This Sunday you’ll have a chance to see one of the coolest and rarest bikes in the world: A one-of-a-kind Cinelli Laser Rivoluzione that broke the Internet when it was resurrected a few years ago and hasn’t been displayed publicly since 1987.
The bike belongs to Amy Danger, or who’s better known as @adangerPDX to her 46,000 followers on Instagram. Danger was just a casual cyclist in when a random stop into Cyclepath Bike Shop in 2017 changed her life.
“I was walking around into the back to pick up a few bike racks for a garage I was building for a client,” Danger shared in a phone interview today. “Then I saw, leaning against a wall, what I now know to be a track bike, but at the time I didn’t understand it. It didn’t have gears. It didn’t have brakes!”
The simple lines and design drew Danger in. She went home and Googled it. “A week later I bought my first fixed gear,” she recalls. Today Danger considers herself a collector and has a huge following on Instagram where she posts photos of the 30 or so bikes in her collection.
She’ll return to Cyclepath on Sunday as a featured exhibitor at Custom Bike Love, a free bike show that will feature 10 bikes from Danger’s collection as well as other custom bikes and vendors. Anyone with a cool custom bike is welcome at this community show-and-tell session.
This Lotus Sport 110 will also be on display.
The Laser
The star of the show will be Danger’s most prized possession: A one-of-a-kind Cinelli Laser Rivoluzione. The bike debuted as a prototype in 1987, and after being battered and bruised and raced hard for years, it was almost sent to the scrap heap and lost forever. It was a fluke that Danger even came across it online one day in 2019. In a must-read 2022 post on The Radavist, Danger recounted what went through her mind when she realized a collector in Milan had it. “I lost my mind. I recognized it instantly and launched into a tormented spiral about how much I would love this bike but could never possibly own it.”
Danger sacrificed much of her collection to obtain the Laser and then spent a year on a full restoration.
What’s so neat about it?
“It’s hardly recognizable as a bicycle,” she shared. “It deviates so heavily from the double triangle that we’re accustomed to that, just to look at it, you know immediately something wacky is going on. The seat tube is completely missing and it also has a really interesting fairing on the front.”
I’m no expert, but the bike moved me when I first saw it in person at the 2022 Bridge Pedal when I bumped into Danger on a carfree I-405. Its wackiness is subdued by beauty and the ease with which one can imagine flying around on it. We’re lucky Danger brought it to Portland. And luckier still there were enough local craftspeople to help with the restoration, so Danger didn’t have to ship what she calls an, “incredibly precious piece of metal” back to Italy. Cinelli offered to restore it (and Danger worked with Cinelli’s owner Antonio Columbo and the bike’s builder Andrea Pesenti to plan the project), but Danger found ample talent locally to get it repaired and painted. “Portland is part of the story of this bike, and that thrills me,” she said.
You can share the thrills Sunday at Cyclepath between 10:00 am and 4:00 pm. The event is a benefit for Girls Build, a Portland-based nonprofit. The raffle will include prizes from RockShox Rudy, Smith helmets, Silca pump and tools, Ultradynamico tires, Wolftooth tools and swag, and Cyclepath merch. More info here.
On two separate occasions in the past three days, a person driving a car sped dangerously down a street and intentionally put many lives at risk. Both incidents occurred as dozens participated in rides that were part if Portland’s annual Bike Summer (a.k.a. Pedalpalooza).
Thankfully, just one person was hit and they weren’t physically injured. But the road rage incidents have left nerves frazzled and ride leaders have pledged to redouble efforts to keep events safe.
Jason Cromer was on the Mellow Mondays French Ride with about 75 other people around 10:00 pm on Monday night when a driver became aggressive. The group was biking south on Northeast 21st Avenue and had just crossed over the Halsey-Weidler couplet when someone in a GMC Acadia began honking loudly.
In video taken by someone on the ride (above, shared here with their permission), you can hear the driver’s honks become louder and more frequent before they blast through the group at a high speed. NE 21st in this location is a relatively narrow road with a 25 mph speed limit, one general travel lane in each direction and on-street parking on both sides. Oregon law allows bicycle riders to take the full lane in situations like this.
The Subaru driver narrowly missed several riders and made contact with one of them, before speeding off. Riders chased them down to a nearby gas station to record the license plate number and call 911.
“The sound of the engine was loud and aggressive, and hearing it barreling past was frightening.”
– Jason Cromer, ride participant
Cromer said the driver first encountered the ride at a cross street and then turned onto 21st to go in their same direction. It’s clear in the video the driver knew what they were doing and chose to recklessly endanger innocent people. “It felt alarming,” Cromer said. “The sound of the engine was loud and aggressive, and hearing it barreling past was frightening. It immediately kicked in my adrenaline.”
The person the driver hit was Tony Brand. He shared his experience on Instagram after the ride, writing, “They clipped my rear left corner, bent the rack running board, but luckily didn’t knock me off or cause serious damage. I’m grateful they hit me and not anyone else.”
The driver also hit a parked car in the opposite lane. People described the driver as going, “ballistic” and being, “incredibly aggressive.” Another person who was helping lead the ride said the group had only been on 21st for two blocks, underscoring the lack of patience by the driver.
Three days later it happened again. This time it was on the “Flower Power Ride” that drew dozens of people on bikes and roller skates to, “wander around and admire gardens and flowers along the way,” while vibing to songs about bees and nature.
According to someone on the ride named Máximo, who was also on the French Ride, this time a driver in a Subaru (not the same one, I checked), became aggressive as they biked east on Northeast Ainsworth toward Alberta Park.
“The vehicle started getting close and we were telling her to take a side street and that we were legally allowed to be in the road,” Máximo recalled in a message to BikePortland. “She was shouting to ‘Get out of the way!’ and then there was an opening in the median and she sped up.”
Máximo noticed the driver behind him and yelled out to others, “Aggro driver!” in hopes they would move aside. Maximo said he then saw the driver brake suddenly, causing a rider to hit their rear bumper and flip over. “We all screamed that she hit someone and just drove off,” he shared. Máximo then gave chase (e-bikes come in handy for this type of thing), got her license plate number, and called it into 911.
Máximo thinks the Portland Police Bureau and drivers in general need to be more aware that Bike Summer is going on so they can inform the public to be safe and courteous when they see groups of people on bikes. He said he’s been doing rides like this for three years and has never seen drivers get so intense after just a few weeks of Bike Summer.
But it won’t keep him off his bike. “I’m concerned, but I’m not scared about riding — so I’ll be out and visible. I’m all about educating people that the roads belong to many people.”
And with many people riding bikes this summer on the hundreds of Bike Summer rides, perhaps it’s time for the PPB and Portland Bureau of Transportation to issue a general traffic advisory that everyone needs to be patient and courteous to other road users and that violent, rage-filled driving is never acceptable.
Have fun out there. Share the road. And stay safe.
Geoffrey Hiller is a documentary photographer (HillerPhoto.com) with 50 years experience capturing images of people and places around the globe. His work has been featured in Newsweek, Mother Jones, New York Times Magazine, the BBC, and many other outlets. We previously featured his Bus 75 project. Geoff has returned to Portland to document our bike scene. You might have also met him at Bike Happy Hour. This is his first contribution to BikePortland.
Since 2021 I’ve been riding with and photographing Portland’s biking community. In all my travels I have yet to come across anything close to the eclectic community of cyclists we have in Portland. In the last year I’ve joined over 100 rides that were listed on the Shift calendar.
For the past fifty years as a documentary photographer I’ve covered what makes a community in various parts of the world, whether it’s the Hassidic Jews of Brooklyn or the American Quakers in the Cloud Forest of Costa Rica. Never did I imagine I’d become part of the Portland biking community right in my own backyard.
Hami Ramani on the PSU Farmers Market Ride.Kidical Mass ride to the Kickoff Ride.Ernesto Arenas and one of his fine lowriders.2023 Naked Bike Ride at Irving Park.Linus and his tall bike.Olive and Dingo on the 2023 Pedalpalooza Kickoff Ride.
Depending on your mood you can choose from a variety of curated rides — everything from a Private Investigator Ride led by a two private eyes to “Bleeps and Bloops” (tonight at 6:00!) where riders rig up musical instruments and interact with the sounds of the city. And then of course there is the “Talking Heads Ride To Nowhere” later this month.
After being dormant during the winter months, the 2024 Pedapalooza season is about to begin and if the recent Thursday Night Ride and Friday Night Ride turnouts are any indication, this summer is going to reach new heights. There were more than 200 riders on a recent Friday Night Ride due to the warm weather. Riding through parts of Old Town I wondered what the crowd of unhoused people waiting in line for a meal under the Burnside Bridge made of us. A few waved and I couldn’t help but think they wanted to join in.
For an easy mellow social ride I often meet up on Saturday Morning on Southeast Clinton Street for the PSU Farmers Market Ride led by Hami Ramani. The pace is slow and easy, allowing for conversation with fellow riders. I asked Hami to share his thoughts about the ride and he captures many aspects of what makes Portland’s bike scene so special:
Breakfast on the bluffs.Marine Drive riding to the airport.A bike wedding in St. JohnsKiel and Hami from BikeLoud PDXFriday Night Ride taking over Blumenauer Bridge.Diablo leading Prince Ride.Thursday Night RideA young person on the Prince Ride. (Photos: Geoffrey Hiller)Bleeps and Bloops ride leader Mykle Hansen.
“Knowing that I was coming to a place with such a rich bicycling culture, I was inclined to try my luck again at leading a ride to a farmers market; this was November 2020, some of the darkest times of the COVID pandemic. As soon as I had my bike I put out a call to folks I had just met briefly in person (outdoors) and those I had met online to see if there was interest in riding along. So began the PSU Farmers Market Ride which initially consisted of a core group of newly minted friends and acquaintances. The following summer I posted the ride on the Shift calendar for Pedalpalooza which then started the current iteration of the ride which has been taking place every Saturday (some holidays and ice storms excepted due to market closures).
The Farmers Market ride is something different for everyone. For me it is a form of meditation, activation, socialization and advocation. I bask in the glow of the smiles and conversation as I lead the ride. I am in awe of the self-initiated leadership many of the regular attendees of the ride show through their corking, sweeping (the person in the back that makes sure no one is left behind), informing (me of how folks are doing behind) and sometimes leading the ride when I cannot. The ride started mainly as a way to support our local farmers, makers and bakers — but it has transformed into something more ephemeral. The folks who attend come with full hearts in the spirit of community and with a love that is uniquely made available by riding a bicycle in a group. For this I am eternally grateful as every week I have the honor of witnessing the thing I know exists within each of us — love — on display for all the world to feel. The ride is all about the people who choose to spend a few hours of their Saturday morning supporting, fostering and building community.”
Friday Night Ride at Ladds CircleLois Leveen at the Private Investigator RideMaking pancakes at Breakfast on the BridgesPrince Ride
I hope you enjoy these images as much as I’ve enjoyed being part of the moments that led to them.
The fun continues this weekend with trikes and silly fun on wheels of all types. Photo from 2012 Multnomah County Bike Fair.
The weekend is right around the corner and here are a few suggestions for what to do with it.
Reminder: Bike Summer aka Pedalpalooza is in full swing so you’ll want to check the official calendar and/or grab the Bike Fun App (iPhones only) for all ride options!
Saturday, June 15th
Gorge Ride – All day in the Gorge! Don’t miss this spectacular ride in the Columbia River Gorge that will take you up Rowena Crest and includes a food stop at the beautiful Mayerdale Estate. More info here.
TrikeFest – 9:00 am – 4:00 pm at PCC Sylvania (SW) Hosted by Recumbent PDX, this event is a great opportunity to test ride trikes and get all your questions answered by friendly folks. More info here.
Black Liberation Ride – 10:00 am at Irving Park (NE) 9th annual ride will celebrate Juneteenth, known as Black Independence Day. “This ride is a moment to come together, take up space, and celebrate in solidarity by riding around Portland. This ride is centered around the Black / Brown community.” More info here.
MTB Trail Grand Opening – 10:00 am at Rocky Point Trails parking lot (Scappoose) Joint Warpaint to celebrate the opening of Axolotl, our region’s first BIPOC-build MTB trail. More info here.
Adaptive MTB Ride – 11:00 am at Newell Creek Canyon Nature Park (Oregon City) Nonprofit Oregon Adaptive Sports will host this event and provide adaptive off-road bikes. Come out and see what you can do in the dirt! More info here.
Babies on Bikes – 2:00 pm at Irving Park (NE) You have a little one. You have a bike. You have a desire to take them on that bike. You have questions. This ride has answers — and other folks in your same position. Come out and learn tips and tricks for hauling your precious cargo. More info here.
Sunday, June 16th
Custom Bike Show – 10:00 am to 4:00 pm at Cyclepath Bike Shop (NE) See rare and beautiful bikes from the incomparable fixed-gear collection of Amy Danger, including this amazing Cinelli Laser. More info here.
King Farmers Market Ride – 10:00 am at Alberta Park (NE) Grab treats for Sunday Parkways and the week’s meals all in one trip and support local farmers. Bring a cooler for perishables. More info here.
Sunday Parkways Northeast – 11:00 am to 4:00 pm in Cully Neighborhood (NE) What better way to spend Father’s Day then in community with hundreds of other dads and kids on bikes? Whether you’re into dads or not, Sunday Parkways always delivers an amazing experience. More info here.
Librally Cat – 1:00 pm at Laurelthirst Public House (NE) Team up for an alley cat (scavenger hunt race by bike) that will take you into little free libraries looking for clues and trinkets. 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.
We love Portland and bikes. So, we put our two passions together nearly 30 years ago, creating a nonprofit organization on a mission to broaden access to bicycling and its benefits. Our goal is to help create a healthy, sustainable Portland for all community members. Our vision is to help build a vibrant community where people of all backgrounds use bicycles to stay healthy and connected. We believe that all Portlanders—regardless of income or background—should have the opportunity to experience the joy, freedom and health benefits of bicycling. This is the motivation behind everything we do.
The Shop Department of the Community Cycling Center consists of a DIY Workspace and retail storefront, warehouse sales and service, our classes, member events, and occasional pop-ups and events. This department is a revenue stream to provide funding for community programs.
This position operates out of our retail storefront at our membership based workspace in NE Portland. The Community Cycling Center (CCC) is an equal opportunity employer and strongly values diversity, equity and inclusion. Individuals with diverse backgrounds, abilities and experiences are encouraged to apply.
GENERAL POSITION SUMMARY
The Retail and Workspace Manager is the main person responsible for keeping the retail store and workspace stocked, organized, and clean and working order. They will be responsible for managing inventory of new and used goods and parts for sale, used bikes for sale, and inventory of consumables used in the workspace. Listening to customers’ will be imperative to ensure the store is curated to best meet their wants and needs. This position works with the Processing and Production Manager and Classes and Membership Manager to set and meet membership, class, and retail goals; and contribute to the budget process. The Retail and Workspace Manager will be responsible for training and managing retail staff.
Seasonally, shop staff will need to provide retail support at pop-ups and events. Staff in all positions at the shop will also be responsible for providing support to the Programs department as needed. This may include working mechanic shifts at one of our free service events or locations, providing ride support at events, or assisting at a learn to ride event.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Retail (30%)
• Create displays to showcase products in innovative and efficient ways
• Analyze sales trends to determine adequate stocking levels and product selection for the Alberta store
• Work in the retail store on Alberta to sell new and used parts, accessories, to customers and members
• Place orders with vendors to fill special orders for customers and restock the retail space
• Regularly communicate needs for used parts and bikes to the Processing and Production Manager
• Market classes to members and customers in the retail and workspace
Workspace (15%)
• Maintain a clean and organized space for members to work
• Maintain stock of consumables used in the workspace
• Manage contracts with vendors for services (rag cleaning, janitorial, etc.)
Strategic Planning and Process Evaluation (30%)
• Collaborate with other shop managers and staff to maintain and improve shop systems and facilities
• Work with the Shop Leadership Team to evaluate opportunities, trends and feedback towards financial growth for the shop and professional development for their team
• Contribute to the Shop’s annual budget process
• Regularly communicate with the Finance direct and Executive Director to stay on top of the budget and make finacle plans that will meet the needs of the organization
• Management of Staff & Shop Operations (20%)
• Partner with Shop Leadership Team to hire, train, and evaluate staff based on the quality and effectiveness of their work
• Partner with Shop Leadership Team to develop and ensure adherence to policies and procedures governing shop practices
• Other duties as assigned
• Manage staff timesheets and schedules
• Point of contact for security and facilities at the Alberta location
Other Responsibilities (5%)
• Help advance the mission of the Community Cycling Center across all departments
• Contribute to the standard work environment – answer phones, maintain a safe, clean & organized workspace
• Collaborate with other senior staff to train and support less-experienced mechanics, including youth interns and apprentices
• Other duties as assigned
REQUIRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
• 5+ years customer service experience or similar hospitality service
• Strong interpersonal communication skills
• Experience working with a diverse range of customers and being able to adjust to and accommodate a variety of expectations
• 5+ years of professional bike shop retail experience
• 3+ years experience managing staff
• Strong organizational skills including the ability to manage multiple assignments simultaneously
• Ability to meet project deadlines and account for detailed objectives
• Experience and success in creating inclusive work environments where people from diverse backgrounds feel safe and welcome
• Ability to lift, bend, squat, climb and more—this is a physically demanding job but reasonable accommodations can be made
• Ability to work nights and weekends
PREFERRED SKILLS AND QUALIFICATIONS
• Attention to detail and a methodical approach to accomplishing tasks
• Knowledge of local outdoor and cycling activities (bike routes/trails, camping, local cycling related social events, etc.)
• Experience with workflow improvement methods
• Experience in a high-volume shop
• Experience in large event planning
• Experience planning and executing social events
• Valid driver’s license
• Experience with Lightspeed POS, Excel, Microsoft Office Suite, Adobe
• Proficiency in Spanish
REPORTS TO: Executive Director
UNION/NON UNION: Non Union
HOURS: Full Time (40 hours)
COMPENSATION: Salaried $50K, Exempt
TERM: Permanent
SCHEDULE: 5-day week, workdays may vary, hours may fluctuate, may work nights occasionally
BENEFITS: Health, dental and vision, PTO and SICK time, HOLIDAY FLEX time
HOW TO APPLY: Send your resume, cover letter, and (3) references to Jobs@CommunityCyclingCenter.org. No phone calls, please.
We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.
NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICY
The Community Cycling Center is an equal opportunity employer. We will not and shall not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, sex, age, national origin, gender identity, sexual orientation, citizenship, veteran status, marital status, sensory disabilities, physical disabilities, mental disabilities and/or any other bases protected by state and federal law. We take proactive measures to ensure against discrimination in hiring, compensation, promotions, and termination of staff, selection of volunteers (including board members) and vendors, and provision of services. We are committed to providing an inclusive and welcoming environment for all members of our staff, customers, clients, volunteers (including board members), subcontractors, vendors, and other members of our community.
How to Apply
Send your resume, cover letter, and (3) references to Jobs@CommunityCyclingCenter.org. No phone calls, please.
The pre-ride gathering at Peninsula Park on July 31st, 2022. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
There will be no World Naked Bike Ride in Portland this year. Think of it as a well-deserved year off for a ride that’s been working overtime for two decades.
Organizers announced today they plan to take a one-year hiatus to “retrench” and work on the ride’s vast, behind-the-scenes foundation and make it even stronger in the future.
As we shared in 2015, the nonprofit Portland World Naked Bike Ride (PDXWNBR) takes an army of volunteers and dedicated do-gooders to pull off. Imagine several thousand naked people on bikes — many of them novice riders who haven’t dusted off their bikes since last year’s WNBR — rolling through public streets open to other traffic, with or without a police escort, and being led by volunteers. And they expect a big, fun, safe gathering before the ride and a party afterward.
That’s a huge undertaking for a grassroots nonprofit without any paid leadership or staff and that features new ride leaders each year.
In a statement today, organizers said they simply don’t feel like they’ve got the leadership and help in place to do justice to such an important, iconic ride. “The planning for 2024 didn’t start in September as expected, and by springtime we realized we were behind on our leadership recruiting goals,” the statement reads.
Here’s more from the statement:
“Making the protest safe and accessible is a huge undertaking, months in the making. For many Portlanders, the PDXWNBR may be their only ride of the year, so we hold the event to a high standard, with comprehensive volunteer organization, neighborhood outreach, and coordination with agencies like TriMet and Portland Parks & Recreation. Our history has also shown us how a little more planning can make the protest even more welcoming, with local artists, musicians, medics, bike mechanics, and other community partners all on hand…
Portland deserves the World Naked Bike Ride to be done right, so we are retrenching and focusing on growing our diverse, all-volunteer team this year.”
Meghan Sinnott, a former lead organizer and dedicated volunteer of the ride over the past 10+ years who I spoke to for this story said the ride — and all the people it means so much to — deserve a year off. “As this ride continues to grow in popularity, there are persistent struggles that are real,” she said.
I got a feeling from Sinnott that she was crushed the ride wouldn’t happen this year, but that it would be a disservice to everyone if it went forward. “There’s such a deep, deep reverence and love and joy around this event,” she shared. “This ride is bigger than Bike Summer. It’s bigger than Portland bike culture. It’s iconic. There’s a lot of emotional investment in this.”
Now Sinnott and other organizers want to focus on volunteer recruitment and finding great leaders for next year’s ride. They’re especially looking for people with varied perspectives beyond the bike community. If you’re curious and want to be on next year’s Leadership Committee, use this form to apply. The deadline is 11:59 pm on September 6th.
Sign on the west side of SW Shattuck Rd at the mouth of the Red Electric Trail. (Photos: Lisa Caballero/BikePortland)
The area surrounding the Alpenrose site, bounded by Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway, SW Oleson Rd, Vermont St and Shattuck Rd.
On Monday night, I listened to the most informative neighborhood association meeting I’ve ever attended. Tammy Boren-King, a senior planner at the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), was invited by the Hayhurst NA to bring it up-to-speed on last week’s Alpenrose Public Works Alternative Review (PWAR) decision. Boren-King is a member of the PWAR Committee, and the NA wanted to better understand what PWAR was all about.
As BikePortland reported last week, the city’s PWAR decision regarding frontages on the proposed 51-acre, 269-unit “Raleigh Crest” subdivision was quite positive. The city accepted (in concept) the developer’s proposal to build a multi-use path (MUP) and bio-swale along the frontage on the west side of SW Shattuck Rd. The MUP will narrow as it crosses a stream to intersect with Vermont, and then split along the short Vermont frontage into a more traditional sidewalk and bike lane. The PWAR decision also described its reasoning for using the Red Electric Trail on the north of the property as an east-west connection which runs at a relatively level grade and with little disturbance of a sensitive environmental area, as well as the potential road connecting the proposed subdivision to the west, into Beaverton.
Admittedly, this is pretty dry stuff. But I see it as an “as-it-unfolds-in-real-time” opportunity to tell a story that I have struggled with for my three-and-a half years writing for BikePortland. Namely, how to explain to a mainly east side audience, with its largely complete street grid, what is involved in trying to get a sidewalk or protected bike lane built in southwest Portland. It’s complicated, and frankly, I’m not going to try to make it seem less so. That it is difficult is my point.
You might not care. Maybe how government works isn’t your thing.
But maybe, just maybe, you are sick and tired of riding on disconnected bike routes. Why are bike facilities, particularly in southwest Portland, so piecemeal? Why can’t Portland just connect things?
PBOT’s Boren-King, in a forthright and expansive discussion, answered a lot of those questions, at least indirectly.
She began by explaining that the City of Portland is organized, “as a series of bureaus that are run independently … we are working on changing that, moving to a city manager form of government. But as a result, a lot of our codes operate kind of independently of one another.” One of the tasks of the Public Works review is to reconcile the code requirements of four different bureaus operating in the right-of-way — PBOT, Environmental Services, Water and Parks.
Shattuck Rd looking north from north boundary of Alpenrose property.Looking west over the northern edge of the Alpenrose property, with collapsed Land Use notification.Looking east at the the Red Electric Trail.
With questions about PWAR answered, neighbors turned to what is becoming the bigger issue for them: how to get an off-site sidewalk and bike path that continues from the Alpenrose frontage all the way to Beaverton-Hillsdale Highway (BHH) to the north. Shattuck Rd is one of the area’s few north-south connections to the commercial centers and bus routes on BHH, and it currently lacks a sidewalk all the way from BHH to Vermont.
Boren-King responded:
The policy of the City of Portland is that the streets are built at the expense of the abutting property owners. So the goal is that over time, as things redevelop, we will get a complete system. Of course, that doesn’t happen and we end up with capital projects. But for this large of a chunk of land — it feels like we can’t with a straight face say they don’t need to build a sidewalk, at all. So I feel like, I have to require a sidewalk, a multi-path to connect people especially from Illinois, which is a neighborhood greenway, along the frontage of Shattuck and up to the Red Electric Trail.
But this is our shot of getting a sidewalk for this property. Hopefully some day in the future there will be funding available to build the next segment and the next segment and the next segment. But I hear what you are saying, that this is another “sidewalk to nowhere.” I don’t have a perfect answer for you.
Hayhurst NA President Marita Ingalsbe then asked how to advocate for funding and prioritization for the rest of Shattuck Rd. “Is there any chance of the System Development Charges (SDCs) that the developer is going to be paying, [to] have those allotted to the rest of Shattuck? How would we go about that?”
Boren-King said she’s not an SDC expert but that funds from a specific development aren’t necessarily spent nearby. “It’s a priority [project funding] list based on the system-wide plan,” Boren-King explained.
This is just one snippet of an information-dense evening. I’ve been limiting my reporting to Shattuck Rd, but meeting attendees had questions about all the frontages, the crossings on Shattuck, traffic impacts on surrounding streets and more. Boren-King touched upon the legal limits of what a city can require a developer to build on public land and the city’s request for more information in the Traffic Impact Analysis.
That is a lot to understand for your average Portlander who just wants a safe space to commute by bike or on foot. One Hayhurst neighbor, Claudio Mello, captured the frustration of someone who doesn’t want to become an expert, but just wishes everything were more coordinated. Mello wanted to know why, given that the city wanted more people to take the bus, it wasn’t providing the neighborhood with a safe way to reach the bus stop on BHH. Indeed.
But there is good news too. All parties — the developer, the city and the neighborhood organizations — appear to listening to one another and working together. Boren-King, the city staffer, even praised the developer. Neighbors emphasized they were advocating for safe streets, and appeared sincerely interested in, and knowledgeable about, transportation. The developer has submitted early frontage plans which, in some instances, go beyond city requirements. So far, relations appear to be cooperative and free of the animosity that can often arise.
My take on the process, though, is that it eats the time of volunteers. Neighbors should not have to become mini-land use experts to get a sidewalk built. Couldn’t Marita Ingalsbe’s efforts be supported by a representative or three on a city council which is attentive to local issues? I noticed at least one District Four candidate, Bob Weinstein, on the zoom call, and that gives me hope that in the future neighborhood associations might not have to shoulder these issues alone.
The Friends of Alpenrose will be hosting a Community Conversation on June 24th which will be moderated by Metro Councilor Duncan Hwang and State Representative Dacia Grayber. My recommendation to the moderators is that they come prepared. This is a very knowledgeable group of neighbors.
[Correction, 6/13/2024: An earlier version of this story misidentified Tammy Boren-King as the Chairperson on the PWAR committee. That is incorrect. Boren-King is a member of the committee. We apologize for the error.]
Late night road users will be seeing red when they approach SE 28th on Powell. (Photo: City of Portland)
The City of Portland is testing a new traffic signal technology that makes red lights the default. (Don’t worry, it’s only during late night and early morning hours.)
Last month, the Portland Bureau of Transportation flipped the switch on their first intersection with “rest on red” signal timing. Traffic signals on SE Powell Boulevard at 28th Avenue now display red lights in all directions during late night and early morning hours (10 p.m. to 6 a.m. on weekdays or 7 a.m. on weekends) when no drivers are approaching. Previously, this intersection displayed green lights during late-night hours.
Powell Blvd is a state-owned highway with a long history of crashes and speeding. City data shows it’s Portland’s second deadliest street (behind only Marine Drive). The crossing at 28th is adjacent to Cleveland High School and is a designated crossing for walkers and bicycle riders. In addition to this new signal technology, it has a center median island, a bicycle-only signal, and other elements owing to its important role in the 20s Bikeway route.
Since nearby 26th is infamous for its dangers, many people prefer to cross at 28th. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
PBOT says the new technology aims to, “slow down drivers on one of Portland’s deadliest streets.”
Here’s how PBOT explains the new signal operations:
When a person driving a vehicle approaches a “rest in red” intersection, the traffic signal may stay red until it detects that the driver reached the intersection. Assuming no cross-traffic is approaching, the traffic signal will turn green to benefit people that are driving within the speed limit.
This change communicates to people driving on Portland’s second deadliest street to slow down as they’re approaching the traffic signal, which will turn green before they come to a complete stop (as long as they’re driving at or below the speed limit).
A Portland resident is being hailed for his role in taking down a major bike theft ring. In a feature story in Wired that was just published this morning, Bike Index co-founder Bryan Hance is credited with uncovering, “a bicycle-theft pipeline of astonishing scale.”
The article details Hance’s biggest catch yet: a man named Ricky Zamora who Hance estimates sold about 654 bikes worth as much as $1.2 million between 2020 and 2024. Zamora operated out of Jalisco, Mexico but partnered with a co-conspirator in San Jose, California. Their massive operation sourced bikes from up and down the west coast, including Portland.
Hance has spent countless hours in the past four years working with victims, law enforcement officials, and pulling all the threads that led to an indictment by the US Department of Justice back in February. The story in Wired pieces it all together while sharing more about Hance’s background.
And don’t miss the amazing story from Wired that perfectly captures how Hance uses his unique skills and dedication to find justice for bike theft victims and reconnect them with their beloved steeds.
Screenshot from police video of shooter on SE Washington. Inset: Photo of damaged camera on SE Washington and 103rd sent in by a reader.
Portland Police have apprehended a man suspected of shooting a handgun at automated traffic enforcement cameras throughout the city. In a crime spree that spanned at least two weeks, 28-year-old Chase Grijalva allegedly fired his handgun 17 times at more than a dozen traffic cameras owned by the City of Portland and caused more than $500,000 worth of damage.
When the judge considers his case, Grijalva’s motive will become clear. According to court records, he’s received five speeding tickets from three separate traffic cameras in southeast Portland in the last four months. The video PPB shared last week of Grijalva pulling over and shooting the camera at SE Washington and 103rd was taken just three days after he was cited by that same camera for driving 56 mph in the 30 mph zone.
Grijalva must have really had it in for that camera on SE Washington because that was his third citation from it since early March. On March 5th that camera nabbed him for driving 43 mph (13 over the limit) and on April 1st it caught him driving 41 mph (11 over the limit).
Two other speeding citations on Grijalva’s record — one on March 2nd for driving 44 mph in a 30 mph zone on SE 102nd and Stark, and another on April 6th for driving 43 mph in a 30 mph zone on SE 122nd and Steele — were also at locations where cameras are installed and were coded by police as coming from “radar” so we can assume automated cameras are what issued them.
The PPB say they arrested Grijalva after he drove recklessly through southeast Portland “at times into oncoming traffic.” Once Grijalva was stopped by police, they say he left his vehicle “in a very non-compliant, agitated state,” and it took a physical altercation to subdue him and bring him into custody. (These details contradict a statement released Monday by PPB that said he was taken into custody “without incident.”)
Police have evidence that ties Grijalva to shootings at cameras along Stark at 122nd and 148th, and on NE Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd at NE Oregon. He faces 17 counts of Criminal Mischief in the First Degree and Unlawful Use of a Weapon, as well as a charge of Resisting Arrest. According to The Oregonian, Grijalva pled not guilty at his first court appearance Tuesday.
The Portland Bureau of Transportation currently operates about 27 traffic cameras that enforce speed and/or red light running. The speed and intersection safety camera program is considered a major pillar of their Vision Zero efforts.
On Tuesday afternoon, PBOT Mingus Mapps posted a statement to social media. “An alleged shooter damaged cameras that reduce deaths and serious injuries from traffic violence — while firing a gun on busy streets in our city,” Mapps wrote. “These reckless actions make our community less safe.”
PBOT is working to repair damages and Mapps appears to be undeterred. “We will continue to expand our use of this life saving technology,” he said.
One is “traffic.” The other is not. (Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
Republican lawmakers from both sides of the river are concerned that the project to widen I-5 between Portland and Vancouver and replace the Interstate Bridge is too focused on non-drivers.
In comments made Monday during a meeting of the bi-state legislative committee for the Interstate Bridge Replacement Program (IBR), Washington lawmakers questioned the wisdom of devoting lanes to walkers and bicycle users, and one wondered whether bike riders should have any access at all. And an Oregon House representative floated the idea of tolls for pedestrians and bicycle riders.
These are not random elected officials speaking out of their lane: these are influential legislators on important transportation committees that decide the fate of billions of taxpayer dollars.
The IBR is estimated to cost upwards of $7.5 billion, with $1.1 billion each coming from the states of Oregon and Washington and the rest split between tolls and federal grants. The project will widen five miles of I-5, build seven new freeway interchanges, and replace the existing bridge over the Columbia River (see graphic below). Despite delays due to traffic modeling disagreements, permitting negotiations, and environmental analyses, IBR Administrator Greg Johnson said at Monday’s meeting they are “steaming toward a path” of construction in 2026.
“I have a concern that we’re paying more attention to modes of transportation that are not at the top of mind. We need to be paying attention to, and directing our building of this bridge, according to the majority of what the bridges should be used for, which would be traffic and freight.”
– Lynda Wilson, Washington state senator
Left to right: Sen. Lynda Wilson (State of Washington), House Rep. Ed Orcutt (State of Washington), IBR Admin Greg Johnson (IBR), House Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis (Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)
Monday’s meeting was a chance for Johnson and other project staff to convince lawmakers that the project is doing great and moving forward as planned. There was a real “nothing-to-see-here” vibe to the presentations from project staff. As for legislators, beyond pointed questions from Oregon House Rep. Khanh Pham about modeling projections and concerns voiced by Washington reps about the possible loss of buildings on the Vancouver riverfront due to the freeway’s wide footprint, the most notable exchanges were, surprisingly, about bicycles.
Washington Senator Lynda Wilson, a Republican who represents the 17th district that includes rural Clark County, doesn’t seem to think that bicycle riders, transit users, or walkers are “traffic.”
“Traffic remains below 2019 levels and transit is actually lower than that. So I think we cannot lose sight of the fact that we’re building this big bridge with this big train on it to move very few people —and the important thing is that we have traffic moving,” Wilson said during the meeting.
Sen. Wilson also expressed concern about figures she read about in a story published in The Columbian on May 23rd, that despite the new bridge being almost three times as large as the existing one (208 feet of surface area compared to 75 today), it will devote only 55% of its lane space to “cars and freight” versus the 89% currently devoted to those modes.
Scope of the project (told you it’s not just a “bridge replacement”). North Portland is on the left. (Source: IBR)
Johnson knew what Wilson was getting at: “We’re not neglecting the highway mode,” he said, in a diplomatic but forceful tone. Johnson explained that while the new bridge will still have three through lanes for car and truck drivers, they will be wider (12 feet instead of 10 and-a-half today), there will be two auxiliary lanes, and four, 12 to 14-foot wide safety shoulders (in addition to the light rail and bike/walk lanes).
Then Johnson offered a question of his own: “Folks who believe we can widen this thing and put more through lanes in it, I ask the question: ‘What do you want us to tear out, Fort Vancouver or downtown Vancouver? Because if you widen and put more through lanes, that’s exactly what you will end up doing.'”
Then later in the meeting when Johnson was sharing a series of bridge visualizations, Wilson asked another question.
“Biking, walking, rolling, whatever you want to call it, ‘active transportation’, we can do that [on the bridge] now,” Wilson said, as if to question the wisdom of funding a major bikeway upgrade. “I would like to know what percentage of the rolling, walking biking is happening now compared to traffic?” she added, once again making it clear that in her mind, bike riders are not “traffic.” Then Wilson dropped all pretense:
“I have a concern here that we’re paying more attention to modes of transportation that are not at the top of mind, right? We need to be paying attention to and, and directing our building of this bridge, according to the majority of what the bridges should be used for, right? Which would be traffic and freight.”
Once again Johnson was ready with a quality response:
“I have walked across the bridge back-and-forth 42 different times. And it is an unpleasant experience on the best day. You have very narrow walkways, you have folks who are hauling bottles and cans on large conveyances on that pathway. You can’t hear well because if someone is coming they have to basically holler to get your attention for you to slide into the truss members. So the current bridge does not encourage walking or biking… I’ve been a bike rider all my life, and I refuse to ride across the bridge.”
Then Johnson made it clear that it doesn’t matter what his personal opinion is because quality bike and walk facilities are called for in the project’s adopted “Purpose and Need” statement so the project is obligated to build them or jeopardize federal funding.
“So we’re not neglecting any mode,” Johnson repeated. “We’re making sure that we’re building something that if you choose not to be in a car, you can safely have an enjoyable trip across this bridge.”
A few minutes later, Oregon House Rep. Shelly Boshart Davis followed-up on Wilson’s comments. Boshart Davis is a Republican who represents rural Willamette Valley, owns a trucking company and is co-vice chair of the legislature’s Joint Committee on Transportation.
Rep Boshart Davis was also hung up on how much space on the new bridge would be allocated to non-drivers. “As we’re talking about that great percentage of space [going to bikers and walkers] — which in my mind says money and costs — in that aspect, is that part going to be tolled?… We’re talking about a $7 billion budget and how we’re paying for the project. Is it equitable across the modes of transportation, and the people actually using the bridge?… I want to make sure that as we’re paying for the system, that we are looking at equity, as we’re talking about it all the time.”
“We’ve heard the question of whether there will be tolling for bicycles or pedestrians,” Johnson replied. “I’m not aware of situations across the country — or even across the world — where bicycling or walking is tolled. We’re trying to create options to to decongest the freeway system and that would be at odds with that purpose.”
Then Johnson took it a bit further as he sought to reset the narrative. “The thought that the biking and walking is an add-on is a misnomer. This is part of the Purpose and Need of this project. So as freight is a part of the Purpose and Need, so is biking and walking a part of the Purpose and Need. We can’t pick and choose which Purpose and Need statements we’re going to meet and which ones we’re not.”
Beyond their clear bias against and misunderstanding of people who can’t or don’t want to drive, the comments of Sen Wilson and Rep Boshart Davis are in part motivated by cost concerns, which became clear when Wilson asked Johnson to give her the total dollar amount the project will spent on the “extra lanes” for biking, walking, and transit. (As in “extra” because they’re non-essential.)
Even the bi-state legislative committee’s chair, Washington House Republican Ed Orcutt, got in a dig at bicycling and walking. Orcutt challenged Johnson’s reference to biking and walking as an important component of the project: “There’s about 308 miles of I-5 in Oregon, and I believe 280 in Washington. You say part of the need for this project is bike/ped. Can you tell me how much bike/ped is allowed on the other 590 miles of I-5 in Oregon and Washington?”
And again Johnson kept his cool while responding to another bad faith question. “Representative,” Johnson responded, “one of the one of the issues is that we have very limited crossings of the Columbia River in the Portland-Vancouver area. So when we have an opportunity to connect biking and walking facilities on each side of the river, that was part of the Purpose and Need that was established and agreed to by the transportation partners. So once again, we can’t ignore it… this is a unique opportunity that would be missed if we ignored the bike/walk community at this location.”
It’s good to know Johnson won’t be cowed by these legislators. But it’s not good to know we have such high-ranking public officials in positions of influence over transportation funding who suffer from such intense windshield bias.
We are seeking a skilled and thoughtful individual to join our service team. We are an urban devoted shop entirely to bicycles as primary transportation, serving urban households seeking to avoid dependence on cars with practical, stylish bikes for everyday use.
Responsibilities:
Repair and maintain all types of bicycles, including folding, ebikes, and cargo bikes.
Provide customers with accurate cost estimate quotes and maintenance suggestions.
Thoroughly and accurately complete bike builds, repairs, tune ups, sales checks, and accessory installs on time and with the highest quality standards.
Maintain organized and efficient service areas.
Assist with the daily operations of the store.
Assist sales associates and customers with technical questions and purchases.
The Ideal Candidate:
Positive, friendly and professional.
Excellent customer service skills.
Well organized, with the ability to manage time and prioritize workflows for self and our service team.
Strong attention to detail.
Love for order, detail and communication.
Willingness to learn about electric and non-traditional bikes.
Excellent written and verbal communication.
Able to work both independently and as a member of a team.
Adaptable, teachable and thrives in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
Previous bike shop experience is a requirement.
Weekend availability is a must.
Job Type: Full-time
Salary: $20.00 to $28.00 /hour based on experience
Other benefits include:
Sick pay
Paid vacation
Health insurance
Retirement plan
Employee discounts
How to Apply
What We Want From You:
A resume
A cover letter (tell us why we want you!)
At least 2 current references
Your availability
Email: hr@clevercycles.com
