Keeping Portland’s bike lanes clean is a major problem. Even today, many weeks after the last leaves have fallen off the trees and three weeks after the city’s official “leaf day” pickup, many major bikeways are still full of a dangerous mix of slick leaves, water, and debris. It’s maddening! Can we get to 25% … Read more
A simple and effective solution to a perennial problem.
Lost in the drama of these incidents is the root cause.
Another year, another need to draw your attention to slippery leaves in bike lanes.
Landscape crews at Rose City Golf Course in northeast Portland have blown leaves into the bike lane on NE Tillamook.(Photo by J. Maus/BikePortland) It’s that time of year when the beauty of fall becomes a bane to bike riders. We marveled at the leaves last month and rejoiced while riding through them. But now that … Read more
Leaves in the bike lane on Naito this morning.(Photo © J. Maus) After the burst of fall was followed by stiff winds and rain last night, leaves are covering many bike lanes in Portland. For cars, leaves aren’t a big deal, because the mass, velocity and tires on a car act like sweepers to keep … Read more
Fall colors on SE Ankeny.(Photos © J. Maus) With this picture perfect weather we’ve been having I decided to take the long way home yesterday in order to see some fall colors. At the recommendations of some friends, I found my way to SE Ankeny where the bright yellow leaves of golden ash trees (thanks … Read more
“It appears the bike riders have gotten a little soft over the years…Just be careful, folks. It’s not Afghanistan.”— Eugene resident Marty Casado in a letter in the Eugene Register-Guard about concerns over leaf piles in the bike lane We’ve been following the issue of leaf piles as a danger to bike traffic both in … Read more
Leaves where bikes like to be.(Photo: Elly Blue) Every fall in Portland, mounds of leaves pile up on neighborhood streets, creating slippery conditions on road shoulders and sidewalks. Yesterday the Oregonian featured a story about a new “leaf tax” being considered by Mayor-elect Sam Adams that would create “leaf districts” in areas of the city … Read more
Comment of the Week: Winning over a palm tree skeptic