County shares plans to address cycling safety during major road closure

County will install signs advising drivers to use caution around bicycle riders on roads like NW Skyline Blvd.
(Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)

Last week we reported on a project that will close NW Cornelius Pass Road between Highway 30 and NW Germantown Road to through traffic for 13 weeks starting July 8th. Cornelius Pass is a major highway that connects Washington County (near Highway 26) with Scappoose and other destinations along Highway 30.

This is a big deal for bicycle riders because the project will detour thousands of people driving cars and trucks onto what are usually quiet, rural roads that happen to be on very popular cycling routes.

Concerned about safety impacts, we asked Multnomah County if they’d considered bicycle riders in their detour and outreach plans. So far the traffic plans shown on the County’s website and other materials makes no specific mention of cycling routes or cycling-related safety issues. Thankfully it now appears the County will integrate cycling-specific safety messages into their plans.

The average daily traffic volume (ADT) of the section of Cornelius Pass that will be detoured is around 13,000 driving trips. According to the County, about 13 percent of those — around 1,500 vehicles — are big-rig trucks and buses that will take an all-highway detour that won’t have a big impact on cycling. However, that still leaves about 11,500 additional car and (non-commercial) truck trips that will be using roads like NW Newberry, NW Skyline, NW Old Cornelius Pass, NW Phillips and others during the closure.

Yesterday I heard back from County spokesperson Mike Pullen about what they plan to do to address cycling conditions and make drivers aware of the presence of bicycle riders on the roads. Here’s the plan:

Signs: We will install signs on popular cycling roads near Cornelius Pass Road to alert drivers that cyclists are likely to be on the road. These roads will include Skyline, Newberry, Old Cornelius Pass Road, and probably Germantown and McNamee.

Outreach/Communication: We will be sending a mailer to a large zone in the three impacted counties, issuing news releases, project updates, social media posts and maintaining the project webpage. A key message for the public will be for all road users to share the road and be alert for increased traffic on sideroads and the presence of bicyclists. A message for recreational cyclists will be to alert them to the increased traffic we expect on specific sideroads so they can avoid the area if they choose.

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No Trucks: A big part of our safety plan is to restrict large trucks and buses from narrow sideroads where they are not permitted. We will be installing more signs to on sideroads where through trucks are banned (such as Newberry and Logie Trail Roads) and working with the Sheriff’s Office to enforce the restriction and cite truck drivers who violate the bans.

Some members of the County’s Bicycle & Pedestrian Advisory Committee thought speed bumps on NW Newberry (the main detour route and favorite climb of many riders) would be a good idea. Pullen said they reviewed that idea; but because driving speeds are expected to already be slow due to the increase in traffic volume. “Installing speed humps on a steep, curving rural road is not warranted, according to our engineer,” Pullen said. He also shared that a temporary traffic signal will be installed on Highway 30 at NW Newberry.

Another idea floated by people concerned about cycling safety was to create special pullouts in shoulders. “In practice, it’s hard to do this,” Pullen shared in an email yesterday. “Bicyclists will tend to find a wide spot in the road or a driveway if they need to get out of traffic in an area where roads are narrow.”

So as of now, beyond the signal at Newberry and Highway 30, there’s no hard infrastructure planned to help mitigate safety concerns related to this project detour. The focus from the County is signs, outreach and enforcement.

Once the detour starts in July we’ll monitor the situation closely. I ride these roads a lot myself, but please get in touch if you have feedback or experiences to share.

More info: Cornelius Pass Road Safety Improvements project page and traffic plan.

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

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Weekend Event Guide: Bikepacking clinics, Filmed by Bike launch, and more

If photos like this make your heart beat a bit faster, you should check out one of the upcoming adventure riding events. (This photo is the Coquille River in Parkersburg just east of Bandon.)
(Photo: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)

One of the best things about our community is how people share what they know.

Over the next three days there are three events on our calendar that will get you inspired and educated about adventure riding – from regional touring to epic bikepacking trips. It starts with a Bikepacking 101 clinic tonight (Thursday, 2/28) at the Beaverton Bike Gallery.

Yes it’s cold and a challenging time to ride for some people, but our bike scene never stops! Check out our weekly event picks below…

Friday, March 1st

Rad! Movie Night – 5:30 pm at Breadwinner Cafe (N)
Free popcorn, cheap beer and the classic 1986 BMX flick shown at a place where bicycles are made and bicycle dreams come true. More info here.

Filmed by Bike Launch Party – 6:00 pm at NW Documentary (NW)
Time to get amped up for the 17th annual film fest that puts cycling front-and-center. We hear the movies this year break new ground and are not to be missed. Get the inside line on tickets, screenings, and be the first to see the always-fun promo trailer! More info here.

Saturday, March 2nd

First Timer’s Ride – 10:00 am at River City Bicycles (SE)
New to riding or just looking for a sociable spin through the city? This is the ride for you. More info here.

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Bicycle Touring Workshop – 10:30 am at Golden Pliers Bike Shop (N)
The inimitable Shawn Granton of Urban Adventure League will share his vast understanding of loaded bicycle trips for a very reasonable price of $15. Only a few spots remain so make sure to sign up before you show up! More info here.

Civil Unrest Bicycle Club Monthly Ride – 1:00 pm at Salmon Street Fountain (SW)
Join this merry band of cycling and disability rights activists on their monthly ride. More info here.

Bikepacking & Beers – The Oregon Timber Trail and Baja Divide – 6:00 pm at Cyclepath PDX (NE)
If you seek inspiration for your spring and summer adventures, come hang out with West Coast Women’s Cycling club for a night full of tips and recollections from great rides. Also a great chance to see one of the city’s best bike shops! More info here.

Sunday, March 3rd

Slow Poke Ride – 10:00 am at Lents Park (SE)
Portland Wheelmen Touring Club-led ride that will venture to the Springwater path and roll to Boring with a stop at a bagel place. Expect about 25 miles. More info here.

Stay plugged into all the bike and transportation-related events around the region via our comprehensive event calendar.

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

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Chicken and Dumplings

Here's how to make classic chicken and dumplings! Start with a hearty chicken and vegetable stew, then adding delicious homemade dumplings. Learn the trick to light and fluffy homemade dumplings that still hold together.

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Shower vs. Bathtub

Content originally published and Shared from http://perfectbath.com

Contemplating whether you should put a bathtub or a shower in your bathroom? Here are some factors to consider:

Photo by Karla Alexander on Unsplash

Who will use the bathroom?
Think of either the people in your household or your potential buyers. Young, busy couples tend to prefer walk-in showers over tubs. The same is true for many elderly and disabled individuals because walk-ins are easy to get into and out of; however, these homeowners tend to prefer a place to sit and railings for safety and ease. Although, it would be difficult for parents of babies and toddlers to manage bath time in a shower.

If you are looking to age-in-place, a shower is a good investment. If you are planning to start a family, make sure you have at least one tub.

Baths in a master suite are usually only used by adults. If you plan to keep or install a master bathtub, consider deep, stand-alone models. These provide a luxurious option for those who like to soak in comfort. There are models for every aesthetic, easily incorporated into modern, rustic and antique designs. You can even look for varieties with jets or internal heaters that help keep the water warm. Source: TheSpruce

Which is more environmentally friendly?
Showers beat baths from an environment standpoint so long as you aren’t taking a very long shower, Grist reported earlier this year.

The best way to conserve water is to use a water-saving shower head, which uses no more than two gallons of water per minute. A 10-minute shower will put you at only 20 gallons on average to get clean through this method.

The average bath uses 36 gallons to fill a tub, while the average shower (without the water-saving device) uses five gallons of water per minute, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

You can make it snappy and rinse off between five and seven minutes with a regular shower head, or go a bit longer with a water-reducing nozzle instead. Source: HuffPost

Does the bathroom have enough space?
Space is at a premium in the average bathroom, which often measures just 5 by 8. While a standard tub measures 30 inches wide, it can be as long as 72 inches, according to This Old House, while stand-alone showers range from 36 by 36 inches to 36 by 48. This smaller footprint allows a shower to fit much more readily in a small bathroom than a tub, freeing up space for other features. Eliminating the tub in favor of the shower also allows homeowners to incorporate a larger, spa-like shower rather than the standard enclosure, while still utilizing less space than the average bathtub. Source: HomeGuides.SFGate

If at this point you’re still undecided on which to get, we can help you pick what works best for your bathroom. Call us today!

 

Contact:
Perfect Bath
Phone: Toll Free 1-866-843-1641
Calgary, Alberta
Email: info@perfectbath.com

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Family Biking Column: My recap of the Worst Day of the Year Ride

Cargo trailers make for easy decorating, and easy carrying of three kids and three bikes (one had a flat tire, two were tired).
(Photo: Jen Regan)

After having such a great time last year celebrating a friend’s 8th birthday on the Worst Day of the Year Ride, we had to do it again! In fact, it was so fun that our friend rescheduled his birthday by two weeks to work around the rescheduling of the event — that’s dedication!

Our Family Biking column is sponsored by Clever Cycles.

➤ Read past entries here.

I highly recommend this ride for families with even the littlest kids. Kids 12 and under are free and early registration for those over 12 is $12.50. The Family Route ride is four miles and took us an hour and 14 minutes including a fun rest stop (41 minutes moving time). The covered tent at the start/finish has plenty of space and several heat lamps. And the food is plentiful and good for picky kids.

The date change (postponed two weeks due to unsafe icy roads) wasn’t convenient for everyone, and the ride seemed to draw fewer people than last year, but I’m so glad the event wasn’t canceled outright. Also, since we do the Family Route which starts two hours after the Challenge Route, we don’t get to see the start crowd in all its glory.

Plenty of room to gather in the closed streets.

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The bountiful breakfast spread.

Lots of coffee, before and after the ride.

Souvenirs.
(Photos: Madi Carlson)

➤ Breakfast
In the interest of keeping the kids from getting too cold, we don’t arrive too early, but we did give ourselves time to hit the breakfast spread. We enjoyed muffins (blueberry, poppyseed, and chocolate), bagels, bananas, cereal, coffee, and hot chocolate. This was all in the same tent as check-in and day-of registration making it easy to take care of business before hitting the course.

Worst Day event staff is the best, thanks Greg!

Things only seemed mildly discombobulated given the date change, but everything still worked out just fine. We saw a small group of Family Route participants gathered in the street when we arrived, but it was well before 10:45 a.m. so we didn’t join them out in the cold. Unfortunately, the Family Route ride marshal (just one this year, whereas there were several to stick with various clumps of riders last year) escorted them onto the course early so we didn’t get an escort this year. Granted, before last year’s Worst Day of the Year Ride, I’ve never been on a ride with a volunteer leading the way so it’s not something I expect, but it was really nice! The discombobulation got a little worse after that when event staffer Greg wasn’t sure if the Family Route was signed of not (it was!) but he gave us great instructions and helped me find the Ride with GPS route so we didn’t have to worry about falling off the course.

The course was very well marked with yellow arrows.

Halfway through our small ride, we joined routes with the 15-mile Urban Route so that made for a more exciting course, suddenly seeing more bikes on the road. We Family Route riders pulled off for a kid-friendly rest stop while the Urban Route riders were motivated to push on at the TWO MILES TO GO sign.

Rest stop helmet and handlebar decoration station.

Rest stop snow station was very popular.

Rest stop cookies smothered in whipped cream, cherries, and chocolate station.

➤ Rest stop
The rest stop was staffed by lovely Benson Polytechnic High School Dance Team students and parents who helped the kids decorate helmets and handlebars, play with artificial snow, and make cookie sundaes. A four-mile route probably doesn’t need a rest stop and we didn’t know to expect one last year, but it’s such a great touch!

Lunch!

➤ Lunch
Vegan chili, tomato soup, grilled cheese sandwiches, chips, and cookies (chocolate chip, oatmeal raisin, and peanut butter) were provided in a tent in the street next to the breakfast/registration tent which was now set up for eating and merchandise shopping. The heat lamps were still on and much appreciated.

The photo booth was very fun.

➤ Photo booth
A very professional photo booth set up against the back of Lucky Lab Brew Pub was one of the kids’ favorite things. They were invited to pose for and print as many photos as they wanted, but we moms capped it at two.

The most amazing costume I saw!

Costume contest all-stars.

➤ Costume contest
We didn’t enter the costume contest this year, but I love admiring all the costumes! We were “biking birthday party” again, and this year I brought my new cargo trailer rather than my cargo bike and it proved a great base for balloons, streams, and piñata.

The birthday boy won the race to the finish.

Pixie was in a party dress under her blankie.

Not everyone wears a costume, but we saw some great ones like Han Solo and Chewbacca on a tandem bike, Smokey and the Bandit, and dandelions (achoo!).

Were you there? Will go you next year? What would you suggest as a group costume assuming we branch out next time? Thanks for reading!

Remember, we’re always looking for people to profile. Get in touch if it sounds like fun to you. I’d especially like to feature families of color so please get in touch or ask friends of color who bike with their kids if they’re interested in sharing their stories. And as always, feel free ask questions in the comments below or email me your story ideas and insights at madidotcom [at] gmail [dot] com.

— Madi Carlson, @familyride on Instagram and Twitter

Browse past Family Biking posts here.

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Rock Creek Cyclery is a new hub for bike lovers in Hillsboro

Martín Acosta inside the new space.
(Photos: Naomi Fast)

Naomi Fast is our Washington County correspondent.

Not everyone believes in the oft-quoted movie mantra, “If you build it, they will come.” But out in Hillsboro, the adage holds true — and not just for Hillsboro Hops baseball.

Less than two years after I wrote about a new separated bikeway that parallels Cornelius Pass Road between Cornell and Highway 26, a new bike shop has moved in less than a mile away: Rock Creek Cyclery.

Co-owners Martín Acosta and Dorothy Schweitzer.
(Photo: Rock Creek Cyclery on Facebook)

The shop is owned and managed by Martín Acosta and Dorothy Schweitzer, who formerly ran Bethany Bike Repair in the northeastern corner of unincorporated Washington County. They moved to Hillsboro after outgrowing their small space in Bethany Village and are now settled in to a space four times the size at 21420 NE Nicholas Court (about 1,000 feet from the Rock Creek Trail). The new location is a warehouse with 1,400 square feet of space where they offer a growing set of services, from bicycle tune-ups and maintenance clinics, to indoor bike training.

Dorothy said they’ve heard from many of their Bethany customers that they miss having a shop so close. “Luckily, we were able to communicate our move to most of our customers, and we’ve had many of them visit us in our new location,” she said. “We’re happy to be in Hillsboro because this area has a lot of young professionals and cyclists like ourselves. We also feel welcomed in the community already thanks to the Hillsboro Chamber of Commerce. We let Hillsboro know we were coming, and they welcomed us with open arms.”

The shop’s grand opening celebration was last November 17th. Their new neighbors, Vertigo Brewery, pitched in for the party with dollar-off pints.

I went to check out the new shop location on a recent rainy Wednesday. I arrived at the Rock Creek Industrial Center by way of Cornelius Pass. After biking down a couple wrong driveways, I pulled out my phone to see if I was lost, but then spotted the shop’s handwritten sign. Martín, who was outside the shop at that moment, saw me on my bike and waved. It turned out to be Martín & Dorothy’s day off, but they happened to be there and welcomed me in to take a look. What a great space! I was immediately drawn to the feel of the shop. There’s floor space to work on bikes, a bona fide artist’s loft, a comfy couch, and a pair of adorable “shop dogs,” Sadie and Tanner (below), who have their own electric blanket to stay warm on cold February days.

A comfy place to chill (for humans and dogs).
(Photo: Rock Creek Cyclery on Facebook)

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“I’m interested in educating our customers about the difference in quality between bikes as well as engaging more new or renewed cyclists like myself.”
— Dorothy Schweitzer, co-owner

Dorothy, whose background is in business administration and management, does much of the shop’s marketing, including through their website and social media accounts. “I’ve always loved working for small businesses and connecting with customers. I also love to make art with used bike parts,” she said. Dorothy considers herself more of a casual cyclist. “I had a department store bike in my early 20s that made me think cycling wasn’t for me. After Martín got me a real bike, I fell back in love with it. Because of this, I’m interested in educating our customers about the difference in quality between bikes as well as engaging more new or renewed cyclists like myself.”

Martín, the shop’s master mechanic, is a racer who comes from a cycling family. “I was fixing bikes by the age of 10,” he said. “I worked in bike shops starting in high school, and cycling helped me to lead a healthier lifestyle. I started getting into racing and realized that it was my passion. I moved into a different part of the cycling industry working for TRP brakes, helping to develop disc brakes in the early stages for road bikes. I then became a personal trainer before opening up our shop in Bethany. I love health and fitness and cycling, and helping others to ride more.”

The aptly named Rock Creek Cyclery is right on the Rock Creek Trail, which Dorothy said they’ve used to lead several beginner group rides. “The Rock Creek Trail is a beautiful trail to ride from the shop to north of 26,” she said.

With that in mind, Rock Creek Cyclery offers beginner group rides on Saturday mornings during the warmer months. The rides are open to anyone and their purpose is to encourage people to ride and discover new routes and trails.

“We had these beginner rides at our old shop, and they helped people to get more comfortable with riding on the road, in the trails and through the neighborhood. We also have a Sunday morning ride even in cold weather (but not every single week) for the racing community. This ride is focused on training for racing, whether it’s sprints, climbs, or endurance training. We train for the season ahead, doing more road rides in the spring and train for cyclocross in the late summer,” they told me.

Bike shops are an essential part of a city’s bicycle infrastructure. We’re lucky to have Rock Creek Cyclery on the west side. Drop in and say “hi” next time you’re in the area.

You can follow the shop on Facebook, Instagram, or on their website.

— Naomi Fast, Ms. Fast on Twitter

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Want safer cycling on Skyline and Sauvie? Let the County know

Roads like NW Skyline Blvd and Cornell are on the list for wider paved shoulders and other measures aimed at making cycling safer.
(Photos: Jonathan Maus/BikePortland)

It just so happens that many of the roads managed by Multnomah County are vital links in the cycling network: Sauvie Island Road, Larch Mountain Road, Skyline Road, Cornell, Marine Drive, Historic Columbia River Highway, and so on.

We don’t talk about them as much as urban infrastructure and commuting routes, but that makes them no less important. And now, as part of an update to their 20-Year Road Capital Improvement Plan (CIP), the County needs to hear from you how to prioritize future projects and funding. An online open house is now available and comments can be made through March 4th.


(From a summary of feedback about the Roads CIP prepared by Multnomah County )

The good news is, the County has already heard loud and clear that safety in general — and especially conditions for people on foot and on bikes — should be the top priority. In a recent survey, over half of all comments received mentioned bicycling and walking. When asked roads with “problem spots,” 56 different roads were mentioned. Skyline Boulevard was at the top with 38 mentions. The County summarized concerns on Skyline as it being, “Too narrow for motor and non-motor users to safely mix. Speeds too high. Poor sight lines at intersections.” All of those concerns are directly related to cycling safety. Cornell Road, another popular biking route that heads into the hills directly from downtown Portland, was also mentioned as being too narrow for bicycle and car users to safely mix.

When given a list of 15 priorities and asked which ones the County should focus on, “preventing collisions” received the most support. It was followed very closely by “Make it safer to walk and bike.” At the bottom of the list? “Increase capacity” (see above).

And what’s even more interesting about the feedback the County has heard thus far is that out of over 200 respondents at open houses is that 123 of them said their primary mode of transportation is a car.

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To make bicycling safer on their roads, current projects on the CIP list would take a variety of steps including: widen and pave shoulders where possible, build uphill climbing lanes, create more pullouts to improve passing safety, and even full-length bike lanes where none currently exist.

Here are just a few examples of projects listed on the CIP that have significant cycling elements:

Larch Mountain Road (Project 135R)
Provide separation for bicycles where warranted and/or feasible. Improvements could include narrow shoulders to full width shoulders (6 feet) in one or both directions or could include minimal improvements such as uphill bicycle climbing lanes. Project may also include safety improvements such as additional guardrail.

Forest Park/SW Hills (Project 513U)
Construct bicycle lanes on streets within the Forest Park/SW Hills unincorporated urban pocket. Road segments include: Hewitt Blvd: Humphrey Blvd–5200 W of Patton Rd; Humphrey Blvd: Patton Rd–Hewitt Blvd; Patton Rd: Scholls Ferry Rd–Hewitt Ave, Shattuck Rd: Patton Rd–Windsor Ct; and NW Miller Ave.

Hurlburt Road: Historic Columbia River Highway – Littlepaige Road (Project 131R)
Provide separation for bicycles where warranted and/or feasible on SE Hurlburt Road between Historic Columbia River Highway and SE Littlepaige Road. Improvements could include narrow shoulders (3-4 feet) to full width shoulders (6 feet) in one or both directions or could include minimal improvements such as uphill bicycle climbing lanes or intermittent bicycle pull outs. Solutions can be used for pedestrian use (i.e., shoulders).

Skyline Blvd (Project 166R)
Provide safety improvements along NW Skyline Boulevard between the City of Portland boundary and NW Cornelius Pass Road, such as augmenting shoulders in a context‐sensitive manner and providing enhanced shoulder bikeways. Project also includes installing traffic calming devices to reduce speeds to be consistent with recommendations of future speed zone study.

Springville Road (Project 170R)
Provide safety improvements on NW Springville Road between the City of Portland limits and the Washington County line such as augmenting shoulders in a context-sensitive manner and providing shoulder bikeways. Project must also be consistent with on-street bike/ped option in the Westside Trail Master Plan.

Cornell Rd (Project 113R)
For NW Cornell Road, provide separation for bicycles where warranted and/or feasible. Improvements could include narrow shoulders (3-4 feet) to full width shoulders (6 feet) in one or both directions or could include minimal improvements such as uphill bicycle climbing lanes or intermittent bicycle pull outs. Solutions can be used for pedestrian use (i.e., shoulders).

Sauvie Island Loop Roads (Project 163R)
Provide 3-4 foot paved shoulders on NW Reeder Road, NW Sauvie Island Road, and NW Gillihan Road.

I strongly recommend taking a few minutes to go through the online open house to help the County understand why these projects are important to you. Deadline for input is March 4th!

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

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