The Monday Roundup: E-bike fire, freeway lids, Whoopi Goldberg, and more

Welcome to Monday.

This week’s Monday Roundup is sponsored by the Worst Day of the Year Ride, a classic Portland event with three route choices that happens February 10th.

Here are the most noteworthy items we came across in the past seven days…

Another front of the war on speed: Streetsblog reports that the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices voted last week to require cities to include “pedestrian and bicycle activity” when setting speed limits (yes it’s sad this is considered a major breakthrough).

E-bike on fire: The battery in an Australian man’s electric-powered road bike caught fire during a ride. The fire also detonated CO2 canisters in his saddle bag.

Put a lid on it: Portland isn’t the only city looking to cap I-5. Seattle’s Lid I-5 campaign is looking for a multi-disciplinary team to figure out the best lid design for over 12 acres of the freeway.

Bikes on transit in DC: The Washington Post says a new policy to allow bicycles on Metro trains has worked out fine so far — despite concerns it would cramp quarters and make riders uncomfortable.

Stop state hate: A California lawmaker is so tired of his state DOT (Caltrans) marginalizing the needs of bicycle riders, transit users, and walkers, that he’s introduced legislation to force their hand.

Commuters are polluters: It’s good to see national political media pointing out that climate change policy must tackle the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions: cars and trucks. Now let’s hope Oregon lawmakers take heed.

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BRT in Africa: Dar es Salaam, the burgeoning capitol city of Tanzania, has tamed its crazy congestion with a simple tool that Portland has yet to fully embrace: Bus Rapid Transit.

Biking and mental health: Urbanism scholar Robin Mazumder wrote on Medium about how riding a bicycle is key to his mental well-being.

The Whoopi Goldberg thing: The actress and talk show host railed against bike lanes in a high-profile debate about transportation policy with NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio on The View.

Biking “Viadoom”: Seattleites have responded to the shutdown of SR 99 by bicycling a lot more and generally finding other ways to get around. Maybe they don’t need a massive freeway through their city after all?

— Jonathan Maus: (503) 706-8804, @jonathan_maus on Twitter and jonathan@bikeportland.org

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