As long as connections exist, riding in suburbia can happen.(Photo © J. Maus) It’s a somewhat generally accepted concept in urban planning circles that there’s no hope for suburbia. Cinder block walls, cul-de-sacs, and wide arterials all make for a car-centric lifestyle. But new reseach shows that among suburban multifamily housing — the fastest growing … Read more
Riding on NE Broadway in Portland.(Photos © J. Maus) A new research report, Bicycling Trends and Policies in Large North American Cities prepared for the U.S. Department of Transportation, has found that Portland leads the pack in bike-friendliness among nine bike-centric cities in the U.S. and Canada. The report, which takes a comprehensive look at … Read more
“Working well” says PSU evaluation.(Photos © J. Maus) Researchers at Portland State University have completed an evaluation of Portland’s cycle track on SW Broadway and buffered bike lanes on SW Stark and Oak. The analysis, prepared for the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), shows that both of the bikeway types are “working well,” but PSU … Read more
If you ride an e-bike, PSU wants to hear from you.(Photo © J. Maus) Researchers at Portland State University are looking for interview subjects for a project on e-bikes. Jennifer Dill, an associate professor at the Nohad A. Toulan School of Urban Studies and Planning, got in touch with us with the news. Dill says … Read more
Saving money.(Photo © J. Maus) A new report* estimates that our regional trail network saves us about $115 million per year in averted health care costs. The report (PDF) was done for Metro and focused on their interconnected system of trails, parks and greenways known as the Intertwine. The Intertwine (background story) consists of 1,250 … Read more
“Conceptual framework of the cost-benefit analysis (not including benefits of fuel savings).” — From Costs and Benefits of Bicycling Investments in Portland, Oregon by Thomas Gotschi.
National non-profit Bikes Belong just launched a new grant program to fund research on how bicycle facilities and events impact the economy. Seems like a very smart way to spur thinking and the public dialogue about this issue. Read the official announcement below… Bikes Belong Foundation launches Bicycle Research Grant Program Boulder, CO—The Bikes Belong … Read more
New models could help level the playing field between modes.(Photo © J. Maus) High quality models are essential to making the right decisions about how we build our transportation systems. What do beautiful people have to do with transportation? Nothing! I’m talking about transportation models. For instance, if your model includes motorized vehicle “traffic flow” … Read more
Breathe easy in the cycle track.(Photo © J. Maus) An ongoing research project by the Department of Environmental Science at Portland State University is taking a closer look at how separated bicycle infrastructure (like cycle tracks) impacts the air quality and health of road users.
A year-long evaluation by researchers at Portland State University’s Institute for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation has found that Portland’s bike boxes improve the safety of roads users on a number of levels. The research — funded through the Oregon Transportation Research and Education Consortium — complements another study from the University of Texas published last … Read more
Mel Rader of Upstream Public Health speaks at PSU today.(Photo © J. Maus) A quick note about a few events on the horizon that explore how transportation policy impacts the environment, public health and social equity. Today at noon (sorry for late notice), Mel Rader of Portland-based health advocacy organization Upstream Public Health will speak … Read more
“Results to date suggest that sidewalks and multi-use trails pose the highest risk… and the presence of bicycle facilities (e.g. on-road bike routes, on-road marked bike lanes, and off-road bike paths) was associated with the lowest risk.” There’s a constant chorus — sometimes soft, sometimes overpoweringly loud — in every conversation about bike infrastructure in … Read more