Potential Future Neighborhood Greenways Bike Ride

Wednesday, August 3

Ride Begins at Wellington Park (NE Mason/67th Avenue)

6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

If you would like to see PBOT expand its network of low traffic, low speed bikeway routes and/or enjoy a dose of Portland bicycle history, than the Potential Future Neighborhood Greenways Bike Ride is for you.

Portland By Cycle coordinator and Portland bicycle diplomat Timo Forsberg will lead participants on a leisurely and edifying ride through first-generatlon bicycle boulevards and demonstrate how PBOT's design treatment has evolved to our current neighborhood greenways. The ride will also highlight potential new neighborhood greenways in NE Portland.  

Like all Portland By Cycle rides, the ride is free. Helmets are required and bike lights and water are highly recommended.

Contact Timo Forsberg with any questions.

Are you interested in learning how Portland's transportation system developed and how you can help shape its future? A FREE class for Portland residents is being offered at Portland State this fall.

Learn more on the class website, including how to apply for a FREE scholarship: portlandonline.com/transportation/psuclass

The City of Portland and Portland State University are teaming up for the 20th year to offer the Portland Traffic and Transportation class. For ten weeks, this free class gives neighborhood activists the opportunity to meet with local policy makers, political leaders, and planners to gain a better understanding of the metro area’s transportation system. Class participants also work directly with former Metro Executive Officer and current Shiels Obletz Johnsen principal, Rick Gustafson, on their own neighborhood transportation or livability projects. Gustafson developed the class in concert with Congressman Earl Blumenauer and is a knowledgeable leader on transportation and community development.

The class fills quickly, so fill out the scholarship application today!

For more information contact Scott Cohen at the City of Portland Bureau of Transportation. (503) 823-5345 or scott.cohen@portlandoregon.gov

photo: Paul Cone

Although I've heard some griping about the slight chill on our beautiful summer, I absolutely love this weather.  It's hard to believe but autumn, school, and September are right around the corner. 

But now is no time to get nostalgic for our Northwest summer; we're still right in the thick of it and we must celebrate the current nexus of our great city and this glorious weather! 

Here are a few of my favorite things about getting around Portland at this time of year:

• Short blocks - One of Portland's greatest active transportation assets is our short blocks.  It's only 200 feet to the next corner.  Crossing distances are shorter and the city is more walkable - compare our regular grid with the super blocks that were created around Southwest 1st Ave south of Market St.  The difference is palpable.

• Neighborhood Greenways - Have you walked or biked on NE Going or Klickitat Street recently (sorry for the northern bias its where I live)? Holy cow!  The number of people out walking and biking - in the streets - is just phenomenal.  A lot of that is due to PBOT's Neighborhood Greenway projects. 

• Wind/sun in my face - I work in a very climate controlled environment.  I love coming out of work and feeling that cool westerly breeze coupled with the warmth of the sun.  It's a glorious combination.  And when I ride the bus, I try to sit on the left side of the bus so I can open the window (if the A/C isn't on) and revel in the sun dripping over the west hills.

• My Calendar of Events - Free concerts and movies in the parks, a different themed bike ride almost every day, farmer's market runs, Sunday Parkways, Pickathon - August is a bevy of Portland goodness almost every single day.  We should start lobbying for a month-long vacation like the French get.  August can be Portlanders' month to be tourist in our own city.  Velib! 

This Thursday (August 18th) the Bicycle Transportation Alliance and PBOT's SmartTrips Business program will present at the monthly Bicycle Brown Bag series about encouraging bicycling at the workplace and why bikes are good business.

Steve Hoyt-McBeth of SmartTrips Business and Tom Rousculp of the Bicycle Transportation Alliance will join a panel of representatives from Regence and New Seasons, who will share how bicycling has transformed their workplaces for the better and how your business can get involved. 

Attendees will leave with a list of tools and opportunities to promote bicycling and other healthy commute options at their workplace.

And make sure to mark your calendars for next month's presentation: StreetSmart:  Bill Beamer and Mark Lear will present on PBOT's safety campaign.  (Actually, why don't you just go ahead and set your calendars monthly for the 3rd Thursday at noon!)