Dear BTA Friends,
We had a piece of good news here at the BTA today - the SK Northwest hearing, in which a SE Portland property owner is opposing the City of
Portland's pre-existing plan to lay a trail connecting the Springwater Corridor and the Eastbank Esplanade, ended in favor of the City.
That is, of course, a simplified explanation. For more details check out the blog
post or the summary
of coverage on BikePortland.org.
Michelle
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There are 17 Topics in this Digest:
1. Can you volunteer for BridgePedal? - 8/12
2. The BTA is hiring two Outreach Assistants - deadline 7/27
3. Bike mechanics needed for BTA kids' fleet tuneup - 7/28
4. Volunteers needed to help count bikes at key Portland locations - orientation 7/17
5. Special offer from Bridge Pedal - join now and ride free! - 8/12
9. Bike Legal Clinic, with bike attorney featured in Portland Monthly mag - 7/18
10. North and Northeast Portland Bicycle Boulevard scouting ride - 7/25
11. Help pick Bike Boulevards in SW Portland - July and August rides
12. One-day bike planning course at PSU - 8/11
13. Come talk about separated trails for biking and walking - Rails to Trails conference - 8/8-10
14. First Thursday fair on 5th Avenue (coincidentally, right outside the new BTA office!) - 8/2
15. Harvest Century seeks volunteers to help with Canby Ferry - 10/7
16. New mobile bike repair service, with a discount for BTA members
17. Innovation around the world - "flex-bikes," cyclovias, cycle tracks, valet bike parking
18. Cross-country bicycle tour for global warming education
19. BTA blog highlights: The Night Ride a hit; Scott reports on the Legislative Session; Bamboo Bikes
20. Interstate Bridge closed briefly and intermittently, 10 pm to 5 am - 7/15 - 8/3
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Topic 1: Can you volunteer for BridgePedal? - 8/12
It's time again for Portland's famous summer ride, the Providence Bridge
Pedal!
The BTA is a beneficiary of this ride - it supports our bike advocacy and educational work year-round. And it also gets 18,000 people - many of whom
don't ride their bikes at any other time - in touch with the joys of biking away from cars and in the city.
You can help by riding in it on August 12th...or by volunteering!
This year I (Michelle) will be directly coordinating all volunteers for the west side of the course. I could really use some help - I need 100
volunteers and have about 30 right now...with that many I could close one bridge, maybe two...
Volunteer responsibilities relate to directing riders, guarding barricades, securing the course and smoothing people's rides. As thanks, volunteers
get a BridgePedal tshirt and a free ride - either this year, if your shift allows it (i.e. it's REALLY early) or next year if it doesn't.
Please help! Contact me (at michelle@bta4bikes.org) for more details or to sign up.
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Topic 2: The BTA is hiring two Outreach Assistants - deadline 7/27
Job Posting
Bicycle Transportation Alliance
Bike Commute Challenge Outreach Assistants
We are hiring two Outreach Assistants who will support the Bicycle Transportation Alliance's Bike Commute Challenge program from August 13th through
October 19th. The Bike Commute Challenge is a month-long bike-to-work competition. In 2006, more than 6,000 people at 550 companies in Oregon and SW
Washington participated. The Assistants will also research and prepare as part of a team a "Best Practices" report on bike-to-work programs
worldwide.
Salary $13.00/hour
Job Duties
The Outreach Assistants will work as part of a team to:
-- Teach Bike Commuting Workshops at workplaces around the Metro area.
-- Help employers encourage bike commuting at their workplaces.
-- Promote the Bike Commute Challenge at community events.
-- Track and evaluate program reach and success.
-- Maintain and contribute content to the Bike Commute Challenge website.
-- Calculate winners at the end of the program.
-- Plan and execute the Bike Commute Challenge Awards Party.
Qualifications
Applicants for this position will have:
-- Strong public speaking and teaching skills.
-- Comfort and ease in a range of professional environments.
-- Data entry facility (experience with Filemaker a plus).
-- Personal experience with and passion for bike commuting.
The ideal candidates will also possess:
-- Sales experience or facility.
-- Bike mechanical skills.
-- Event planning experience.
Application Procedure
Applications must be received by 5 pm on July 27, 2007. E-mailed applications will not be accepted. Applications can be faxed to 503-226-4098, mailed
to us, or dropped off at the BTA office (223 NW Fifth, Portland).
Send standard BTA application form, resume, cover letter and a list of references to:
BTA Outreach Assistant Search
PO Box 9072
Portland, OR 97207
The standard BTA application form can be downloaded from
the
BTA web site.
Equal employment opportunity: All qualified persons will be considered for employment without regard to race, color, religion, [something
related to reproduction of most living things which my spam filter won't let me include], national
origin, age, marital status, familial status, gender identity, orientation related to the aforementioned reproductive element, disability for which a
reasonable accommodation can be made or any
other status protected by law. Assistance will be gladly provided upon request for any applicant with sensory or non-sensory disabilities.
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Topic 3: Bike mechanics needed for BTA kids' fleet tuneup - 7/28
Calling ALL Mechanics & Friends!
Our ever growing Bike Safety Fleet needs some attention.
Come help us with triage, basic maintenance & organizing.
When: Saturday July 28th, 2007 - 3 shifts from 9am-5pm
Where: Alta Planning + Design, 1538 NE Davis, just south of Sandy in Portland
Who: Bike mechanics, friends, Tetris professionals (you'll understand soon enough)
What: Fix bikes, sort bikes into fleets for the fall, sort helmets, hang out
Why: Because you are really, super awesome
We will provide shade, cold drinks and LUNCH!
We have two repair stands and some tools. If you have good tools you like to use and a stand that isn't bolted to your garage floor you would like to
bring, it would be helpful.
RSVP to tom@bta4bikes.org so that he can get enough food, drinks, etc. and let him know if you plan to bring tools and/or repair stand.
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Topic 4: Volunteers needed to help count bikes at key Portland locations - orientation 7/17
Roger Geller, the City's bicycle planner, is putting out a call for volunteers this summer to help count cyclists in Portland.
Last year volunteers counted rush hour cyclists at numerous locations throughout the city and provided the data that resulted in this report.
This type of information is crucial if we're to show Portland's continuing progress toward making the bicycle a part of daily life in Portland.
This year he has an even more ambitious goal in counting cyclists: he wants to count bike trips in every corner of the city to show our continuing
progress year after year. That means he'll need more volunteers.
Here's what you can do:
Step 1: Come to the Volunteer Training/Orientation
Tuesday, July 17th, 5:15 pm (or, come as late as 6:00 pm and he'll still train you).
Room B
The Portland Building (1120 SW 5th Avenue, 2nd floor).
He'll provide the training, pizza and soda.
Step 2: Count
Over the course of the summer, conduct at least one, two-hour bicycle count at one of the intersections he'll have listed.
Step 3: Mail
Send him your count form in a self-addressed, stamped envelope we'll give you at the training.
Step 4: Self-Congratulation
We get great data and you get the satisfaction of knowing you played a crucial role in our efforts.
It's that easy!
PLEASE RSVP TO bicyclemasterplan@pdxtrans.org (so he knows how much pizza to buy)
(You can also check out the bicycle master
plan
website to see how else they've used the count data.)
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Topic 5: Special offer from Bridge Pedal - join now and ride free! - 8/12
Bridge Pedal is offering a special deal for people who have never belonged to the BTA - join now through the Bridge Pedal registration site, and you
get to ride for free! To take advantage of this offer, register here.
This is for all you folks who know you should be supporting better biking, but just keep not getting around to joining. Now you have a big incentive
- just promise us you'll be members forever...
This offer is only good for people who have never joined the BTA before. For all of you who have been or are BTA members, your dollars are already
working hard to make Oregon a better biking state and we're grateful for your support. We also need lots of volunteer help with the ride and
volunteers can ride free this year or next if they like. If you're interested in helping out, email me at michelle@bta4bikes.org.
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Topic 9: Bike Legal Clinic, with bike attorney featured in Portland Monthly mag - 7/18
On July 18th, from 6-7 pm at the BTA office (1979 SW 5th, at Jackson), Bike lawyer Ray Thomas will give a talk on bike laws, how to defend your
rights on the road, and how to bike safely and respect the laws. He was recently profiled in the magazine Portland
Monthly.
Workshop attendees will get a free copy of his legal guide, a $10 value.
RSVP to info@bta4bikes.org, or call 503-226-0676.
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Topic 10: North and Northeast Portland Bicycle Boulevard scouting ride - 7/25
Join the BTA on Thursday, July 25th from 6pm-8pm at Alberta Park (NE 20th and Killingsworth) to explore the potential Bicycle Boulevard routes in
N/NE Portland. Riders will have an opportunity to experience some of Portland's low traffic bicycle streets and give feedback on these candidates for
Bicycle Boulevard treatments in the future.
The routes below were recommended by over 100 cyclists through a survey in May 2007. The results of the survey were compiled by a group of PSU Urban
Studies students who then assessed and analyzed the routes to determine which ones were the ideal candidates for boulevard treatments. Based on
their research, the following streets have been recommended:
North/South Boulevards East/West Boulevards
N. Delaware
NE Ainsworth/NE Holman
NE Rodney
NE Skidmore
NE 9th/NE 11th
NE 28th/NE 30th
Over the summer, the BTA will also scout the following potential streets:
N. Michigan
NE Going
N. Commercial
NE Jarrett
NE
Mason
NE Dekum/NE
Bryant
NE Jarrett
NE Sumner
NE Klickitat
NE Failing
Bicycle Boulevards are low-traffic, residential streets that are enhanced to calm car traffic and increase safety for cyclists, pedestrians, children
and all the other folks in the neighborhood. Bicycle Boulevards expand our bikeway network by increasing both the number of facilities in town, and
the experiences available to the cyclist on the town. As a general rule, Bicycle Boulevards are calmer, safer, and prettier than the bike lanes we
all encounter along the busier streets in town.
Contact Emily Gardner (at emily@bta4bikes.org) with comments, suggestions, or to get involved.
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Topic 11: Help pick Bike Boulevards in SW Portland - July and August rides
Help develop low-traffic bicycle routes in SW Portland! Guided rides on July 19th, 22nd, August 4th, 16th and 19th will investigate possible routes,
and your input can help!
SWTrails, the group that works on walking and biking routes in Southwest Portland, will be preparing a recommendation to the Portland Department of
Transportation (PDOT) for a system of Bicycle Boulevards, low-traffic streets that are pleasant and safe, much like the network that exists in
Southeast Portland today. A preliminary map of possible routes has been developed, and they now need to identify the best low-traffic streets for
bicycling. To do this, SWTrails is sponsoring a series of neighborhood bike rides to identify these routes. Each one will have a ride
leader familiar with the neighborhood. These will be fun, leisurely rides that will last about 2-3 hours. Naturally, hills will be
unavoidable, so ride for as long or as little as you like. During the course of the rides, you will be asked about which routes should be part
of a bicycle route network in SW.
Bicycle Ride Schedule
SWTrails hopes to see you on one or more of the bicycle boulevard rides listed. Most important - they want your ideas. If you can't
participate in the rides, but want to make bicycle route or improvement recommendations, please contact Keith Liden (liden@pbworld.com or
503-224-4066).
SW Hills Residential League, Bridlemile and Healy Heights
Bridlemile School, 4300 SW 47th (north of Hamilton)
Thursday, July 19th, 5:30 p.m.
Keith Liden, 503-224-4066, liden@pbworld.com
Hayhurst, Maplewood, Ashcreek and Crestwood
Gabriel Park Community Center (parking lot entrance)
Sunday, July 22, 3 p.m.
Keith Liden, 503-224-4066, liden@pbworld.com
South Portland and Homestead
Terwilliger School (Portland French American Sch. on SW Corbett)
Saturday, August 4th, 10 a.m.
Sharon Fekety, 503-224-8886, fekety@hevanet.com
Hillsdale and South Burlingame
Wilson HS tennis courts (NE side of the school)
Thursday, August 16th, 5:30 p.m.
Steve Evans, 503-452-8930, sevans@coho.net
Multnomah, Markham, West Portland Park and Far Southwest
Maplewood School on SW 52nd
Sunday August 19th, 10 a.m.
Chris Mays, 503-293-5382, cdmays@comcast.net
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Topic 12: One-day bike planning course at PSU - 8/11
The Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation, a department in the Center for Transportation
Studies at Portland State University, is teaching
a one-day course titled "On-Street Bikeways and Off-Street Trails: An Integrated Approach." The course takes place on Aug. 11, and is intended for
urban and transportation planners, designers, and advocates.
Visit PSU's website for more information about the course.
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Topic 13: Come talk about separated trails for biking and walking - Rails to Trails conference - 8/8-10
Rails-to-Trails Conservancy is leading a campaign to double federal investment in active transportation by 2010.
Proponents of trails, biking and walking are all encouraged to attend Rails-to-Trails Conservancy's biannual TrailLink 2007 in order to gain new
skills to champion active transportation in their communities and help launch a national active transportation movement.
There will be a pre-conference Successful Trail-Building Strategies Workshop from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on August 8, followed by a kickoff dinner
and live music at the Portland Zoo that evening for attendees. Presenters on August 9th and 10th will be expert panelists from across the country who
are already working in their communities and beyond to make active transportation a reality. They will cover topics such as mobility, public health,
economy, climate, and family and community. The closing plenary speaker will be Congressman Earl Blumenauer.
Learn more about TrailLink 2007 and
register.
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Topic 14: First Thursday fair on 5th Avenue (coincidentally, right outside the new BTA office!) - 8/2
Next First Thursday, come to one place for a beer garden, kids' activities, live music, entertainment, and great food. Join us on August 2 for a street fair to celebrate the completion
of
light rail construction on 5th Avenue in Old Town/Chinatown [we're watching it get cemented and bricked and dusted off right outside our front
window, it's lovely].
The first in a series of community celebrations, the 5th Avenue Street Fair will take place on 5th Avenue between Burnside and Glisan from 5 to 10
p.m.
We'll have a BTA booth there and tons of maps and new BTA tshirts for sale. Drop by and say hello!
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Topic 15: Harvest Century seeks volunteers to help with Canby Ferry - 10/7
The Harvest Century, an annual Willamette Valley benefit bike ride,
will this
year be crossing the Canby Ferry. Just picture it...hundreds of
bicycles piled onto the ferry...Crazy! They need some volunteers to manage this feat. If you can help, contact Rebecca Miller at
rebecca@sampros.com.
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Topic 16: New mobile bike repair service, with a discount for BTA members
Your brakes are squeaking and your shifting is rough but you tell yourself "It's not so bad" so that you can delay the hassle of loading up your bike
and taking it to the local shop. You'll go eventually because what choice do you have?
Cycology Mobile Bike Repair takes the hassle out of good bike maintenance - it's a bike shop that comes to you. With over 12 years experience as a
shop mechanic and a lifetime of passion for bikes, AJ knows that nothing helps you enjoy cycling more than a well tuned ride. It is just like having
your own personal mechanic and, for those of you who do your own maintenance, a full line of parts and accessories are available for delivery to your
door.
You can check out his menu of services or call for information or an
appointment
503-984-6658. Cycology Mobile Bike Repair also offers a 10% discount on service to all BTA members (with their membership cards).
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Topic 17: Innovation around the world - "flex-bikes," cyclovias, cycle tracks, valet bike parking
In Paris, whose Mayor has declared it a "cycling city" and is taking big steps to make it one, a short-term bike rental fleet will soon offer a
bike every 900
feet.
In NY, an art gallery tries out the concept in a
5-day
experiment.
A Harvard School of Public Health researcher proposes cycle tracks for what ails us.
London will try out a "cyclovia" or "Sunday Parkway," shutting streets to cars so bicyclists of all ages
can try out the streets.
Paris for years has closed certain lanes and
arterials
to auto traffic on Sundays and holidays, and they fill with runners and roller-bladers (hey,
it's Paris - there's even a Critical Mass for roller-bladers, which the police accompany...on roller blades) and bicyclists.
And San Francisco started closing
the
streets of Golden Gate Park to cars on Sundays this summer. What would you close in Portland on a Sunday, if you could?
The San Francisco Bicycle Coalition offers luxurious valet bike parking
at
Giants games, farmers markets, concerts and more.
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Topic 18: Cross-country bicycle tour for global warming education
Ride for Climate USA is a bicycle journey across the U.S. to promote energy efficiency, renewable energy, and other solutions to global warming that
will give America and the world a better future. You can track their projects and see what they have planned for Portland online.
David Kroodsma and Bill Bradlee started April 21st in Boston and are currently riding west. As they travel, they are giving formal presentations,
doing media outreach and talking to people they meet on the road about global warming.
David recently finished biking solo from California to the tip of South America to raise awareness of the international consequences of global
warming. In their presentations, David is also sharing stories and photos from this 16,000 mile journey, Ride for Climate: The Americas.
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Topic 19: BTA blog highlights: The Night Ride a hit; Scott reports on the Legislative Session; Bamboo Bikes
The Night Ride was a big hit!
Scott Bricker, BTA Policy Director, wraps up the 2007 session.
Bamboo Bikes in Ghana?
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Topic 20: Interstate Bridge closed briefly and intermittently, 10 pm to 5 am - 7/15 - 8/3
The Interstate Bridge crew will be performing cable maintenance on the bridge starting July 15th and ending Aug 3rd. The work will be done at
night between 10pm to 5am. As part of the work, the lift span will need to be raised for short durations, 15 minutes or a little bit
longer depending on worker safety. Bicycle, pedestrian and motor vehicle access will be cut off during these short durations.
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RIDE AND EVENT RESOURCES
NOON TIME RIDES - Portland noon time bike rides -- short fast rides with hills. Meet at SW corner of Pioneer Courthouse Square (Yamhill & Broadway)
between Noon and 12:10 p.m., Mondays and Thursdays, Contact: Ray Thomas - 503.228.5222 with questions, or meet at start.
WEDNESDAY WOMEN'S/LGBT MECHANIC NIGHT at North Portland Bikeworks - a donation-based workshop for women and LGBT adults to learn how to work on bikes
in a safe and comfortable environment. Stop by any Wednesday from 6 to 8 PM: 3951 N Mississippi Ave; 503.287.1098.
For a list of rides, events and transportation-related happenings in the Portland metro area, try these useful links:
http://www.bikegallery.com
http://bikeportland.org - non-denominational bike blog
http://www.blueberryrides.com
http://www.commissionersam.com-
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ExchangeCycleTours/
http://www.news4neighbors.net/index.pl?section=Transportation
http://www.npgreenway.org
http://www.obra.org
http://www.ohpv.org
http://www.orbike.com/
http://www.portlandcycling.net
http://www.portlandonline.com/transportation
http://portlandtransport.com
http://www.portlandvelo.net
http://www.pumpclub.org/pumpcal.html
http://www.pwtc.com
http://www.rivercitybicycles.com - click on "Happenin's"
http://www.shifttobikes.org
http://www.slugvelo.com
http://www.cityofvancouver.us
http://www.vancouverbicycleclub.com
http://washcobtc.org - Washington County rides and events
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The BTA Digest, not to be confused with the bi-monthly BTA Cycletter newsletter, is the free e-newsletter of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance. The
Digest is sent to bicycling and pedestrian advocates, health professionals, elected officials, the media and others who are interested in happier,
healthier communities.
If you would like to view the Digest in a more navigable format, try accessing it on our website at http://www.bta4bikes.org/at_work/digest.php. It
is usually posted there one to two days after it is sent out over e-mail.
You can also get the latest in bike discussions by bookmarking the BTA blog at http://www.btablog.org.
