Have you heard? Bikestravaganza is coming to Portland this Friday, September 10th! Bikestravaganza is the brainchild of former BikePortland Managing Editor Elly Blue and local filmmaker and Microcosm Publishing founder Joe Biel. They've been on a whirlwind trip, visiting 10 states in 30 days, and they're bringing it all together in Portland on Friday night.

In the words of Elly Blue, they're using movies and pictures to "tell the story of transportation activism in Portland," and they're "hearing from locals what their bicycle scene is like and what they're doing about it."

For their Portland event, Elly and Joe will share "the best and the worst, the most harrowing and most inspiring," of what they've learned from places like Spokane, Reno, Cheyenne, Provo, Seattle and San Francisco.

On the final leg of their tour (they're in Ashland tonight and Eugene tomorrow), Elly took a minute to reflect:

"It's been an amazing trip. Every city has been totally different, and there have been plenty of surprises. For instance, in Missoula it's the downtown businesses that led the way on the separated cycletracks being built on the main drag. And in Spearfish, South Dakota, the folks at the Bicycle Cooperative are creating the city's first bike map. In bike-friendly Davis, every new bit of bike infrastructure is highly contested, while in libertarian Cheyenne the general attitude about new bike ways is very friendly and polite. And I think it's safe to say that we were most blown away by the huge amount happening for bikes in Spokane."

I'll emcee the event and moderate a discussion about what Portland might be able to learn from the rest of the country when it comes to bicycling. Also joining us will be Boneshaker Almanac editors Evan Schneider and Melissa Reeser, who will share a spirited reading from their fine publication (which we reviewed here).

Here's the official tour video:

The event is being hosted by Madison's Grill in SE Portland. It should be quite an enjoyable evening. I hope you'll join us! Here are the details.

Bikestravaganza: Off the Chainring in Portland
Friday, September 10, 7pm - 9pm
Madison's Grill (1109 SE Madison)
$3-10 sliding scale at the door, nobody turned away
Even details here

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Ryan Hashagen chats with a man working on the Cully Boulevard reconstruction project (site of city's first cycle track).
(Photos: Steve Bozzone/Intersection 911)

On Friday afternoon, as city road crews labored under the hot sun on the NE Cully cycle track project, they got an unexpected surprise. A group of people on bikes and tricycles pulled up to give them words of thanks and free popsicles.

The event was pulled together by livable streets group Active Right of Way (AROW) and the Bicycle Business League. Ryan Hashagen is a member of the BBL and owner of Icicle Trycycles, who donated the ice cream. Hashagen says the event is part of an ongoing program they call "Free Ice Cream for Bike Lane Builders."

Here's a little report Hashagen shared about the Friday's event:

"We pedaled out to the NE Cully Cycle Track construction site and delivered our appreciation to the work crew for making Portland a safer city for bikes & people.

There was some great conversations and appreciation expressed. The project looks great! We were super excited to be able to thank this hard working crew with our frozen pedaled treats for making Portland a safer city for all right of way users."

A little positive activism and some good, old-fashioned face-to-face communication can go a long way. Nicely played everyone!

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Paul and "Buttercup".
(Photo: BikeFree.org)

[via KOIN-TV]

Paul Lebelle and Adam Burkowske arrived in Portland on Saturday afternoon after biking over 3,000 miles on their "Bike Free" charity ride. The duo are on a mission to provide bicycles to children of people in the military. Unfortunately their plans are on hold because Paul's Cannondale touring bike was stolen last night.

Here's what Lebelle told KOIN:

"We were going to head out to one of the arts festivals here on Labor day, then decided we wanted to eat a bagel first so we made the bagel, popped back outside and the bike was gone."

Lebelle has filed a police report and has created a Stolen Bike Listing, but so far they've had no luck getting it back.

Lebelle has posted more about the theft on BikeFree.org:

"My trusty Cannondale bike – she took me over 3500 miles from Maryland to Oregon – and she was a beauty.

I’m not sure what we’re going to do, but I know that Adam and I must complete our journey and carry out the Bike Free mission.

Some way, with God’s help, we’ll overcome this selfish deed, get bikes to the kids, and continue spreading the word about the goodness of bikes."

Paul emailed this morning and said all their plans are on hold right now. "We can't make our journey without the bike. Can't even get around town... Not sure where we'll be staying - everything is up in the air."

Keep your eyes peeled for a 2010 green Cannondale T2 with Specialized Avatar saddle, Top Contact Continental tires, blue handlebar grip tape, silver Shimano clipless pedals (half platform/half clip), 3 black water bottle cages, rear rack, cycle computer, large rectangle “Never Stop Riding” sticker on top tube, Yellowstone National Park sticker on downtube.

The bike was stolen between 1:00 and 3:00 pm near the 4600 block of NE Grand Ave. If you see the bike call the police and then call Paul at (443) 310-9096.

Here's a video that ran on KGW TV:

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New faces nominated for BTA board*:

• Martina Fahrner
• Randy Miller
• Rick Potestio
• Susan Remmers
• Cecil Reniche-Smith
• Kenji Sugahara
• David Forman
• David Kottkamp

*View full list of nominees and ballot
statements below.

The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) has unveiled their slate of board nominees. With eight new faces up for election and six current members up for re-election, the results could lead to the largest board of directors the BTA has had in their 20 year history.

BTA Board Vice Chair Stephen Gomez handled the elections process. He says after the elections, the board could have 20 members, the largest currently allowed by the BTA by-laws. Gomez says the large board is neccessary to help the organization build on the foundation of 20 years of bike advocacy: "We have big ambitions and our members expect a lot from the BTA."

Gomez also adds that the BTA wants to "to broaden and diversify the experience and energy of our board" and that, "Spreading the work across a bigger group makes more sense and can be much more effective when well-managed." The BTA's executive director Rob Sadowsky will feel right at home working with a large board. When he left the Active Transportation Alliance in Chicago, that board had 25 members.

In a letter to BTA members, current Board Chair Mary Roberts wrote,

"As the demand for bicycle programs and infrastructure increases, the BTA board must grow larger and more diverse so that it can support the organization and continue to influence transportation policy, investments, and the direction of bicycling in Oregon."

It's an impressive crop of new faces that adds some serious firepower to the BTA. Check out the list of names below (followed by ballot statements provided by the BTA):

Martina Fahrner

As one of the partners of Clever Cycles, Martina has spent the last 3 years trying to convince families to use bikes as transportation. Based on the shared experiences of families in Portland and cities all over the US, Martina would like to improve cycling conditions for parents and kids, whose needs sometimes differ from those of commuters. During her decade as an IT usability professional, Martina learned a lot about user research, consensus building, uphill battles and the power of evangelizing, and she is not afraid to use it. She also feels strongly about better communication between drivers and cyclists. She dreams of the day when riding a bike as a woman with kids will be nothing special anymore. Martina hates to admit it, but she has ridden her bike for 40 years now!

Randy Miller

Randy is a fifth generation Oregonian who returned to Portland after graduating from Boston University in 1969. A businessman and active in numerous business and civic organizations over his career, he developed a deep interest in biking and its community improvement aspects after leading a Best Practices delegation to Scandinavia in 2008. Randy aspires to help link the cycling community to the many organizations with which he is associated to encourage others to better comprehend the benefits of cycling, and support wider ridership among those less inclined.

Rick Potestio

Rick Potestio is a professional architect and avid cyclist whose daily explorations of the Portland region began when he was a young kid, eventually leading him to the sport of bike racing. He is a member of the Rapha Racing Team and founder of River City Bicycles Cross Crusade Cycle Cross Series, the largest series in the nation and host of the US National Championships, the US Gran Prix of Cyclo Cross, and other events. Rick is currently a member of the Metro Executive Council for Active Transportation, PDXplore, and the Gresham Design Commission. He is a founding member of the Portland-Bologna Sister City Association. His architecture office, PotestioStudio, has been recognized with numerous local, regional and national design awards.

Susan Remmers

Susan Remmers believes the solution to some of our most entrenched social and economic problems is the equitable distribution of the natural and built assets that make up this region we call home. She is excited to contribute to the BTA’s efforts to craft policy and influence decisions that increase infrastructure and program investments that expand access to bicycling for all. Professionally, Remmers owns Remmers Consulting, a public interest firm offering executive coaching, organizational assessments, and strategic positioning to progressive and entrepreneurial organizations. Previously she served as executive director for the Community Cycling Center, a social enterprise committed to using the bicycle as a tool for empowerment and a vehicle for change. Remmers has served on numerous local, regional and national boards of progressive, mission-driven organizations., including Oregon Action, a statewide economic advocacy organization, and MRG Foundation, a local social change foundation.


Cecil Reniche-Smith

Cecil is a devoted bicyclist and attorney for the State of Oregon whose professional and practical experience with the courts and legislature would add strength to the BTA's legislative agenda. An avid bike commuter and recreational cyclist, Cecil wants to create an environment in which bicycle transportation is the norm, and not the exception. Cecil has served on the boards of directors of Randonneurs USA, REACH Community Development, and Oregon Women Lawyers.

Kenji Sugahara

Kenji is the Executive Director of the 4,000 plus member Oregon Bicycle Racing Association. He is a graduate of Dartmouth College and the University of Oregon School of Law, he is also a member of the Oregon State Bar. Originally from Connecticut, he now resides in Salem with his wife Tessa. Not only does Kenji love road bikes, he enjoys mountain biking, track riding and cyclocross. Known for crashing all the time on his mountain bike, he always gets up with a smile. He believes the success of cycling in Oregon can be credited to the wonderful cycling community and efforts of great organizations like the BTA. His love of cycling is evident every time he gets on the bike - he's always grinning when he's on two wheels (which happens to include his motorcycle).

David Forman
Originally from Cleveland, Ohio, David Forman moved to Portland from New York City where he learned to ride on city streets to get to the Central Park loop. Now he enjoys his daily ride downtown from Southeast Portland. David is an active civic volunteer and has extensive experience serving on a variety of non profit and community boards, including the Portland/Multnomah Sustainable Development Commission, the Oregon State Bar Task Force on Sustainability, and Voice for Oregon Innovation & Sustainability, Inc. In 2004, the Portland Business Journal recognized David as one of the most influential community and business leaders under the age of 40. Through the BTA, David hopes to advocate for local and state policies that promote safe and reliable cycling and bridge the communication gap between cyclists and other modes of transportation. For his day job, David is a partner at the law firm of Tonkon Torp LLP where he works with clients to promote the development of renewable energy and sustainable practices and products.

David Kottkamp
David Kottkamp grew up in Portland and continues a love affair with the city. David worked for Neil Goldschmidt for 7 years as campaign staff, as a bureau director, and as Mayor’s Office staff. While working for Nike and its predecessor for 20 years he lived in Germany for 4 years and experienced state of the art bicycle transportation in Amsterdam, Copenhagen, and other cities. David has lived in Bend the last 12 years and hopes to contribute to raising the level of Bend and Oregon’s bicycle transportation. He believes in a bicycle transportation foundation of safety, the environment, and fun. David has been a volunteer SMART reader, and served on the boards of Planned Parenthood Columbia-Willamette, Cycle Oregon, Oregon States Park Trust, and Oregon State Parks Commission.

And here are the names and ballot statements of the six current members up for re-election:

Chris Achterman
Chris joined the BTA board in 2010. An Oregon native, Chris grew up in Salem where he frequently rode cross-town to his grandmother's house or up Fairmont Hill to meet with friends. Professionally, Chris is an orthopedic surgeon. After graduating from Washington University (St Louis), Chris returned to Oregon in 1980 and now focuses on pediatric orthopedics at Emanuel Hospital. Chris's return to cycling began in 2000, when he bought a recumbent and signed up for Cycle Oregon. He can be found at monthly Portland Bike Advisory Council meetings as well as Metro's Blue Ribbon Trails Committee meetings. Chris has attended the last two Oregon Bicycle Summits and currently serves on the Active Transportation Council. As a physician, Chris has a strong interest in active transportation and its impact on public health and the environment, and brings this focus to the BTA Board.

Tommy Brooks
Tommy Brooks joined the BTA Board in the Fall of 2008. He currently serves on the Board's Legislative Committee. During the day, he is an attorney who works on land use and energy issues, and it is that combination of issues that makes the BTA a natural fit for him. Prior to becoming an attorney, he spent most of his professional life working for Portland Mayor Vera Katz, so policy and politics seem to be part of his DNA. The space Tommy occupies in the cycling world consists mainly of his regular bike commute to work and the occasional triathlon when he's feeling in shape. Tommy is also eagerly awaiting the days when he can bring his new daughter along for weekend rides.

J.S. May
J.S. May joined the BTA board in May 2010. As Director of Development for the Portland Art Museum, J.S. is a seasoned fundraising and communications professional and has worked with a wide range of local, regional, national and international nonprofit organizations. He and his teams have helped raise more than $250 million for PAM. Before joining PAM, J.S. led the fundraising practice for Metropolitan Group, a Portland based social marketing firm, and Doernbecher Children’s Hospital Foundation at Oregon Health and Science University; he also served as the director of corporate support for Oregon Public Broadcasting. A graduate of the University of Oregon, J.S. volunteers for numerous non profit organizations and has served multiple terms as president of the board for both the Portland Schools Foundation and the Portland Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. J.S. is an avid yogi, cyclist and reader.

Jim Middaugh
Jim Middaugh joined the BTA board in the Summer of 2008. Jim is an avid cyclist with several Cycle Oregon's and many other road trips under his belt. Jim chairs BTA's Advocacy Committee, where he uses his political and communications skills to advance cycling throughout Oregon. Jim currently is the Communications Director at the Metro, the Portland area's regional government, where he works on land use, transportation, climate change and other issues important to cyclists and everyone. Jim also served as Chief of Staff for former Portland City Commissioner Erik Sten and has worked for a variety of environmental advocacy groups including Oregon Natural Resources Council and Environmental Defense. Prior to moving to Portland, Jim worked in Washington, D.C. for Oregon representatives Peter DeFazio and Jim Weaver.

Austin Ramsland
Austin Ramsland joined the BTA Board in the fall of 2008. In addition to serving on the Development and Branding Committees, he is committed to expanding the BTA’s range into the community until every bike messenger, Cross Crusader, and TEAM BEER member sports BTA stickers on their top tubes and memberships in their wallets. A native of Duluth, Minnesota, Austin is the co-owner of Sweetpea Bicycles.

Mary Roberts
Mary Roberts, a Seattle native, moved to the Portland area and bike commuted daily to Portland State University long before bike lanes. She joined the board in 2006 and serves as the Board Chair. Mary is committed to helping Oregon become the “north star” nationally for bicycle transportation and cleaner healthier communities. She holds a business degree from PSU. Mary rides her bike for city errands and meetings, and in good weather rides weekly with a group of women friends for recreation. She and her husband enjoy annual cycling vacations with their Co-Motion bikes or folding Bike Fridays. Other interests include delicious food, attending live theater, and skiing.

All votes are due by September 30th.

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The Oregonian's John Canzano is sad that Portland's Triple A baseball team (the Beavers) played their final home game on Sunday; but instead of using his column to reminisce about innings past, he decided to take a few swings at bike lanes.

What do our bikeways have to do with baseball? Nothing. But that doesn't stop Canzano from blaming the inability of Portland to hold onto a professional baseball team, at least in part, to "those silly bike lanes."

Here's an excerpt from his column (emphasis mine):

"Guilty, too, is the visionless City Council... afraid to ask Portland to act like a major city.

Oh, we have an aerial tram, that ran four times ($57 million) the original budget. And we have those silly bike lanes and a $613 million Portland Bicycle Plan. But what Portland doesn't have after today is a Triple-A baseball team playing in a ballpark where you can bring your family. A piece of the infrastructure of a city just got ripped out.

I'll think about that every time I see the underused bike lanes and that blasted empty tram running overhead. And you should never forget the names of the politicians who were on watch the next time you go to cast a vote...

What kind of city does Portland want to be?"

What makes this so surprising is that Canzano isn't just another columnist, he's consistently named one of the best sportswriters in America.

Perhaps Canzano simply doesn't realize that tens of thousands of Portlanders rely on bike lanes every day (and many people take them to Beavers games!), or that, unlike baseball, providing safe and efficient non-motorized transportation infrastructure is an essential service our City is obligated to provide.

Unfortunately, Canzano is using bike infrastructure as a scapegoat when he's really just upset at Mayor Sam Adams. This is a common occurrence in Portland. Here's how it works:

Mayor Adams is closely tied to his "bike-friendly mayor" label and there are many people in this city who think he's nothing more than a pawn of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance and "a vocal pocket of elites" -- both of which are so untrue it's laughable. So, whenever someone gets upset at the Mayor's policies, they look around and find bicycles as a convenient and powerful whipping boy. Journalists have an added incentive to take a few swipes at bicycling because they know it's a surefire way to whip up emotions (Canzano's article had 189 comments at last check).

It's also worth noting that Canzano joins a legacy of negative, biased, and sensationalized reporting about bicycles in The Oregonian. In July of 2008, when criticized about a string of sensationalized "bike vs. car" stories, The Oregonian's Associate Editor Rick Attig admitted, "Maybe we overplayed this story, but it was compelling to readers..."

Back in June, when NW Examiner publisher Allan Classen went on his "bicycle zealots" diatribe, I shared the following thoughts:

"This is just the latest example of the culture wars around biking that persist here in Portland... Biking is a convenient scapegoat, a frequently tossed political football, and a common source of sensationalized reporting."

The BTA's new leader Rob Sadowsky has published an "open letter" to Canzano. A big baseball fan himself, Sadowsky writes that, "It is not now and should never be a choice between investing in baseball or investing in bicycling." Sadowsky then invited Canzano on a bike ride to show him, "the great things that are going on, talk about the challenges, and lament the loss of baseball."

Read Canzano's piece here.

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The morning commute on N. Vancouver, just before Weidler. Photo taken on Wednesday, 9/1.
(Photos © J. Maus)

With the Broadway Bridge re-opening to bike traffic next week, I thought it'd be fun to snap some photos of the increase in bike traffic on N. Vancouver Avenue that's resulted from the detour. It's been interesting to see how the bridge closure has impacted bike traffic patterns between the Steel Bridge and points north of the Broadway.

Traffic piles up. Looking north from Weidler.

One street that has seen a huge bump in bike traffic is N. Vancouver Avenue. Instead of people heading west into downtown via the Broadway Bridge, many are staying on Vancouver and taking it south, all the way past the Rose Garden Arena and through the Rose Quarter Transit Center en route to the Steel Bridge.

What makes all this bike traffic even more interesting (at least for a bike nerd like myself), is that this stretch of Vancouver -- where the bike lane drops in two different sections -- is one of five projects PBOT is addressing through their recently announced slate of bikeway development projects.

A bit more traffic than the bike lane can handle. Looking south, as traffic crosses Weidler and heads toward Rose Garden.

Vancouver was once named the city's most beloved bike lane, but when it gets to Broadway, it unceremoniously ends on the block between Broadway and Weidler. People on bikes then pick up a bike lane again near the Rose Garden parking structure, but it drops again before the green bike lane oases through the Rose Quarter Transit Center.

It will be interesting to see what solutions are offered up to make a consistent, comfortable, and efficient bikeway that will forever close the Vancouver Gap. When that happens, this stretch of Vancouver will once again fill up with bike traffic.

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Mr. Sadowsky is settling in.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The BTA's new executive director Rob Sadowsky has been at the helm for about two months now. Between getting to know a new city and state (he moved here with his family from Chicago), setting the BTA's course for the future, and trying to build an effective bike movement here in Portland, Rob's got a lot on his shoulders.

Luckily for all of us, I believe Rob's up to the task.

I look forward to sitting down with him next week for an in-depth chat about the BTA's strategic visioning process and what the future holds for the organization. But for now, I thought I'd highlight a few recently published articles, one in Street Roots and the other from Rob himself, that tell us a bit more about what's on his mind.

A week or so ago, Rob was the cover story interview in the local newspaper Street Roots. Street Roots' editor Israel Bayer asked Rob about a number of important issues. Here are a few snips from the interview:

On what the BTA is doing since the 2030 Bike Plan passed back in February:

"We’re trying to keep the heat on and make sure the city is taking the proper steps in partnership with us to raise money for the plan..."

On the BTA's often tumultuous last few years:

"I think we have really turned a corner. This last year has been one of introspection and figuring out who we really are, and organizationally we are beginning to shine some light on what we are and what we can be. We are trying to take steps that are proactive, smart and creative, and not being afraid of risk."

Read the full interview here.

Rob also published a blog post yesterday sharing some of his "early reflections" on where he, the BTA, and Portland are right now. He broke down his thoughts into: "There is much to do," "We [BTA] are eager," "We need help," and "We need your voice." He also shared a few "personal commitments" which included being a "consistent and powerful voice for bicyclists," being "thoughtful, smart and proactive," and not biting of more than they can chew.

According to BTA staffer Carl Larson, Rob's already had a positive impact on the organization. In a comment on the BTA blog, Larson writes, "... the office hasn't felt as confident and connected in quite a while. I, for one, am excited about helping to hold you to those commitments you listed. You've got a crew of talented folks here at the BTA who're eager to work and relieved to have you aboard."

You can read Rob's blog post here.

These are interesting times for bicycling in Portland and I look forward to working with the BTA as we navigate through them.

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This is how Steve Bozzone envisions NE Ainsworth St.

The Ask BikePortland question we shared on Wednesday has sparked exciting ideas and a spirited discussion about NE Ainsworth Street.

"I live directly on Ainsworth and the day I started cycling was the day I started parking my car on a side street... As a resident I would love to have the speed limit on Ainsworth reduced to 20 MPH!"
-- Kerry

A wide range of opinions about riding on Ainsworth have been expressed -- from people who think it's crazy to bike there at all, to those who think it's fine as is, to those who lament the fact that it's so dangerous. A few of the commenters not only shared their opinions, they've also drawn up illustrations showing how to do it.

Steve Bozzone, who volunteers with local livable streets activism group Active Right of Way (AROW) and also maintains the Intersection 911 blog and Twitter feed, wrote in to say that he was intrigued by the "juxtaposition of a great community asset (the park in the center median) surrounded by a horrific street that people don't want to walk on, let alone bike."

Bozzone proposed an idea to extend the Ainsworth Linear Arboretum to one side and make the street one-way, while leaving the other side as park space and a multi-use path. (You can see Steve's illustration of that idea at the top of this post.)

Reader David Brokaw wrote in with a different idea that he feels would make room for a bike lane...

"Instead of ripping out any of the center median, you could install recessed parking bays at varying intervals along the street. There aren't a huge number of homes that front onto Ainsworth, so you probably would only need 2-3 stalls per block. You would only need to recess the stalls a few feet to have enough room for a bike lane."

He also shared an illustration of it...

Another thing that came up in many of the comments is a feeling that Ainsworth's 30 mph speed limit is too high.

The idea that NE Holman (which is just one block North) is a bike boulevard also came up. While Holman is a nice street to bike on (if you don't mind the bumps), it seems to me that people who choose to ride a bike instead of driving a car shouldn't have to avoid any local, residential streets.

Read more great insights and ideas about how to make Ainsworth a more livable street in the comments to our post on Wednesday. Who knows, maybe one of them will spark some action.

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What happened?
(Photo: Bill Jackson)

Richard Krebs, the man who was involved in a collision with a TriMet bus on SW Morrison and 6th on August 12th, has come forward with his side of the story. He takes issue with several important parts of TriMet's official statement and says he was under medication from his injuries when he made incriminating statements to the police. TriMet says they stand by their version of what happened, but they acknowledged today that the bus operator did not perform his left turn correctly prior to the crash.

Krebs is a 36 year old medical student doing his residency in integrative medicine at OHSU. He spent eight days in the hospital following the crash, which included a broken clavicle and several skin grafts on his leg.

"If you were to freeze the bus in the turn he is in the center lane. He moved too far over... that's a concern for us and that's what he's been re-trained on."
-- Josh Collins, TriMet Operations

According to TriMet, Krebs was behind a bus headed northbound on SW 6th (the transit mall) and both were in the left lane (there are three lanes on 6th, one for light rail only, one for bus only, and one for buses, bikes, and cars). As the bus approached SW Morrison, TriMet says the bus operator, 39 year old John Nations, swung wide to the right to execute a left turn to go west onto Morrison. When the bus turned back to the left, its left front wheel came into contact with Krebs, smashing his bike and running over his leg.

On August 31st, TriMet issued a statement saying that Krebs had been issued a citation for running a yellow light and slamming into the bus "at a high rate of speed."

Krebs told me today that he remembers things a bit differently.

Krebs said he distinctly recalls the bus being to his right prior to the crash. He recalled riding along at about 10-15 mph with the bus in the lane to his right. "I was by myself in left lane, with a car in front of me. The bus was in middle lane the whole time. This is not at all fuzzy. I completely remember it. And I didn't see any signals."

Three of the four witnesses in the police report also said the bus was in the center or "bus only" lane as it made the turn. A TriMet bus operator who witnessed the crash told police Krebs was traveling "at a high rate of speed" which she estimated at about 10-15 mph.

I spoke with Josh Collins of TriMet Operations today to gain more clarity about the lane question (TriMet has watched the on-board video, but they haven't released it yet -- more on that below).

The type of turn Nations made,
as per the ODOT Commercial
Driver's Manual, is "incorrect."
- Download larger size -

Collins said the bus operator, John Nations, was in the center lane prior to making the left turn. Collins added that Nations began in the left-most lane, but he swung further to the right than they recommend and ended up in the center lane. "If you were to freeze the bus in the turn he is in the center lane. He moved too far over... that's a concern for us and that's what he's been re-trained on."

The movement Nations made, Collins said, "is closer to a jug handle" type turn, which is contrary to statements made by TriMet communications director Mary Fetsch, who said that Nations made a "button hook" turn. It's important to note that the ODOT Commercial Driver's Manual labels jug handle turns as "incorrect" (see graphic at right).

Here's the police reconstruction drawing that shows where both vehicles came to rest:

Drawing by Portland Police Bureau

Collins also said that Nations had his left blinker on the whole time, but acknowledged that, given the wide swing to the right the bus made prior to the turn, if Krebs didn't see the blinker, "He could assume the bus is going toward the right."

"I can't believe I said those things about the brakes. The brake on my bike works fine. What I meant to tell the officer is that once the bus was right in front of me it was difficult to stop."
-- Richard Krebs

TriMet's media statement on August 31st also claimed that Krebs was given a citation in the crash. However, as of today (9/2) there is no record of a citation ever being written to Krebs. When asked to verify the information, TriMet said "Based on what's written in the police report, it's our understanding that he will be cited... they [the police] must still be in process." The police report TriMet refers to was written on August 13th and Police Bureau Traffic Division Sergeant Todd Davis says the citation should have been processed by now. In a subsequent follow-up with TriMet Operations spokesperson Josh Collins informing him that the citation had not yet been issued, he said, "We should have called and verified they'd written and given it to him. It's our understanding they still will be citing him."

This is an unfortunate oversight on TriMet's part because several local media outlets, including us, KGW and The Oregonian all reported that Krebs has been given a citation when in fact he hasn't.

In the police report taken on 8/13, Officer Kent Scott writes in a section titled, "Conclusion" that Krebs was to be cited for running a yellow light (ORS 811.265 - failure to obey a traffic control device). Officer Scott came to that conclusion in large part because of incriminating statements Krebs made following the crash. Here are some key excerpts from Krebs' statement in the police report:

"Krebs watched as the car in front of him drove through the yellow phase..."

"Krebs said that the brake on his bike isn't working that good."

"Krebs told me he should have stopped and that he felt bad for the driver."

I asked Krebs to explain the discrepancy between the statements he made to police on August 12th and what he's saying now. Krebs said that when he gave his statement to the police, just 1-2 hours after the collision, he was still being treated at OHSU and was "completely drugged and in pain". "In situations like that," he said, "I tend to blame myself, for the life of me I don't know why I say things like that."

What about your brakes?

"I can't believe I said those things about the brakes. The brake on my bike works fine. What I meant to tell the officer is that once the bus was right in front of me it was difficult to stop."

As for whether he ran the yellow light, Krebs says he's positive the light was green.
"The crosswalk [countdown timer] was on "2"... I was focused on it... Somehow I think the officer made the suggestion it was yellow and I just went along with it."

The on-board video from the bus would clarify a lot of things, but TriMet has not released it. On August 30th, TriMet said the video, "is currently not releasable at this time because it is material evidence that may be used in court in relation to the citation." Reached via phone today, TriMet spokesperson Bekki Witt said they can't release the video because they're waiting for clearance from the DA. TriMet wouldn't comment further on any potential court action and they referred me to the DA for questions about a possible criminal investigation (which is the only reason I can think of for the DA having the video). I'm awaiting a call back from the DA to find out why they're holding the video.

DA John Copic John Copic, reached in his office this morning (9/3), says he hasn't yet watched the video, but confirms that it is in their possession. Copic says it's DA policy to not release any videos "until all potential court appearances are resolved." Copic is waiting to discuss the matter with Kent Scott, the police officer who responded to the incident and who took the initial statements from Nations and Krebs.

Krebs says that when he asked TriMet to see the video (at the urging of his insurance company) a representative for TriMet told him the video is "damaging to their case". "They said the bus operator improperly executed the left turn and the video showed he turned right in front of me." Krebs' insurance agent has now requested the video.

Krebs has plenty of time to think about the crash and figure out all the details of how it happened. He's still bed-ridden from his injuries and doctors tell him it could be several weeks before he'll be able to walk normally again.

- Browse our previous coverage of this story here.

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Happy Birthday cycle track!
(Photos © J. Maus)

When we got our first look at the cycle track on SW Broadway one year ago this week, it was an exciting time. Mayor Adams had fulfilled one of his "100 day" promises and -- after talking about it for nearly four years -- we finally had our first, physically separated bikeway in the central city. Combined with new buffered bike lanes downtown (on Stark and Oak), we were off and running into a bold new era for our bike network.

"From the mayor's perspective, it's a success."
-- Catherine Ciarlo, Transportation Director for Mayor Adams

But what's happened since then? Has the cycle track been a successful experiment? If so, are there plans to improve and/or extend it? What's the current thinking from the City on separated bikeways in general?

This one year anniversary seemed like a good time to ask those questions.

Chris Monsere is an assistant professor at Portland State University. He's the principal investigator on an evaluation being done on the cycle track to help PBOT decide how it's working.

Mayor Adams at the opening
one year ago.

Reached this morning in his office, Monsere said the evaluation is primarily survey-based. They've been asking people who drive, walk, and bike on Broadway a series of questions about it. Monsere is still tabulating results, but says one thing that's "jumped out" has been concerns from people trying to walk across the cycle track. "From the pedestrian survey, I noticed mentions of cyclists not stopping at the red light." (Note that these are T-bone intersections without motor vehicle cross-traffic.) In addition to the surveys, PSU is also using video footage in their evaluation.

Echoing those preliminary survey findings, Ian Stude, the Transportation Options Manager at PSU and a member of the City's Bicycle Advisory Committee, says "It seems people [using the bikeway] are struggling to see the traffic signals." He'd like to see PBOT install some bike-specific traffic lights as well as curb extensions on the east side of Broadway to shorten the crossing distance. (The Mayor's office says they're currently searching for a location to experiment with bicycle priority signals.)

"We'd really like to see it enhanced beyond what's there now and extended to offer that same level of comfortable treatment throughout downtown."
-- Ian Stude, PSU

Stude feels the Broadway cycle track is a "good first step." He reports many glowing reviews from riders he describes as "interested but concerned." But those same people, Stude adds, also express a lack of connectivity. "They want to ride that type of facility from the Broadway Bridge all the way into PSU. We'd really like to see it enhanced beyond what's there now and extended to offer that same level of comfortable treatment throughout downtown."

Stude hopes the evaluation and one year of having it on the ground will give PBOT the information they need to do something "really bold." "Hopefully, what they'll learn will give them what they need to push forward to take it to the next level."

Mayor Adams' Transportation Policy Director Catherine Ciarlo says they too consider the Broadway cycle track a success. "We get mostly good fedback on it. At this point, I have not gotten any negative feedback on it. From the mayor's perspective, it's a success."

From above.

If the Broadway cycle track is a success and the Mayor's office feels separated facilities are important, are there plans to improve and extend it? No. At least not right now, says Adams' Chief of Staff Tom Miller.

"When mayor launched the cycle track last year," Miller told me via telephone yesterday, "he said it was experimental. Based on analysis that should be done in a matter of weeks, we'll decide whether to scrap it, extend it, or more likely do something in between."

Loving the space the
cycle track provides.

One issue that remains is whether or not the Broadway cycle track is a good demonstration to base future plans on. The location PBOT chose -- SW Broadway from Clay to Jackson -- lacks major features that need to be understood before more cycle tracks can be implemented downtown. These features include motor vehicle cross traffic (to assess right-turn and signalization issues) and businesses directly adjacent to the facility (to address what are sure to be concerns from the downtown business lobby about parking and customer access).

Ciarlo, the Mayor Adams' transportation advisor, said a true test of a cycle track with right-turning motor vehicle movements has yet to be done. "The next challenge," she said, "is to test a cycle track in a location where there are right turns. That's going to be a difficult design challenge and it will be important for us to tackle that challenge."

Researcher Chris Monsere said his evaluation will have some important results, but he also acknowledged that as for "the main thing people are worried about, those conflicts of right-turning traffic, we won't be able to make any conclusions about that."

PSU's Ian Stude agreed that PBOT installed the cycle track in a "relatively safe location" for an experiment (in terms of its engineering and political difficulty), but he thinks a major driveway into a parking lot at SW College and the right turn where the cycle track ends at SW Jackson will give PBOT and PSU plenty of solid evaluation data.

"Our intention is to hit a 25% mode split by 2020 and we know that as a city we need to adopt strategies that yield more and greater separation to grow that mode split."
-- Tom Miller, Mayor Adams' Chief of Staff

As for separated facilities in general, Ciarlo says Mayor Adams, "Continues to believe that separated facilities are an important piece of the way we will achieve our goals to attract the 'interested by concerned' cyclists and we plan to continue to press for them going forward."

When asked about their progress on installing separated bike facilities, Miller pointed out several projects currently on the horizon (two-way cycle tracks planned for South Waterfront and as part of the SE Corridor Project, on NE 7th as part of the Eastside Streetcar, and on N. Williams). "Our intention is to hit a 25% mode split by 2020 and we know that as a city we need to adopt strategies that yield more and greater separation to grow that mode split."

While both Miller and Ciarlo understand the importance of separation, it's clear that they're moving forward cautiously. "It's fair to say we're in experimental mode rather than wholesale street realignment mode," Miller explained. "Dedicated right of way for bicycles is a brand new phenomenon for American streets, including in Portland, so we're still working on it."

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Ainsworth can be a very tight fit.
(Photo: Peter Welte)

This week's question comes from reader Kinya Hanada. Kinya touches on a question I've wondered myself for several years now. She loves riding on NE Ainsworth because it's a "nice, direct route," but wonders if there are any plans to make it more pleasant to bike on (emphasis mine).

"I was wondering if you know if there is anything planned for Ainsworth St., specifically on east of MLK. I like to ride there when I'm going to the NE side or to the Columbia river and it's a nice direct route to take.

The only thing that detracts from the experience are the parked cars. There aren't so many of them and the traffic is not too heavy most of the time, so it's not super dangerous, but when I have to pass the parked cars and there's a car approaching from behind, there isn't enough room (or at least so it seems) for both car and I.

So, I either slow or stop to let the car go first or take the lane and make the car slow down. Either way is a bit inconvenient. I think every time I go through there that it would be so much better if the cars weren't allowed to park there. It's not as if there is shortage of parking in the area on the side streets. I think it would make a very nice bike corridor and encourage more people biking in the area if they made some changes there."

Ainsworth is a designated
bike route.

Thanks for the question Kinyada. I live near Ainsworth, bike on it frequently, and I share your feelings about it. The street is seductively narrow and calm, but it's sometimes uncomfortable to take the lane while a car pulls up right behind you. (Note that the speed limit on Ainsworth is 30 mph.)

The riding conditions on Ainsworth were brought into focus in November 2008 when a group of riders were passed too closely by a Portland Police officer in a patrol car and where then ticketed for impeding traffic. The tickets were ultimately dismissed and the incident led to a bike law police training video that was completed a year later.

What the street needs is a bit more breathing room for bikes and cars. That leaves two choices. Either remove the on-street parking or widen the street by cutting into the large median in the middle of the two lanes (it's a couplet separated by a tree-lined park).

Ainsworth during Sunday Parkways.

The on-street parking is an interesting issue. PBOT is loathe to get into parking removal battles, especially when many of the houses don't have any other place to park. I think that moving people from A to B is a more important use of our public right-of-way than private vehicle storage, but parking removal is a very touchy subject and it's unlikely the City would propose it just yet.

As for building some sort of bikeway into the median, I wouldn't count on that either. It turns out that the wide and wonderful median is officially recognized as the Ainsworth Linear Arboretum (which celebrated its 5th anniversary last week). Chopping into that arboretum -- with its sensitive roots from 60 different species of trees -- to put a bikeway, is pretty much a non-starter.

Interestingly, Ainsworth is signed (see photo) and mapped as an official bike route. On a PBOT map of the "Recommended Bikeway Network," Ainsworth is labeled as being slated for a "Future separated in-roadway" treatment, which could be either a standard bike lane, a buffered bike lane, or a cycle track. The 2030 Bike Plan makes no mention of a forthcoming project on Ainsworth and I haven't heard of anything planned either.

Further making it not too likely that a bike facility is coming to Ainsworth any time soon, is the Holman Bike Boulevard project. Holman is just one block north and many people prefer it to Ainsworth already.

This is probably a longer answer than you were looking for, but I hope it answers your question and gives you some background on riding conditions on Ainsworth.

-- Got a bike question? Ask us. Browse past questions and answers at our Ask BikePortland archives.

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Burley's Travoy brings home
the gold (and the groceries).

Burley Design, a Eugene-based company known for its bicycle trailers, has won big at the Eurobike trade show that kicked off today in Friedrichshafen, Germany today. Eurobike announced today that Burley has won a 2010 Eurobike Gold Award for their new Travoy cargo trailer.

The Travoy was awarded in the Accessories category and design credit was given to Aaron Beese, Joel Wilson, Gwen Spencer, and Chris Casler. The expert jury that doled out the award said the Travoy is "an impressive contribution to bicycle mobility" and that it's, "A good idea that has also been well implemented.”

417 products from around the world were in the running for an award. Of those, the jury chose 92 winners, with the 12 most innovative being honored with the GOLD award.

The Travoy is a departure for Burley. Instead of carrying kids or cargo with the common trailer design they helped standardize, the Travoy attaches to a bike's seatpost. It folds up when not in use and it goes from being pulled behind your bike to being used as a hand-truck/shopping cart in seconds.

We took a first look at the Travoy back in February and were immediately impressed by it. A few months later, reader Chris Sullivan followed up with a positive review of his own.

Congrats to Burley! Way to put Oregon on the international stage.

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Wider, smoother shoulders would be nice.
(Photo © J. Maus)

On Monday, the American Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) -- an influential group of state DOT directors -- announced a report calling on Congress to prioritize funding for expanded rural highway capacity in the forthcoming re-write of the transportation bill. Spending hundreds of billions on highway projects and adding 30,000 new lane miles is sure to raise eyebrows in active transportation circles, but could AASHTO's plan help improve biking conditions on highways across America?

Maybe.

"It could be be a boon to the USBRS [United State Bike Route System], it all lies in the implementation."
-- Ginny Sullivan, Adventure Cycling

In a statement about the new report, AASHTO Executive Director John Horsley says, "Improving connectivity for the 60 million Americans who live in rural areas is just as important as improving mobility for those who live in metropolitan areas." Key to Horsley's argument is that most interstate highways were built 60 years ago, and little has been done to improve or expand capacity on them since.

Here's more from Horsley:

"... investment is needed in America's rural transportation system to keep agriculture, new energy products and freight moving; improve access for the travel, recreation, and tourism industries; connect new and emerging cities; and to ensure reliable access to key defense installations."

AASHTO report cover.
- Download here -

Specifically, AASHTO wants the US highway program to be increased to $375 billion over six years and they are calling for 30,000 new highway lane miles. The report also provided a state-by-state list of highway projects. For Oregon, the report singled out the controversial, $550 million dollar Newberg-Dundee Bypass project (which scored a $192 million earmark from lawmakers in Salem last session).

While the report has enough talk of more and bigger highways to make active transportation advocates cringe, it also advocates for rural transit service to "more than double over the next six years to keep pace with rising demand." There's also the question of how bicycling could benefit with smoother, wider shoulders, and more space on bridges and roads.

Given AASHTO's support of Adventure Cycling's U.S. Bicycle Route System, and Mr. Horsley's familiarity with bicycling in general (he keynoted the National Bike Summit in 2008), I asked Adventure Cycling's Ginny Sullivan if she thought AASHTO's desires could benefit bicycling.

"It could be a boon to the USBRS," she said, "it all lies in the implementation."

Sullivan says the USBRS and a push for higher quality rural interstate roads share a "common goal" of linking developing with scenic destinations. Here's more from Sullivan:

"If implementation of this rural road/highway system includes adding or expanding shoulders that are protected from in appropriate rumble stripping, then yes, this push is beneficial. I also see the potential for overcoming other barriers, such as widening bridges to accommodate bicycle passage safely and conveniently. As we both know, adding vehicular capacity doesn't always make a friendly bicycle route, but if the rural roads initiative takes into account all users, this could be a wonderful benefit for the development of the U.S. Bicycle Route System."

Sullivan says she's already discussing the report with her contacts at AASHTO.

Whether you buy AASHTO's argument for expanded highway capacity or not, at least Adventure Cycling is at the table, reminding them that their projects should not forget to include adequate provisions for bicycle traffic.

-- Learn more about the USBRS here. Visit AASHTO's website to download a PDF of the report, "The Case for Capacity: To Unlock Gridlock, Generate Jobs, Deliver Freight, and Connect Communities."

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Sounds reasonable to me.

Streetfilms has a new video on 20's Plenty for us, a campaign in the U.K. working to make 20 mph the standard speed limit in residential areas. The campaign is catching on quickly, with more and more U.K. cities adopting the policy all the time. Given that PBOT might be considering a legislative fix to wrest greater control of speed limits from ODOT, and the fact that Mayor Sam Adams has already shown an interest in reducing speed limits and has made safety his number one transportation priority, this could be an idea that catches on here in Portland.

The 20's plenty pitch is simple: Lower speeds make for more pleasant places to live, work, and play. Seems like everyone would agree to that. Watch the excellent video to hear how people working on the campaign pitch the idea:

A 20 mph speed limit isn't just fodder for a catchy campaign slogan, its impact on saving lives has been confirmed by major study findings and even the World Health Organization has endorsed 20 mph speed limits. (Learn more about London's success with 20 mph zones in this Streetsblog article.)

PBOT has used the "Effects of speed on stopping distance" chart (see it below) in neighborhood meetings and presentations for at least five years now (I first published it in 2005). It shows that 20 mph is the maximum speed at which someone can operate a motor vehicle and still stop in time to avoid hitting someone...

Effects of Speed on Stopping Distance
- View full size -
(Chart: PBOT)

The Streetfilms piece also reminded me of a law that passed in 2007 but that I've not heard much about since (thanks to reader Robin Dale for bringing it to my attention again). In the 2007 legislative session, State Rep. Carolyn Tomei sponsored a bill (H.B. 2297) that defined a "narrow residential roadway" as any street "not more than 18 feet wide at any point between two intersections or between an intersection and the end of the roadway" and "Not of sufficient width to allow one lane of traffic in each direction." The bill amended Oregon's basic speed rule so that all such roadways could have a maximum speed limit of just 15 mph. Unfortunately, it seems that there aren't many streets that fit that bill and it seems to have had little impact thus far.

Here in Portland, most residential streets have a 25 mph speed limit and many streets which run through highly residential areas (like N. Rosa Parks Way for instance) have speed limits of 35 mph.

One way I can imagine PBOT approaching new speed limit laws and policies is to legally leverage the "neighborhood greenway" concept. Neighborhood greenways are PBOT's new name for bike boulevards, which are "family-friendly," residential streets where people on bicycles and on foot are prioritized. Similar to how Rep. Tomei was able to define "narrow residential roadway," PBOT could define neighborhood greenway in the ORS and then attach a 20 mph speed limit to it in Oregon's basic speed rule. Then, any street officially classified as a neighborhood greenway would automatically have a 20 mph speed limit.

Lower speed limits -- when coupled with smart engineering, focused enforcement, and a bit of marketing -- would do wonders in helping create residential streets where everyone feels safe and welcome.

-- Read more of BikePortland's coverage of this topic by browsing our "speed" story tag.

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Super D!

After several months of jam-packed event calenders this Weekend's light schedule will give you a chance to go on that ride you've been thinking about, revisit your favorite regular events, and for those who have already given up on summer altogether, go shopping for rain gear.

Friday, September 3rd

6:30pm: Vegan Dinner Bike Ride
Meet your fellow deep-rooted vegan enthusiasts and branch out to try new and exciting cuisine. Ride meets at on the Colonel Summers Park greens and heads to a different vegan-friendly restaurant or food cart, followed by a chance to talk chop at an area watering hole.

Saturday, September 4th

8:30am (Returns Monday Evening): Cycle Wild Primitive Bike Camping up the Clackamas
Like to get your hands dirty and your feet wet? Join bike camping pros Cycle Wild on an unsupported group camping trip up the Clackamas river to a primitive (that means no showers, toilets, or cable television) camp spot.  Group meets at 8:30am at the Cleveland Max Station and rides 45 miles to the site.  Read more about the trip on Cycle Wild's Facebook event page and learn all about bike camping at cyclewild.org.

Sunday, September 5th

10:00am: Sandy Ridge Super D
An action-packed downhill cross-country mountain bike race on the Sandy Ridge, the Super D is the main event of a weekend of dirty bike fun just outside of Windell's Camp.  Camping, lodging, and registration information available on the Oregon Super D website.

2:00pm: Bike Polo
Bike polo has been sweeping the country and is popping up in almost every town.  If you have never seen or participated in this great sport come watch or join the gang at Alberta Park that have been playing there every week for over five years.  Bike polo is lots of fun to watch, and even more fun to play, so bring a beater bike if you want to jump in.

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The "Clinton to the River" multi-use
path is part of the $10 million request.
- Larger version here -

A month ago I shared details of the big project TriMet planned to apply for (in close collaboration with Metro and other partners) in hopes of garnering a piece of the $600 million available from the Obama Administration's TIGER II grant program.

The project is now known officially as the "SE Corridor Project." With the application submitted last week, the project partners have unveiled a new website and video to go along with it, making it clear that Metro (they put the application together) has learned lessons from the first round of TIGER grants. Metro applied for four active transportation projects last year, but none of them were among the winners when the awards were announced last April.

Judging by what's on the project website, Metro has gone down a checklist of things that helped Indianapolis win $20.5 million for their Cultural Trail. There's mention of connecting communities, economic and job-producting benefits, local matching funds already lined up, and so on. And the most talked-about part of Indy's application? The video. Now we've got one too...

SE Portland Corridor Project from Mayor Sam Adams on Vimeo.

TriMet, the City of Portland, the City of Milwaukie, the Portland Development Commission and Metro are all signed onto the project and are seeking a total of $10 million from TIGER II grant fund to complete the $12.8 million project.

Learn more about the project's five main components -- which include the "Clinton to the River" multi-use path and two new biking and walking bridges -- at SECorridorProject.com.

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So fresh and so smooth. A portion of the Springwater near SE Luther Street this morning.
(Photos by reader Jonathan Ragsdale)

Adding finishing touches.

A $1.8 million, federally funded project to repave eight miles of the popular Springwater Corridor Trail is almost complete. The project was supposed to be done by now, but record rainfall in June pushed things back a full month.

Portland Parks & Recreation broke the project into four different pieces, three of which are now open and ready for use. The last segment that remains closed for another few weeks is the "Purple Route," a four mile stretch running from SE 128th east to SE Circle Ave (just east of Powell Butte Nature Park). Check the detour map below for the somewhat complicated detour route (or download PDF here).

Lynn Barlow, Portland Parks & Recreation's Eastside Natural Areas Supervisor, says they hope the inconvenience has been worth it. When asked to comment she shared this statement via email:

"For the first time since the Springwater Corridor was opened, Portland Parks & Recreation has been able to secure the funding, through federal stimulus dollars, to repave this very well-used trail. We appreciate the patience of trail users during this process, but we're sure they're going to find the results worth the inconvenience the detours might have caused this summer."

Barlow also says the newly paved trail now features permeable asphalt, fog lines at the edges of the trail, and new wooden sign bollards.

For more on this project, check the Portland Parks website.

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Go carfree on the day that
corresponds to your car color
(mine would be Tuesday).

Here's a interesting new campaign that would feel right at home in Portland. This Saturday, the City of Boulder Colorado will launch Driven to Drive Less, a new program to get people to go one day a week without their car. What's refreshing is that they're going about it in a creative way, by asking people to consider going carfree on a certain day of the week depending on the color of their vehicle. Here's a snip from the campaign website:

"Let’s make a game out of going carless at least once a week. A game that everyone who plays wins. One day a week. That’s 14.3% less congestion, pollution and road rage for Boulder and the rest of the world.

Here’s how it works: Your car’s color corresponds to an assigned car-free day of the week (see chart at right). If that day works with your schedule, then give your car a well-deserved day off, and go forth carless."

I like how they're also using social media to build some community around the "game." The message is simple, the call to action is fun, and the execution is very professional (they hired a solid local creative firm). I feel like more cities should be doing this type of thing.

Read more about the campaign via the Daily Camera newspaper.

Do you think this is a good approach to getting cars off the road and/or raising awareness about how we get around?

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[Unofficial graphic, not created by TriMet.]

Graphic showing location of vehicles just prior to collision.
(Graphic: BikePortland)

There has been a lot of speculation and confusion about the crash involving a TriMet bus and a bicycle on SW 6th and Morrison back on August 12th.

The bus operator turned left prior to the collision and came in contact with Richard Krebs, who was on his bicycle (he suffered serious leg injuries and remains at OHSU getting reconstructive surgery). The Portland Police Bureau issued a citation to Krebs, for failure to obey a traffic control device. The bus operator was not cited.

Photo of the crash scene. The bus in front is the one involved with the crash. Note its angle relative to the left lane it was traveling in.
(Photo: Bill Jackson)

But how exactly did the collision occur? Was Krebs cited for running the light, the "Don't Walk" signal, or the bus's flashing "Yield" signal? What lane was the bus in prior to its left turn? According to an update I just received from TriMet, I can now offer a better answer to those questions.

• Both vehicles were in the left-most lane of SW 6th headed north.
• Krebs was behind the bus "traveling at a high rate of speed" (according to TriMet). (Krebs has also allegedly stated that his brakes malfunctioned).
• Just before making the left turn onto Morrison, the bus veered into the center lane in order to make a wide left turn, which was necessary to clear a MAX train that was stopped on Morrison at the Pioneer Square North station. (TriMet referred to this as a "button hook" turn*.)
• The bus entered the intersection on a green light.
• During the turn, the light changed to yellow.
• The collision occurred on a yellow light.
• Krebs was cited for entering the intersection on a yellow light.

And here's what TriMet's Mary Fetsch says about the bus's turn signal:

"The yield signal on the back of the bus has no bearing in this incident, since it’s only used for pulling back into a travel lane after servicing a stop."

I hope this new information and the graphic above helps to clarify what happened. Given that TriMet won't release the video because of pending court action, more information will likely come out in the weeks and months to come.

UPDATE: *A bus operator in the comments has pointed out that the ODOT Commercial Driver's Manual warns against making the type of jug-handle turn that the bus operator appears to have made. TriMet has said the bus made a "button hook" turn (staying in the lane), but the photos from the scene show that the bus more likely swung into the adjacent lane and made a "jug handle" turn, which the ODOT manual says is "incorrect." Here's the graphic from the manual:

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I noticed a flyer on NE 37th yesterday advertising yet another bike-related business that has cropped up in Portland recently...

Flyer spotted on NE 37th.

According to the SimpleBicycle.com website, this is a new business run by local racer and professional mechanic Jason Pfiefer. He's offering a 4-week bike maintenance course for $300. Classes are limited to two people at a time. Sounds like a good deal, given what an expert Pfiefer is. Here's a snip from his website on his qualifications:

Learn personally from Jason who is a registered Category 2 professional mechanic with USA Cycling (there are less than 15 in the nation at that level of skill and ability). He has worked in bicycle shops for over 23 years, and spent almost 10 years working as a professional mechanic with Shimano America as a mechanic for professional road races.

Learn more about Pfeifer and the classes and services he offers at Simplebicycle.com.

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