The 2010 Portland Bicycle Count Report tells many stories.

Our Bicycle Coordinator Roger Geller conveyed an important one last week: Portlanders switching to bicycling have reduced congestion on four Willamette River bridges while increasing the number of people getting to and from downtown.

On four pedestrian- and bicycle-friendly Willamette River bridges (Broadway, Burnside, Hawthorne and Steel), the total number of vehicle crossings has increased by 8% while the auto crossing has dropped by 4% during the last 20 years.

Geller uses the Hawthorne Bridge to illustrate how people riding bikes are making it better for drivers:

In the case of the Hawthorne Bridge, the negative effects of congestion have been kept at bay. While the number of vehicles crossing the Hawthorne Bridge increased by 20% between 1991 and 19982008, that increase has been almost wholly in bicycle traffic. Had the increase been - as it might be in most places - by automobiles, then the intersections at either ends of the bridge would likely have failed in their ability to effectively and efficiently move traffic.

In other words, with more Portlanders choosing to ride bicycles, our bridges are moving more people without costly lane expansions or increased pollution from automobile exhaust.

Read the other posts in our Portland Bicycle Count series:

Biking and Gender

Portland 2006 bicycle counts vs. 2010

Portland bike ridership reaches highest level

Oregon Public Broadcasting is airing a special on how streetcars shaped Portland's development.  Here's the information about the show and two special screenings with the producers on hand to answer questions.

We wanted to let you know that OREGON EXPERIENCE: STREET CAR CITY will air on OPB TV on February 28 at 9pm. Kami Horton produced the half-hour special that explores how Oregon once had one of the most extensive streetcar systems in the United States providing cheap, comfortable public transportation – long before there were automobiles. The program also examines how streetcar lines formed the streets and neighborhoods that shaped our cities, and provided a foundation for the modern streetcar revival.

We hope you can help get the word out about the program and two pre-broadcast screenings:

The screenings are free and open to the public and OPB producers will be on hand to answer questions.

The first is in Astoria on Monday, Feb. 21 at noon at the Maritime Museum (1792 Marine Drive).

The second is scheduled for Thursday, Feb. 24 at 6:30pm in Portland at the Ecotrust Building/Jean Vollum Natural Capital Center at 721 NW 9th Avenue. It's a great chance to use the street car for transport!

As pictured in Portland's Comprehensive Bicycle Plan of the same year.
Hat tip to Jeff Smith, who pointed it out to me.

As reported by the Oregonian yesterday, the online US News put Portland in first place as the best transit system in the country.

The magazine's criteria included ridership per capita, safety incidents per million trips, and public spending per capita.

Here's US News' top ten:

1. Portland, OR

2. Salt Lake City

3. New York

4. Boston

5. Minneapolis-St. Paul, MN

6. San Francisco

7. Los Angeles

8. Honolulu

9 (tie). Denver

9 (tie). Austin

Have you ridden public transit in these other cities? What was your experience?