Note: I'm currently on a family trip and not working normal hours. Email and message responses will be delayed and story and posting volumes here and on our social media accounts will not be at their usual levels until I return to Portland September 4th. Thanks for your patience and understanding. - Jonathan Maus, BikePortland Publisher and Editor
City wants $1.5 million for N. Williams Ave.(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland) The City of Portland Bureau of Transportation has applied for over $36 million in state transportation grants. The grants are administered by the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) through their 2015-2018 State Transportation Improvement Program (STIP). PBOT’s list (PDF) includes 16 projects, many of … Read more
“MAP-21 cut dedicated funding… Regardless, ODOT is committed to funding active transportation programs.”— Matt Garrett, Director of ODOT Oregon biking and walking advocates received good news on Friday when ODOT Director Matt Garrett announced his agency is committed to key biking and walking programs that lost dedicated funding in the recently passed federal transportation bill … Read more
“It is unacceptable to the BTA to consider overturning our current policy… The Port [of Portland]… wants this money for highway/road projects. Now is the time to say no.”— Gerik Kransky, BTA A funding fight is brewing at Metro over how the regional planning agency should allocate nearly $38 million in federal funds. Unlike the … Read more
They’re already crunching numbers in Salem.(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland) Congress officially passed a new, two-year transportation bill today. As I shared yesterday, it’s regarded by active transportation advocates as being downright bad. Even Portland Congressman Earl Blumenauer, who was on the conference committee that hashed out the final bill, calls its passage “strangely anti-climactic” (I … Read more
A new report presented to Oregon Governor John Kitzhaber yesterday outlines and prioritizes 16 new “non-roadway” transportation funding mechanisms. Among the ideas selected as a priority for “additional consideration for further implementation” and possible legislative action, is a “User fee for bikes.” The 93 page report, Oregon Non-Roadway Transportation Funding Options: Report to the Governor, … Read more
Detail of proposed improvements to SW Barbur Blvd. ODOT has whittled down a list of 89 “non-highway transportation projects” vying for $21 million in federal flexible funds, to just 35. Three City of Portland projects have made it onto the second round; but unfortunately, a project that could have built the first segment of the … Read more
The Oregon Department of Transportation is set to award $21 million to “non-highway” transportation projects throughout the state as per their Flexible Funds program. Of that amount, Portland officials expect about $2.2 million to be awarded locally and today Mayor Sam Adams sent in his list of project requests. In the last go ’round of … Read more
The FHWA awarded over $800,000 to build a multi-use path and sidewalks on SE Division in Gresham.(Photo © J. Maus) Yesterday, City Council passed a request for nearly $8 million in federal funding for active transportation projects. While our attention was on City Hall, the US Department of Transportation announced over $400 million in Federal … Read more
Federal funds could be used for better bikeways in East Portland.(Photos © J. Maus) The City of Portland and counties throughout the region are busy putting their project wish lists together to apply for about $22.5 million in federal grants. The money is distributed by Metro and is part of a $70 million pot known … Read more
“… But we’re still not really cracking into the heart of the core [federal] programs in a way that our mode share and crash record really demands.”— Andy Clarke, President, League of American Bicyclists Number-crunching by the League of American Bicyclists shows that the percentage of funds spent by the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) on … Read more
Metro has unveiled the list of “regional experts” that will sit on a task force to make recommendations on how the agency should dole out about $24 million in federal transportation dollars. Back in July, there was a heated debate at Metro’s Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation over how best to divide up those … Read more
Green streets; where bikes, fish and plants coexist.(Photo © J. Maus) Portland Mayor Sam Adams has released details of his promise to find $20 million to “kickstart” funding of the 2030 Bike Plan. As expected, the money will come from the Bureau of Environmental Services budget and will be allocated toward “Green Streets projects on … Read more
Comment of the Week: Gratitude for N/NE Broadway project