BikePortland

With over $92,000 raised, off-road trails at Gateway Green will soon be a reality

In the past month over 500 people have chipped in $92,325 to help pay for the construction of new bike trails at Gateway Green — a formerly vacant plot of state-owned land (now owned by the City of Portland) at the intersection of I-84 and I-205.

Project backers aim to reach the goal of $100,000 in the next two days to match a Metro grant they’ve already received. If you haven’t donated yet, now would be a great time to do so.

With money in the bank and all the support and permissions lined up from various agencies, the Northwest Trail Alliance and Portland Parks & Recreation have already broken ground. Over the past few weeks Parks rangers have worked with an estimated 80 people who were camping on the land (who came there after being moved from the Springwater Corridor) to find shelter and other services. Fencing has now been erected around the property and heavy equipment is staging on the site.

Welcome to the weekly video roundup!

I made sure to get a ride in on Wednesday before the crazy weather started. Now I’m mostly hunkering down with the cats. It’s clear the weather has started to turn. River City Bikes did a video about “winter-proofing” your bike last year, and it’s a good time to show it again. (Also: Russ of PLP shows a zillion ways to wear a Buff and gives good glove strategies)

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

This version of inner southeast Hawthorne is still just a dream. For now.

The City Budget Office (CBO) just threw a bunch of cold water on some hot active transportation projects.

Last month we were happy to share that the transportation bureau had requested city funding for five projects that would upgrade our streets and make them safer for everyone to use. The request was made as part of the fall budget monitoring process or “BUMP”. This is where the city takes the growth in tax revenue that went beyond projections and re-invests it back into worthy projects. Competition for the funds are fierce and all city bureaus compete for a limited pot of money (estimated to be about $8 million total this go-round2).

The Bureau of Transportation trotted out five projects that were especially exciting for transportation reform advocates: a seasonal reconfiguration of Naito Parkway (aka “Better Naito”); the Outer Halsey Streetscape Safety project and a Vision Zero educational effort; a new path connection for the Springwater, and a major redesign of inner Hawthorne Boulevard.

Unfortunately the CBO isn’t recommending funding for any of them.

More of this please! Swing by The Lumberyard Friday night to help raise money for great new trails to ride at Gateway Green!
(Photo: J. Maus/BikePortland)

In light of what appears to be the certainty of wind and rain we’ve lined up several great indoor events and great mud events. Take your pick and dress accordingly. I’ll be using the deluge as the catalyst to buy some new rain pants. It’s been past time for way too long.

Scroll down for your weekly menu of tasty local rides and events…

Friday, October 14th

Friends of Gateway Green Dirt Lab Fundraiser – 5:00pm The Lumberyard (2700 NE 82nd)
Gateway Green is a 25 acre park development in East Portland. The incorporated Dirt Lab will add singletrack trails, a pump track, and the potential for lots more. The Lab’s crowdfunding campaign is 2 days from closing and 90% funded. If you want to help, stop by the Lumberyard where a percentage of admission and food sales will be donated. Learn more here.

The newly-expanded team at Portland-based Ruckus Composites.(Photo: Ruckus) — The newly-expanded team at Portland-based Ruckus Composites.
(Photo: Ruckus)

Ruckus Composites has come a long way since we first visited their shop seven years ago.

Back then company founder Shawn Small worked in a rough shop space in the Brooklyn neighborhood that he shared with another company (Portland Design Works, which has grown quite a bit itself since those days). A mechanical engineering grad who’s now 32 years old, he worked alone with just his tools, machines, and big ideas to keep him going. Part bike lover, part mad scientist (he used to write our “Bike Science” column), and part entrepreneur, Small has definitely managed to keep going.

As he approaches a decade in business he announced two new hires today which brings the Ruckus staff up to six full-timers (not including himself).

A bicycle umbrella (like this one we tested last year) isn’t necessary, but the great tips below are required reading.
(Photo: Juli Maus)

Note: This post was submitted by BikePortland Subscriber Kevin Schmidt from Pedal PT. Want to submit posts on behalf of yourself or your business? Become a subscriber today!

With the onset of the rain this week, it’s always good to review some ‘best practice’ tips for dealing with the weather, while still enjoying your ride.

A person was killed this morning while bicycling on a rural road just east of Stayton, a small town about sixty miles south of Portland.

We don’t always cover fatal bicycle collisions so far away from the Portland metro area; but the statement about this one just released by the Marion County Sheriff’s Office deserves a closer look. The language used in the statement shows how far Oregon law enforcement agencies have to go to create a culture around traffic deaths that is in line with Vision Zero principles.

According to the Marion County Sheriff’s office, the collision occurred when someone driving a motor vehicle hit a bicycle rider from behind. Read their official statement (released just two and-a-half hours after the collision) and think about how the language paints the relative culpability of each party:

PPB officers camped out on Highway 26 up near the Oregon Zoo to catch speeders. Read their press release below for how that turned out…

53 CITATIONS ISSUED DURING A #VISIONZERO TRAFFIC SAFETY MISSION

News Release from Portland Police Bureau
Posted on FlashAlert: October 12th, 2016 3:04 PM
Downloadable file: Vision_Zero.jpg
On Tuesday October 11, 2016, the Portland Police Bureau’s Traffic Division conducted a Vision Zero traffic safety mission on the Sunset Highway at the Oregon Zoo overpass. For approximately two hours, officers conducted high-visibility enforcement and education stops.

In total, 53 traffic citations were issued along with three written warnings. The average citation speed was 70 MPH in the 50 MPH zone. This location was selected for the mission due to the number of crashes that occur on the Sunset Highway.

This mission was conducted in an effort to address the high number of traffic crashes this year resulting in serious physical injuries or death. So far this year, 32 people have died in traffic-related crashes.

The Traffic Division and Precinct operations will be conducting future enforcement missions as staffing allows.

The Portland Police Bureau is committed to working with our partners in government and the community to create safer streets and work towards reducing, and eventually eliminating, traffic fatalities as part of Vision Zero.

Bike law expert says PBOT’s crossbike markings create confusion

This post is part of our Get Legal series made possible by Swanson, Thomas, Coon & Newton.

When we first reported on crossbikes in August, concerns about them began almost immediately. While some people were happy to see the increased visibility for bicycling traffic at crossings via the big green stripes, others said the treatment creates confusion.

Now Ray Thomas, the Portland lawyer who literally wrote the book on Oregon bike law, is adding his voice to the chorus of concerns.

Before we get into his critique, let’s review what crossbikes are and what problem they aim to solve.

The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) was formed as a counterweight to the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO). The group exists to promote more progressive and innovative street designs that reflect how Americans actually want to live in cities.

NACTO has 49 member cities and just announced three new transit agency members. Portland-based TriMet is one of them. Check the full press release below…

NACTO Welcomes New Transit Members, Reinforcing Transit’s Central Role on City Streets
New Transit Members in Seattle, Portland OR, and Miami-Dade County Join Peers in New York City and San Francisco

The National Association of City Transportation Officials (NACTO) today announced that Seattle’s King County Metro, Portland’s TriMet, and Miami-Dade County have joined NACTO as the association’s newest transit agency members, weeks after New York’s Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) joined the association. These four major transit providers join NACTO’s 49 member cities across North America working to build sustainable, equitable streets and transit networks.

As more people are choosing to live in cities across North America, cities and transit agencies are partnering to move more people in less space, and make sure all neighborhoods have the streets and transit access that they need. NACTO’s recently-released Transit Street Design Guide, created by this unique coalition, shows how putting transit at the heart of street design greatly expands the number of people a street can move, and unlocks street space to create more vibrant places for everyone.

Read more

PBOT unveils design proposal and timeline for bikeway on SW Capitol Highway

Riding on Capitol Hwy today is a risky proposition.
(Photo: J. Maus/BikePortland)

Thanks in part to the passage of the Fix Our Streets gas tax increase the City of Portland is finally going to build what many consider to be southwest Portland’s highest priority transportation project: A redesign of SW Capitol Highway between Multnomah Village and Taylors Ferry Road.

This one-mile north-south stretch of Capitol Highway has been on the radar of PBOT and neighborhood advocates for over 20 years. It was listed as a priority in the 1996 Capitol Highway Plan and since then has been bounced around many project lists and planning documents. The reason for the delay has been the relatively high cost: Because of its topography and stormwater management issues the project has always been on the expensive side.

Last night at the City’s Bicycle Advisory Committee meeting, PBOT project manager Steven Szigethy said the project is estimated to cost $10-12 million. Funding is now in hand thanks to $3.3 million from the Fix Our Streets fund and another $6-7 million from transportation and stormwater system development charges (fees paid by developers to improve infrastructure).

The Moda Center bike parking area is always full and fun on Bike Night!

If you’re excited as we are for the start of the NBA season, you’ll love this news: Blazers Bike Night is back for 2016 and operators are standing by to take your ticket order .

This year’s game is the Sunday, November 13th contest against the Denver Nuggets, an exciting young team that features former Trail Blazer Will “The Thrill” Barton.

With over $92,000 raised, off-road trails at Gateway Green will soon be a reality

Weekly Video Roundup: bike lock picking, winter prep, Tom Ritchey, and more

City Budget Office recommends no funding for Better Naito, vision zero, Springwater, Halsey and Hawthorne projects

Weekend Event Guide: Dirt Lab fundraiser, swap meet, scavenger hunt, and more

Friday, October 14th

Amid growth surge, Ruckus Composites makes two new hires

Guest post: 9 tips for a better rainy day bike ride

Sheriff’s office blames deceased victim in early morning collision near Stayton

Police write 53 speeding citations in just two hours on Highway 26 near the Zoo

Bike law expert says PBOT’s crossbike markings create confusion

TriMet now one of four transit providers that are also NACTO members

PBOT unveils design proposal and timeline for bikeway on SW Capitol Highway

Join us, the CCC and Oregon Walks for Blazers Bike Night on November 13th!

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