(Photos: TriMet)
TriMet and their partners launched five new all-electric buses at the Sunset Transit Center this morning. They claim to be the first transit agency in the nation to put fully wind-powered buses into regular service.
Meet Portland’s adventure riding ‘route master’ Ryan Francesconi
(Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
What makes a great cycling city?
We often think of bike-friendly policies and politicians, or bikeway miles and ridership statistics. But if you ask me, the most important part of what makes a place great for cycling is the people who live in it. Here in Portland, we’re lucky so many smart, dedicated, selfless, and inspiring bicycle lovers call this place home. Why? Because most of them share their passions with the rest of us.
Ryan Francesconi is one of the people I’m grateful for. He’s one of the leaders behind the local gravel riding revolution. He’s the chief moderator of the “Unpaved” Google Group and he (along with his friend Ron Lewis) is one of the main leaders and organizers behind the legendary Our Mother the Mountain (OMTM) rides. Beyond that, he’s always quick to share his vast knowledge of routes and riding tips with everyone who asks (we shared his winter riding tips in 2017).
Bill that clarifies existence of bike lanes through intersections passes committee
Despite confusion from some lawmakers that led to an unexpectedly lengthy discussion prior to the vote, House Bill 2682 passed the Joint Committee on Transportation yesterday by a tally of 7-3.
I’ve described this bill as a no-brainer; but because it involves bicycling, you just never know what some Oregon legislators will get hung up on. I was amazed at how much consternation and discussion this simple housekeeping bill received in committee yesterday.
“The attempt of this bill is to clarify longstanding practice and expectation.”
— Lindsay Baker, ODOT government relations
Let’s be clear: Since bike lanes have existed in Oregon, it has been understood — both by road users and the legal system — that they exist inside intersections even though they are not painted. Same for every other lane. Road authorities do not paint lane lines in intersections because with all the turning movements it would be a maintenance nightmare, dangerously confusing, and useless.
Out of hundreds, if not thousands, of court cases over the years, for some reason two Oregon traffic court judges — one in 2009, one in 2018 — took it upon themselves to decide that a bicycle user did not have the legal right-of-way in a collision because the lane wasn’t painted. Out of concern that these two outlier cases might start a trend, advocates proposed HB 2682. The text of the bill is short and simple.
Family Biking: Join us for the annual Kidical Mass Easter Ride
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)
Flowers are blooming, the rain feels a bit warmer, and bike shops are off their winter schedules. That means Kidical Mass PDX is back, too! Our “season” typically starts on Easter Sunday with our annual Kidical Mass PDX Easter Ride and Egg Hunt:
Former Obama transpo secretary will headline Oregon Active Transportation Summit
(Photos: Brown, Rutgers University; Foxx, Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
The Oregon Active Transportation Summit will take place April 24th through the 26th at the Oregon Zoo. The annual conference is organized by The Street Trust and features a full slate of mobile workshops, plenary sessions, professional training, and networking opportunities.
Headlining the summit’s main day — Thursday, April 25th — will be a noted researcher and a Cabinet Secretary for former President Barack Obama.
Former Charlotte, North Carolina Mayor Anthony Foxx spent four years as Obama’s Transportation Secretary and as of last October works for Lyft as their chief policy officer. Foxx visited Portland in 2016 as part of the US Department of Transportation’s “Smart City” initiative.
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Charles Brown is a senior researcher at the Alan M. Voorhees Transportation Center (VTC) and adjunct professor at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy. Mr. Brown will deliver the lunch keynote. In 2018 he was nominated for a “Streetsie Advocate of the Year” award by Streetsblog Los Angeles for his, “important work on the intersections of race and mobility.”
In a statement about the event, The Street Trust Executive Director Jillian Detweiler said, “This year, many sessions address ways to achieve more equitable outcomes from our transportation system.”
Among the topics of Thursday’s breakout sessions are: Voices From Williams Avenue; Designing Safe Streets for Pedestrians of Color: The Intersection of Equity Engineering and Vision Zero; Inclusive Bike and Scooter Share; Creating Bike Networks; Let’s (Not) Talk About Congestion; and more.
After a day of interesting keynotes and sessions, The Street Trust will host a Pecha Kucha event at Rock Bottom Brewery. Unwind with friends old and new as you listen to a series of short and stimulating presentations on a variety of transportation-related presentations.
Register for the event and view the full schedule here.
— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
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BikePortland needs your support.
Job: Part-Time Bicycle Tour Guide – LifeCycle Adventures
Job Title
Part-Time Bicycle Tour Guide
Company / Organization
LifeCycle Adventures
Job Description
I am looking for part-time tour guides for the 2019 season – typically June through September/October.
Guides will support guests on self-guided bike trips in the Willamette Valley, Mt Hood and the Columbia River Gorge areas. This will include Start and End of Trip days, On-Call days, and Luggage Transfers.
This is not a full-time position and should not be relied upon as a sole means of income. If you are looking for supplemental income (extra hours) and are a fun person with good interpersonal and bike skills, this may be a good fit for you.
The right person(s) for this position will have the following characteristics:
– Excellent hosting skills with a high standard of professionalism & customer service
– Well organized with sharp attention to detail
– Prior bike guiding or related experience a plus
– Flexible schedule
– Knowledge of local history, culture, and geography
– Enthusiastic cyclist & capable bike mechanic
– Capable of lifting bikes and luggage
– Clean driving record, Oregon driving license and clean background check
– Current First Aid/CPR Certificate
How to Apply
CONTACT:
For more information, please send a brief statement of interest and resume to Christy: Christy@lifecycleadventures.com
No calls, please.
A bit of rain can’t dampen spirits at The Ladds 500
*All photos by Eric Thornburg/No.Lens.Cap on Instagram
Part race, party relay, part party: The Ladds 500 is quintessential Portland.
Southeast Division bike shop ‘A Better Cycle’ will close next month
A neighborhood bike shop in the Hosford-Abernethy neighborhood will close its doors next month after over a decade in business. Owners of A Better Cycle announced their decision last week.
The Monday Roundup: Protected by law, speed research, Walmart’s new bikes, and more
This week’s Monday Roundup is sponsored by Ride Like a Girl Cycling, who invites you to their ‘Coastal Delight’, all-inclusive training camp for beginner riders: May 20-22 in Pacific City on the Oregon Coast.
Welcome to the week!
Here are the most noteworthy items we came across in the past seven days.
County says NW Newberry Road could re-open in a few weeks
(Photo: Multnomah County)
Multnomah County’s latest update on the NW Newberry Road repair project has good news for those of you who miss this popular route up to (or down from) Skyline Blvd.
Comments of the Week: Perspectives on more law enforcement
As our community continues to grapple with a spate of deadly and serious injury collisions, much of the discussion in the past few days has focused on enforcement.
It’s an important topic that deserves a productive debate.
Out of around 260 comments in this shortened week (I was out of town Monday-Tuesday), here are three that stood out:
Reader MTW had this to say in response to our story about North Fessenden:
Portland Parks eyes closures as river levels rise
(Photo by pdxwheeler)
If your bicycling plans involve any paths, bikeways, or roads around the Willamette River, be on the lookout for water.