New York Times map shows link between city planning and climate change
The neighborhoods colored deepest orange on the map include the wealthy east side areas of Irvington, Alameda and Laurelhurst.
national news
Bike advocates respond to Obama’s Interior Secretary pick
Sally Jewell at her nomination announcement. (Photo: Pete Souza/White House) If you’ve been biking for a few years, chances are you have something in your closet from national outdoor retailer REI. Now the CEO of that company, Sally Jewell has been picked by President Obama to be Secretary of the Interior. With that job comes … Read more
Transportation bill imminent: Here’s where things stand
It doesn’t look good.(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland) Members of the House and Senate have been working since April to hammer out an agreement on the transportation bill. When I checked in on the bill’s progress last month, advocates were fighting to lobby members of the conference committee (put together to hash out differences between the … Read more
The national security argument for Safe Routes to School
More cycling = more soldiers.(Photo © J. Maus/BikePortland In case you haven’t heard, there’s a battle royale going on in the U.S. Congress over the transportation bill right now. Members of the House and Senate are in negotiations to come up with some sort of agreement about how to actually pass a bill, instead of … Read more
Advocates gird for battle to save biking in federal transpo bill
Cover of the bill (because transportation is all about big pipes and ugly freeway overpasses right?!). Once again, national advocacy groups are prepping the cannons for an all out assault on Congress as word spreads that the U.S. House of Representatives is will unveil a new surface transportation bill — dubbed the American Energy and … Read more
League starts petition to stave off Senate sidepath stipulation
A sidepath in Beaverton. (Photo © J. Maus) Mandatory sidepath laws — which state that bikes must use a sidepath/bikeway when one is available — are the bane of bicycling advocates. They’re seen as a clear sign of disrespect and inequality on our roads. The fact that Oregon still has one was called out by … Read more
Advocates prep for battle after release of draft U.S. transportation bill
The BTA’s Rob Sadowsky is already working contacts in DC to improve the bill.(Photo © J. Maus) The U.S. Senate Environment and Public Works Committee released their long-awaited transportation reauthorization bill last week (known as MAP-21), sending alarms throughout national bike advocacy circles because it, according to Streetsblog DC “eviscerates successful and popular programs to … Read more
Advocates fight for key funding pot as debate heads to Capitol Hill
The Springwater Corridor Trail is one of many projects around the region funded by the federal Transportation Enhancements program.(Photo © J. Maus) National bike advocacy and transportation groups are pulling out all the stops to help preserve the Transportation Enhancement (TE) program, a vital source of funds that has existed for two decades and this … Read more
US Postal Service unveils “Bicycling Forever” stamps
New “Bicycle Forever” stamps set to be released sometime next year. Design is by USPS art director Phil Jordan using illustrations by John Mattos.
Dems: Oregon would lose over $1 billion in House proposal
House Democrats have reacted sharply to the transportation reauthorization proposal released yesterday by the Republican-controlled House Transportation & Infrastructure Committee. Among the issues they (and many other critics) have with the bill is that it cuts back infrastructure spending by one-third from current levels. To help drive that point home, House Democrats have published a … Read more
‘A New Direction’? U.S. House releases transportation bill proposal
Cover of the proposal.
After ‘outcry’, Mississippi case to be re-opened
“[District Attorney] Allgood said his phone hasn’t stopped ringing since the media reported his determination last week.”— from NEMS360.com story; ‘DA reopens biking case after outcry’ An update on that tragic case from Mississippi we shared last week: Here’s the latest from NEMS360.com (emphasis mine): District Attorney Forrest Allgood will reopen his investigation of the … Read more
Comment of the Week: The role of socializing and culture