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Wednesday, November 12, 2008

Bicycling continues to gain in Portland


From The Oregonian, 11.12.08:

A banner year for bicycles in Portland
Portland's annual city bicyclist counts posted some impressive numbers for 2008, and fuel prices near $5 a gallon last summer were only part of the explanation.

A report just released by Portland's Office of Transportation shows that bicycle use in the city increased by double digits for the fourth straight year. On top of that, the city's 28 percent increase in overall bicycle use for 2008 was the biggest single-year increase since Portland began counting cyclists at various locations around the city in the early 1990s...

Transportation planners should also be pleased with the year's increase in female bicyclists, an important indicator of success for municipal bicycle programs. In 2008, Portland's proportion of women riders reached an all-time high of 32 percent, up from 26 percent in 1997 and 31 percent in 2007.

High gas prices alone don't account for Portland's accelerating growth in bicycle use. Roger Geller, the city's bicycle coordinator, also credits Portland's modest but steady investments in bicycle infrastructure and encouragement programs, as well as a growing public awareness of the health and environmental benefits of bicycling. (Read more.)
Encouraging editorial in The Oregonian, applauding Portland's continued progress for bicycling. Considered a model by many bicycle advocates, Portland earlier this year received the coveted Platinum level award from the League of American Bicyclists' Bicycle Friendly Community program. The only other Platinum-level Bicycle Friendly Community in the U.S. is Davis, California.

Image: Web capture.
Visit: Is it Green? Portland, Inhabitat
Visit: League honors Portland as top bicycle-friendly community, Portland Business Journal
Visit: Portland: Democracy Now! celebrates bicycling culture, Bike Commute Tips Blog
Visit: Portland's bicycling economy, Bike Commute Tips Blog
Visit: Portland acts to protect cyclists, Bike Commute Tips Blog
Visit: New York Times on Portland bicycling, Bike Commute Tips Blog
Visit: Portland: Leaving the car behind, Bike Commute Tips Blog
Visit: Paul Dorn's Bike Commuting Tips Site

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

nice post

Anonymous said...

Great to see so many more bike commuters on the road these days. In Portland there are some particularly popular bike lane intersections where at certain time of the day not every bike waiting for a green light is able to get through the intersection before the light turns red again.

chococat78 said...

Fantastic post!

Unknown said...

Hi Paul-- I came across your blog by typing 'cycling abroad' into a search engine.

I live in Portland, OR and started commuting by bike 2 years ago. I definitley share your passion for cycling. My commute is often the highlight of my day and the perfect detox at the end of a stressful workday.

Thanks for being so dedicated to encouraging others-- it is a big hurdle to become a bike commuter and I certainly could've used your tips and encouragement a few years back. I'm writing you with an off topic question-- I'm traveling alone to Vietnam explore the country by bike. I'm having a hard time booking tours because I am a single rider an there is typically a 2 person minimum. Do you know of any online cycling communities or suggestions how to connect with other trip planning cyclists?

Thanks in advance and sorry if I'm barking up the wrong tree.

-Lauren