Here’s a perfect lunch break MTB video. It’s The Driven: Hannah Bergemann and from Tenet Components. Hannah rides Bellingham’s most intimidating features. She’s a prodigy and Tenet Pro.

Tenet is based out of Bellingham, Wa. Just north of Seattle and selling bars, stems, and pedals. Soft goods too and making videos like The Driven: Hannah Bergemann.

The Driven is the second part of a multi part series that delves into the inner makings of Tenet Components. Hannah was the first person that came to mind when Tenet asked, “Who would be a great fit for the brand?. They agreed over a beer and in true Hannah form, she smiled and humbly agreed.

What I like about Tenet and Hanna’s story is when it comes to sponsoring an athlete, a lot of brands tend to look at follower numbers, race results, tailwhip and barspin combos, or YouTube subscribers. To tenet, what truly matters is personality, perseverance, and in Hannah’s situation…drive.

Hannah’s ride is Kona, based in Ferndale Wa which is farther north. Also based in Bellingham is EVIL, a company that started here in Seattle. The last time I rode a Kona it was a CX bike. I rode an EVIL last year.

The post The Driven: Hannah Bergemann Video appeared first on Bike Hugger.

Photo from bike-mounted camera shows car passenger’s attempted assault.
(Photos: Hank Bosak via Thomas, Coon, Newton & Frost)

We need your help to find suspects of an attempted assault and dangerous pass in Washington County that happened this past Saturday (6/22).

Incident happened just west of Hillsboro.

Hillsboro resident Hank Bosak was riding on NW Hornecker Road at around 2:00 pm on Saturday when the driver of a black or dark blue sedan passed him very closely. When Bosak returned home and watched video taken via his on-board cameras, he was shocked to see that there was a knife in the outstretched arm of the car’s passenger.

Bosak initially intended to file a citizen citation (using the procedure outlined in Oregon law), but when he saw the knife he immediately got a lawyer and contacted the sheriff’s office.

According to Ray Thomas with the Portland-based law firm Thomas, Coon, Newton & Frost*, this is the second time Bosak has had a dangerous run-in with a driver in rural Washington County. In 2004 (in a case that Thomas also worked on) he was the victim of a hit-and-run on nearby NW Susbauer Road that left him with multiple fractures and internal injuries. Bosak recently mounted front and rear GoPro video cameras on his bike so he’d have more evidence if/when he ever found himself in a similar situation. Unfortunately that time came on Saturday.

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A clear shot of the license plate (560 BLS), but the car is unregistered.

Thomas said Bosak was riding on Hornecker Road when he checked his handlebar mirror and saw a driver move his car toward him as he rode on the fog line. “The car passed Bosak at what seemed as close as a foot to him at about 45 mph,” Thomas shared with us via email today. “Hank yelled but the car occupants kept going and disappeared in the distance.”

Bosak’s bike.

Thomas says the video Bosak downloaded when he got home clearly shows a man lean out of the car’s window with a large knife in his hand in a position to stab him. After he called Thomas for legal advice, he also filed a formal criminal complaint with the Washington County Sheriff’s Office. The case has been assigned to Deputy Kenneth Coon (no relation to TCN&F law firm) with case number 50-191740742. Thomas says Deputy Coon ran the plate number from the video and learned that the car had been sold and the new owner had not yet registered it with DMV (which is against the law).

Since the car can’t be traced to a current owner or address, at this point all we have are the images and video from Bosak’s GoPro, the license plate number, and the make/model of the vehicle. “It is important that the images be circulated and an identification of the young men involved before they succeed in hurting someone,” Thomas says.

If you’ve seen this car and/or have any information about the driver or passenger — whether related to Bosak’s case or not — please call Deputy Coon at (503) 846-2700 and refer to case number 50-191740742.

*DISCLAIMER: Thomas, Coon, Newton & Frost is a financial supporter of BikePortland.

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org

BikePortland needs your support.

(Photos: Eric Thornburg/no.lens.cap on IG)

The annual ‘Dropout Prom’ drew a great-looking crowd Friday night. The theme was Cosmic Space Invaders and judging from the images captured by our Pedalpalooza embed Eric Thornburg, you all nailed it!

Check out these beautiful people enjoying friends, riding their bikes, and dancing in the streets…

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There’s still a week of Pedalpalooza left! Check out the calendar and be a part of it.

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org

BikePortland needs your support.

Photo from King County showing a cargo bike that partially blocks the ramp.

In what is sure to be disappointing news to many readers, King County has announced that it will begin limiting the number and types of bikes allowed on its Vashon and West Seattle water taxis.

Bikes and water taxis go together extremely well, especially since driving to the water taxi makes very little sense and transit service is very limiting. In fact, that’s the problem. Biking to the water taxi has become too successful, and King County did not design the vessels with enough space to meet demand. So they will now be limiting each sailing to 26 bikes.

They also did not design the vessels with larger family and cargo bikes in mind, which is a pretty big problem for people who rely on those bikes since you can’t just park it at the dock and check out a Lime cargo bike when you get to Seattle (though wouldn’t that be cool?). This is a bit of a bummer for West Seattle users, but it’s potentially a huge problem for Vashon users. Family bikes don’t just carry multiple people, they also carry all the stuff that comes with them. They are larger than most one-person bikes, sure, but are they much larger than two bikes (one “bike” per person)? Three bikes? Two bikes plus a stroller? Sure, blocking the ramp like in the photo above isn’t good, but banning them entirely feels a bit extreme. I hope they exhausted all other options before arriving at this decision. We’re in the midst of a family biking boom in this region, and this rule change makes it harder for folks to use them.

As for overflow bike parking, obviously storing bikes in ways that block access to exits or railings is not an acceptable solution. But making the bike/water tax combo less dependable is also problematic. About half of West Seattle users and 30 percent of Vashon users surveyed said they have biked to the water taxi, which is pretty remarkable. And considering the region’s goal of increasing walking, biking and transit, this problem should be considered a good problem to have.

But the solution here has the potential of rolling back progress because it only hurts the reliability and usability of this service by people who have listened to King County’s encouragement campaigns to combine biking and transit. The taxis don’t run often enough to make waiting for the next boat a practical solution. If your bike won’t fit on the last of three Vashon water taxi sailings, for example, you now have a very long and unexpected bike ride (8 miles the very hilly way or 12 miles the less hilly way) ahead of you to use the Fauntleroy Ferry instead. You could also try putting your bike on a bus, though they only fit three bikes at a time and still take much longer than the water taxi.

Not knowing the options for creating more bike storage space on these vessels (which I assume is difficult), I’m not sure what the solution is here. But I do know that if people give biking to the water taxi a second thought due to this rule, that’s a loss for our region’s transportation goals. And capping the bikes also pretty much caps the potential growth for biking taxi users going forward.

The good news for Vashon users is that King County will be providing fairly secure bike parking at the Vashon Ferry dock that will be locked behind a fence between the morning and afternoon sailings. So if bike security was the factor holding you back from locking there and either walking, taking transit or using bike share in Seattle, the new bike parking may help. And the 26th person with a bike that sailing will grateful you made space.

More details from King County:

Biking and riding the water taxi go great together – like sunshine on the water. Whether for regular commuters or just for fun, it seems that with new styles of bikes the popularity is only growing.

Safety is our No. 1 priority for customers on the water taxi, and our crews have done a great job of keeping everyone safe on every voyage. Metro transit and water taxi services – buses and boats and bikes – support a healthy community and environmental sustainability through a car-free lifestyle.

In recent years we’ve seen demand growing for storing bikes onboard sailings, especially to and from Vashon Island during peak bicycle season. At times, this has created unsafe conditions for passengers when the demand exceeds the 26-bicycle capacity – leading customers to secure their bikes to handrails, or within walkways or doorways.

Sometimes customers also secure longer bicycles that can stretch well into walkways and block the exit ramp area. Bicycles that have wider cargo platforms also can exceed the space intended for standard size bicycles, which reduces the total capacity for bike storage per sailing.

After careful consideration focused on protecting the safety of customers, starting June 24 we will be limiting the number of bicycles per sailing on the Sally Fox and Doc Maynard to 26 bikes, and bikes must fit within the marked bike storage area. Up to 14 bikes will be allowed on Spirit of Kingston sailings.

Customers, bicycle riders helped with problem-solving

In 2018, Marine Division leadership determined it was time to address safety concerns and engaged riders in problem-solving. To better understand the needs and concerns of customers, we conducted two focus groups, including six bike riders in one group, and eight non-bike riders in a second group. Information from the focus groups was used to develop a survey which was shared in December 2018 on both Water Taxi routes.

We learned that riders are supportive of safety and agreed clearer information was needed around bicycle storage and capacity issues during sailings. Approximately half of those surveyed in West Seattle reported taking their bicycle onboard the water taxi; 29 percent of Vashon riders reported taking a bicycle on a sailing. The majority of West Seattle (81 percent) said they had no problem finding onboard storage for their bike; but that number was only 56 percent for Vashon riders. Most riders didn’t want to grant priority boarding or require a fee when traveling with a bicycle.

In April 2019, Water Taxi and Metro bicycle staff shared this information and consulted with a representative from the Cascade Bicycle Club and a member of the Vashon bicycle community who served on one of the focus groups.

With their guidance, and based on the recommendation from focus groups, a safety line recently was installed on the Sally Fox and Doc Maynard that depicts the maximum allowed length of a bicycle that can be safely secured in the onboard bike racks during sailings.

To help riders confirm that their bike is within the allowable dimensions, water taxi staff worked with Metro to create measuring boxes. One box is installed at Pier 52, and boxes also will be placed at the Vashon and West Seattle docks.

Alternatives for riders

Riders will have options if their bike is too long to bring onboard, or if there is no available storage space for their bike on a particular sailing.

On Vashon Island, riders can either wait for a subsequent water taxi sailing, board a WSF ferry to Fauntleroy, or store their bike at the bike rack provided by King County on the Vashon Island float. The bike rack and dock will be secured by locking the entrance gate by WSF after the last morning sailing on weekdays and remain locked when the water taxi is not in operation. The gate will be unlocked prior to the arrival/departure of the first afternoon sailing.

The Vashon route of the Water Taxi has three eastbound morning and three westbound afternoon sailings.  The 7:10 a.m. and 8:15 a.m. sailings and the 4:30 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. sailings generally represent the peak demand service to and from the island.

These trips to and from Vashon carry a range of 100-278 passengers. The sailings from Vashon at 6:10 a.m. and from Seattle at 6:30 p.m. typically have more bicycle stowage capacity.

Rules go into effect June 24

For the next week, crew members will be available to answer questions about the new bike safety policy, and touch base with riders who have concerns. Beginning June 24, crew members will be instructed to prevent bikes that are too long and overflow storage within walkways and in front of doors on the vessel and inform customers of their options in the event that on-board bicycle storage reaches capacity.

Metro and Water Taxi staff will monitor and assess the effectiveness of the new safety rules, and are open to considering refinements that maintain or further improve safety on our vessels.

Concerns or feedback can be shared with Water Taxi staff in person or through King County Metro customer service or by emailing watertaxi.info@kingcounty.gov.

Accessories

Some other notes for riders:

• If a bicycle has a trailer equivalent in size to a standard baby stroller, it may be removed and brought inside the main deck cabin. Trailers and strollers may not impede egress or access on the vessel.
• Any bicycle accessories that do not fit within the denoted space, must be removed from the bicycle and taken with the owner inside the cabin.
• Complete policy will soon be posted on our water taxi website.

Carlene Ostedegaard after being cut by string that was purposely placed across the I-205 path.
(A friend of Carlene Ostedegaard)

Last week the man accused of tying a string across the I-205 bike path in order to hurt someone was sentenced to 20 hours of community service. When we shared that on Twitter, some of our followers felt the consequences should have been more severe.

After all, the string caused several lacerations to the face and neck of Montavilla resident Carlene Ostedegaard, who was biking home from work when she became ensared in the trap.

Today the Multnomah County District Attorney’s Office announced that it was Ms. Ostedegaard’s request that the people who caused her injuries were not jailed.

The DA’s office said the parties in the case have reached a pretrial resolution. 23-year-old Raven Jones was the “primary actor” in the incident and pleaded to one count of assault in the third degree, a Class C felony. Here’s more from the DA’s office:

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Multnomah County Circuit Court Judge Katharine von Ter Stegge put Jones on 36 months of formal probation, ordered that she conduct 40 hours of community service, undergo an alcohol evaluation and perform any recommended treatment, write the victim an apology letter within two weeks, and continue to work with a homeless outreach program.

The other person involved in the incident, 27-year-old Antonio Tolman-Duran, has received 12 months probation and must perform 20 hours of community service. Tolman-Duran pleaded no contest to one count of recklessly endangering another person.

“From the onset of this case, the victim expressed her desire that the defendants not be sent to jail and that she receive an apology letter. We are fortunate that the injuries in this case were not more serious,” said Deputy District Attorney Todd Jackson in statement. “These defendants purposefully took string, tied it tightly on both ends across a multi-use path near I-205 and Southeast Division Street.”

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org

BikePortland needs your support.

“Hey, did you hear we might not have to stop at these anymore?”.
(Photo: J. Maus/BikePortland)

Oregon’s attempt to decriminalize rolling stops for bicycle riders took a giant leap forward today when it was voted out of the House Rules Committee 5 to 2.

At Senate Bill 998‘s first House hearing on Thursday, committee members voiced several concerns with the idea of allow bicycle riders to treat stop signs and flashing red signals as yields. One member noticed there were only three pieces of testimony in the official record. So on Friday we put out a call to get more people to email the committee.

By today’s meeting there were 183 emails filed on the State legislative website — the vast majority of which were in strong support of the bill.

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Despite that, there were still two committee members who voted against it. Rep. Denyc Boles (R-Salem) said, “I still have some safety concerns,” prior to her “no” vote. Rep. Sherrie Sprenger (R-Scio) also voted no.

Through three committees and the full Senate, SB 998 has tallied 48 total votes with 36 in favor and just 12 opposed. The final step before this bill becomes law is a vote on the floor of the House. We now wait for that vote to be scheduled.

With just one week left in the legislative session, and with the Senate side in complete disarray because Republicans are still AWOL, there’s an excellent chance the House will take up this legislation. There’s also a good chance it will pass once they do.

Reached for comment today, Senator Prozanski’s office shared, “The Senator fully expects it will pass the House before sine die.”

This is the closest we’ve been to moving forward with this sensible law change since it was first introduced in 2003.

Fingers crossed. Stay tuned. And thank you to everyone who answered our call and wrote an email to the committee.

UPDATE, 3:16pm: The bill has been scheduled for its third reading tomorrow (6/25). Bills are usually voted on after their third reading. So we might know the fate of SB 998 very very soon.

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org

BikePortland needs your support.

Future (carfree) food cart pod promenade?

In case you hadn’t heard, Portland’s most famous food cart pod was recently evicted from its space on Southwest Alder Street to make way for a new hotel.

The Oregonian reported this morning that Commissioner Chloe Eudaly’s office wants to move the carts to the North Park Blocks:

Eudaly’s chief of staff, Marshall Runkel, said moving the carts to the blocks between West Burnside and Northwest Davis streets and Northwest Park and 8th avenues could bring new life to the under-used park space.

The move would “be a net positive” for the blocks said Runkel, who provided The Oregonian/OregonLive with mock-ups showing 37 carts may be relocated to streets around the park area.

The North Park Blocks would be the perfect spot for food carts*. The location is also along the future Green Loop route and The Oregonian reports that backers of that project are fully behind the cart pod idea. What makes Eudaly’s plan even more interesting is that it would utilize existing public right-of-way for the carts. Space currently used to park cars would be turned into seating areas where you could meet friends and eat great food from small, local businesses.

You might recall that when news first broke that the Alder Street carts would have to move, there was an effort to create a “Culinary Corridor” and place them on SW 9th Avenue. That plan hasn’t come together yet, so the North Park Blocks could be considered a temporary location until a more permanent place was found.

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Why the hell not?

If these carts are reborn on the North Park Blocks, the City of Portland should seriously consider making the adjacent streets — NW 8th and NW Park — completely carfree. Imagine being able to stroll and roll on a wide park and plaza space in the heart of our city with such proximity to major destinations like Powell’s, the Pearl District, Brewery Blocks, Old Town/Chinatown, and so on.

There’s considerable support for carfree streets on city council right now (and there has been for many years). Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty has said, “I believe in a Portland where you can get where you need to go without using a car.” Commissioner Eudaly didn’t even own a car for several years while in her twenties and has been a very outspoken critic of driving during her tenure as commissioner-in-charge of PBOT. Her bus-only lane project would remove hundreds of auto parking spaces and drastically reduce driving space throughout the city.

A carfree North Park Blocks could be another section of a future carfree loop in northwest. It’s only a matter of time before we prohibit driving on NW 13th. Then all we’d need to do is take the forthcoming major bikeway on NW Flanders one step further and then link those three streets with Couch and we’d have a world-class carfree promenade that would connect neighborhoods and re-vitalize our city.

Here’s to hoping. We’ll keep you posted on Eudaly’s plans.

*NOTE: After posting this, a reader on Facebook commented that he believes this is a, “Blatant attempt to get the unhoused out of that area.” I hadn’t considered that. It’s true that there are several important resources for homeless people around the North Park Blocks. It’s worth considering the impact Eudaly’s plan would have on them.

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org

BikePortland needs your support.

This week’s Monday Roundup is brought to you by Wheelhouse Lofts. Just steps away from the Springwater Corridor, you can live in a place that welcomes you and your bike with open arms.

Here are the most notable items we came across in the past week…

LPIs FTW: Seattle’s DOT has announced that leading pedestrian intervals (LPIs), which give crosswalk users get a head-start into an intersection, are now the preferred treatment whenever a signal is upgraded, maintained, or installed.

E-bike rebates: The province of British Columbia in Canada has a policy that Oregon should have passed this session: People can get an $850 rebate toward the purchase of a new electric bicycle when they scrap their toxic, gas-powered cars.

Ped-E-cabs: People who operate pedicabs hope the recently passed e-bike legislation in New York City gives them a chance to lift the existing ban on motors on their large, people-carrying vehicles.

Our road safety crisis: Streetsblog crunched the 2018 traffic fatality numbers and they paint a devastating picture of inequity: Biking and walking deaths are up; but fewer people inside cars were killed.

I-5 project is a boondoggle: OSPIRG, an environmental group, released their annual report on highway boondoggles and of course the I-5 Rose Quarter freeway expansion project made it on the list.

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Major Taylor gets his due: NPR’s venerable Fresh Air interview show featured author Michael Kranish who has written a new book on the race barrier-breaking-sports-superstar-cyclist Major Taylor.

Grand Tour on an e-bike: As electrified bicycles creep ever closer into mainstream acceptance, organizers offered an e-bike race on the same course as the legendary Giro d’Italia.

E-bike study: Recent research on people who switched to e-bikes from driving/transit or standard bikes revealed (among other things) that because they take longer trips on average, e-bikes users get the same net physical benefits as non-e-bike riders.

Manhattanites on bikes: An observational study of people riding bikes in Manhattan found that cell phone use while cycling has shot up in recent years.

City-killers: The reliable George Monbiot had me with his lede: “What is the best way of wrecking a city? Pour cars into it.”

Take a (looong) walk: The mind-boggling Sri Chinmoy Self-Transcendence Race requires participants to walk around one block in Queens, New York 5,649 times. It’s like the Ladds 500 on steroids, times a thousand.

Dream a little dream: Check out these inspiring and lovely photos of the best bike infrastructure in the world that are part of the Bicycle Architecture Biennale competition being held in Amsterdam

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org

BikePortland needs your support.

Looking eastbound on Flavel near 78th. Local residents say this is a popular route for cycling.

A man riding a bicycle was killed last night. Police say the man was involved in a collision with someone driving a sedan on SE Flavel near 78th.

Ghost bike at the scene.
(Photo: D. Gebhart)

On Sunday, June 23, 2019, at 3:32 a.m., East Precinct officers responded to the area of Southeast Flavel Street and Southeast 79th Avenue on a report of a person injured in a crash involving a sedan. Portland Fire medics arrived and determined the injured adult male was deceased at the scene.

Preliminary information indicates the male was riding a bicycle and was struck by the sedan. The driver of the sedan remained at the scene and is cooperating with investigators.

The Portland Police Bureau’s Major Crash Team is responding to assume the investigation.

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Southeast Flavel Street is closed from 77-80th Avenues and is expected to remain so for several hours while the investigators conduct the investigation.

If anyone has information about this incident, please call the non-emergency dispatch at (503) 823-3333.

After the deceased is identified and next of kin are notified, his identity will be released.

This location is just a few blocks from where Lydia Johnson was killed in 2016. And another woman, Pamela Seidel, was killed in this area (SE Henderson and 82nd) while biking in October 2018.

This intersection is also part of the route of the forthcoming Seventies Neighborhood Greenway. That project was funded a year ago and is currently still in the planning stages.

In reply to our post about the crash on Twitter this morning, reader Gerik Kransky said, “This is deeply unsettling.” “I ride my bike through here on a regular basis. It’s within a mile of my home and I want to see some physical protection for people who ride bikes on SE Flavel.”

Matchu Williams, an advocate for better transportation in this neighborhood who co-wrote a BikePortland article about gaps in southeast Portland infrastructure last summer, said the lack of protected spaces for vulnerable users is, “a public safety crisis.” “Our most vulnerable community members are repeatedly being killed as a result of unsafe behaviors and missing, safer infrastructure. The street designs offer no protection to the people that need it most in an area that has little political clout to affect change with city, state, and county officials.”

This is the second fatality of a bicycle rider in 2019.

Stay tuned for updates as more information becomes available.

UPDATE, 5:13pm 6/23: Police have arrested the driver in this collision. Here’s their latest statement:

The Portland Police Bureau’s Major Crash Team continues to investigate the fatal crash from earlier this morning. Investigators arrested 21 year-old Nicholas P. Martinez, the driver of the involved sedan (PHOTO).

Martinez was charged with Manslaughter II, Reckless Driving, and DUII (alcohol). He was lodged at the Multnomah County Detention Center. There is no there other information for release at this time.

UPDATE, 6/25 at 1:27pm: Portland Police have identified the victim as 32-year-old Lance T. Hart.

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org
se

BikePortland needs your support.

(Photos provided by Sunrise PDX)

Hundreds of concerned Portlanders shut down SW 4th Avenue outside City Hall today to raise awareness of climate change.

Led by Extinction Rebellion and Sunrise PDX (the Portland chapter of the national Sunrise Movement), activists called on Mayor Ted Wheeler to declare a citywide climate emergency.

In addition to a creative and colorful rally that took over the street, activists staged a sit-in in Wheeler’s office.

As we reported when Sunrise volunteers showed up at a Metro transportation funding hearing last month, the inclusion of the I-5 expansion project at today’s rally is just the latest evolution in the ever-closer integration between transportation reform activism and the rising climate change movement.

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Here’s the statement released by Sunrise PDX a few minutes ago:

It is far past time for words without meaningful action. We are tired of hearing about “environmental protection” in the abstract, while new projects are being built to facilitate the continued expansion of fossil fuel usage. The time is now to act boldly; to break cleanly from the status quo; to take the political risks necessary to secure the future of our planet and its inhabitants. To Mayor Wheeler and the City of Portland, we ask:

What is your plan?

We stand in opposition to the local expansion of fossil-fuel infrastructure and call on our city officials to do the same.
Today, we sat in Mayor Ted Wheeler’s office in Portland, Oregon to demand that his administration:

1. Declare a climate emergency in the City of Portland.

2. Stop the current expansion of the Zenith Energy crude oil export terminal and develop a plan to shut it down entirely.

3. Prevent the proposed expansion of the I-5 freeway and any future freeway expansion projects within the City of Portland.

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org

BikePortland needs your support.

(Photos by: Amit Zinman)

Hundreds of concerned Portlanders shut down SW 4th Avenue outside City Hall today to raise awareness of climate change.

Led by Extinction Rebellion PDX and 350PDX, activists called on Mayor Ted Wheeler to declare a citywide climate emergency. In addition to a creative and colorful rally that took over the street, activists from Sunrise Movement staged a sit-in in Wheeler’s office.

As we reported when Sunrise volunteers showed up at a Metro transportation funding hearing last month, the inclusion of the I-5 expansion project at today’s rally is just the latest evolution in the ever-closer integration between transportation reform activism and the rising climate change movement.

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Here’s the statement released by Sunrise PDX a few minutes ago:

It is far past time for words without meaningful action. We are tired of hearing about “environmental protection” in the abstract, while new projects are being built to facilitate the continued expansion of fossil fuel usage. The time is now to act boldly; to break cleanly from the status quo; to take the political risks necessary to secure the future of our planet and its inhabitants. To Mayor Wheeler and the City of Portland, we ask:

What is your plan?

We stand in opposition to the local expansion of fossil-fuel infrastructure and call on our city officials to do the same.
Today, we sat in Mayor Ted Wheeler’s office in Portland, Oregon to demand that his administration:

1. Declare a climate emergency in the City of Portland.

2. Stop the current expansion of the Zenith Energy crude oil export terminal and develop a plan to shut it down entirely.

3. Prevent the proposed expansion of the I-5 freeway and any future freeway expansion projects within the City of Portland.

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org

BikePortland needs your support.

Sen. Floyd Prozanski testifying at the House Rules Committee yesterday.

As we’ve been reporting, Oregon is tantalizingly close to passing a version of the Idaho Stop law. Now its chief sponsor says the bill needs your help to get over the final hurdle.

Senate Bill 998 would allow bicycle riders to treat stop signs and flashing red signals as yields. Because it makes so much sense and would make our roads safer and more efficient for all Oregonians, it breezed through the Senate earlier this week with bipartisan support by a vote of 21 to 8.

With just days left in the legislative session, the bill now sits in the House Rules Committee — its final stop before a vote on the House floor. The committee gave the bill a public hearing yesterday, but there was no vote taken. A majority of the representatives seemed open to supporting the bill, but they were tentative and expressed a need to learn more and see more public support for it.

Committee member Rep. Sherrie Sprenger said, “I’m looking for data in the testimony and I only see three letters from cyclists; but i’d like some further information.” Committee Chair Rep. Paul Holvey wondered whether or not ODOT and the police were supportive.

The bill’s sponsor Senator Floyd Prozanski, was in attendance responded well to all the concerns. But since no vote was taken the clock continues to tick on this bill and we could run out of time if it doesn’t get voted on as soon as possible.

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“I’d like to have a little momentum, especially going uphill. Just sayin’!”
— Rep. Paul Holvey, Chair, House Rules Committee

Thankfully there’s a possible work session for the bill scheduled for Monday (6/24) at 1:00 pm.

According to sources in Salem, the committee needs to hear more support to feel comfortable voting in favor of the bill and passing it through to the House floor.

That means if you want this bill to become law, you need to email the House Rules Committee this weekend and let them know why you support it. The email is hrules.exhibits@oregonlegislature.gov.

If you are still undecided or unaware of why this law is needed, check out this 2010 study that analyzed the impacts of the law after it was implemented in Idaho. According to researcher Jason Meggs from the UC Berkeley School of Public Health, “There is no evidence of any long-term increase in injury or fatality rates as a result of the adoption of the original Idaho Law in 1982.” You might also want to share this excellent animated video from Spencer Boomhower that explains why stops-as-yields is so important to bicycle users.

We have a great chance with this committee, they just need a bit more confidence to do the right thing.

At the end of yesterday’s meeting, Chair Holvey said he’s a new bicycle rider and that, “I’d like to have a little momentum, especially going uphill. Just sayin’!”

Let’s give SB 998 a bit more momentum to make Chair Holvey — and all of our — rides a bit more easy and efficient. Here’s that email again – hrules.exhibits@oregonlegislature.gov.

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org

BikePortland needs your support.

Cover of PBOT’s Vision Zero 2-Year Update.

The Portland Bureau of Transportation is making steady progress on their march toward safer streets. They’ve queued up an impressive slate of capital projects, worked the legislature to gain authority for speed limits and enforcement cameras, and have passed important plans with the policy backbone that enables them to do things like remove auto parking from corners (a.k.a. “intersection daylighting”), install crossing treatments in more places, and so on.

Last week PBOT brought their annual Vision Zero 2-Year Update (PDF) to city council. They don’t have to get council’s official blessing for reports like this, but PBOT often takes this step to burnish council relationships, lay political groundwork for funding requests, and get explicit support for what might be controversial Vision Zero-related moves down the road.

Things like this usually get unanimous support because PBOT doesn’t bring half-baked ideas to council and they brief each commissioner beforehand to make sure they are up-to-speed with the issues and information. So it was a big surprise when Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty voted no.

“…When every other street has a different speed limit, you’re not changing behavior, you’re making people lose their minds because they don’t know how to legally operate on the street.”
— Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty

Here’s what happened…

City council passed a commitment to Vision Zero in 2015. By the end of 2017 they’d passed an “Action Plan” aimed at achieving it, and by spring of that year Vision Zero had become the bureau’s chief organizing principle.

Last Thursday’s presentation to council was expected to be non-controversial. PBOT Director Chris Warner and his Active Transportation and Safety Division Manager Catherine Ciarlo updated commissioners on planned capital projects (they have eight projects on major streets planned to be completed by 2020), new policy approaches, and near-term actions they’re taking to improve road safety (including the left-turn calming initiative we reported on earlier today).

“I’m very disappointed to hear your concerns with this report. If those are your takeaways — which are virtually unfounded — I don’t think my bureau has done a good enough job briefing you on this program.”
— Commissioner Chloe Eudaly

In one of his first major council appearances since being named PBOT director less than a month ago, Chris Warner spent some of his time explaining why the bureau now erects electronic signs for two weeks at the location where someone was killed in traffic. It’s part of a “culture of shared responsibility,” which is one of PBOT’s Vision Zero priorities. “Sometimes there will be a fatality and a few hours later everything will be cleaned up and people won’t really know what happened,” Warner explained. “So we really want to raise the focus and awareness for Portlanders to know that was a dangerous spot, that someone died there, and for them to really reflect on how they’re driving.”

When cautioned by Commissioner Nick Fish about promising the public such a lofty goal as zero deaths, Warner was unfazed. “Unless we have that goal I don’t think our job is ever complete. And I don’t think we can stop doing what we can to make sure there are no deaths or injuries on our streets,” he said.

Sitting alongside Warner, Ciarlo spoke about PBOT’s commitment to the “Safe Systems” approach. “If Vision Zero is the performance measure, then Safe Systems is the approach that will get us there,” she explained. Ciarlo shared a slide (below) outlining the basic tenets of the approach, which call for (among other things) city staff to be proactive, instead of reactive to problems. It also says road designers and policymakers — not just users of the system — share responsibility for safety outcomes.

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PBOT slide outlines basic tenets of Safe Systems approach.

When it came time to vote and comment on the report, Commissioner Amanda Fritz had effusive praise for Commissioner Eudaly and the Vision Zero program in general. She urged PBOT to move even more quickly in their effort to remove parking at corners and offered tips on how to fund the work. Commissioner Nick Fish also strongly supported it, saying “This is a fine piece of work and I’m proud to support it.” (Mayor Ted Wheeler was absent.)

Commissioner Hardesty at the 6/13 meeting.

Then there was Commissioner Hardesty. As we reported yesterday, she had expressed concerns early in the presentation about the “big issue” of people who walk while using their phones. Turns out that wasn’t her only concern.

Hardesty said in her comments before her vote, “I think it’s a good vision. I just think it could be a better vision.” “It looks like the responsibility we’re putting is primarily on the drivers of automobiles as compared to us taking responsibility for the roads we haven’t built, the sidewalks we haven’t built, the lighting we haven’t put in,” she added. “There are reasons why there are a lot more crashes in east Portland. The primary reason is there’s been a lack of investment in east Portland.”

Hardesty’s comments touched on several issues she’s uncomfortable about.

Hardesty called out PBOT’s speed limit reduction efforts – not because she wants people to drive faster, but because she feels they’ve created a patchwork of different speed limits that make it too hard to follow the law. “You could be going a couple of blocks, and it’s [the speed limit is] up another 10 miles, then you turn to the left and it’s down 20 more miles [an hour], then you turn to the right and it’s up another 10 miles [an hour]. It’s very confusing if your goal is to change behavior, when every other street has a different speed limit,” Hardesty said. “You can imagine how frustrating it is for people who live in the community who are trying to do the right thing and yet there’s no commonality or consistency from one major arterial to the next. I just don’t think that’s a good way to change behavior. You’re not changing behavior, you’re making people lose their minds because they don’t know how to legally operate on the street.”

PBOT’s Ciarlo explained that since the City of Portland doesn’t have control over the speed limit on all streets (ODOT does), they’ve had to go “section by section”.

Then Hardesty said she believes PBOT is focused too much on individual behaviors when the system itself isn’t a level playing field. “I continue to have the concern that we are over-criminalizing one segment of our community and using them as the reason why people are dying rather than the poor conditions of our roads. The lack of lighting, the lack of sidewalks in many places. I think it all works together.”

PBOT slide on enforcement cameras.

Earlier in the meeting there was a discussion about speed reader boards (signs that show speed limit compared to actual driving speed) and automated enforcement cameras. Hardesty expressed discomfort with cameras due to privacy and racial concerns. Despite stats presented by PBOT that show a clear reduction in speeding in locations where cameras have been installed, Hardesty seems to prefer reader boards which don’t have a built-in enforcement and citation mechanism (“90% of people look down and check their speeds when they pass those reader boards,” she said). Hardesty pressed PBOT to share demographic data from the speed and red light camera citations. That data isn’t currently collected and PBOT said it would be challenging to determine people’s race based on the photos taken by the system — not to mention the potential pitfalls of having a staff person make racial determinations based on appearance.

Eudaly said she likes the reader boards too and would welcome more demographic data, but she defended the enforcement cameras as an important tool. “I’m not so interested in being punitive as I am in changing behavior. However, because there’s such inadequate enforcement on the street… If there’s no ultimate consequence I think we lose that effect over time.”

In the end, Hardesty remained skeptical and the presentation didn’t allay her concerns. “I guess until I know whether or not we’re penalizing folks, and whether we’re still using speed readers or whether we’re actually going to start giving people tickets, and what that process will be, I will vote no.”

“I’m very disappointed to hear your concerns with this report,” Eudaly replied. “If those are your takeaways — which are virtually unfounded — I don’t think my bureau has done a good enough job briefing you on this program.” (Note that this tension between Hardesty and Eudaly around enforcement is not new.)

Yesterday I asked Eudaly’s Chief of Staff Marshall Runkell if the two commissioners had spoken since that exchange. He said they’re trying to set up a meeting but haven’t had a chance to debrief in person. “Commissioner Eudaly is sympathetic with Commissioner Hardesty’s concerns about over-policing low-income neighborhoods and the surveillance state, but she did a good job of explaining why PBOT’s approach allayed her concerns from the dais during the hearing.” (I reached out to Hardesty’s office as well but the commissioner and her chief of staff are out until next week.)

While PBOT’s Vision Zero Report and 2-Year Strategy was ultimately adopted 3-1 last week, a renewal of the photographic traffic enforcement contract will return to council on Wednesday, June 26th.

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org

BikePortland needs your support.

Armed with data, plans, and support from city council, the Portland Bureau of Transportation is moving forward with a pilot program to install “left turn calming” at 29 intersections.

Using a mix of rubber speed bumps and centerline delineator wands, PBOT’s aim is to slow drivers down, prevent them from “cutting corners”, and make it easier for them to see people crossing the street.

New bumps installed on Burnside at 55th where Charles McCarthy was hit and killed in October 2018.
(Photo: Terry Dublinski-Milton)

This type of basic and relatively cheap infrastructure might have saved the life of Charles McCarthy. In October 2018 McCarthy was walking across East Burnside at 55th when he was struck and killed by someone driving a truck. The truck operator was turning left from 55th onto Burnside. (See animated GIF below the jump.)

With the the safety of walkers a top priority in their Vision Zero program and in the recently adopted PedPDX Plan, PBOT has installed rubber speed bumps at the intersection where McCarthy died. The move is also part of PBOT’s new “crash response protocol” released by PBOT back in April. That directive, spearheaded by new Bureau Director Chris Warner, says that PBOT will evaluate fatal crashes and implement, “targeted rapid response safety fixes” whenever possible.

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GIF by PBOT

PBOT says they hope to address 40 intersections with the new left-turn treatments this year and expand the program in 2020 if it has a positive impact. In their 2-Year Vision Zero update adopted by city council last week, PBOT cited a similar program in New York City (who has implemented them at 300 intersections so far) that has resulted in a decrease in average speeds of left-turning drivers from 7.7 mph to 4.3 mph.

Funding for this program comes from the local sales tax on recreational cannabis. That tax amounted to $4.6 million in Fiscal Year 2019, 79% of which was spent on “public safety” programs including Vision Zero safety projects.

According to State of Oregon data, 20% of crashes involving walkers (between 2006 and 2015) were the result of left-turning drivers failing to yield to people in crosswalks at signalized intersections.

Learn more about the type of intersections that qualify for this treatment and see the list of the first 29 locations on PBOT’s website.

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org

BikePortland needs your support.

Photo by John Cornicello (used with permission)

The annual Fremont Solstice Parade is Saturday, and you know what that means: It’s time to get naked, paint your body and crash the parade on your bike.

For about a quarter century, people have been biking ahead of the Fremont Solstice Parade in various states of nudity and body art. In the past decade, the number of participants has ballooned, and the ride has become an iconic cultural phenomenon in our city.

If you are going to watch, don’t even try to drive there. Biking is your best bet, of course. The bike ride starts at 1 p.m. and the official parade (which is also amazing and people-powered) starts at 1:30. Earlier this spring, the parade organizers announced that the bike ride would be after the official parade, but they have since changed their minds due to some logistical concerns. So the bike ride will go first as usual, but riders may not be looping around as they did in previous years.

If you want to join, there are two basic options: You can get painted up at your or a friend’s nearby home, or you can join the volunteer-run open painting party at CSR Marine. Both options are popular.

If you are painting on your own, meet at 3rd Ave NW and NW 36th Street at 1 p.m. ready to ride (don’t be too late or you will not be allowed to enter the route).

If you are joining the main painting party, doors open at 8:30 a.m., and you need to be finished by noon. The group then goes on a ride around Ballard before joining the parade route at 1. Bring $10 to donate to the cause. There are usually some random communal paints, but bringing your own paint and brush is usually best if you have a specific idea in mind.

• This is a very public event, and there will be a lot of cameras. So be prepared for that.
• Bring a way to transport clothes to the finish at Gas Works Park. Don’t expect to return to the start.
• Put on sunscreen before the paint.
• Spending a little extra on makeup paints like the Ben Nye brand is worth it. But if you are using cheaper paints (acrylics are common), just make sure they are non-toxic. More advice here.
• Respect your fellow participants and look out for each other.
• The ride includes lots of stopping and inching along in a big painted bike traffic jam (the world’s best kind of traffic jam). So be ready for that.
• Bring a plastic bag or cover to protect your saddle (and, later, your pants) from paint.
• Nude is not lewd. But seriously, don’t be lewd.
• Express yourself and have fun!

From the Solstice Cyclists website:

Friday
6:00-9:00 p.m. Set up at CSR Marine, 4701 Shilshole Ave NW.

Saturday
8:30-12:00 Painting at CSR Marine.

12:00-12:15 Organize for the ride and exit CSR Marine.  Take everything with you.  Gates close at 12:30 sharp.

12:15-1:00 Ride to parade through Ballard.

1:00-1:30 Enter the parade route.  Continue forward to Gasworks Park (we’re experimenting with no looping this year).

Sunday
11:00-5:00 Clean up at CSR Marine.

If you want to organize your own paint-up and you’re willing to share the experience with new friends, please post to SolCycles@yahoogroups.com.  Rendezvous at the start of the parade route (the corner of 3rd Ave NW and NW 36th St) by 1:00pm, painted and ready to kick off the parade!

See the page on the main paint party if you want to join the bulk of the riders in painting up.

In the past five years, people walking have accounted for nearly 40% of Portland’s traffic fatalities.
(Photo: J. Maus/BikePortland)

Portland City Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty wants the transportation bureau to do more about distracted walking.

Commissioner Hardesty.
(Photo: City of Portlnd)

During a City Council presentation on the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s two-year update on its Vision Zero efforts last week, Hardesty said the problem of people staring into phones while they use sidewalks and streets needs to be taken more seriously.

Hardesty’s comments set off a notable exchange with Commissioner Chloe Eudaly, who oversees PBOT.

The exchange came as PBOT Active Transportation and Safety Division Manager Catherine Ciarlo presented the bureau’s “safe systems” approach to road safety. One of the key tenets of that approach is a shared responsibility for safety that takes into account road design and engineering — as well as individual choices. “Safety is the responsibility of the user of the system; but it is it also the responsibility of the owner of the system, the manager of the system, and the designer of the system,” Ciarlo said.

“So the implication is that it’s the peoples’ fault?” Hardesty asked. “If they acted right, the streets would be safer?”

“If anything, the safe systems approach says it’s not the user’s responsibility because all people make mistakes,” Ciarlo answered. “We’re all going to make mistakes and a safe system designs things, manages things, and educates people in a way that assumes those mistakes will be made and looks to protect against them.”

Then Ciarlo shared PBOT’s four Vision Zero priorities for the next two years. “Protect pedestrians” and “create a culture of shared responsibility” were among them. “And just to be clear, Commissioner Hardesty,” Ciarlo said, “That culture of safety isn’t about assigning blame to people injured by the system, but to create a culture in this city of moving more slowly, of looking out for vulnerable people in the roadway, and of making decisions that result in a safe system.”

At that point Hardesty interjected again:

“I have noticed there are lot of individuals who move through streets and sidewalks never actually looking up. They are on some electronic device that apparently is more important than whether or not they survive crossing the street. To me, I’ve noticed that is a huge issue. Is there any local data on it? I know we’re not talking about blame. But I think we should have the expectation that people actually look where they’re going when they cross the street and not be on their device.”

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Portland traffic deaths, 2009 – 2018. Source: PBOT.

Ciarlo responded by saying “distracted walking” wasn’t called out as a specific risk factor when the Vision Zero plan was finalized tow years ago. She said the focus has been on things like lowering driving speeds, “Because if people are making that mistake of walking around distracted — which we don’t want them to do — we also don’t want them to get killed doing it.”

“I can tell you from personal anecdotal data there are way, way, way too many people walking with their eyes in their electronic stuff — whether a light is red or green — I’ve observed that over and over again… it scared me when I was driving.”
— Commissioner Hardesty

Then Eudaly chimed in. She called distracted walking, “a chronic problem for sure.” “But in reality,” she added, “With our pedestrian crashes, the majority of people were obeying the law and not doing anything wrong and they were still hit and killed.”

Hardesty then expressed concern that PBOT was collecting data on and enforcing distracted driving, but not distracted walking. “We need a full set of data to not just assume it’s one causation to the outcomes we’re getting,” she said. “Because I can tell you from personal anecdotal data there are way, way, way too many people walking with their eyes in their electronic stuff — whether a light is red or green — I’ve observed that over and over again… it scared me when I was driving.”

With her transportation background, and perhaps a sense that Hardesty’s comments needed a more forceful retort, Eudaly went a bit deeper with her final response. “I share your belief there’s a shared responsibility,” she said to Hardesty. “We have a very auto-centric culture. We tend to blame the victims in these crashes when in fact the stats show they are following the laws. So my pushback on responsibility isn’t a denial that pedestrians or cyclists need to follow laws or be more responsible, it’s more of the false narrative among car advocates who don’t want to take responsibility for their role, who don’t want us to inconvenience them by making our transportation system safer for pedestrians and cyclists
— and despite the fact vehicles have only been on the road 120 years while roads have been here for millennia — think roads should be sole conduits for automobiles.”

This isn’t the first time Hardesty has shared her opinion on this topic. During a candidate forum in April 2018, she responded to a question about traffic safety in east Portland by saying, “I can tell you there are pedestrians that walk out in front of cars because they think they have bumpers and no one will hit them.”

Stay tuned for a closer look at PBOT’s two-year Vision Zero/Safe Systems update.

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org

BikePortland needs your support.

Get out there. (Photo: J. Maus/BikePortland)

The weekend is almost here and it’s time to map out your plan of attack. Check out my suggestions below. And as always when it’s June, consult the Official Pedalpalooza Calendar for more rides.

Climate Emergency Rally – 12:00 pm at Schrunk Plaza (SW)
A group called Extinction Rebellion will host a rally to organize the fight against an, “unprecedented global emergency.” Show up to get plugged-in and join forces. More info here.

Critical Mass 2.0: New Mobility Edition – 4:30 pm at Salmon Springs Fountain (SW)
Community leader Sarah Iannarone wants to boost the profile and respect of low-impact transportation vehicles like e-scooters, e-bikes, one-wheels, etc… Show up early for the Lime-sponsored e-scooter demo then roll in the group ride to take over the streets. More info here.

Dropout Prom – 9:00 pm at Colonel Summers Park (SE)
The Droupouts are a friendly, local bike club that hosts amazing parties. The Prom is one of the biggest and this year’s theme — Cosmic Space Invaders — should bring out the best among them and their many fans. More info here.

Community Cycling Center Quarter Century Celebration Ride – 10:00 am at the CCC Bike Shop (NE)
This beloved nonprofit has been at it for 25 years. Show up and share your respect and appreciation for their work in broadening access to bicycling. More info here.

Portland Maker Ride – 12:00 pm at Toast, Inc (SE)
Go behind-the-scenes at four Portland-based companies that are making cool stuff right here in our backyard. Tour ends at North St. Bags where the crew will be sewing ride souvenir pouches available for $20. More info here.

Street Sprint Drag Races – 7:30 pm at BlaqPacks New HQ (SW)
Local fixed-gear crew Still Pour will host bicycle drag races. $5 to enter the bracket competition with cash and prizes for the winners. More info here.

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Northeast Playground Ride – 10:00 am at Fernhill Park (NE)
Grab the kiddos and join a merry crew of moms and dads and other caregivers as they explore a few of the fun playgrounds in northeast. Just a few miles to ride so it shouldn’t interfere with naptime. More info here.

Swim Across Portland – 11:30 am at Water Ave Coffee (SE)
Bicycle Kitty (a.k.a. Maria Schur) will lead this jaunt to several outdoor pools, beaches, and other swimming spots. Load up on nachos from the concession stands and get ready to ride about 20 miles for what is sure to be a fun adventure. More info here.

Grilled by Bike – 12:00 pm at Ladds Circle (SE)
The sixth annual ode to cooking stuff on bikes. These folks do it right, with grilling set-ups and positive vibes that will warm your heart and your meats (or tofus or vegetables or whatever). More info here.

St. Johns Dirty Ride – 4:15 at Block Bikes (N)
Block Bikes owner Ben Helgren will share his secret singletracks, greatest gravels and other dirt delights. All bikes and bikers welcome! More info here.

Heavy Bike Hillclimb Challenge – 7:00 pm at Dawson Park (N)
Local legend Patrick Loftus once again blesses us with this fun ride where only 40+ lb bikes need apply. After a weigh-in, you’ll bike your beast way up to Pittock Mansion in the West Hills to soak in the view. Various shenanigans likely to follow (not to mention a helluva bomb down the hill!). More info here.

Stay plugged into all the bike and transportation-related events around the region via our comprehensive event calendar.

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org

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BikePortland needs your support.

We might have to remove this marking.
(Photo: J. Maus/BikePortland)

Senate Bill 998 — Oregon’s version of the “Idaho Stop” law that would allow bicycle riders to treat stop signs and flashing red signals like yields — has finally made it to the House.

Since our report on this bill last week, the bill passed the full Oregon Senate yesterday by a vote of 21 to 8. It was then referred to the House Rules Committee where it will receive a public hearing and possible vote tomorrow (6/20).

The House Rules Committee has seven members. Among them are Portland-area Democrats Barbara Smith-Warner (District 45), Rob Nosse (District 42), and Vice-Chair Jennifer Williamson (District 36).

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If these are your representatives, please consider a quick email or phone call to their office to let them know your opinion on the bill.

The public hearing and possible work session is scheduled for 4:00 pm tomorrow (6/20).

From here the bill would go to the full House for a vote. If it passes the House it would move to Governor Brown’s desk where she’d be expected to sign it. Stay tuned!

In other legislative news, Senate Bill 558 has passed both chambers and will likely be signed into law. The bill gives cities across the state the authority to reduce speed limits on residential streets by 5 mph without asking permission from ODOT. It passed the House yesterday by a vote of 57 to 3.

CORRECTION: This story incorrectly stated the committee hearing on SB 998 was today (6/19). That was a mistake. The hearing and possible vote is tomorrow (6/20). I regret the confusion.

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org

BikePortland needs your support.

People turned out in large numbers for a 2015 rally to protest the lack of cycling access in River View Natural Area.
(Photos: J. Maus/BikePortland)

It’s been over four years since the City of Portland embarked on an effort to create a master plan for off-road cycling. The draft of the Off-road Cycling Master Plan came out in November 2017.

“We need the plan to be passed so we have a roadmap for how we can help.”
— Andy Jansky, NW Trail Alliance

Despite all this time, the plan remains unfinished and continues to languish on someone’s desk at the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability.

Friday morning, advocates with Northwest Trail Alliance will renew their campaign to get it finished. They’ve spent months planning a ride with local and regional electeds and policymakers that they hope will lead to more urgency around the plan.

“We need the plan to be passed so we have a roadmap for how we can help,” veteran NWTA volunteer Andy Jansky shared with me today. Jansky has been working behind-the-scenes to get agency and city hall staffers to show up for Friday’s ride. He says NWTA has a large and willing community of members who would love to help the City of Portland work toward better off-road cycling access in parks and other greenspaces throughout the city.

People who want more opportunities to ride bikes on singletrack and other types of natural surface trails within city limits have been working on this issue for well over a decade now — and they have very little trail mileage to show for it. The last time a piece of cycling-specific singletrack was built in Forest Park (to cite just one example) was 2006 when advocates helped build less than a mile of trail off of Firelane 5.

Since then, progress has been painfully slow.

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Jansky has been a stalwart advocate for years and remains optimistic that his efforts will soon bear fruit.

Tomorrow will mark the 12th anniversary of the last time mountain bike advocates took electeds and city staffers on a ride to highlight their issues and concerns. Friday’s ride will have the same goal; but hopefully it won’t take another 12 years before we open up new off-road cycling access.

City of Portland Bureau of Planning & Sustainability Project Manager Tom Armstrong is heading up the Off-road Cycling Master Plan. He’ll be on Friday’s ride. Asked for an update on the plan today, Armstrong said he’s been busy working on other priorities (like manufactured dwelling parks rezoning and fossil fuel terminal zoning), “But will be getting back to finalizing the plan later this year.”

Armstrong says BPS has three large sets of comments to reconcile before moving forward: those from the project’s advisory committee, the Portland Parks Board and the public. Once those comments have been analyzed, he says they’ll make final adjustments to the existing recommendations in order to inform future projects.

“Provide experiences across the city so that all residents can access close-to-home riding opportunities.”
— from the Off-road Cycling Master Plan discussion draft

The draft as it exists today recommends a system of off-road paths and trails with a goal to, “Provide experiences across the city so that all residents can access close-to-home riding opportunities.” The vision is to develop a few large “anchor sites” citywide (like Gateway Green, Forest Park, and so on), mid-sized opportunities at the district level, and smaller facilities in neighborhoods. Once identified, the plan says the projects should create, “A connected system of well-distributed trails and bike parks, accessible by bike and transit, to offer urban experiences and access to nature for all.”

During Friday’s ride, NWTA’s Jansky hopes to share a few of his ideas with decision-makers. Among them are: better integration on trails between Parks and the Bureau of Transportation, an off-road cycling corridor in southwest (the draft plan has nothing for that quadrant), and using undeveloped right-of-way to create connector trails between neighborhoods.

Of course it all comes down to politics. And NWTA’s Jansky says the off-road cycling issue, “Doesn’t appear to be a priority with some people in city hall.” He hopes Friday’s ride — which should have about 45 attendees — will change that. “We’re trying to turn up the heat on this issue a few degrees,” he said.

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org

BikePortland needs your support.

Two people died on Sunday and a 4-year old was injured in this crash on McKay Road in the Willamette Valley.

A bill that has received unanimous support from the Oregon House and Senate will give counties throughout Oregon a new tool to improve safety on rural roads.

House Bill 3213 creates a pilot program that will allow five counties to designate a dangerous stretch of road as a “safety corridor”. The legislation is meant to stem the tide of serious and fatal crashes that plague rural roads throughout the state. During committee hearings for the bill, lawmakers heard that many of Oregon’s once quiet farming roads now see increased levels of driving due to population growth and people who want to avoid congested interstates.

Some of these rural, county-owned roads also happen to be popular for bicycle riding.

“While Oregon backroads are some of the most beautiful drives in Oregon, they can be some of the most dangerous.”
— Shelly Boshart Davis, state rep who sponsored the bill

The first I heard of this bill came in a story published yesterday by KATU about McKay Road, south of Champoeg State Park in the Willamette Valley. The headline, “A dozen fatalities plagued Marion County’s McKay Road in past year,” caught my eye. I’ve ridden on McKay Road and it crosses the Willamette Valley Scenic Bikeway route.

Dennis and Sylvia Melcher are farmers who’ve lived in St. Paul near McKay Road for 60 years. “We have witnessed this road being transformed from a country road to a major highway thoroughfare,” they wrote in committee testimony, “Drivers are traveling on this road at 70 MPH or faster!”

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The bill’s chief sponsor was State Representative Shelly Boshart Davis, a Republican who represents the rural farming district around Albany south of Salem. In a letter of support for her bill, Boshart Davis wrote, “While Oregon backroads are some of the most beautiful drives in Oregon, they can be some of the most dangerous… Law enforcement and county governments around the state are looking for ways to make these roads safer… By allowing county governments the power to bring awareness of the dangers of backroad driving, we give them another tool in their toolbox to save lives.”

The county version will be modeled after the existing program already in place at the Oregon Department of Transportation. Once a safety corridor is identified (must be 2 to 10 miles long and have a documented history of serious and fatal crashes), the transportation department can install caution signage and fines for traffic violations are doubled.

The bill also calls for the establishment of an advisory committee made of up county representatives. While this new program would be modeled after ODOT’s existing program, it’s likely to give county governments more flexibility to address safety concerns.

I asked a Multnomah County if they were aware of the bill and/or if they had any plans to take part in the program. Spokesman Mike Pullen said they haven’t identified any safety corridors as of yet, but they recognize it could be another tool to address safety.

This is an interesting development. I’ve personally been dreaming of a “bicycle safety corridor” designation for a few years now that would be modeled on the same program. Along with increased fines and caution signage, I’d like the designation to come with things like a “move over” passing law when a bicycle rider is present, implementation of bicycle turnouts, a speed limit reduction, and so on. Perhaps next session!

Learn more about HB 3213 here.

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org

BikePortland needs your support.