City of Portland Title 16
16.70 Miscellaneous Regulations
16.70.300 Bicycles
16.70.310 Person Riding Bicycles To Obey Traffic Regulations
Every person riding a bicycle upon a roadway is subject to state law and the provisions of this Title applicable to the driver of a vehicle, except state law and those provisions of this Title which by their very nature can have no application.
16.70.320 Operating Rules
No person may:
A. leave a bicycle so that it obstructs vehicle or pedestrian traffic on a roadway, sidewalk, driveway, handicap access ramp, building entrance, or so that it prevents operation of a parking meter or newspaper rack;
B. leave a bicycle secured to a fire hydrant or to a police or fire call box;
C. leave a bicycle on private property without consent of the owner or legal tenant. Consent is implied on private commercial property;
D. leave a bicycle on a street or other public property for more than 72 hours; or
E. ride a bicycle on a sidewalk, unless avoiding a traffic hazard in the immediate area, within the area bounded by and including SW Jefferson, Front Avenue, NW Hoyt and 13th Avenue, except:
1. on sidewalks designated as bike lanes or paths;
2. on the ramps or approaches to any Willamette River Bridge; or
3. in the area from the west property line of SW Ninth Avenue, to the east property line of SW Park Avenue; from the property line of SW Jefferson to the south property line of SW Salmon Street; commonly known as the South Park Blocks.
4. for police or special officers operating a bicycle in the course and scope of their duties; or
5. for employees of the Association for Portland Progress and companies providing security services operating a bicycle in the course and scope of their duties. These employees must have in possession an identification card issued by the Chief of Police certifying the rider has completed a training course in the use of a bicycle for security patrol.
16.70.330 Impounding Bicycles
A. A bicycle left on a street other public property for more than 72 hours may be impounded.
B. A bicycle may be immediately impounded if:
1. it is parked in violation of this code and obstructs or impedes pedestrian or vehicular traffic; or
2. it is an immediate threat to the public welfare.
C. The impounding agency must make reasonable efforts to notify the owner of the impoundment and a description of how and by what date the bicycle must be claimed.
D. A fee may be charged to the owner of an impounded bicycle. No impoundment fee will be charged to the owner of a stolen bicycle that has been impounded.
E. An impounded bicycle that remains unclaimed after 30 days may be disposed of in accordance with city procedures for disposal of abandoned or lost personal property.
16.70.340 Renting Bicycles
No person may rent a bicycle to another person unless the bicycle is equipped as required by state law.
16.70.400 Other Transportation
16.70.410 Roller Skates and Skateboards
16.70.410 Roller Skates and Skateboards.
(Replaced by Ordinance No. 175211, effective January 26, 2001.)
A. No person may use roller skates, including in-line skates, skateboards, scooters, or other similar devices powered exclusively by human power upon any sidewalk within the area bounded by and including SW Jefferson, Naito Parkway, NW Hoyt and 13th Avenue. The middle and bisecting sidewalks in the Park Blocks are considered sidewalks for the purposes of this subsection. The penalty for failing to follow the rules of this subsection shall be a maximum fine of $25.
B. No person may use roller skates, including in-line skates, skateboards, scooters, or other similar devices powered exclusively by human power upon any street, roadway or sidewalk on SW 5th or 6th Avenues between SW Lincoln and Burnside, and on NW 5th or 6th Avenues between Burnside and Union Station. The penalty for failing to follow the rules of this subsection shall be a maximum fine of $25.
C. All persons under 16 years of age shall wear protective headgear when using roller skates, including in-line skates, skateboards, scooters, or other similar devices powered exclusively by human power upon any street, sidewalk, or bridge. The penalty for failure to wear protective headgear as required in this subsection shall be a maximum fine of $25.00.
D. All persons using roller skates, including in-line skates, skateboards, scooters, or other similar devices powered exclusively by human power upon any street or sidewalk between the hours of sunset and sunrise must be equipped with and use lighting equipment that shows a white light visible from a distance of at least 500 feet to the front of the device.
All persons using roller skates, including in-line skates, skateboards, scooters, or other similar devices powered exclusively by human power upon any street or sidewalk between the hours of sunset and sunrise must be equipped with and use lighting equipment that has a red reflector or lighting device or material of such size or characteristic and so mounted, carried or worn as to be visible from all distances up to 600 feet to the rear when directly in front of lawful lower beams of headlights on a motor vehicle.
The penalty for failing to follow the rules of this subsection shall be a maximum fine of $25.
E. Persons using roller skates, including in-line skates, skateboards, scooters, or other similar devices powered exclusively by human power upon any street, sidewalk or premises open to the public shall be subject to the provisions applicable to and shall have the same rights and duties as the driver of a bicycle as provided by the Oregon Vehicle Code, except when those provisions by their very nature can have no application. The penalty for failing to follow the rules of this subsection shall be a maximum fine of $25.
F. A copy of a citation issued for violation of this section by persons under 16 years of age shall be mailed to the parents or guardians of the cited person at their home address, if known.
G. The Portland Police Bureau shall monitor and maintain a record of injuries and deaths attributed to riders of roller skates, including in-line skates, a skateboard, or other similar device in the City of Portland and report their findings annually to City Council. The first report shall be made on or before October 1, 2001.
H. Before this ordinance takes effect, the Portland Department of Transportation shall consult with the Bureau of Risk Management to minimize claims resulting from defects in City streets.
I. The Council directs PDOT staff to meet with members of the Police Bureau’s traffic safety division to recommend and designate "preferred skating routes" in the downtown core area as well as throughout the rest of the City. PDOT will report these recommendations back to Council by March 1, 2001. Signage and informational materials will be prepared for distribution by April 1, 2001.