In 11 days last December, 10 people died while driving on highways in central Oregon.

How desperate are Oregonians for safer roads?

People in the central Oregon district of State Senator Tim Knopp were so distraught by a spate of fatal and serious injury collisions late last year, they worked with him to introduce a bill that would create a State Transportation Donation Fund. Senate Bill 798 had its first hearing on March 20th and it passed through the Senate Committee On Business and Transportation.

Senator Knopp, whose district includes the cities of Bend, Sunriver and Redmond, testified in favor of the bill at that hearing. “During an 11-day period last December we had 10 fatalities,” he shared. “It was unbelievable. There was a father and a son, a pregnant woman, two Portland physics professors… It seemed quite hopeless, almost daily… You’re kind of wondering, ‘What is going on? What can we do? Is there a solution to this?'”
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Bikes made the ‘Scene’ in Sunriver.
(Photo: Tigue Howe)

As often happens here on BikePortland, reader comments bring up unexpected insights into our stories. While Internet comments are the butt of a lot of jokes and criticism, I remain extremely proud of the smart and valuable contributions many of you make to our stories. Case in point…

Back in July I wasn’t shy about my feelings for the riding conditions in Sunriver, the privately-owned resort community nestled in the Deschutes River valley just south of Bend in central Oregon. I deemed Sunriver’s 33 miles of dedicated bike paths, “the best bikeway network in North America.” I still believe that due to the mix of safety, connectivity, and wayfinding Sunriver’s path network provides people of all ages and riding abilities.

While my story had a very positive tone, several commenters pointed out their disappointment that the paths don’t serve their needs and the more direct roads that wind through Sunriver expressly forbid bicycles. While bikes are not allowed on the roadways, the paths are serpentine, subject to low speed limits, and are set up for recreational riding rather than direct access and/or fast riding. Here’s a sampling of your responses:[Read more…]

Kids can pedal without a care in Sunriver.
(Photos © J. Maus/BikePortland)

I just returned from a week in Sunriver, Oregon; a place unknown to many that just so happens to have, hands down, the best bikeway network in North America. Granted, it’s just a small vacation community (nestled in a valley adjacent to the Deschutes River about 15 miles south of Bend); but it boasts a 33 mile bicycle pathway system that connects every part of its 3,300 acres.

Developed as a master-planned community in 1968, Sunriver consists of a resort lodge, golf courses, a “Village Mall” with shops and restaurants, and over 4,000 private homes. But to me, the most impressive attribute of this popular vacation spot is its bike paths. It’s the only place I’ve ever been where the entire network is separated from automobiles. The paths are fully signed and maps are available everywhere (including on kiosks on the paths themselves).[Read more…]