerve around them while they rode wrong way on SE 52nd Avenue.
(Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)

As part of an effort to encourage safer use of electric scooters, the City of Portland will host a safety event this Thursday (9/13).

Here’s the official announcement just released by PBOT:

Planning Commission finds ‘missing middle,’ votes for more housing citywide

Portland Police deploy canine, air support units to chase down bike thief

Drone video spotlights Sellwood’s new bike traffic circle

The Monday Roundup: E-bike dangers, fake helmets, all-powerful Bike Lobby, and more

Thank you!

Pressure builds on City of Portland to keep Better Naito in place

My neighbors actually showed up! Maybe it was just the free ice cream

Jobs of the Week: Cento, HGNR/Dumonde Tech, Alta Planning + Design

The creations of ‘Fiets of Strength’ builder Jake Ryder

At neighborhood meeting, PBOT explains why they’re making it harder to drive

Weekend Event Guide: Kidical Massive, legislator town hall, Zaaldercross, and more

Friday, September 14th

After 35-year run, Metro will no longer offer printed Bike There! map

PBOT to host e-scooter safety event on Thursday

Latest Headlines

Advocate for nondrivers, Anna Zivarts, will speak in Portland Wednesday

Police team up with park rangers to patrol paths

Tow truck driver hops onto I-5 bike path to skirt traffic

Peer into future of I-5 freeway covers at community work session

From the Archives

More biking = better driving. So why isn’t this said more often?