Advocacy News - Bike Portland

Drawing of the 'Ped Plaza' as it would look on N. Mississippi Ave.
(Illustration by Joshua Cohen/Fat Pencil Studio)

When San Francisco debuted their "sidewalk extensions" back in February, they made quite an impression here in Portland. Local environmental scientist Rebecca Hamilton was so inspired by the idea she threw herself head-first into bringing one to Portland.

Hamilton is behind Re-thinking the Right of Way (RetROW), a grassroots group hoping to install "ped plazas" in Portland. The mini plazas would transform 1-2 on-street parking spaces into benches, planters, and maybe even a bit of bike parking. Hamilton sees the plazas as a way to make streets more human-scale:

"We've got some avenues that are very pedestrian intensive... but you can see there's a greater need for people in those spaces than there is for on-street parking. It might be time to think of re-purposing that space for people instead of private storage space. It's also a great way to build community and strengthen the neighborhood."

A ped plaza made by San Francisco's Rebar Group.
(Photo: RebarGroup.org)

After New York City unveiled their version of the "sidewalk extension" (which they dubbed a "pop-up cafe") last week, I checked in on how Hamilton's efforts are coming along.

Hamilton and her partner on the project, architect Joshua Cohen of Fat Pencil Studio, met with PBOT back in March and have nothing but praise for how supportive the City has been. PBOT staff have suggested possible locations, advised them on engineering and liability issues, and connected them with potentially supportive businesses. In May, RetROW applied for a Community Livability Grant through the Portland Development Commission and PBOT wrote a letter of support for their application. The letter, signed by PBOT Director Sue Keil, stated:

"This project offers an innovative and low cost approach to improve the pedestrian environment and enhance community vibrancy in Portland's neighborhood commercial centers."

Unfortunately they didn't get the grant, but that hasn't stopped Hamilton from trying to move the idea forward.

"We want to put some cool things out there to get people tugging at PBOT's pant legs and saying 'Hey, we want these!'"
-- Rebecca Hamilton, RetROW

While Hamilton maintains, "We have a good relationship with the city" she also acknowledges that there are some "major issues to work out before they're willing to put something on the streets." Liability is a big one. The City has to be sure who's responsible for the structure (them or the adjacent business owner). There's also the permitting process, which includes a design and engineering review; support from local neighborhoods and businesses; a maintenance agreement; and a repair budget and contingency plan in case the structure is damaged.

New York City's pop-up cafe reportedly took just 35 days from idea to installation. Hamilton says she's also learned that New York City flew out a designer from San Francisco's Pavement to Parks program to kick-start their project. That's a sign, Hamilton says, "That means those cities are actively trying to incorporate this sort of space into their environment."

Ped plazas would make a lot
of sense on Alberta Street, where
crowded sidewalks are common.
(Photo © J. Maus)

I asked Hamilton why she thinks PBOT, who has known and supported the idea since March, hasn't made it happen yet. She says it feels "Like something that we're trying to push from the ground up. It doesn't seem yet that there's a big enough demand from the people for them [PBOT] to start working top down and investing their time and resources on this project."

Hamilton said New York City and San Francisco both already have city-sponsored programs specifically to re-purpose street space to create more public plazas; the New York City Public Plaza Program and Pavement to Parks respectively. Both cities also have planning documents in place that support the plazas.

"Without a government mandate," Hamilton says, "and with no dedicated financial or personnel resources within the City to pursue this, much of the leg work and funding for Ped Plazas is up to the people that want them."

Hamilton's hope is to get one of the ped plazas installed as a pilot. Right now, she thinks it would be easier to buy an existing structure from San Francisco-based Rebar Group, who has already made and tested the design. The price to get it to Portland is $15,000 (once the first one is installed, then they'd create a Portland-made version).

RetROW is now focusing their efforts on doing more community outreach. Their big target is Park(ing) Day which is September 17th. Hamilton says they're also looking for business owners who might be interested in hosting a "one-day parklet" in front of their shop. And of course they need more community support. "We want to put some cool things out there to get people tugging at PBOT's pant legs and saying 'Hey, we want these!'"

To learn more, visit RetROW.org or email Rebecca Hamilton at rebecca[dot]hamilton[at]retrow[dot]org.

Front page of today's Portland Tribune.

Few anti-bike ideas are as stubborn as the age-old cries of "Bikes are bad for business!" In Portland, when our bikeway network was gaining steam in the 1990s, PBOT faced battle after battle when they tried to stripe bike lanes on streets adjacent to businesses. As recently as this past May, KATU-TV (our local ABC affiliate) promoted the fallacy with their infamous "Bike path to nowhere" story which was a fitting follow-up to their "Businesses fear city bike plan might drive people away" piece which aired after the 2030 Bike Plan passed last October.

But times are changing, at least in Portland.

This morning, the Portland Business Journal hosted a "Power Breakfast" with Bike Gallery owner, Oregon State Parks commissioner, and national bicycle industry and advocacy powerhouse Jay Graves. Graves has become something of a de facto spokesperson for the business benefits of bicycling in recent years. He sits on the Transportation Committee of the Portland Business Alliance and they even honored him with an award at their annual meeting back in April for his work on the 2030 Bike Plan.

"Bike-centric" flats under construction
on N. Williams.
(Photo © J. Maus)

Also this morning, the Portland Tribune has a story on their front page titled, "Bikes mean business on Williams: Cycling culture proves lucrative on Portland's 'best bike street'". The story details the "bicycle-oriented development" (a play on the more well-known term, transit-oriented development) that I first pointed out back in January. Here's a snip from the Tribune piece:

"...the business community along Williams has embraced the biking theme like no other business district in town... The street has three street-side bike corrals that have replaced parking spots, and local restaurants have signs encouraging bike commuters to take advantage of their happy hours."

This coming October when the national Rail-Volution conference comes to Portland, the drumbeat of bikes being good for business will get even louder. One of the panel discussions on the schedule is titled, Biketopia: Is Bicycle Oriented Development (BOD) the new TOD [Transit Oriented Development]?. I'll sit on that panel with Portland real estate developer Jon Kellogg (the man responsible for much of the bike-centric tenants on N. Williams). We'll share with the transit folks how a bike-friendly street can spur business just as effectively (if not more so) than light rail and streetcars.

While these signs are positive, Portland is sure to face future anti-bike, pro-business arguments again. But my hunch is that those arguments will be fewer and farther between and eventually, as the N Williams phenomenon gets more attention and more copycats, those anti-bike arguments -- like the one made on Seattle's Crosscut blog yesterday -- will fade away.

Paul Higgins, as seen from
the window of a TriMet bus.
(Photos: Screen grabs of Dan
Christensen's blog)

At the end of last month, TriMet bus operator Dan Christensen published a shocking essay on his personal blog. The essay was titled "PORTLAND! KILL THIS BICYCLIST!" It went into detail about how Christensen was so frustrated with a man riding a bike in front of his bus on SE Hawthorne Blvd that he pleaded with someone to kill him and he himself wanted to "exercise the death option." The post also included a photo of the man on the bike's face that was taken by one of Christensen's passengers.

"I don't want to be responsible for making people feel the way I made Christensen feel...I'm much more mindful of the way I ride now."
-- Paul Higgins

Once the blog post (read it here) came to their attention, TriMet immediately placed Christensen on leave. He pulled the story down hours later, but not before it was picked up by the AP wire. After the dust had settled, Christensen was back to work a week later.

Christensen, a well-liked driver with a clean record, was obviously shaken up by what he saw, but the specifics of what the guy on the bike did to set him off have remain unknown. Until now. Below is a Q & A I had via email with Paul Higgins, the man who inspired Dan Christensen's blog post.

What do you remember from that day?

"I remember approaching the light on SE 30th and Hawthorne in the right lane. The bus was in front of me and was just beginning to accelerate after the light turned green. I was going significantly faster and decided I could pass the bus without impeding traffic. I increased speed and moved onto the striped white line dividing the two eastbound lanes, passing both the bus and another car in the left lane. Once clear of the bus I moved back into the right lane so I wouldn't impede faster-moving traffic in the left. I don't remember hearing Christensen honk or anything like that. Neither do I recall pulling any other stunts on my way to work, though I may have blown through a light. (I always at least slow down and look and listen. I don't believe that traffic control devices are responsible for my safety on the road, it is my ability to identify and respond to threats and danger that keep me safe.) When I arrived at work and was locking up he stopped the bus, opened the doors and shouted "Hey that was some fancy drivin'!" I didn't turn around, I just said thanks and finished locking up and went inside. I really don't like it when motorists yell at me."

Where you surprised to read Dan Christensen's account of what happened?

"What account? He claimed to have taken "extreme measures" to avoid hitting me; that "it was so bad and lasted for blocks," yet said nothing of what actually happened. He mentioned vaguely that he may have had to brake violently and "throw people around my bus." As I stated earlier, I was going faster than he was, that is what necessitated me passing him. The only reason I can come up with which would cause him to brake is if I surprised and scared him. It makes sense. I mean, I passed him on an unexpected side, out of a blind spot, in a maneuver that many would deem unsafe. But that's conjecture. I have no way of knowing his account of what happened. One could only make assumptions based upon his poorly written, emotional tirade.

I was surprised at the length of time it took him to write about the incident, and to still be so filled with venom about it a month later is just ridiculous. After some consideration I can see that his blog was cathartic, and I'm glad he has a place where he can air out his demons. However, it may have been a better choice for him to have kept this particular writing exercise private. I mean, my mom almost cried when she heard about it, and he almost lost his job."

Where you surprised at what a big deal this turned into?

"Incredibly. I was in front of that bus for less than five minutes. Let's boil it down: A bus driver got mad at a cyclist and a month later posted a blog about it and then felt a bit better. Literally at the end of the blog he states, "Wow I feel better now." It should have ended there."

What kind of rider would you say you are?

"Fearful. I feel a bit like a mouse. I leave my tiny little home to try and scrape up some cheddar, and instead of snakes, cats, mousetraps and housewives with brooms; I have potholes, cars, pedestrians, other cyclists, cops, road debris and equipment failure that can all potentially kill or maim me. I deal with that by making myself a real presence on the road. When making my way through heavy traffic I'm big, aggressive, and loud. I get quite an attitude much of the time. Don't get me wrong, I love riding. I get a thrill out of it. I like knowing that I reached my destination by burning calories instead of gas. I like that my legs and ass are fucking statuesque. I like that I don't pollute, that it's inexpensive, that it's healthy, that I get to experience the elements, that every time I ride I overcome a challenge and am bettering myself."

Has this experience changed how you think about bike/bus interactions and your own riding style?

"I'm on the watch for Dan. I want to shake his hand and tell him I'm sorry about the trouble I caused him. I don't want to be responsible for making people feel the way I made Christensen feel. It's wrong and no one deserves to be scared or bullied on the road. What's tough is figuring out what's my fault and what is just him overreacting.

I'm much more mindful of the way I ride now. I think about how my actions will affect others around me, and if my actions are in line with my ideal. My goal in life is to just be a good dude, I won't achieve that if I ride like an asshole. My solution is rational, compassionate response to the people I share the road with, rather than a knee-jerk, fear-based reaction to people I perceive as threats."

I'm grateful for Paul's willingness to answer my questions candidly and thoughtfully. It's clear he takes his role in this incident seriously. I hope this episode has been an opportunity for all of us -- whether operating a vehicle with or without a motor -- to learn that doing so comes with a lot of emotions how we behave can have an impact way beyond ourselves.

Event flyer.

An event tonight being presented by the Community Cycling Center will seek to raise the issue of equal access to bicycling. "Bikes for All: Building a healthier community with bicycles," is part of the CCC's ongoing effort to address what they see as a lack of ethnic diversity in Portland's biking population.

When we first covered their efforts back in October 2009, CCC Director Alison Graves told us, "The people riding and making decisions about bicycles is a white, middle class group." Since then, Graves has busy speaking about their Understanding Barriers to Bicycling project and raising awareness about the issue anywhere someone will listen -- including a presentation at the recent Trek World show in Madison, Wisconsin. (I delved further into the Understanding Barriers in this post from back in April.)

Tonight's event will include a panel discussion with Graves, along with Shelli Romero, a community affairs manager with the Oregon Department of Transportation; Leslie Esinga, the "community builder" with the planned, mixed-income New Columbia neighborhood; and Joseph Santos-Lyons from OPAL Environmental Justice Oregon, a non-profit group that helps empower low-income communities.

The "Bikes for All" event promises to be an opportunity to, "Meet people, learn about projects, and discuss policies to engage communities of color in bicycling. Share your story and help shape the vision of bicycling in your community."

On August 26th, ODOT, the City of Portland, and a host of other partners will keep the equity issue at the fore with the first annual "Equity Bike Ride," which is also being held to highlight existing and upcoming improvements to the I-205 path.

Bikes for All: Building a healthier community with bicycles
Wednesday, 8/18 - 6:00 - 7:30 pm
Community Education Center at New Columbia (4625 N. Trenton)
Refreshments and childcare provided
RSVP to (503) 288-8864 or laura@communitycyclingcenter.org

Two crashes involving bicycles have come across my desk in the past few days. People involved in both the crashes have asked for the public's help in tracking down the suspects.

Luckily, she wasn't riding the bike when the person ran into it.

The first one happened Friday night on the corner of SE Hawthorne and 49th. Portlander Matt B. and his girlfriend (in photo above) had parked their bikes out the Tanker Bar and had just walked away from them when the collision occurred. Matt says, "A pickup truck came around the corner, fishtailed, ran into the bikes, backed up and took off." Fortunately no one was hurt. They've filed a police report and are on the look out for a 1960s-70s pickup with a red body and a white hood top. Matt also posted some images and a call for help on Craigslist. If you saw this incident and/or have information about the truck, call (503) 823-4800 and leave a message for Officer Joseph Cook or call Matt at (702) 523-9335.

I was also contacted by a local law office looking for witnesses to a crash that occurred on July 20th. Here are the details (emphasis mine):

"Our client was riding his bicycle near the intersection of NW 25th & NW Vaughan, when he was struck by a driver who was talking on her cell phone, and she was not aware that she hit him. Apparently, she dragged him a few feet after hitting him. She took him to Legacy Good Samaritan and his bike was stolen while he was treating at the hospital. She was driving an Acura SUV. Unfortunately, nobody called the police, so there was no police report made. If anybody in the community witnessed this accident, please call Emily at (503) 222-6333."

If you have information on either of these incidents, please call the numbers above.

Someone has stenciled several video game symbols in the N. Williams bike lane.
- See the rest of them below -
(Photos © J. Maus)

A cherished local tradition of adding character and personality to our bike lanes has taken a new twist. Someone has painted symbols from Nintendo's Mario Kart video game in the bike lanes on N. Williams Ave.

The painted symbols begin south of N Tillamook Avenue with a set of speed-boosting arrows (see above) and the symbols continue to about N. Cook Ave. There are several bananas...

A mushroom (which a reader tells me is worth an extra life in the game allows you to store a speed boost)...

And a star (which gives you invincibility)...

While this sort of vandalism is obviously illegal, I don't think anyone is looking to crack down on it. Reader Steve R. wrote us to share this sentiment about the symbols:

"I'm sure this is very illegal. As I pedal home from work, though, I find it engaging and humorous. Would motorists similarly decorate their lanes? I suspect not - this good-natured vandalism is a sign that bikers take pride in their bike lanes and the biking community we've created. Well, that is my impression anyway."

Have you seen the symbols? What's your impression? I find them to be great conversation starters with my fellow Williams commuters.

Portland Parks & Rec is hosting the
All-City BMX Jam on Saturday.

It looks like this heat wave is finally starting to pass, and the upcoming weekend should be blissfully mild.  As a reward for all of your sweat and sunburns allow me to present a jam-packed event guide for your riding pleasure.

Friday, August 20th

4:30pm-6:30pm: Portland Opera Bikes Beerana
Stop by the Portland Opera Center (on the Eastbank Esplanade south of OMSI) after work and enjoy complimentary Widmer beer, snacks, and samplings from their upcoming presentations of Leoncavallo’s "Pagliacci" and Orff’s "Carmina Burana" on their riverfront patio.  Located at the south end of the Eastbank Esplanade at 211 SE Caruthers St.

7:00pm: Hot Wheelz Mobile Dance Party
Already pining for Pedalpalooza?  This monthly gathering of music, loud outfits, and all forms of human-powered transportation just may be the fix you need.  Ride meets at 7:00pm at the Bye and Bye at NE 10th and Alberta.

9:00pm: Dropout Bike Club Monthly Ride
A freak bike ride that's open to everyone. Come out and meet your friendly local Dropouts. Ride meets at Colonel Summers park at 9:00pm.

Saturday, August 21st

6:00am: Vine Ride
32, 65, and 100 mile routes wind through scenic wine country around Newberg on this benefit ride for the Children's Cancer Association.  Finish line party includes live music, Hawaiian BBQ, and a chance to win a bike.  Register online or day of event.

10:00am: Museums by Bike–Fort Vancouver
Brought to you by the Museum Lady, Carye Bye, this tour meets up at Mallory Meadows Park in Portland and ventures across the river to explore the history surrounding Vancouver, WA.  Bring a picnic lunch and money for museum admissions.

11:00am-9:00pm: Alberta Street Fair
A benifit for the Community Cycling Center, the Alberta Street Fair closes off 20 blocks of NE Alberta Street (NE 10th to 30th avenues) to auto traffic and opens it up to art, music, crafts, and more.  Stop by the CCC between 12:00pm and 3:30pm for free bike wrenching.

1:00pm-4:00pm: All-City BMX Jam
This community BMX party at Glenhaven Skatepark will feature a DJ,  prizes, food, and competition categories for ages 19 and under.  Click here for a printable flyer.

3:30pm-7:30pm: Franz Bakery Criterium
An 8-corner route around Franz Bakery in NE Portland, this 1.1km cash-payout race features Men's and Women's categories and point-based awards.  Register online or day of race.

Sunday, August 22nd

7:00am: Portland Century
A tour of all things PDX, the Portland Century takes you on some of the best riding in town, with 100, 50, and 25 mile routes for all skill levels.  Fully catered and supported, this ride ends at Portland State University with a free beer garden and gourmet dinner for participants.   Register online by Thursday for discounted entry fee, or day of race.

7:00 pm: Sunset Mystery Ride
Meet at the Vera Katz Statue on the Eastbank Esplanade and ride to a mystery location to watch the sunset. You will not regret doing this ride!

Not recommended unless
you are friends.
(Photo © J. Maus)

This week's Ask BikePortland question comes from Daniel C. He had a disagreement with someone over how many bikes can fit on one of PBOT's standard staple racks. Daniel also wants to know if there are manners to keep in mind when sharing a staple with someone...

"Following an odd conversation/almost-altercation I had yesterday, I am led to wonder whether his claim that the bike staple can fit 4 bikes has more merit than I'm giving it credit for.

I mean, I see how it can work physically. It just seems like there's a lot of potential for screwing someone else's bike, and we've built and continue to build a lot more staples to avoid precisely this situation, no? Or should everyone just park their bikes in a way that promotes the 4-bikes-to-a-staple, in the interest of increasing capacity for all?

To your knowledge, what is the official design capacity of the staple? What is correct etiquette when wanting to park at the same staple where someone is currently parking? "

I like your open-mindedness and altruism on this issue Daniel, but the official design capacity of a staple rack is two bikes. There's really no debating it. But that being said, in a pinch I've doubled-up on one side of the staple and gotten three of them on one -- so I guess if you doubled up on both sides you'd get four. But, as you point out, four bikes on one staple is just asking for trouble.

The proper way to use a staple is to lay your bike parallel to the top bar, length-wise. I will, on occasion, see people who place their bike perpendicular to the staple, but that's a bike parking faux-pas. However, sometimes the staples are installed so poorly that you are left with few options. For instance, in front of my building, someone installed them in a straight line with just a few feet between each one. This makes it impossible to use all of them without overlapping. Another common installation error is putting the staple too close to a wall, which leaves only one side available for a bike.

As for etiquette when using a staple rack that already has one bike locked to it, I'd just say to be considerate and careful. Try to put your handlebars on the opposite side of theirs to have a lower chance of tangling.

Does anyone have more to add about staple rack capacity, usage, and etiquette?

-- Got a burning bike question? Drop me a line and I might answer it next week. Browse past Ask BikePortland columns here.

Local streets like NE Going are in need
of pavement maintenance, but current
methods -- developed for major arterials -- are
cost-prohibitive.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The City of Portland is working hard to make the growing network of "next generation" bike boulevards (a.k.a. neighborhood greenway) streets as comfortable for people on bikes as possible. They've turned stop signs to make them more efficient and safer, they've added sharrows and wayfinding signs, they've added speed bumps to calm motor vehicle traffic, and they've added medians and other elements to make crossings safer and easier.

But there's one major thing that PBOT hasn't been able to do in their bike boulevard program -- smooth out potholes, bumps, and cracks in old pavement. Re-paving is very expensive and the current City budget has focused all paving and maintenance resources onto major arterials. That leaves many of Portland's local streets -- the ones where bike boulevards are being built -- in disrepair.

Poor pavement quality has a big impact on bicycling and it's an issue that was raised repeatedly by residents at PBOT's bike boulevard meetings. At one such meeting, after someone wondered why re-paving wasn't in the plans, a PBOT staffer replied in jest (and I paraphrase), "We can either bring you this entire bike boulevard project [which people in the meeting were cheering for a few minutes prior], or we can repave one block."

"There is a hope that this work can achieve real saving over routine maintenance designed for higher volume streets carrying heavier vehicles."
-- Mark Lear, PBOT

But now PBOT is considering a solution to this problem that might result in smoother bike boulevards by next spring. PBOT project manager Kyle Chisek confirms that this winter they'll be working to develop a new process that will result in a more cost-effective way to smooth out local streets.

PBOT's traffic safety manager Mark Lear, the agency's lead staffer on the bike boulevard program, says, "This winter PBOT will be developing cost effective maintenance strategies for our neighborhood greenway projects." It's unclear what exactly they plan to do, but PBOT has already identified street sections that will be used to develop the process:

• NE Going from 33rd to 35th
• N Bryant from Oatman to Villard
• SW Vermont from 30th to 33rd
• SE Bush at 136th

The development of this process could reap huge benefits for local streets. It would allow PBOT to officially recognize the vast difference in maintenance and paving needs between major arterials with heavy truck and car traffic and bike boulevard streets where most of the vehicles are bicycles (or, at least that's the goal).

Or, in the words of Lear, "There is a hope that this work can achieve real saving over routine maintenance designed for higher volume streets carrying heavier vehicles." PBOT project manager Dan Layden says the idea behind the new process would be to "... go in and repair the local street enough so that there's a good surface for bikes without completely rebuilding the street." On a recent ride with the City's Bike Advisory Committee, Lear mentioned that one possibility might be to add a strip of smooth pavement to a street about the width of a bike lane.

Better pavement quality on bike streets would make them more attractive, efficient, and safer -- all of which are key to bringing out the families, kids, and "interested but concerned" crowd PBOT is so actively courting.

-- See all our bike boulevard coverage here.

Portland's crop of bike businesses continues to flourish. Below are a few business updates that have come across my desk in recent weeks.

Pedal Bike Tours (133 SW 3rd Ave)

Pedal Bike Tours continues to grow as they approach two successful years in business. Owner Todd Roll used to share a space in his brother Nathan's bike shop (Metropolis Cycle Repair) on N. Williams, but Todd recently completed a big move to 133 SW 2nd Avenue. The new location is just blocks away from Waterfront Park in the heart of downtown. Roll has been so busy he just had to buy 10 more bikes for his fleet, which brings his total up to 55.

Rad Finishes (8206 N. Fessenden)

Rad Finishes is a bicycle painting and restoration shop located in St. Johns. Owner Gene Powell got his start as a teenager working at Cycle Craft, a shop his dad owned in downtown Portland. Powell went on to get a degree in auto body and refinishing and also attended the Pacific Northwest College of Art. Rad Finishes is open by appointment only. Email radfinishes[at]me[dot]com or call (971) 219-5307 to get your project started.

C-Velo Performance - Fitness Cycling Studio (2726 SW 28th Ct.)

C-Velo Performance is a small training studio that just opened up in the West Hills. Owner Rick Cady is an exercise physiologist, certified Cycleops Power Instructor, and Level 3 USA Cycling coach. Cady says he's using technology previously only available to elite cyclists in an effort to "bring a scientific approach to training in an indoor environment." His approach is to take the guess-work out of your training. While he's serious about science, Cady says the studio sessions -- complete with state of the art sound system and a projection screen that adds a virtual reality element -- are fun and high-energy. Check out C-Velocycling.com for more info.

A makeshift memorial near the site of the collision.
(Photos © J. Maus)

The Oregonian reports that a lawsuit has been filed by the family of Lindsay Leonard, the 23-year old Reed College graduate who was killed by a man who struck her with his car as she walked across SE Foster Road back in November.

The suit seeks $3.7 million and the defendants include the driver, Tito Jose Feliciano, and his employer (he was driving a company car); the City of Portland (for allegedly not keeping the crosswalk maintained); and Portland General Electric (who was responsible for the streetlights).

Traffic safety activists at a
demonstration on November 11, 2009.

Leonard was crossing SE Foster at an unsignalized but marked crosswalk at mid-block with her friend Jessica Finlay (who died from injuries weeks later in the hospital). The police investigation found that the driver was not at fault for the collision and no citations were issued. Oregon law states that walkers have the right of way in a crosswalk, but that drivers must have room to stop.

In the complaint filed with Multnomah County on Friday (which I found via The Portland Mercury Blog), Leonard's lawyer, Richard Vangelisti states that Feliciano passed four traffic signs warning of an upcoming crosswalk yet he "took no action to avoid the collision." The complaint also points out that the street light above the crosswalk wasn't working at the time of the collision. Vangelisti zeroes in on the City of Portland's culpability by pointing out that the stop line and crosswalk markings were worn off: "Such disrepair created a hazardous condition." He also claims the City did not adequately take heed of prior complaints about the lack of safety at this crossing.

After the collision, Mayor and Transportation Commissioner Sam Adams issued a statement to reinforce his commitment to traffic safety and vowed to make some immediate, minor changes to the area around the crossing. Nine days after the fatal collision, the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition held a demonstration and rally at the site to bring attention to the issues.

Read more about this lawsuit from The Oregonian and from The Portland Mercury.

Scheckel memorial sculpture
at SE 37th and Taylor.
(Photo: City Repair)

Matt Schekel was 27 years old when he was struck and killed while riding his bike by someone operating a produce truck who ran a stop sign at SE 37th and Taylor. The year was 1997. This Thursday, August 19th, Scheckel would have turned 40 and a Portland woman has planned a ride to remember him.

Kasandra Griffin says she didn't know Matt, "but the crash made a big impact on me."

In a search of The Oregonian archives I only find an obituary listing for Matt, which describes him as having been a bicycle messenger downtown. He also worked in the a/v department of Wieden + Kennedy and was a student at Portland Film Institute.

A memorial sculpture for Matt remains at the intersection where he was hit (the sculpture was created by City Repair in 2002).

Here's more from Griffin's ride announcement:

"Please join us that evening [8/19] for a gathering at the intersection, followed by a short memorial ride…. honoring Matt and all the other cyclists who have been killed while riding. It could have been any of us.

Wear white, if you can, and we’ll be a ghost-bike-mass. Bring blinky lights. And bring a sweet memory of sometime this summer… or of the past thirteen years… that you wish Matt had been able to share."

I was still in college in Santa Barbara when this happened. But given the memorial and Ms. Griffin's feelings, I can only imagine what a major impact this had on Portlanders at the time.

Details:

Matt Scheckel Memorial Ride
6:30 / 6:45: Gather at SE 37th and Taylor
7:00 Ceremony at the intersection
7:15 Memorial ride

A stretch of SW Lombard in Beaverton where there
is no designated bikway.
(Photo: Jim Parsons/BikePortland)

Tonight the Beaverton City Council will vote on whether or not to stripe bike lanes on a 1.5 mile stretch of SW Lombard Ave between 1st Street and Denney Road. In addition to striping the road for bike lanes, the City of Beaverton is also considering removing on street motor vehicle parking on Lombard from 7th to Allen to make room for bicycle traffic.

Back in March, the city's Traffic Commission voted 5-1 against striping the lanes, but instead of having the decision appealed by bike advocates, the City Council opted to hold a public hearing on the issue.

When that hearing was held at the end of June, the Bicycle Transportation Alliance reported a "weak representation from bicyclists." Here's more from a BTA blog post (emphasis theirs):

"Testimony from Lombard bicyclists and their supporters was few and far between in a steady stream of complaints, concerns, and opposition from Lombard residents, neighbors and motorists whose majority attendance at the hearing demonstrated a persuasive and palpable argument in itself.

The residents of Lombard Avenue were adamant in their “right” to park on “their street”."

Another critic of the bike lanes, Henry Kane wrote a letter to the Beaverton Valley Times that said, "At issue is whether to forbid homeowners and guests parking in front of homes for the benefit of a handful of special-interest bikers."

To learn more before you go, read the recap of the issues at hand from the BTA blog. Also, members of the BikePortland forums have been discussing this issue at length. You can browse the 31 posts in the thread here.

Beaverton City Council Meeting
Council Chambers (4755 SW Griffith Drive)
8/16 at 6:30 p.m.

PBOT has announced an open house to discuss improvements to NE Davis Street. The NE Davis Street Improvements project will extend from NE 3rd to NE Sandy Boulevard and it could come with some benefits for bike traffic.

Project boundary.

According to PBOT, the goals of the project are to slow traffic speeds, reduce cut-through traffic, improve conditions for bicycling and walking, and maintain truck circulation. "At the open house you will identify problems and needs and brainstorm solutions. You’ll also have a chance to review a short-term plan to install three speed bumps between NE 12th Avenue and Sandy Boulevard to address traffic speed issues."

Project manager Ellen Vanderslice says some improvements to Davis (like the new signals at MLK and Grand) have been made as part of the East Burnside-Couch Couplet project. That project will also pay for the three speed bumps mentioned above. Vanderslice says other improvements to Davis -- which could include removing the centerline and installing sharrows and adding bicycle wayfinding signage -- would come from PBOT's Affordable Transportation Fund.

At the open house we hope to learn how people are using or would like to use Davis by bicycle, so we can see what can be done to improve the connections across Sandy for bicycling. We're also looking for ideas about how to make the crossing of 12th safer for both bicyclists and walkers without messing up the truck circulation!

Here are the details:

Public Open House for NE Davis St. Improvements Project
Tuesday, 8/31 from 4:00 to 7:00 p.m.
Portland Bottling Company warehouse (at the large overhead door on the south side of NE Davis between 12th and 14th avenues)

Download the open house announcement here (PDF).

Old New

The City of Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) has begun installation of new wayfinding signage along the growing network of bike boulevards. The new signs -- which include arrows, distance, and travel times to key destinations -- have a slightly different design than existing ones.

As you can see in the photos above, the destination labels are larger and more legible on the new signs and the colors are reversed. The old signs (which will remain in place) have a white pennant with green lettering and the words are in all caps. The bike symbol on the old signs was larger, giving designers less room to work with.

According to Roger Geller, the old signs were non-standard when they went in but ODOT gave Portland special permission to use them. Now, with ODOT's tweaks, the signs are official and can be used as a standard in cities throughout the state.

The new signs follow more standard design conventions with white lettering on a green background. The ODOT-influenced signs also have a smaller bike symbol which left more room for the destination labels. The result, at least in my opinion, is clearer, more legible sign. You'll also recall that these are the same signs the City of Milwaukie installed on some of their bikeways back in February.

The signs are part of the $1 million federal stimulus grant that is also paying for the 2,000-plus sharrows being installed on the bike boulevards.

At least one reader shares my opinion that the new signs are more legible from further away. Have you seen them yet? What's your opinion?

Sunshine, bike racing, and big crowds came together on the North Park Blocks on Friday.
- Gallery/Slideshow below -
(Photos © J. Maus)

Portlanders enjoyed a rare treat on Friday -- a professional bike race downtown. The Twilight Criterium filled the North Park Blocks with high-speed racing action just a few feet away from hundreds of spectators. In addition to the racing, people took in the work of several local bike builders and enjoyed beer and food from local vendors.

Before the racing action got started, local bike builders took center stage. I caught up with Renovo Hardwood Bicycles owner Ken Wheeler. His new mountain bike -- made from hickory -- drew a lot of attention. His business has grown considerably since I first met him back in February 2008. He's now got several employees and continues to expand and refine his line. Also displaying bikes were Cielo by Chris King, Signal Cycles, Winter Bicycles, and Tsunehiro Cycles.

Condo balconies offered an excellent vantage point.

As per usual at the Twilight, there were some hair-raising crashes. Check out this photo captured by local photog extraordinaire David "BikeRanger" Haines:

Crash captured by David Haines/BikeRanger.com.

From the bustling beer garden to the huge crowds lining the course and all the excellent action, this race has become firmly ensconced as a Portland classic. See more photos in my gallery or in the slideshow below:

Robert Liberty wants to talk about
alternatives to the current
CRC design.
(Photo © J.M Maus)

Metro Councilor Robert Liberty, the man who likened the new I-5 bridge proposed by the Columbia River Crossing Project to a "monster project" that we should leave behind in favor of "smarter, cheapter, greener solutions," is putting action behind those words.

On Friday Liberty announced that he would convene a panel discussion to come up with alternative solutions to the current CRC proposal. The statement from Liberty's office about the event said:

"The Columbia River Crossing project in its current form is facing very serious financial and political challenges.

Metro Councilor Robert Liberty believes it is important to begin a community discussion of some alternatives to the current proposal, in the event it is infeasible.

Over the last several months he has solicited suggestions of alternative approaches to the problems which the current CRC is supposed to address. He has asked a panel of experts and community leaders to gather for a group discussion of the merits of these proposals."

One of the draft concept designs for the CRC.

Among the panelists are: Gary Toth, Senior Director, Transportation Initiatives with the Project for Public Spaces & former Director, Project Planning and Development, New Jersey Department of Transportation; Mary Nolan, Oregon House Majority Leader; Chris Girard, President/CEO of Plaid Pantry; Keith Lawton, transportation consultant and a former Transportation Planner for Metro.

Last week, the CRC project took a step forward when the Project Sponsors Council came together to support a 10-lane bridge and major changes to the Hayden Island Interchange. However, the project is far from moving full steam ahead. Major issues like bridge design, management authority, and where the estimated $3.6 billion will come from to pay for it, still remain.

Panel Discussion on Alternatives to the Current CRC Proposal
7 to 9 PM - Tuesday September 14, 2010
Portland Building auditorium (1120 SW Fifth Ave)

A strange torpedo child trailer is just one
of many interesting images of
bike traffic in The Netherlands
via a 1950s era video below.

Happy Monday everyone. Ms. Blue is on her big Bikestravaganza tour, so I'm doing the Monday Roundup for the next few weeks. Here goes...

- The "fixie craze" is being taken seriously in Australia. Their Competition and Consumer Commission is threatening bike shops with hefty fines for selling bikes without handbrakes.

- Trek unveiled an awesome-looking concept bike at Trek World that our friend Tyler of BikeRumor.com described as "What Mad Max will ride when he runs outta gas." Check out the 'Broadsider' and see if you agree.

- Los Angeles Mayor Anthony Villaraigosa continues to support bicycling after a crash while riding left him with a broken elbow. He has announced a bike summit to make L.A. into the "cyclist's paradise" he thinks it can/should be.

- A neighborhood in Brooklyn is under siege by a vigilante who's putting super glue in the key holes of bike locks. They're calling it "vigilante injustice."

- The Instant Librarian (Melissa Reeser, a writer and editor for Boneshacker Almanac) shares a thoughtful reflection on sharing the road after racing up behind a slow-poke rider. She asks the question, "As cyclists, do we want to adopt the same speed and attitude of cars? Are we going to pretend we can do everything on a bike that we could do in a car, or are we going to celebrate the difference?"

- Elly found this video on YouTube of biking in the Netherlands in the 1950s. Some stellar footage. Watch it below:

- A new HAWK signal - that's High Intensity Activated Crosswalk for all you non-wonks -- was installed in Delaware. That's not exactly huge news, but what is big news is that USA Today covered it. Also in Delaware, their governor signed a Vulnerable Road Users bill into law.

- The New York City Department of Sanitation is holding a hearing on "Proposed Rules Governing the Removal and Disposal of Derelict Bicycles." The folks at GhostBikes.org are concerned it could mean the end of the iconic roadside memorials.

- The New York Times Sunday Travel section had an in-depth article on Google and online bike directions in general (and I got a few lines in for good measure).

- San Francisco shows they've got more than a lifted bike plan injunction up their sleeve. They made huge news last week with the introduction of dynamic parking lot pricing -- a.k.a. the price on the meter goes up and down depending on supply and demand. Watch a cool animation explanation and learn more at SFPark.org.

- Speaking of parking spaces and San Francisco, an idea that started in that city has now spread to New York City. They installed their first "pop-up cafe" in a parking space last week. Judging from the photo in this post, rocker/advocate David Byrne and DOT commish Janette Sadik-Khan approve. (Stay tuned for more on Portland's effort to do the same later this week).

- As if the Floyd Landis news could get any stranger... a guy in Kentucky bought a bike for $5 from a yard sale and it turned out to be a custom mountain bike made for Landis worth about $8,000.

- And finally, another innovation from NYC. A few "bike nerds" have developed Social Bicycles, a new type of bike-sharing system that relies solely on GPS and mobile phones.

This mister in front of
Citybikes was very popular.
-Gallery/Slideshow below-
(Photos © J. Maus)

PBOT's carfree extravaganza, Sunday Parkways, made its fourth of five stops this month and Southeast Portland welcomed it with open arms. Thousands pedaled and walked along the six-mile route that stretched from SE 52nd in the shadows of Mt. Tabor to SE 16th near Colonel Summers Park in inner southeast.

Here are a few highlights from my trip around the loop.

Bike Temple continues to outdo themselves. They set up a pop-up bike church at SE 16th and Ankeny, complete with an upright organ, a pulpit, and a blessing wall. Buddha Bill, Pasture Ted, Deacon Amos, and other believers held two full sermons where people stopped, had their bikes blessed and listened to selected readings from the 2030 Bike Plan.

Down the road, Citybikes had a very popular diversion; a misting arch to keep people cool. Above their shop a DJ mixed great music and they had bike stands out for making repairs.

Laurelhurst Park was beyond crowded. There was so much congestion, people had to walk their bikes for a good stretch through it. One of the attractions was a bike-sharing station compliments of Montreal-based Bixi and Alta Bicycle Share. Alta Bicycle Share, a division of Alta Planning and Design, brought out the bikes in hopes of keeping the bike-share dream alive in Portland.

One of the best street parties/rest stops I've ever come across at Sunday Parkways was going in front of Mia Birk's house on SE Lincoln near 37th. Birk, a former PBOT bike coordinator, used Sunday Parkways to throw a launch party for her new book, Joyride. A live bluegrass/folk band played all day, there were free hot dogs, free bike repair (by Bike Gallery owner Jay Graves no less), lots of smiling people and plenty of shade.

As always, along the route there were many inspiring sights to see. There were tons of kids on bikes, families, and older people out today, and they came in all sizes and colors. Riding around, it becomes so clear that if we can just create this type of riding environment in more parts of the city more often, we'd hit our 25% ridership goal way before 2030.

I also came across many excellent and interesting bicycles. I ran into a fleet of Mitch Pryor randonneuring bikes, new creations from DIY cargo-bike man Tom Labonty, and more. For shots of those and other images from today, view my photo gallery or watch the slideshow below:

What did you see out there? Share the highlights of your day in the comments below!

Aftermath of a collision at SE 10th
cand Hawthorne yesterday.
(Photos: Christopher Perez)

The collision on the transit mall downtown wasn't the only bike-involved crash yesterday. Reader Christopher Perez was the first person on the scene of a collision on SE Hawthorne about two hours before Richard Krebs was struck while crossing SW Morrison.

Perez witnessed the collision and provided a detailed account and photos on his Flickr page. Here are some excerpts from what he saw (emphasis mine):

"Both east bound lanes of traffic are stopped due to construction on the east side of Hawthorn at SE 12th. At 10th, both lanes of traffic provide a break for cross traffic.

On the north side of 10th, a silver Hundai see's [sic] her chance to cross the intersection and proceeds very quickly through two lanes of traffic that effectively block any view of on-coming cyclists.

Just prior to this, a young man on a newly rebuilt bike passed me on the left and reentered the bike lane about a 1/2 a block ahead of me... He was the fastest of the group of riders, of which I was now second in lead of.

I watched as the silver Hundai started across the intersection and saw she did not look up the road to the west to see what traffic conditions were. I saw how the bicyclist continued to ride rather quickly into the intersection.

I shouted very loudly "NO!"

The cyclist hit the Hundai on the right front fender just behind the tire. I watched as his front rim turned and watched as he went over his handlebars and as his full body hit the windshield."

After the collision. The
man in black is the one who
was involved w/ the crash.

Thankfully, the man on the bike did not sustain serious injuries (unless they've flared up overnight). Perez reports that, after rolling off the car, the man, "suddenly leaped up, cursing and gesticulating wildly." Perez also noted a few "bottom line" observations that are worth sharing here:

The automobile proceeded through the intersection with no regard for on-coming bicyclists in the bike lane.

The bicyclist proceeded east up Hawthorne with no regard to cross traffic.

Both were traveling rather more quickly than I would have felt comfortable traveling at.

Hawthorne from the river to SE 12th during the PM commute is always a tricky area traffic-wise; add in all the construction and you've got the recipe for crashes. Best advice is to keep speeds reasonable and always expect that the other vehicle does not see you.

-- View a few more of Perez's photos here.