🚨 Please note: BikePortland is currently on hiatus and is not publishing new content. Learn more here and stay tuned for updates. Thank you. - Jonathan 🙏

Planning starts on west-side path network’s missing link: Hillsboro to Banks

Map from Metro showing proposed alignment of
Council Creek Regional Trail.

As the metro area’s rugged east side races to build its recreational bike network, the gentler, flatter west side is showing how persistence (and a steady stream of money) can pay off.

The farmland west and north of Hillsboro would get a 15-mile off-road paved path connecting the Hillsboro Central MAX station directly to the Banks-Vernonia Trail, making one of the region’s easiest bike-to-nature trips even easier, under a plan that’s starting to roll forward this month.

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teal Schwinn road bike unk

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Year: unk
Brand: Schwinn
Model: road bike
Color:teal
Size:brown
Photo: https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152233649470359&set=a.10150580198875359.437237.561055358&type=1&theater
Stolen in Portland, OR 97205
Stolen:2014-02-25
Stolen From: I left it on the MAX like a space cadet. It was not turned in.
Neighborhood: between Jeld Wen and Beaverton
Owner: Heather Penzel
OwnerEmail: hhpenzel( atsign )gmail.com
Reward: 100
Description: old steel Schwinn frame repainted sparkly teal from head tube to mid-frame, fade to a dark bronze brown. Alexrims AT 400 wheel on the back w/9(?) ring cassette. Bullhorn handlebars, women’s seat, one black fender on the front.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: T14001850
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Finding (and grinding) gravel in Salem

Salem Gravel Grinder

Riders embark on a 50-mile loop of dirt and gravel farm roads west of Salem.
(Photos by J. Maus/BikePortland)

I still don’t who organized last Sunday’s Salem Gravel Grinder ride; but I think that’s somewhat by design. The ride is part of a growing trend of unsanctioned, unpermitted group rides where the participants expect nothing more than a good route, good company, and a good adventure.

By that measure, Sunday’s ride (also known as “Oregon’s Perry Roubaix”) was a great success.

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TriMet to build fewer bike lockers and more covered bike racks at new transit stops

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(Photos courtesy TriMet.)

Portland’s regional transit agency is installing far fewer $50-a-year bike lockers than it used to and adding more short-term parking near stops as it rethinks the ways people in cities tend to combine bikes and public transit.

Though the City of Portland’s parking code requires eight “long-term” parking spaces at every new rail stop, the city is waiving that rule for many stations on the future Orange Line. Instead, TriMet is building several much larger and more space-efficient bike-and-ride storage areas, plus plenty of covered, open-air bike parking.

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Kona Jake the Snake 2013

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Year: 2013
Brand: Kona
Model: Jake the Snake
Serial: EN14781
Stolen in Portland, OR 97202
Stolen:2014-02-27
Stolen From: Condo building, Sellwood, by Springwater Trail.
Neighborhood: Sellwood
OwnerEmail: sfsbice(at sign)yahoo.com
Reward: yes
Description: Beaver Orange Kona with some black tape on the frame.
Police record with: Portland Police
Police reference#: 14-16034
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

blue Metrix Scott 2013

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 2013
Brand: Metrix
Model: Scott
Color:blue
Size:large
Serial: 011308875
Photo: http://imgur.com/6Fdx3UI
Stolen in Portland, OR 97202
Stolen:2014-02-26
Stolen From: Stolen from Westmoreland residence near 17th and Harold St. Thief broke door off of garage where bike was stored.
Neighborhood: Westmoreland
Owner: Michael McManus
OwnerEmail: ekimowen(replace with at sign)gmail.com
Reward: $50.00
Description: Brand new bike with no wear or tear. Includes the commuter package – splash guard, attachable u-lock, lights and rear rack.
Police record with: Portland PD
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Trucking company settles with Rickson family for $700,000

Scene of the collision.
(Photo courtesy Rickson’s attorneys.)

As we reported this morning, a jury was expected to rule on the Kathryn Rickson case today. Rickson’s family was pursuing a $1.78 million lawsuit against the trucking company that owned and operated the truck involved in the collision that claimed her life back in May 2012.

However, just a few hours before the closing arguments were set to be heard at the Multnomah County Courthouse, representatives from Golden State Foods Corp. decided to settle out of court for a sum of $700,000.

According to Charley Gee, an attorney with Swanson, Thomas, Coon & Newton, the firm representing Rickson’s estate, this is a significant settlement that should send a clear message to trucking companies to take driver training more seriously.

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County chair candidates Kafoury and Francesconi talk transportation at debate

Kafoury, left, is a five-year county commissioner.
Francesconi, right, is a former city commissioner.
(Photo by M.Andersen/BikePortland)

Transportation is rarely the biggest issue for Multnomah County chairs, but that didn’t stop candidates Deborah Kafoury and Jim Francesconi from gamely finding some modest differences at a debate on the subject Tuesday.

Though neither politician has been known as particularly passionate on transportation issues, both contenders for the county’s top elected position endorsed the concept of a “multimodal” county and shared a few ideas for making it better.

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Review: LIT road commuter/training tires from Velo Products

A visit to Velotech-10

Meet the LIT tires, offered by Portland-based Velo Products.
(Photo by J. Maus/BikePortland)

This review was written by Scott Kocher, a Portland-based trial lawyer whom I met while biking in Forest Park last year. He’s also an alternate member of the City of Portland Pedestrian Advisory Committee and a dedicated transportation activist.

——

LIT 360 Ultra-Reflective Road Tire (Retail: $49.99)

It’s impressive that Portland-based Velo Products took the crowd-funding route to make their LIT Tires concept a reality. The tires themselves are equally impressive.

I pre-ordered a pair last April because the company is local, they partnered to support the BTA with their sales, and the tire design has Portlanders’ needs in mind. As the months ticked by, I got e-mail updates, mostly describing manufacturing snags. At one point they offered to refund our money because of the delays. I stuck it out, and my tires arrived last week. I’m glad I did.

The advertised stats are:

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Jury decision expected today in Kathryn Rickson wrongful death lawsuit

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Community gathering for Kathryn Rickson-1-2

Community advocates Roger Averbeck, Gerik Kransky,
and Cameron Whitten at the rally for
Kathryn Rickson on May 18th, 2012.
(Photo by J. Maus/BikePortland)

This afternoon at the Multnomah County Courthouse, a jury will hear closing arguments in the wrongful death civil trial of Kathryn Rickson. Rickson, a 28-year-old graduate student and aspiring playwright at Portland State University, died following a collision with a semi-truck at the intersection of SW 3rd and Madison on May 16th, 2012.

A representative of Rickson’s estate alleges that the trucking company, Delaware-based Golden State Foods Corp., was negligent because one of their drivers, Dawayne Eacret, failed to see Ms. Rickson and yield to her presence prior to the collision. Rickson’s family is seeking $1,789,281.93 in damages. Attorney’s for Golden State Foods deny the allegations and maintain that the fault of the collision belongs solely to Rickson.

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maroon/gold KHS Urban X

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Brand: KHS
Model: Urban X
Color:maroon/gold
Size:small
Serial:V10F00368
Stolen in Portland, OR 97206
Stolen:2013-02-23
Stolen From: Dollar Tree on 63rd and Foster
Neighborhood: Foster-Powell
Owner: Debra John
OwnerEmail: debrajohn08@yahoo.com
Reward: $30.00
Description: Small framed KHS Urban X, maroon and gold with black bottle cage, fenders, and rack. There was a black bag on the rack containing a pump, u-lock, a flashlight, some zip-ties and a multi-tool. The original kickstand broke and was replaced with a steel kickstand, which was starting to rust. The bottom frame, left side, has a basic homemade trailer hitch in the form of a 6" fuchsia tube mounted over black rubber with pipe clamps.
Police record with: Portland Police
Police reference#: 14-151314
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Seafoam Electra Betty 2008

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 2008
Brand: Electra
Model: Betty
Color:Seafoam
Photo: https://www.dropbox.com/s/miqzp0rzf051sya/2013-11-24%2021.22.34.jpg
Stolen in Portland, OR 97209
Stolen:2012-02-22
Stolen From: Was locked up on a city bike rail out from of Edington Court apartments on NW 20th Ave near W Burnside. Well traveled area!
Neighborhood: NW Portland/Stadium
Owner: Nicole Baker
OwnerEmail: nicole.elaine.b@gmail.com
Reward: $100
Description: Seafoam green cruiser style bike from Electra. Broken front reflector, classic silver bell on handle bars. Slightly dented rear fender. White wall tires.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 14-151302
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

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