Topic
And what Vancouver can learn to create a self-propelled culture.
Rolling with the Cirque du Cycling parade. Bike Portland.
Gord Blackwell became a hero to grieving bicycle owners like me. Why did he quit?
Cruiser culture is about 'little kid fun'.
Check out the best from our Bike to Work Photo Contest.
[Editor's note: Each of us views a city through a distinctly personal lens. Tyee reporter Christine McLaren visited Portland recently and found it superior to her home base of Vancouver, B.C. by three criteria that matter most to her. Yesterday: Is the city welcoming to young creative people? Today: Is it bicycle friendly? Tomorrow: Is it dealing effectively with homelessness?]
The June sun softens the street into gummy asphalt. My toes slip and slide inside my battered Converse Allstars as I lean forward onto Mississippi Avenue, sweating and squinting. A pack of cyclists in spandex zooms toward me. The crowd lining the road cheers. I'm startled. Why all the excitement? After all, this isn't the Tour de France I've happened upon. Just another community bike race.
Oh, right. I'm visiting Portland, Oregon, the bike capital of America.
Cirque-du-Cycling, as the event is named, is hosted by the local business association, and the reason is pretty simple: there are 80 per cent more bikers in the city of Portland than one decade ago.
After the race, at the VIP party, a grey haired man with geeky, black rimmed glasses laughs with the other guests. It's Sam Adams, I'm told, the mayor of Portland. Adams is well dressed, slightly tanned, with a bit of a belly and a plastic beer cup in hand to explain it. I glance down and catch a glimpse of his pant legs, rolled slightly at the ankle; he's fresh off his bike.
Later, Adams will stand in front of a mix of people -- some of them kids, some of them in suits, some of them tattooed and wearing garters -- and, with plastic cup still in hand, pants still rolled, the mayor will shout: "What a Portland event!"
And I'll think to myself: What does Portland know that Vancouver hasn't yet quite learned?
Why is it that, while a city like Portland has bridges backlogged with bike traffic-jams, Vancouver remains choked in car traffic, and I, nearly alone on my bike route to work? A mere 2,700 cyclists trickle into Vancouver's downtown every day, while over 9,000 daily cross over Portland's bridges.
My first guess is that the Lower Mainland's sprawling pattern of development may be the problem. After all, Portland has some of the strictest land-use laws in North America, and in the late 1970s established an urban-growth boundary restricting their outward creep.
But in reality, almost half of all Vancouver residents commute less than five kilometres to work and more than 80 per cent commute less than 10 kilometres, relatively short distances ideal for cycling, according to the City of Vancouver. Yet in 2007, over 60 per cent of all trips made in Vancouver were made by car, while bike transportation remained at three per cent, even in the downtown core. That's as low as over a decade earlier. Some neighbourhoods in Portland boast up to 30 per cent of people claiming the bike as their primary or secondary mode of transportation.
Vancouver has all the makings for a world class bike city very similar to Portland: temperate, if rainy, climate; active, outdoorsy citizens; and a strong environmentalist movement. But according to Mia Birk, former Bicycle Program Coordinator for the City of Portland, and current principle of Alta Planning and Design, America's leading firm specializing in bicycle and pedestrian planning, just having the right conditions doesn't insure a self-propelled culture.
"There's a myth that Portland is just a place where everybody bikes, that's just how it is," Mia tells me. "The same myth exists for Copenhagen and Amsterdam and all the bike friendly cities of the world. 'That's how it is, people just bike'. And that's not correct, the truth is that we made this city what it is today."
Suing for bike lanes
Oregon, much like B.C., has long had a reputation for progressive thinkers and policy makers. Even back in 1971, the state passed a law that required cities and counties in Oregon to spend a minimum of one per cent of transportation funding on bicycle and pedestrian projects. The law also demanded that every roadway built included both bike and pedestrian facilities.
This law was largely ignored until the early '90s, when Portland's then newly-formed Bicycle Transportation Alliance, now an organization with over 5000 members, sued the City of Portland because the Department of Transportation refused to include bike lanes in the construction of two major new roads. They won, and the court ruled that the city must comply with the 1971 law on every roadway project.
With that decision still in mind in 1996, the city of Portland rolled out its Bicycle Master Plan, the plan that would lay the groundwork for bicycle infrastructure in the city for the next decade. Input from the bike community was taken into consideration and the plan, based on that input, laid out a comprehensive network of bike lanes along major arterials.
"At the time the feeling was, 'We need to be visible, we need to be on the major streets, those are the places that get us where we want to go,'" says Birk.
So in six years the city laid down over 165 miles of bike lanes throughout the city, opening Portland's major streets in a way they had never been open to cyclists before. Then they kept building more.
Vancouver's wrong turn?
It was around the same time that Vancouver developed its own Bicycle Master Plan, but with a dramatically different approach.
As opposed to making un-bike-able streets bike-able, Vancouver took their semi-bike-able streets and made them more bike-able. And they did a tremendous job. City planners in Portland happily admit that they are stealing designs from streets like the Adanac and Slocan bike routes in Vancouver; smaller neighborhood streets known as bike boulevards that are further traffic calmed to give bikes fast tracked throughways from one neighborhood to another quickly and safely.
Unfortunately, however, for the majority of bikers, their target destination does not lie on the calmed 10th Avenue, or Cypress Streets. Yet in planning, Vancouver failed to provide them a comprehensive network of bike lanes, or any other on-street facilities to get them off of those boulevards to where they need to go. Of our 300 kilometres of bikeways, only about 50 kilometres of them are actual painted lanes, leaving the rest of the city for cyclists to fend for themselves against cars.
As a result, Vancouver's city bike plan is tailored to a demographic restricted to the bravest of the brave, people Portland planners now call the "Strong and Fearless".
This, City of Portland bicycle co-ordinator Roger Geller argues, is exactly the wrong approach.
Four cycling personalities
In the early 2000s, Geller sat in his office in the Portland department of transportation thinking hard about the demographic of bikers in the city. He developed a theory, later backed up by research at the Portland State University, that broke them into four separate groups.
On one end sits No Way No How, the one third of the population who has no interest in biking whatsoever. Maybe they'll take a ride on a weekend through the park, but even in the best of conditions they probably won't bike on a regular basis. They just don't want to.
Then you have the Enthused and Confident, not quite kamakazis, but close. These are the roughly seven per cent of people who will bike in the city where it's relatively safe, relatively comfortable, if not a little unnerving for the average person.
Above them, on the extreme end of the spectrum sit the Strong and Fearless, perched on their bikes in the pouring rain, in the middle of the street, ready to go. They represent almost nothing, maybe one per cent of the city's population, the bike couriers and other kamakazis who will bike anywhere, anytime, now matter how dangerous or poor the conditions.
And everyone else? They're the Interested but Concerned, the other 60 some-odd per cent of the population with a rational fear of cycling in the city. They like the idea of cycling, they know it's good for their health, and for the environment, but they only want to do it if it's as safe and comfortable as their ride in a car or bus. And these are the people that American cities, Portland and Vancouver included, need to aim their bike infrastructure at, Geller argues.
"They're the people in the Netherlands who are riding," says Geller.
What would Vancouver need to appeal to these people? I asked.
"Better infrastructure," says Geller. "So the network is more complete. Most of our network is on street. It takes you where you need to go. Paths are wonderful, but they've got to be integrated with a good on-street network."
Admittedly, he also says bike lanes aren't enough for most of this group. Further separation, like buffered bike lanes, or separate cycle tracks (like the three glorious blocks of the Carrall Street Greenway Vancouverites are taunted by) are ideal, but a bike lane is a start.
Tinkering for the timid
Ultimately the concept is what really matters: More than 60 per cent of people who inhabit our cities are damn scared of cars, and if you want to get them on their bikes, you need to put as much space between them and traffic as possible.
Downtown Vancouver, for example, is a nightmare, even for the Enthused and Confident. A cyclist trying to cross town, say, east to west on a marked bike lane has one choice: Dunsmuir Street. This means that, essentially, if a cyclists needs to cross downtown on the south side, he has two choices: go eight blocks out of his way, or take the plunge and share a lane with angry, honking drivers.
It's true that Vancouver's own master plan includes more lanes in the future. Yet when Vancouver city council voted this summer to double spending on cycling infrastructure (to $3.4 million), the money was not allotted to fast-track filling out of the network. Instead, already well-used bike boulevards will receive new crossing signals and lower speed-limit signs. The only additions to on-street infrastructure planned for the money will create bike connections between 2010 Olympic venues. Great if you want to go watch speed-skating once in the two weeks the Olympics will be here, but not so brilliant if you need a litre of milk from the grocery store now.
The fact that the Interested but Concerned are now the driving force behind Portland's new and improved Platinum Bicycle Master Plan may have a lot to do with their explosion of bike culture through various demographics. Every person I saw lining the street of the Cirque-du-Cycling, for instance, was at the forefront of the minds of Portland's city planners; not just those in the race.
Their new plan includes increasing the number of planned bikeways in Portland from 650 to 926 miles, and emphasizing the construction of "low-stress" bikeways as the top way to create a more attractive atmosphere for bikers in Portland. Their streets boast bike lanes, bright green bike boxes to make intersections safer for bikers, and downtown traffic lights timed to the speed of the average cyclist, not the average car.
Even further than that, Portland contracted companies like Alta Planning to blitz neighbourhoods and give out any information residents need to make them more comfortable on their bikes, conducting guided bike trips, and information sessions. The city is removing car lanes in favor of bike lanes, in some cases leaving one lane for cars to share, and a lane on each side for bikers. They're taking out car parking spots in favor of centralized bike parking. (When was the last time you locked your bike to a real bike rack in Vancouver?)
Creating a pro-cycling cycle
What Portland's bike-oriented planners are trying to create and reinforce is a feedback cycle. The safer and easier it is to be a biker, the more people are willing to do it. "If you build it they will come," says Geller. And once they do, the system feeds itself. The more people bike, the safer it is. In the city of Portland, as numbers of daily cyclists increased five-fold, crash statistics remained flat, and fatalities decreased from 41 to 15 per year.
Meanwhile, British Columbia has vowed to reduce its carbon emissions by 80 per cent by 2050. For there to be any chance of that dream coming true, the city will have to get a lot of cars off of the roads of the province's main cities.
It takes time, that's for sure, and Vancouver is slowly chipping away. But as I cruise my way home from the Cirque-du-Cycling, pedaling over the wide neck of bikeway across Portland's Hawthorne Bridge, I am struck by how unusual it feels to be this comfortable and relaxed while riding urban streets. As a cyclist visitor in this city, I sense I've been granted ownership and equity in the road system that, after all, is there to get everyone where they want to go.
Wouldn't it be great to feel that way on the streets back home, in Vancouver?
Tomorrow, last in this series: Why Portland is making big gains against homelessness. ![[Tyee]](http://thetyee.cachefly.net/ui/img/ico_fishie.png){kind=small}
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MichaelT
3 years ago
as one of the strong and
as one of the strong and fearless I kinda resent the weak whining about this and that. seriously. Grow a backbone, stop trying to suburbanize or ruralize our urban natures.
It's a pet peeve of mine, especially in Canada where spinelessness is rampant and extolled - mostly by females it must be said regardless of whether you want to hear it or not, but certainly depressingly embraced by the vast majority amount of males as well - you have bought the government line of pacification, hook line and sinker.
I like strong women to be involved with and strong men to know.
I am tired of this rise of the weak - harken back to the beginning of cities many many centuries ago and the nomads had it correct - settling down breeds weakness and disease and based upon the chaotic nomadic nature of my own life, I would have to agree.
Is there no space left for the brave?
One day you will need us and if you regulate us out of existence you may find that one day there is no one to defend you at all.
America is the greatest nation on the face of the Earth.
wstander
3 years ago
wstander
No Way No How, the one third of the population who has no interest in biking whatsoever. Maybe they'll take a ride on a weekend through the park, but even in the best of conditions they probably won't bike on a regular basis. They just don't want to.
I support the Burrard bridge experiment, I am appalled by the attempt by the media to gin up controversy, and even conflict, over the bridge and the Critical Mass events. But it does annoy me that the pro cycling crowd doesn't even seem to acknowledge that, in the No Way No How group, there are some who are physically incapable of riding a bicycle. Even a ride on the weekend in a park is far beyond my current capabilities.
OilbertaRedTory
3 years ago
America ...
... is the name of a continent. There's North, South and Central. But no country with that name.
Strong like ox, dumb like tractor.
Fii
3 years ago
Ha! Race ya?!!
"It's a pet peeve of mine, especially in Canada where spinelessness is rampant and extolled - mostly by females it must be said regardless of whether you want to hear it or not."
Wowza- where did that come from? I happen to be pretty strong and fearless myself (and double XX), if commuting by bike 12 months a year for going on 8 yrs suits your definition.
Oh, wait- what was that last line all about? Ok, that was just odd....
rac
3 years ago
While Portland is somewhat
While Portland is somewhat better than Vancouver, I'd hardly call it Bicycle Brilliance. Both cities are so far away from the best cycling cities in the world it is not even funny. Before the Burrard Bridge Trial, their bridges are in general, where better.
I suspect the main reason why Portland has more cyclists is because the city is less dense and thus is less walkable. Also, their transit system is much worse. It is faster walking than using the LRT through downtown. They have freeways all over the place, so high speed traffic is not on arterial streets which makes them better for bike lanes. They also have a University downtown which would increase the number of people cycling downtown.
Portland's downtown is rather dead. I was there on a long weekend and it kinda felt like one of those seventies movies where everyone else had died. Not many cars, not many pedestrians, a few cyclists. The lack of cars does make it better for cycling though.
Our Seaside Path is much better than anything in Portland.
Geller is right that we need bicycle facilities along commercial streets so people can get to their destinations. He is wrong about Vancouver being only for fearless cyclists, we have moved to the confident 4%. Now we need separated facilities to attract everyone else.
When I came back from Europe, I found Vancouver so far behind it was depressing. A quick trip to Portland fixed that. That said, I do like the brew pubs and the restaurants tucked away on quiet streets, but Europe or even Vancouver it is not.
Lets look to Amsterdam and Copenhagen for our lead and not Portland.
Gabe
3 years ago
Bikes roll on any hard surface.
There was a time when I rode everywhere in Vancouver. I probably counted among the "Strong and Fearless". If I needed to ride in heavy traffic, I did; I rode quickly, assertively, and with consideration for drivers. Then my bike was stolen.
Mingling with traffic was rarely necessary. There's nearly always a side street parallel to the main drag. Why fight cars and buses when there's no need? Does every street have to be safe enough for mommy and daddy to take a 5-year old for a training ride?
Sure, cyclists are technically entitled to a full lane on any road they choose. Technically. But your average chicken-legged, sandal-wearing, tousle-headed fop on a vintage cruiser bike taking up the driving lane on Macdonald Street at rush hour really does deserve the inevitable abuse that's thrown at them.
(Sadly, said fop will then feel justified in joining the Critical Mass Driver Abuse Tour to score some stick-it-to-the-man points. Talk about a feedback loop.)
Vancouver's already extremely bikeable. I don't think we need bazillions of dollars in segregated pathways. Deal with the choke points where incompatible traffic is forced together (a la Burrard Bridge). Cyclists, pick roads you can actually handle without causing rage explosions behind you. What more do we need?
leftofcentre
3 years ago
A ridiculous article...
Portland is a nice town, but it's hardly better than Vancouver and it's second-rate even compared to most major American cities.
Cities are one of the great catalysts of human civilization. Without them, humanity would be small-minded and provincial. The best cities in the world are those that facilitate culture, the exchange of ideas and international trade while allowing its citizens to pursue their ambitions. Tokyo, Paris, New York, London, Toronto and Vancouver are examples of livable, great cities.
If you look at the second-tier cities in the United States, (such as Portland, Sacramento, El Paso, Spokane, Tacoma, etc.) you'll see a lack of ambition, and a corresponding lack of job and cultural opportunities. Portland may have created a Slacker Paradise, but what good is that for working families when half their downtown is all boarded up? It's a recipe for suburban flight.
If minimum-wage affordability is your only measurement of a great city (and that's what this article is REALLY all about), you deserve what you pay for.
Enjoy your happy hour...the rest of us are enjoying happy lives here.
lary waldman
3 years ago
Grade, it is not a minor circumstance
Over twenty five years ago, for a time, I lived in the West End, and my sole source of getting around was a bicycle. I am a bit dim witted, but I think it took at least a month before I did not dread the issue of grade, when I rode the elevator down to the tarmac, to make my way. That is, in my opinion the single most discouraging thing about riding a bike in Vancouver, or anywhere else it is hilly. Cars are a bitch I will admit that, but they can be dealt with, exercising extreme caution at first which becomes innate or automatic behaviour. A plan which guides people along a course that may in fact not be as the crow flies, but limits the grade for beginners, I think would help people get over that start, where your legs burn, and frankly in some circumstances you have to walk up the hill legs and back burning, until that day arrives where you are fit enough to deal with the steepest of hills. That took me at least a month in the west end, where there are a few very steep hills.
Lary Waldman
rac
3 years ago
wstander, I'm not sure where
wstander, I'm not sure where you got this idea from, "But it does annoy me that the pro cycling crowd doesn't even seem to acknowledge that, in the No Way No How group, there are some who are physically incapable of riding a bicycle." No one says that bikes are the only way to get around but they should be made a reasonable option so that anyone who is able can chose to cycle. I suspect there are just as many or even more people that can't drive due to age, lack of money or some other issue. Not everybody can walk either but we still build sidewalk.
Don't forget that separated bike lanes are great for people wheelchairs and electric scooters. There are also electric bicycles and tricycles. There are really very few people who can't take advantage of improved bicycle facilities. Even blind people can ride on the back of a tandam bicycle.
surlycat
3 years ago
Listen to that ladies, you
Listen to that ladies, you won't get no respect unless you act like a teenaged boy!
realisticman
3 years ago
Portland Cycling Laws-(abridged)
Imagine this in Vancouver? Hello!!!
The Legislative Counsel Committee of the Oregon Legislative Assembly.
814.410 Unsafe operation of bicycle on sidewalk; penalty. (1) A person commits the offense of unsafe operation of a bicycle on a sidewalk if the person does any of the following:
(a) Operates the bicycle so as to suddenly leave a curb or other place of safety and move into the path of a vehicle that is so close as to constitute an immediate hazard.
(b) Operates a bicycle upon a sidewalk and does not give an audible warning before overtaking and passing a pedestrian and does not yield the right of way to all pedestrians on the sidewalk.
(c) Operates a bicycle on a sidewalk in a careless manner that endangers or would be likely to endanger any person or property.
(d) Operates the bicycle at a speed greater than an ordinary walk when approaching or entering a crosswalk, approaching or crossing a driveway or crossing a curb cut or pedestrian ramp and a motor vehicle is approaching the crosswalk, driveway, curb cut or pedestrian ramp.
snert
3 years ago
Bike Rders Should Pay
Gabe said
I grew up in Vancouver and until I turned 15 a bike was my preferred means of transport as long as there was no rain. It doesn't take a genius to figure out that if you stay off the main roads life is a lot safer. If I was still riding I would do the same.
I recently had occasion to drive the streets of downtown Vancouver and was flabbergasted at the configuration they chose for bike lanes. Get the damned things off the roadway and extend the sidewalks to include a bike lane. Also remove any and all laws that give bike riders the impression that they own a full lane when riding on roadways.
Bike riding should be a privilege and not a right as some figure. There should also be a return to the practice of licensing bicycles only this time the fee should be substantial enough to contribute towards any improvements that make allowances for bike riders.Riders who want the improvements should be prepared to pay for them.
ladze
3 years ago
personally, I enjoy walking
I support the comments about licensing and regulation for bikes. I am all for infrastructure that makes it possible for bicyclists to commute, but cyclists need to contribute something and to follow rules.
I enjoy walking and jogging and there is nothing more disconcerting than cyclists who think they own the path, road or trail.
rac
3 years ago
Cyclists Pay Their Way
Gabe, in Vancouver, roads and bicycle routes are paid for through property taxes, which everyone including cyclists pay. It is actually drivers that enjoy subsidies at taxpayers expense.
What is next, licensing walkers to pay for sidewalks. Enough of the nanny state already.
Bicycle licensing has failed pretty much everyplace it has been tried. It is too expensive to administer and it is a waste of police resources to enforce it. For your information, the reason that cars and guns are regulated is that they both are deadly devices that kill innocent people. Careless cyclists are pretty much only a major risk to themselves.
littlej
3 years ago
What's with all the Portland bashing?
In the interest of full disclosure, i will say right from the start that i am a Portlander, and i have never actually been to Vancouver B.C. so i can't really speak for what it is like there at all.
First of all I don't think that the writer ever tried to insinuate that Portland's bike infrastructure is anywhere near that of most european cities. I'm pretty sure it's not. The point is that portland pushing much harder than most cities to make improvements, and make it easier, safer, and more comfortalbe to bike.
It seems there are a lot of misconceptions about Portland it'self and i'd like to address mostly the ones brought up by rac. First of all, our public transit system isn't bad. Again, i don't know what vancouvers is like, however, Portland has the best public transit system in the US for city it's size and population. You can get pretty much anywhere on public transit. And yes, downtown is dead on the weekend. Downtown Portland is more of a buisness district. People don't really live there and it most definately is not where they go to hang out on the weekends. If you went to the Pearl district, NW 21st/23rd, hawthorne, alberta, or mississipi on the weekend it would be a totally different story.
to leftofcentre, i don't think any portlander would appreciate you calling our city "second rate" or lazy. Yes we like our beer and our happy hours, but i don't think you can really criticize our work force that much when we are home to companies such as Columbia Sportswear, Intel, and Nike, not to mention we are one of the few ports for trade on the west coast. Most of us love our city as it is, and would not change it for the world. Just because we prefer PrAna to Prada, doesn't mean we lack ambition.
RealisticMan, Portland sidewalks aren't really big enough for cyclists and pedestrians to share. Those laws are in place to make sure that everyone is safe on the sidewalks and bikers and bowling over pedestrians. Cyclists aren't allowd on sidewalks at all downtown.
And to snert it's a privelege not a right i'm pretty sure is directly from the drivers manuel and cyclists have just as much right to be on the road as cars do. I don't know how it works in Vancouver, but in the US most cyclists still pay taxes that go towards the roads which gives them just as much right to be on the road as anyone else.
rac
3 years ago
Separate Bike Paths are Needed
ladze, please. There are some people who think they own the path regardless of what form of transportation they use. Walkers, drivers and cyclists are all equally as bad. For example, some drivers illegally bully cyclists off the road and onto the sidewalk, some pedestrians do walk in the few bike only paths we have (the Seaside path for example) and often 3 or 4 peds will walk side by side taking up the whole path and yes some cyclists are a pain as well.
But please don't single cyclists out.
One of the main problems is the lack of safe bicycle only paths and lanes. The Burrard Bridge west bike lane is a perfect example of this. Cyclists stick to the bike lane and pedestrians stay on the sidewalk. We need much more of this around the city.
rac
3 years ago
littlej, the title of the
littlej, the title of the story is the big problem, Portland's Bicycle Brilliance is just a bit over the top. I'll agree that Portland is great for an American city, that is a pretty low bar. Vancouver is good for a North American city, not a much higher bar. Cycling is better in Portland but not by much. I must admit though, in the last 10 years, Portland has improved much more than Vancouver. Transit is probably not as good in Portland, not as many people use it at least.
I'm finding both the Vancouver and Portland cheerleaders a bit much at times. Just because you are near the front of the trailing pack does not mean you are anywhere near the lead.
littlej
3 years ago
Article titles are always
Article titles are always grandios, otherwise people probably woulnd't bother to read them :).
And as for the cheerleaders, i'm pretty sure i'm the only one from Portland, and it's hard not to say something when people are criticizing a city that i live in and love and they have only visited. As i said in the beginning, i have never been to Vancouver, and i'm pretty sure i didn't say anything bad about it. I am sure it is a fantastic city. I could be wrong, but i'm sure both could use improving, and it never hurts to learn from each other, and share ideas.
alive
3 years ago
brainless pedestrians
it seems that wherever there is a bikepath, it is adjoining a pedestrian path.
While that make sense, nobody enforces the seperation and most pedestrians waddle along in groups on either path as if it is all the same to them.
I have had brusies from trying to avoid walkers who jump to the wrong side when I ring my bell!
are walkers stupid or what gives?
Vehicle drivers at least know the rules of the road, that make them predictable!
But walkers ---HELP
realisticman
3 years ago
littlej
Your comments are appreciated. The reason for me posting some of your regulations is because in general cyclists in Vancouver operate in an anarchistic nature. It is not unusual to encounter cyclists on the sidewalks that are, if I correctly recall, no different from those in Portland. Almost all cyclists in Vancouver completely ignore traffic signs and traffic lights too.
Learning from each other can only be a benefit to both parties, this should also take into account property taxes and zoning regulations for both business and residential buildings. The size, costs and mandates of city bureaucracies including taxing powers and benefits might also be informative.
carfreed
3 years ago
montreal
montreal is much much better than both vancouver and portland.
immigrant
3 years ago
transportation systems
Littlej, hello from an ex-Portlander, now Vancouverite. (You can read my more substantial rants in comments from the first Portland article the day before.) I appreciate your natural desire to stand up for Portland, and won't quibble with most of it. But please, before making grandiose claims of the superiority of Portland's transit system over others of its size in the US, perhaps you'd like to stop swallowing the hype and actually visit almost any city on the east coast. Portland doesn't even measure up to a lot on the west coast. What Portland has is very picturesque MAX train which brings the residents of select neighbourhoods downtown every day. The rest of the area is very poorly served by infrequent buses.
rac
3 years ago
Stop the Road Bullies
realisticman, unfortunately cyclists have been illegally bullied off the streets by careless and aggressive drivers. Most drivers are OK but it just takes a few bad apples to make the streets unsafe for cycling. It is time that the police crackdown on this dangerous behavior so cyclists can get back on the road where they belong. The city also needs to build separated bike lanes to protect cyclists from these agressive drivers.
RCB
3 years ago
speed matters
As a daily bike commuter who has lived in both cities, i can report that Portland is a better bicycling town hands down. Not that Vancouver can't get there and frankly given the density, it should be easy to get to a 10-15% bicycle mode split with limited investment. Vancouver has invested more $ in high quality, "cute" bike streets and less on completing a useful network. Keys to bike commuting beyond safety - convenience and speed. Like the transit system, you need the bike system to be close to home and work. And you need it to be efficient - roads where stop signs are turned and signals timed for cyclists. Traffic calmed streets like 10th are rarely efficient - same for the seawall - beautiful and lovely nonetheless but not god for the daily grind. Spend more on stripping, bike boulevards, and dangerous pinch points like Portland and Vancouver's bicycling numbers will soar. And I agree with one of the respondents - focus on Amsterdam and Copenhagen. Portland certainly is.
jwstewart
3 years ago
Bike heaven?
Rental bikes for a one-way trip located every 100-200 meters. First 15 minutes free.
http://www.en.velib.paris.fr/comment_ca_marche/utiliser_velib
I wonder how come everyone there seems to have a motor scooter?
morechatter
3 years ago
"Get on your bikes and ride!"
"Get on your bikes and ride!" Queen belts out Fat Bottomed Girls, they'll be riding today/ so look out for those beauties, oh yeah". And if Vancouver is going to succeed in the bicycle race for a healthier environment Portland's a great start and the benefits can be felt immediately.
littlej
3 years ago
Immigrant, if you wanna talk
Immigrant, if you wanna talk about picturesque in portland public transit we now have our shiney arial tram. That's right, high rollin now :-P
I don't doubt there are better transit systems on the east coast, but portland also doesn't compare to most east coast towns in population and size. Frankly I have never had problems getting a bus from anywhere with the exception of last winter when we had two feet of snow, but that was a different issue. It's not perfect, but it is one more thing portland is rapidly trying to improve as much as possible
morechatter
3 years ago
Bikinig not a right but polluting with your car is?
Roads are being built all the time and maintained and upgraded as vehicles do damage to both are environment and road. And drivers will never be able to pay for the damage drivers do to the environment and quality of life as no drivers licence fee don't pay for the billions of dollars of roads and accidents on the roads. Quality of life is greatly reduced and some ones talking about bikers pay makes your wonder where drivers parked their brains.
mikeoregon
3 years ago
Portland: So Second Rate
leftofcentre was being generous when he described Portland as a second-rate city. I've lived in Portland most of my life, and I can tell you from personal experience that, should you be thinking about visiting or even, God forbid, moving to Portland, you'll be disappointed. Portland is dull, boring and listless; I would call it third-rate. Sensible people looking for a great place to live or visit should consider New York. Or, stay where you are in Vancouver and be glad you did.