Portland Community

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 release 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.

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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Temporary bike parking at PGE Park was a hit during a Timbers game last weekend.
(Photo: Jeff Castro/Bikeracker)

As more people use bicycles to get around our city, more businesses are taking notice and bike parking continues to expand and improve. The PGE Park sports complex and the Whole Foods Market in Laurelhurst are the latest locations to unveil bike parking that goes above and beyond what's required.

Temporary parking at PGE Park.
(Photo: Jeff Castro/Bikeracker)

The City of Portland worked with PGE Park on temporary bike parking during Portland Timbers soccer games. PBOT Bicycle Program Specialist Sarah Figliozzi, the woman who's also in charge of the City's on-street bike corral program, helped PGE devise a plan for parking around 100 bikes directly in front of the park's main entrance on SW Morrison. The new bike parking was unveiled back in July and is now in place at all Timbers home games.

PBOT worked with local bike parking provider Bikeracker on the racks and Figliozzi says PGE is considering purchasing their own racks and taking over the management of the bike parking themselves for the 2011 Major League Soccer season. PBOT has no formal event parking program yet, but Figliozzi has published some very helpful information online. The PBOT Event Bicycle Parking page includes the application for street/sidewalk closure permit, bike parking recommendations, and more.

People who arrive by bike are clearly welcome at the Whole Foods in Laurelhurst.
(Photo: Brian Eustis)

Another place in town where some new bike parking will catch your eye is the Whole Foods Market on 28th and E Burnside.

(Photo: Brian Eustis)

Local designer and metal sculptor Matt Cartwright (he created the bike people on the roof of River City Bicycles, among other things) installed their new, covered racks last week. Whole Foods' Marketing and Community Relations Specialist Helen Lee says the racks were "eagerly anticipated" and they went in just in time for a special Bike Day event on Saturday. The event featured free bike repair from Citybikes, giveaways from New Belgium Brewing, live music, and more.

The racks themselves were made using mostly recycled materials and the design incorporates a banana, oranges, and a pineapple. Whole Foods made the racks hard to miss by having them painted orange. There are five staples (space for at least 10 bikes) and a roof overhead to keep bikes dry.

It's great to see these collaborations between the City, businesses, and local artists to make these projects happen, not to mention what they say about respect for people who arrive by bicycle.

-- Browse more stories on this topic on our Bike Parking story archive page

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Richard Krebs' bike rests under the
wheel of a TriMet bus after the
collision on August 12th.
(Photo: Bill Jackson)

TriMet has released an update on the investigation of a collision involving a bus and a bike in downtown Portland on August 12th.

TriMet Communications Director Mary Fetsch says that following a review by the Portland Police Bureau Traffic Division, the man operating the bicycle, Richard Krebs, was given a citation for "failure to obey a traffic control device" (ORS 811.265). The bus operator was not cited, but was "provided retraining" according to Fetsch.

Fetsch also adds that the on-board video of the collision is not publicly available yet because, "... it is material evidence that may be used in court in relation to the citation."

According to details of the crash relayed by TriMet and the Police Bureau, here's how the collision occurred.

The man on the bike and the bus operator were headed northbound on SW 6th Ave in the left lane. As they approached SW Morrison (NE corner of Pioneer Courthouse Square), the bus operator swung wide to execute a "buttonhook turn" in order to clear a stopped MAX train that was stopped at the platform on Morrison. The man on the bike, who was on the left side of the bus, then "ran into the side of the bus as it was making the left hand turn." A PPB spokesperson also says that, "The bike rider said his brakes were bad and he went into the intersection."

At the time of the collision, the bus was on a temporary shuttle route due to a MAX train service interruption.

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"If we could have put a solid felony case together against Mr. Hanna, and we tried, we would have gone forward with much stiffer charges... I would have liked to seen felony charges, but at the end of the day, this was the best we could do."
-- Sgt. Todd Davis, Portland Police Bureau

Many people in the community are outraged at the light sentence given to prominent local business man and owner of Mt. Hood Ski Bowl Kirk Hanna for the drunken, 80 mph, hit-and-run he pleaded guilty to last week.

Like any high-profile case like this, there are a lot of moving parts at work; the District Attorney's office, the judge, the defense attorneys, the victim, the police, the defendant, and so on. I'll be looking into the story a bit more in the coming days, but one thing I wanted to share now is the role that the Portland Police Bureau Traffic Division played (the Traffic Division handles all our city's hit-and-run cases).

Sargeant Todd Davis has recently taken over some of the duties of ex Traffic Division Lieutenant Bryan Parman. One of those is hit-and-run cases. In my dealings with Davis about this case, he's been clearly frustrated with how it turned out. After reading several comments here on BikePortland that were critical of the handling of this case, Sgt. Davis shared the following statement. It's a window into the high stakes poker game played out between an understaffed police force and a team of high-paid attorneys (emphasis mine):

"If we could have put a solid felony case together against Mr. Hanna, and we tried, we would have gone forward with much stiffer charges.

Before myself and the Traffic Investigations Unit even knew about this case, one of Mr. Hanna's three attorneys came to our office and gave us the keys to the Porsche. They told us where it was parked and also told us we could not search it or tow it without a warrant and that we could not talk to their client.

I sent an investigator out to look at it. He took pictures of it and informed me that it looked like it had struck a bicyclist and by the extent of damage, probably caused serious injury. We still did not have a case to match this to. I called all over the metro area trying to find an agency with a serious or possible fatal hit and run to a bicyclist. With no luck, I started sifting through closed radio calls in our own city. I finally found the case in question, the hit and run to Mr. Skof on Macadam Ave. The call had been taken by Central Precinct officers and the reports were still being processed.

We then wrote a search warrant and towed Mr. Hanna's vehicle. We contacted witnesses and family members. We located surveillance cameras and looked at footage, all trying to place Mr. Hanna in the driver's seat of the Porsche. After everything was exhausted, we couldn't put the case together without an actual confession by Mr. Hanna.

This is where all the legal wrangling with his attorneys and our lone District Attorney started. We basically held our cards close and sent our DA to the table holding only a pair of deuces. The end result was the plea deal you saw last Thursday.

Like I said, I would have liked to seen felony charges, but at the end of the day, this was the best we could do. Sometimes a pair of deuces wins the pot. At the same time, the victim's ability to recover civil damages was protected. We take our cases very seriously here, especially when they involve vulnerable road users. A lot of investigative work went into this, but at the end of the day, this was the best we could do. Had this case gone to trial, there's a good chance we wouldn't have done as well.

I hope that clarifies how we ended up with these charges and the plea agreement."

This statement from Sgt. Davis shows how difficult it can be to build a case that will hold up in court and ultimately hold a defendant accountable for their actions -- especially when very capable defense attorneys are involved.

I'll be looking into other aspects of this case in the coming days. If you have questions or concerns, please share them in the comments below.

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South sidewalk will reopen Saturday.
(Photo © J. Maus)

If you've been missing using the the Broadway Bridge (I sure have) to get in and out of Northwest Portland, you're going to be very happy with this news. According to Kay Dannen with streetcar project contractor Shiels Obletz Johnsen, the bridge is set to reopen to biking and walking traffic this Saturday, September 4th.

On Saturday, all traffic (biking, walking, and motor vehicle) will be routed onto the south side of the bridge (similar to when the bridge first closed). Dannen says they expect the north sidewalk to reopen on Friday, September 17th.

With progress moving forward quickly on the east side and on the bridge, new closures are coming in the Pearl District. Be wary of full street closures for the next two months on NW Lovejoy between NW 9th and 12th and on NW Northrup between NW 10th and 11th. Sidewalks will remain open in those areas and people are allowed to bike on them (the boundary where sidewalk riding is illegal ends at NW Hoyt). (I'm awaiting word from Dannen as to whether or not bike traffic will be allowed to continue west on Lovejoy or if all traffic will be routed down to Hoyt.)

For more updates on closures due to construction of the Eastside Streetcar project, follow @pdxstreetcar on Twitter or see the construction updates on PortlandStreetcar.org.

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[Longtime BikePortland reader John Beaston recently completed a bike tour with some friends along the Oregon Coast. I asked him to share a few photos and a brief recap about what they did along the way. Please note: Since this ride combined bicycling and beer drinking, I asked Beaston to explain how they made sure there was no pedaling under the influence. He said they had a designated support van the entire way and all brewery stops were scheduled at dinner, so no riding was done after imbibing.]

The group at Seaside.
John Beaston is second from right.

Back in 2002, a friend and I did the Oregon Coast Bike Route. After we got home we told all of our beer buddies about what a great experience it was; a pitcher later and we had concocted the 2010 Oregon Coast Brewery to Brewery Bike Tour -- a 7-day, van-supported jaunt from Astoria to Brookings taking in the scenery and stopping at all seven coastal breweries.

We just returned and here's a combo beer and road report...

Breweries (see full list below)
The good: Those seven breweries are creating some fantastic beers. Ft George Brewing in Astoria and Wakonda Brewing in Florence were our favorites places. Wakonda's Imperial Pilsner was our standout beer.

The "needs improvement": There are no breweries south of Florence. That's a long, long dry stretch. This is a huge economic opportunity just waiting in Coos Bay, Port Orford, Bandon, Gold Beach and Brookings.

The Oregon Coast Bike Route:
The good: The scenery is spectacular. It is a world-renowned route after all. This is a Cycle Oregon-class ride. We averaged 60 miles per day and over 3000 feet of climbing. The state-supplied map is
great, and much of the route takes side trips off Highway 101 on low traffic side road. These side trips were some of the best sections of the trip. Since 2002, the state has used stimulus money to significantly improve the pavement quality in spots. There are now miles and miles of baby-butt smoothness to enjoy.

The "needs improvement": There are also miles and miles of shoulder chock-full of debris (primarily gravel and wood chips). Particularly in the southern part of the route, sections of the travel lane have been repaired or repaved but the shoulder has not. Some places have dangerously narrow shoulders that require sharing the road with massive RVs and log trucks. Bridges are often pinch-points requiring taking the lane or walking.

Our advice: Do it! Especially after Labor Day to avoid some of the traffic. Ride carefully. Many of the tourists are not used to being around bicycles.

The OCBTBBT team was John Beaston, Ted Forgeron, Steve Armbrust, Rich Bader, Cort Vaughan and John Driscoll...

The Breweries:

Fort George Brewery + Public House
Website
1483 Duane St.
Astoria, OR 97103
503-325-PINT

Wet Dog - Astoria Brewing
Facebook
144 11th
Astoria, OR 97103
503-325-6975

Warren House Pub (owned by Bill's Tavern/Brewery)
Facebook
3301 S Hemlock
Cannon Beach, OR 97110
503-436-1130

Pelican Pub & Brewery
Website
33180 Cape Kiwanda Dr.
Pacific City, OR 97135
503-965-7007

Rogue Ales Brewery
Website
748 SW Bay Blvd.
Newport, OR 97365
541-265-3188

Wakonda Brewing Co.
Facebook
1725 Kingwood St. #4
Florence, OR 97439
541-991-0694

Wild River Pizza (brewery in Cave Junction)
Website
16279 Highway 101 S
Brookings Harbor, OR 97415
541-469-7454

Opens tomorrow.

As a follow-up to a story we reported last March, the facility that houses Bikestation Hillsboro will have its grand opening tomorrow. The new Bikestation -- the first of its kind in the Portland metro region -- is set to open in a few weeks. It will offer over 1,200 square feet of secure bike parking accessible by members through electronic card access 24 hours a day. The new Bikestation is located on the ground floor of the five-story, 20,000 square foot Hillsboro Intermodal Transit Facility (ITF) that will have a grand opening event tomorrow. In addition to bike parking, the ITF will house motor vehicle parking, street-level retail shops, and EV charging stations.

"The primary objective is to encourage a modal shift from single occupancy vehicles to cleaner, sustainable transportation options, such as bicycles..."
-- Bikestation/Mobis Inc.

Bikestation members and will have access to secure, indoor bike parking, lockers, restrooms, showers, a repair stand, tools, bike and transit route information, an air pump, and more. To become a member (you can sign up online) there's annual $20 administration fee in addition to a daily ($1), monthly ($12) or annual ($96) membership plan.

The ITF, located just one block from the TriMet Blue MAX line at SE 8th and Washington, is the latest addition to Hillsboro's Health & Education District and will be a parking hub for the Virginia Garcia Memorial Health Center, Portland Community College, Tuality Hospital and Pacific University.

A statement from Bikestation's parent company, Mobis Inc., says the primary objective of the new Bikestation is to serve as a testament to Hillsboro's dedication to alternative transportation and sustainability and "encourage a modal shift from single occupancy vehicles to cleaner, sustainable transportation options, such as bicycles that link with the public transportation systems."

Other cities with Bikestations include Santa Barbara, Long Beach, and Palo Alto CA, Seattle WA, Washington DC., and others. Portland has given considerable thought to the idea of bringing a Bikestation to town since at least March of 2007, but as of now there are no plans to move forward.

Tomorrow's event kicks off at 4:00 pm. Attendees will have the opportunity to purchase earlybird Bikestation memberships and learn more about the facility. A grand opening for the Bikestation is expected for late September/early October.

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The First Family on a bike ride!

Welcome back to Monday everyone. Here are the news items and other interesting tidbits that caught our eye last week...

- President Obama and his family enjoyed a bike ride on their recent trip to Martha's Vineyard. This news video (below) of the Obama bike path sighting is priceless (note the part where the witness says a secret service car followed them on the path... that's not allowed!):

- My how far the Dutch bike invasion has come in the last few years. The Wall St. Journal takes a look at another posh, Euro-centric bike shop in New York City.

- If this article in the Herald Extra is any indication, bike jousting seems to be catching on in Provo, Utah. The best part is that the folks putting on the joust, BikeProvo.org, say they're doing it "To pull bicyclists together" and build the voice of bicycling in the community.

- There's another massive traffic jam in China. Thankfully (this time) there's a voice of reason among the madness. A Chinese urban planner is using the disaster to pressure authorities to build up the subway system, light rail, and bus service.

- In Copenhagen, the number of motor vehicle parking spaces is decreasing and those that remain are more expensive. While some cry foul, the City is standing strong on their policy "to pressure people to use a bicycle or public transport instead of the car."

- This 2008 photo taken by UK bike journalist Carlton Reid is getting a lot of attention. Peter Drew of Adelaide, Australia is the artist who so eloquently calls out the difference between bikes and cars.

- The Pentagon is building a flying car? Seriously?! Seems our government will do just about anything (Cash for Clunkers, financial bailout, etc., etc., etc...) to make sure the automobile industry flourishes well into the future.

- Here's a headline from Vancouver BC that will sound all too familiar: " ">Proposed Vancouver bike lane will have catastrophic effects, businesses say."

- Up in Seattle, an editorial columnist for the Times says now is just not the time for a City plan to raise taxes to pay for projects that will improve transportation safety. Too bad her argument loses credibility for its stereotypes and other glaringly anti-bike assertions.

- Despite decades of PSAs and MADD advocacy, drunk driving is still out of control in America. In recent months we've had several high-profile examples here in Portland (Oregonian Editorial Page Editor Bob Caldwell, owner of Mt. Hood Ski Bowl Kirk Hanna, City Council candidate Mary Volm), and now the NHTSA has released results of a drunk driving study showing that an estimated 17 million people admitted to driving drunk in the last 12 months.

-- Come across an interesting bit of bike news? Tag it "bikeportland" on Delicious, let us know via Twitter, or just send the link via email and we'll include it in next week's Roundup.

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Bike traffic on N. Interstate Ave.
(Photo © J. Maus)

The weekend is upon us. Pull up our excellent and jam-packed Weekend Event Guide and plan out your bike fun.

I've been in Lake Tahoe, California for the past few days (last-minute family thing, I've been writing stories late at night and early morning!), so I won't be participating in all the great events going on... So, as per usual, share your plans and adventures in the comments below.

Have a great weekend.

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