🚨 Please note that BikePortland slows down during this time of year as I have family in town and just need a break! Please don't expect typical volume of news stories and content. I'll be back in regular form after the new year. Thanks. - Jonathan 🙏

Do bikes get a free ride? Advocates’ infographic shows why not (updated)

Click for full version.

One car damages the road about as much as 9,600 bicycles. If bike riders had to pay a fee for their wear and tear on roads, they’d be writing checks for a few cents per year.

In other words: When people ride bikes, they save everyone money.

Those are the facts the Portland-based Bicycle Transportation Alliance is spreading with the new infographic below. The BTA says it’s designed to “start a conversation” about the ways we pay for our road system, despite a funding regime that Communications Director Will Vanlue calls “kind of a mess and hard to understand.”

Read more

Yellow Specialized Allez Ellite 2013

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 2013
Brand: Specialized
Model: Allez Ellite
Color:Yellow
Size:58CM
Photo: http://www.babylonbikeshop.com/sites/default/files/f_images/Allez%20Elite%20Mid%20Compact%202013.png
Stolen in Vancouver, WA 98660
Stolen:2013-11-11
Stolen From: Stolen off the back of my bike-rack. They cut the chain and took off with the bike during the daylight hours.
Neighborhood: Grant Street and W 36th
Owner: Alexandria Hart
OwnerEmail: kipitry(replace with at sign)me.com
Description: The bike itself is just 6 months old and has a few scrapes. However the front tire and tube are busted. So I’m really trying to get the attention of any bike shops because someone should be taking my bike in for a new front tire.
Police record with: VPD
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

The Monday Roundup: Empty highways, King Tut’s death & more

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

The future?
(Photo: Maryland DOT.)

Would your company like to sponsor the Monday Roundup? It’s a great way to spread the word and support independent local media. Call or text Jonathan at (503) 706-8804 or email jonathan@bikeportland.org for more info.

Before we share the news and other interesting items that caught our eyes last week, we’d like to give a big shout out to our veterans. Happy Veterans Day. As your mind wanders during your ride today, think about how much we ask of our fellow citizens in uniform and how fortunate we are because of their service.

And now, here’s the Monday Roundup…

Empty highway: “This is what a boondoggle looks like,” writes Aaron Renn of the Intercounty Connector in Maryland (above right), a $2.4 billion project that was supposed to fix the country’s worst congestion but is carrying shockingly small amounts of traffic due in part to an $8-a-day toll. Renn sees parallels with the Columbia River Crossing and lists seven common traits of ill-conceived highway projects.

Ancient traffic victim: Scientists have used traffic simulation software to piece together how Egyptian pharaoh “King Tut” was killed at age 19: a chariot crash that apparently crushed his heart. Update Nov. 12: As reader TOM notes below, other analysts dispute this conclusion.

Read more

Charcoal Specialized Sirrus Sport Disc 2005

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 2005
Brand: Specialized
Model: Sirrus Sport Disc
Color:Charcoal
Size:52cm
Stolen in Portland, OR 97214
Stolen:2013-11-11
Stolen From: Behind Paradise Villa Apartments on the corner of Stark and Ceasar Chavez.
Neighborhood: sunnyside
Owner: Aaron Flores
OwnerEmail: designexile(A T)gmail.com
Description: Charcoal Specialized Sirrus Sport with Avid BB5 disc brakes. Black rear and front rack. Converted flat bars to drop bars with bar-end shifters. Had small saddle bag with multi-tool and spoke tool inside. Also had PDW’s Spaceship and Radbot lights on it, a seat-stay light, and a small Bontreager light on the fork.
Police record with: Portland PD, pending
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

black gary fischer zebrano 2006

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 2006
Brand: gary fischer
Model: zebrano
Color:black
Serial: c26j4528
Photo: http://chicago.stolenbike.org/files/stolen/images/Gary-Fisher-ZEBRANO-S-2006.jpg
Stolen in Portland, OR 97206
Stolen:2013-11-9
Stolen From: bike was stolen from in front of house off of 58 and liebe st
Neighborhood: woodstock
Owner: michael gary
OwnerEmail: mikeegary(AT)yahoo.com
Description: black Gary Fisher bike minor scratches left shifter plastic is cloudy. Has A bike trailer adapter connected to rear fort for telling bike trailer.stolen in broad daylight in front of my house they left a metallic blue 10 speed when it was stolen.
Police record with: portland pd
Police reference#: 13-94594
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Red/White Nishiki Sport 1987

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 1987
Brand: Nishiki
Model: Sport
Color:Red/White
Size:48 cm
Serial: GC735954
Stolen in Portland, OR 97218
Stolen:2013-11-8
Stolen From: NE 47th and Alberta St.
Neighborhood: Cully
Owner: Amie Kuttruff
OwnerEmail: amie.kuttruff(A T)gmail.com
Description: Red and white bike, click shift handlebars
Police record with: Portland PD
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

RED Leader 735R 2003090965 2011

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 2011
Brand: Leader 735R
Model: 2003090965
Color:RED
Size:62 cm
Serial:2003090965
Stolen in PORTLAND, OR 97214
Stolen:2013-11-09
Stolen From: 17th and Ash (my garage)
Neighborhood: Buckman
Owner: aaron cohen
OwnerEmail: instatone@gmail.com
Description: There is a scuff on the right side as I had fallen once. There are Ultegra shifters on it currently, and slightly deep rims.
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: 13-88737
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Red/yellow Peugeot Sport 1983

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 1983
Brand: Peugeot
Model: Sport
Color:Red/yellow
Stolen in Seattle, WA 98102
Stolen:2013-11-9
Stolen From: Stolen along with other bikes from 3002 Harvard Ave E in Seattle. Posting here in case thieves try to resell bike in Portland.
Owner: Reena Mahadevan
OwnerEmail: rmahad.rm(AT)gmail.com
Description: 1983 Peugeot Sport men’s bike, red frame, yellow fenders. Small bike light taped to handle bars with purple duct tape.
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Blue-White Trek 1.5 C H2 56 BL-WT 13 2013

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 2013
Brand: Trek
Model: 1.5 C H2 56 BL-WT 13
Color:Blue-White
Size:56
Serial: WTU004C6307H
Photo: http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/bikes/road/product/review-trek-bikes-1-5-12-44273/
Stolen in Portland, OR 97216
Stolen:2013-11-7
Stolen From: Russellville Commons Apartments, stolen out of locked garage. Near 102nd AVE/Burnside
Neighborhood: Mall 205 area
Owner: Arthur Klassen
OwnerEmail: arthurklassen(at sign)outlook.com
Description: The bike has one water bottle holder on it in black color.
Police record with: PPB
Police reference#: 13.94242
This registrant has documented proof of ownership of this bike

Grey/black/white Trek cycling bike N/a 2002

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: 2002
Brand: Trek cycling bike
Model: N/a
Color:Grey/black/white
Size:Women’s
Stolen in Beaverton, OR 97005
Stolen:2013-10-5
Stolen From: Beaverton transit center
Neighborhood: Beaverton
Owner: Angelina Williams
OwnerEmail: Williams.angela19(at sign)gmail.com
Description: Grey black and white bike medium size a sports trek stolen from me at beaverton transit center
Police record with: Beaverton police
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

Silver/grey Trek Unknown Unknown

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Year: Unknown
Brand: Trek
Model: Unknown
Color:Silver/grey
Size:20″
Serial: WTUGCR571S
Stolen in Portland, OR 97208
Stolen:2013-11-8
Stolen From: Near the intersection of Northwest 19th Avenue and Overton.
Neighborhood: Unsure of the name
Owner: Keang Uy
OwnerEmail: ncsuang(AT)gmail.com
Description: Older Trek, grey/silver frame, 21 speed, neon green duct tape on frame to help differentiate, rear mirror and bell on handle bars, shimano parts, fenders,
Police record with: Portland PD
Police reference#: T13011487
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike

County installs speed bumps to slow down riders on Hawthorne Bridge viaduct

New rumble strips Hawthorne Bridge-1

Five new bike speed bumps greet riders heading
onto the Hawthorne Bridge sidewalk.
(Photos by J. Maus/BikePortland)

Multnomah County has installed a series of speed bumps (a.k.a. rumble strips) on SE Madison Ave as it approaches the Hawthorne Bridge (westbound). The bumps are aimed at reducing bicycling speeds as riders transition from the on-street bike lane up a ramp to the shared sidewalk which also happens to be the location of a TriMet bus stop. This bike lane is slightly downhill and bike speeds are relatively high.

There are five bumps placed about two feet apart and they’re made up of thermoplastic strips about an eighth-of-an-inch think. That might not seem very high, but on a bicycle the bumps can definitely be felt — especially for riders with narrow tires. We’ve heard a lot of feedback so far that not only are the bumps jarring but many people swerve into the adjacent vehicle lane to avoid them.

Read more