Further ‘clean up work’ will delay west-side Willamette River path opening

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward
Patch connection (white) just north of the bridge.(Graphics: Multnomah County)
Patch connection (white) just north of the bridge.
(Graphics: Multnomah County)

The new path north of the west landing of the Sellwood Bridge opened briefly Tuesday morning, but then was re-closed and will remain closed for a matter of weeks.

Multnomah County spokesman Mike Pullen said in an email to BikePortland Tuesday afternoon that “some clean up work” is still needed after all, forcing the path to close:

I have some bad news. The westside regional trail between the Sellwood Bridge and SW Miles Place will not be opening for two to four weeks. … The trail did open this morning as scheduled. County staff found there is still some clean up work to be done on and near the trail that would not be safe to do with the public using the trail. Unfortunately, there are a number of subcontractors that need to be scheduled to do the work. So the public will be using the old detour route on the east side of Highway 43/Macadam for a few more weeks.

That’s all we know for now, except that the county’s new path still looks beautiful from a distance … and that ending Portland’s worst detour onto Macadam’s sidewalk can’t happen too soon.

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ODOT’s new Columbia Gorge Express bus has already carried thousands of riders

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“There was a really great energy in the bus,” our contributor Kate Laudermilk wrote about her trip. “I overheard a lot of conversations between complete strangers.”
(Photo: Kiel Johnson)

Three weekends in, the new bus line that offers $5 round trips between Gateway Transit Center, Rooster Rock State Park and Multnomah Falls is going gangbusters.

The buses, subsidized in part by the Oregon Department of Transportation, offer 12 departures a day from Friday to Sunday and each one has a rack that carries up to three bicycles.

Conceived as a way to cut congestion on Interstate 84 and take pressure off parking space in the Gorge, the buses carried more than 4,600 rides during their four-day launch weekend, including Memorial Day. Last weekend, the buses carried 1,477 rides.

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NW Portland is about to become one of the best bike-share areas on the continent

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A bikeway crossroads: NW 14th and Johnson.
(Photo: J.Maus/BikePortland)

Portland’s most underperforming bike quadrant is about to get a very big investment.

Despite their proximity to jobs, northwest Portland residents are significantly less likely to bike-commute than residents of inner southeast, north or northeast Portland. And that’s exactly why Portland’s Biketown system is putting its biggest bet on northwest.

Today’s announcement of a final station map comes on the very same day that a state committee will start debating the fate of the first major bike project for northwest Portland in many years, arguably the key to getting inexperienced bike users comfortably across Interestate 405: the proposed Flanders Crossing bridge.

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Should you buy a Biketown membership right now? Here’s the calculation

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There are a few scenarios to consider.
(Image: BIKETOWNpdx.com)

Now that we finally know the prices to use Portland’s new public bike sharing system, it’s time to start making a decision: What do you want to commit to?

Even broken out into $12 monthly payments, $144 a year is a pretty big commitment, though far cheaper than, say, an annual TriMet pass ($1,100). And unlike TriMet or most U.S. bike sharing systems, month-to-month passes apparently won’t be an option with Biketown. You can pay $12 for 24 hours or $12 each month for a year; nothing in between. Or you can put up $2.50 for a single ride any time you need one.

So what’s the best option for you? Here’s a short BikePortland guide to the $12-per-month decision.

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Five rides before Friday: Bike bells, Pittsburgh longings and more

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Organizer-provided art for the Queerest Bike Ride
of the Year (Thursday).

Welcome to the first of a series we’ll be running for the next three Mondays: a roundup of weekday rides in the Pedalpalooza bike festival that you might have overlooked but shouldn’t.

Rust Belt Ride
Tuesday, 6 p.m.
SE Eastbank Esplanade and Main Street (Vera Katz statue)
“Calling all yinzers! Join me on a casually-paced ride to a few Portland places that remind me of Pittsburgh.”

Bike Bell Ensemble
Thursday, noon meet / 12:10 ride
NW Naito Parkway and Couch (Japanese American Historical Plaza)
“A short lunch-hour ride down the waterfront. … Plan for rhythmic improvisation, silliness, and lots of ringing.”

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Blast from the past: BikeTV visits Pedalpalooza in 2005

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Live from 2005.
(Image: BikeTV)

These days, many people know Clarence Eckerson as the guy behind Streetfilms, the beautifully produced series of web videos about livable streets and transportation reform.

But back in 2005, he was honing those skills as the creator of BikeTV, a local cable show in New York City — and he happened to stop in Portland for the Multnomah County Bike Fair that closed the fourth annual Pedalpalooza festival. Eckerson wrote us today to mention that he was recently uploading some old DVDs, came across the footage below and thought we’d enjoy it.

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The Monday Roundup: The Canadian military vs. bike lanes and more

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The “recipe for disaster” now installed on Beatty Street.
(Image: City of Vancouver, BC)

Welcome to an extra-robust roundup! We missed last week’s, so this one has the best of two weeks of great bike-related links from around the world.

Military conflict: The Canadian military says a new parking-protected bike lane in front of their Vancouver BC building is a “recipe for disaster” because a “flying” bicycle might hit one of their soldiers.

Teen driving: The Washington Post’s bicycle-fearing columnist is dismayed that kids these days prefer “texting friends and meeting up for a ‘group date’ on a Metro subway car” to “the freedom that comes with getting behind the wheel.” He thinks the answer should be bringing back driver’s ed.

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New path from Sellwood Bridge to Willamette Park opens Tuesday

Patch connection (white) just north of the bridge.(Graphics: Multnomah County)
Patch connection (white) just north of the bridge.
(Graphics: Multnomah County)

Multnomah County announced today that the new multi-use path being built as part of the Sellwood Bridge project would open on Tuesday, June 14th.

The new path on the west side of the bridge will be 14-feet wide and head north to connect with SW Miles Place and Willamette Park. This will come as very welcome news to everyone who has experienced the detour that put bicycle riders on a narrow sidewalk of SW Macadam.

The new path currently connects only to the north side of the Sellwood Bridge. A connection to the southern path of the bridge remains closed until the County finishes a new bridge that will take riders and walkers up to the deck.

Here’s more from the County:

Signs will direct trail users to access the trail from SW Miles Place. At first, some southbound trail users may access the trail from SW Macadam via the Macadam Bay driveway, because the current path is on the SW Macadam sidewalk, which will now end at the driveway. Eventually, trail users will get used to the new alignment from Willamette Park to the bridge.

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Looking ahead: 10 questions about the Southwest Corridor

You’ve heard the news. Now get answers to your questions.

The Portland region’s next light rail line is in the works. And it’s going southwest, from downtown Portland to Tigard and Tualatin.

But there’s a lot more than light rail ahead for this growing part of the region. Roads, sidewalks, bikeways, bus lines and more are included in the plan.

Get a full overview of the Southwest Corridor Plan, from its roots to what happens next – and how you can be involved: oregonmetro.gov/news/looking-ahead-10-questions-about-southwest-corridor

7 things to know for a great Bowie Vs Prince ride

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Ride co-leaders Lillian Karabaic and Tim Nakayama at last year’s Bowie Vs Prince.
(Photos: Lillian Karabaic)

The recent deaths of rock titans David Bowie and Prince have had a unique impact on Portland because of the beloved tradition of the Bowie Vs Prince ride. The woman who created the ride, Lillian Karabaic, sent us a few last-minute reminders before it rolls for the last time this Saturday (6/11) at 7:00 pm.

For the 9th and final time, Bowie Vs Prince will ride tomorrow through the streets of Portland. For some folks, they’ve never missed this ride, and for others, it will be their first time. Below are a few things to keep in mind before you roll out on Saturday night…

1. Best things to Bring for Dancing in The Streets

Bring snacks, water, lights, a bike lock, your ID and your dancing shoes. If you can, bring a candle for a memorial. If you usually hit bed early, I’d recommend a disco nap in the evening, as this ride will go late.

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From the Archives

With six kids and no car, this mom does it all by bike