View the progress of these projects on our Blueprint Update and
Transcription
View the progress of these projects on our Blueprint Update and
A Blueprint for World-Class Bicycling Three Year Status Update and Annual Report August 2016 EXECUTIVE SUMMARY For over 25 years, Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) members and supporters like you have made it possible for us to do vital, effective work around active transportation in Oregon. Safe bicycling infrastructure has been funded and built, thousands of new riders have been encouraged to bike, bills and policies that create barriers for bicyclists have been knocked down, and thousands of elementary school students have been taught bicycle and walking safety. As a result, our air is cleaner, our roads are safer, and we’re a healthier, more connected community. Thank you! 2015 marked the 25th anniversary for the BTA. From humble beginnings grew a passionate organization dedicated to fostering healthy, sustainable communities by making bicycling safe and accessible for all. We are proud of how far we’ve come, and excited about where we’re going. You, along with thousands of other supporters throughout the past 25+ years, have built an organization poised to take on the challenges of the next 25 years. It’s time to invest. Our region is growing dramatically and we need bigger investments in active transportation options to keep pace with this growth. Our region is one of the best places to get around without a car and we intend to keep it that way. We’re in this together. We believe we must advocate for all vulnerable road users and that includes people biking, walking and accessing public transit. We have shared interests and can be more effective together. When we join together with a united voice, we can better move policy changes forward that prioritize investments in biking, walking and transit. This is why we’ve updated our mission to formalize walking and transit advocacy into our work. Our new mission is: We advocate for healthy, thriving communities where it is safe and easy for people to bike, walk and ride public transit. We envision a region where walking, biking and riding transit are embraced by all those who call our community home. We don’t do this work in a silo, it takes great partners and allies such as: Oregon Walks, BikePortland.org, Friends of Barbur, Cycle Oregon, Northwest Trails Alliance, and many others who are helping to make biking in Portland great again. We are so grateful to have supporters like you pushing this important work forward. We would not be where we are today without you! Thank you, Rob Sadowsky Executive Director Table of Contents 1 2 Introduction Status Report: Our Blueprint Projects Make Big Streets Safe N/NE Broadway Downtown Portland TV Highway SE Foster Road Powell-Division Bus Rapid Transit 5 Let’s Fix It Barbur Highway 26 Crossings Sullivans Gulch Crossings I-205 Path Gap 8 Create Neighborhood Greenways Monroe NE 7th / SE 9th Washington County East Portland 10 14 17 19 20 Build Inspiring Trails North Portland Greenway Portland to Lake Oswego Gresham / Fairview Trail Westside Trail BTA’s 2016 Goals and Vision for the Future Thank you to all our supporters Financials Conclusion INTRODUCTION In 2013, we launched a campaign across the Portland-Metro region to build the safest, most accessible, and forward-thinking bicycle network in North America. This campaign, the Blueprint for World-Class Bicycling, outlined the following key areas for action: Make Big Streets Safe We want our large, arterial streets to have safe space for all types of traffic, both motorized and non-motorized. Let’s Fix It We want our aging infrastructure replaced with the safest options for our children, parents, coworkers, neighbors, and friends. Create Neighborhood Greenways We want to see 50% of our urban population living less than a half-mile from a lowtraffic, low-stress neighborhood greenway. Build Inspiring Trails. We want accessible, inspiring trails connecting our town centers. HOW DO WE TRACK PROGRESS? How a bicycle project gets built The following list of project elements serves as a guide for some of the things we know we must have in place to successfully develop new transportation infrastructure projects. Community Support – Formal letters of support from neighborhood associations and community groups, supportive letters to the editor, active personal lobbying by coalition partners and volunteers, and general goodwill among the community. Political Support – A majority vote of the governing body charged with making the decision about a given transportation project’s funding and construction. Dedicated Funding – Capital improvement funds that are identified and allocated towards the completion of project planning, engineering, and construction. Planning and Engineering – Tracking bicycle friendly vs. dangerous components of project design and advocating accordingly. Construction – Monitor construction to ensure that no bicycle friendly elements are ‘value engineered’ out of the project. Successful construction provides an opportunity for ribbon cutting events with community leaders and political supporters. 1 STATUS Report Three year update of BTA’s Blueprint Projects MAKE BIG STREETS SAFE Most destinations, particularly for work and shopping, tend to be on big busy streets – the same streets on which people walking and bicycling often feel unsafe. As a result, people riding bicycles tend to detour around our most vibrant commercial areas. Studies have shown that customers traveling on bikes and on foot tend to visit bars, restaurants, and shops more frequently and spend as much or more money overall than those arriving by any other mode. Wide roads with high volumes of speeding traffic necessitate more space, physical separation, and dedicated signals at intersections for people riding bicycles. This type of robust, protected facility is the only way to provide safe bicycle access to destinations on big streets. Physically protected bike lanes also give guidance to people on bicycles, helping them ride more predictably with other traffic. N/NE Broadway MAKE BIG STREETS SAFE Northeast Broadway (and its eastbound couplet NE Weidler) is full of destinations that benefit from customers who shop there despite poor bicycle access. Because many of these customers tend to ride on quiet nearby NE Tillamook, they do not always notice new businesses open, “SALE” signs in windows, and other business advertisements. The 2.5 mile NE Broadway/Weidler couplet between the Broadway Bridge and the Hollywood District is one of the eastside’s most frequented retail corridors. Building physically separated bike lanes with dedicated signals on both streets will finally make this corridor a safe and popular destination for everyone, and will increase visibility of businesses in the neighborhood. Our design recommendations for the street also include clear boarding locations for buses along the route that help protect transit riders from traffic. STATUS: NE Broadway is now scheduled to become a “Major City Bikeway” in the City of Portland’s upcoming Transportation System Plan. We’ve met and worked with dozens of business owners and stakeholders in the neighborhood to build support for a safe street that serves all of its users. The resounding message we’ve heard is that people want visitors, customers, and residents to be able to cross the street safely. Safe streets make our communities and neighborhoods more livable by ensuring all people can get to where they need to go – work, school, grocery stores, or parks - all of which are on Broadway. In May of 2016, Better Blocks PDX temporarily transformed a section of NE Broadway into a more complete street with a protected bike lane, transit islands, and more space for people to enjoy outdoor seating in front of the various shops and restaurants. This pop-up provided an experience of a reimagined Broadway that prioritized people instead of cars. Better Blocks PDX collected feedback from the experiment and is in the process 2 of compiling survey results to produce and share a report. We still have more work to do to make Broadway a safe, complete street. The City of Portland has not included safety improvements for Broadway in the five-year Capital Improvement Program budget. That means we have only the existing sidewalks, crosswalks, transit service, and painted bike lane until our City leaders act and provide the necessary funding. We must keep talking with friends and neighbors, organizing, and advocating for new protected bike lanes on NE Broadway. Currently, support for this project includes: Downtown Portland In Downtown Portland, the region’s primary travel destination, the streets are busy and there is little physicallyprotected space for bicycles. With its high density, limited parking, and newly-launched public bike share program, Downtown Portland cannot afford to be intimidating for people riding bikes, walking, or riding public transit. To match the safety and comfort levels of the eastside’s network, there must be significant changes made to downtown’s traffic signals and streetscape, including bus islands to ensure safe pedestrian and transit access, as well as physically separated bike lanes. STATUS: The BTA’s Downtown Portland campaign is poised to be a huge success in the near future. First, we successfully advocated for a major investment of federal flexible funds in downtown safety projects, winning a $6.6 million grant for this project. Second, we led the charge for the City of Portland’s first major investment in a new bike sharing program, BIKETOWN, winning an initial $2 million grant to buy bikes and stations. Third, we wholeheartedly endorsed and successfully campaigned for the City of Portland’s new local gas tax, raising an additional $2.8 million for downtown safety projects. Our strong advocacy combined with private sponsorship and additional resources are bringing to fruition necessary investments in safety for our central city roads. MAKE BIG STREETS SAFE Since these funding victories, we have recruited hundreds of supporters to call on the City of Portland to build protected bike lanes and make downtown a safe place to walk and bike. We are currently working with business owners and managers to empower them to get involved so we can build stronger support for this campaign. We will continue to fight for physically protected bike lanes that run north/south through Downtown Portland. In the meantime, thanks to Better Blocks PDX, a few significant improvements have emerged downtown: A new public plaza on SW 3rd, and buffered bike lanes on SW 2nd and SW 3rd. These developments moved forward after Better Blocks PDX piloted a temporary transformation that created space for people to sit outside and made it safer for people to walk and bike. Currently the public plaza and buffered bike lanes on SW 3rd are built and buffered bike lanes on SW 2nd have been funded, and construction began in August 2016. Currently, support for this project includes: 3 Tualatin-Valley Highway The Tualatin-Valley (TV) Highway, with five to seven lanes of motor vehicle traffic, is one of the few east-west connectors between Beaverton and Forest Grove. TV Highway is also a key commercial corridor without safe space for people to walk and ride bicycles. As a result, many businesses miss out on many of the customers that help support the local economy. A bike lane exists along some of the corridor, but it is inadequate for even some of the strongest and most fearless of bicycle riders due to unsafe intersections, key gaps in the bike lane, and frequent driveways to large developments. Pedestrian and bicycle traffic on this corridor is currently low because most people choose to go far out of their way to avoid compromising their safety on TV Highway. There are many opportunities to transition this auto-focused road into a multi-modal corridor that safely accommodates all types of traffic. Separated bicycle facilities, better street lighting, more crossings for pedestrians, and improved access to bus stops will reduce congestion while improving safety. STATUS: We have built a movement of more than 1,500 people who demand a safer TV Highway, with complete sidewalks, safe and frequent crossings, slower speeds, and protected bike lanes or a multi-use trail along the entire length of the highway. As a result of BTA’s organizing, Washington County applied for funding to construct crossings, sidewalks, and buffered or protected bike lanes in the Beaverton and Aloha area and is refining plans for more improvements in the future such as better transit service and preserving affordable housing in the Aloha Town Center. In March of this year, Washington County kicked off a Transportation Safety Action Plan and quickly identified TV Highway as a priority corridor for safety improvements like reduced speeds. We also celebrated the completion of the Council Creek Regional Trail Master Plan. This trail will provide a family-friendly connection between Hillsboro, Cornelius, Forest Grove, and Banks. Thanks to BTA’s advocacy, the east-west segment will follow an old rail corridor and provide a direct commuting route for Western Washington County communities, who today have only one option: riding on TV Highway. We will continue to fight for protected (not just painted) bikeways that are safe for all riders. Currently, support for this project includes*: *The various segments of TV Highway are at different stages of progress. Currently, all portions of the corridor have community support. There is political support for most goals, planning for most of the corridor, and funding for portions in Beaverton and Aloha. Foster Road MAKE BIG STREETS SAFE Southeast Foster Road is a desirable route for travel because it is one of the few diagonal streets in Portland and has multiple commercial areas that serve the surrounding neighborhoods. As popular as it is, Foster has also been designated as a High Crash Corridor by the City of Portland. The width of Foster Road currently encourages speeding in motor vehicles but it also allows room for many creative street designs which would improve the street for people walking and bicycling. Physically separated bicycle facilities, improved lighting, enhanced crossings, and access to transit on this high capacity corridor are critical to improve safety and grow the local economy. STATUS: Through dedicated advocacy and a long public process, the City of Portland has committed to adding wider sidewalks and bike lanes to Foster Road which will more safely connect people to businesses, public transportation, and neighborhoods. This project is ready to build and soon Foster Road will accommodate all people and encourage active transportation options. Additional information: https://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/569815 4 Currently, support for this project includes: *NEW* Powell/Division Bus Rapid Transit The progress made on Foster Road has allowed us to shift our advocacy efforts to another emerging and promising project in outer east Portland—Bus Rapid Transit on Powell/Division. Metro and TriMet are working on a transit project to bring a more rapid, reliable service to both Portland and Gresham. This project will be the region’s first Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system of its kind. We envision a complete corridor where pedestrians and bicyclists can access transit safely and conveniently along the entire corridor. Today, the BRT corridor is currently one of the busiest transit corridors and is central to some of the region’s most diverse neighborhoods. The Powell-Division Transit Project can be a transformative project for the neighborhoods through which it will pass. We want to make sure that these communities continue to thrive, and want to see a project that does not create or increase involuntary displacement throughout these neighborhoods. We envision a project that provides dedicated bus lanes for fast, reliable services to communities it seeks to serve as well as physically protected bike lanes and pedestrian safety improvements throughout the entire corridor. STATUS: Over the last few months we have been meeting with steering committee members from the Powell-Division Project and partners to discuss ways this project can bring fast and reliable transit service without displacing communities it seeks to serve. We are also advocating for the inclusion of affordable housing, pedestrian safety, and physically protected bike lanes throughout the entire corridor. Additional information: http://www.oregonmetro.gov/public-projects/powell-division-transit-and-development-project. Currently, support for this project includes: LET’S FIX IT LET’S FIX IT It is time to fix the bike lane that goes nowhere, or suddenly sends people into unsafe conditions. The route between two locations is only as safe as its weakest link, or its most dangerous intersection. No one would accept an uncontrolled intersection on a freeway, a dead-end travel lane for motor vehicles, or a major street that was too narrow for opposing directions of car traffic. All types of transportation deserve the same “basic” considerations that motor vehicle traffic already enjoys. Throughout the Portland-Metro region we have narrow bicycle lanes and neighborhood streets that lack sidewalks. These roads used to be considered adequate, but with more and more people using a bicycle for daily transportation, some areas carry a volume of bicycle traffic that warrants larger, safer infrastructure. We need to redefine our basic expectations for our streets. Everyone deserves a safe and direct route to where they’re traveling. We want to improve on the work that’s already been started by making our existing street network safe for everyone. 5 Barbur Boulevard Barbur Boulevard, home to fast-moving motor vehicle traffic, has many characteristics of a great route for bicycle traffic: a direct route to important destinations, a gentle grade, and a wide right-of-way. Barbur has also been the focus of energy and frustration by residents, institutions, and businesses who have been clamoring for a safe route to and through the SW Portland metropolitan region for years. Re-purposing underused motor vehicle lanes at the northern end of Barbur will allow for safe, protected bike lanes. The commerce and freeway-oriented southern end, stretching five miles into Tigard, will require a combination of buffered and physically separated bicycle lanes, as well as bicycle-specific signals. STATUS: Through years of tireless advocacy and community organizing we, in partnership with Friends of Barbur, successfully pressured the Oregon Department of Transportation to agree to re-purpose one motor vehicle lane to create safe space to walk and ride bikes over the Newbury and Vermont Bridges on Barbur Boulevard. At this point, with a commitment but no project plan or budget, we are focused on winning ~$4 million in dedicated funding to begin construction on new sidewalks and bike lanes. It has taken an incredible amount of work to get this far and we won’t quit until the project is complete. Additional information: http://www.oregon.gov/ODOT/HWY/REGION1/Pages/OR99WBarburSafetyAudit.aspx/ODOT/HWY/ REGION1/Pages/OR99WBarburSafetyAudit.aspx Currently, support for this project includes: LET’S FIX IT Highway 26 Crossings Highway 26 is a significant barrier for people bicycling in Washington County. Even where there are rudimentary bicycle lanes on roads to the side of Highway 26, crossing over the limited-access freeway is harrowing. The dangerous and intimidating crossings over Highway 26 are critical gaps that keep people from accessing the beautiful rural roads of Washington County and, more importantly, their jobs, homes, and other key destinations. Key crossings over Highway 26 that need to be immediately addressed include 185th, Cornelius Pass Road, Bethany Boulevard, and Glencoe Road. 6 STATUS: Bethany Boulevard and Glencoe Road, two Highway 26 crossings that once lacked bikeways, were both reconstructed with improved bike facilities. Glencoe has wide, buffered bike lanes and Bethany has basic bike lanes plus a multi-use path in some sections. Cornelius Pass Road is also being rebuilt with a two-way protected bikeway, but this bikeway will dead-end at the freeway interchange. BTA is continuing to advocate for a bicycle-and-pedestrian bridge over the highway at Cornelius Pass, which would connect to future trails to the north and west. 185th Avenue is identified by Washington County as a priority corridor for safety improvements and we will continue pushing for those improvements to include protected places to bike and walk. Currently, support for this project includes*: *Additional funding and construction is still needed for the crossings at the Westside Trail and Cornelius Pass Sullivan’s Gulch Crossings With I-84, heavy rail, and MAX light rail running through it, Sullivan’s Gulch is impossible to cross without a bridge. Some bridges across the gulch accommodate bicycle traffic but the ones that do vary in quality. Improvements to these crossings fall into two categories: improvements to the bridges themselves and improvements to streets connecting to the bridges. Providing dedicated space for people on bicycles or adding signals to freeway on and off ramps, such as at NE 33rd, will help create safe access for people walking and riding bicycles. Other crossings, like NE 28th, provide comfortable bicycle lanes over Sullivan’s Gulch but connect to narrow neighborhood collectors on either end. STATUS: Unfortunately, the City of Portland has not improved any of the existing. We are in the midst of early conversations among community members and city staff about a potential new bridge for people walking and biking on either 7th or 9th avenue. We will campaign to make the effort a success. We will have to redouble our organizing efforts with community members and advocacy with decision makers to improve conditions on the other major bridges connecting north and south across Sullivan’s Gulch. Currently, support for this project includes: I-205 Path Gap LET’S FIX IT The I-205 Path runs 15 miles from the Marine Drive Path along the Columbia River south to Gladstone, near Oregon City. It is continuous except for a one-mile gap south of the Clackamas Regional Center. The “I-205 Gap” cuts most Clackamas County residents off from this valuable transportation and recreation facility. STATUS: After the Blueprint of World-Class Bicycling was published, ODOT completed the Sunrise Corridor path that helped to close some of the I-205 path gap. ODOT has extended the I-205 path and it will now connect to 82nd avenue bike lane south. Some noticeable improvements include grade separated crossings at HWY 224 and the I-205 ramp. The I-205 Gap still exists despite community support, and we will continue looking for opportunities to improve the path. 7 Currently, support for this project includes: CREATE NEIGHBORHOOD GREENWAYS CREATE NEIGHBORHOOD GREENWAYS Imagine streets where people have first priority. Walking and playing, talking and strolling with bicycles passing by and motor vehicles traveling safely. Now imagine a network of these safe neighborhood streets that provide low-stress, efficient connectivity between neighborhoods and destinations. We want to build on the success of Portland’s neighborhood greenway network that creates streets with a mix of traffic control such as speed bumps, bulb outs, and traffic diverters. Monroe Monroe Street is parallel to busy SE King Street in Milwaukie and connects with 82nd Ave, MAX, and the I-205 path. With neighborhood greenway treatments, Monroe could become the much needed east-west route for families and less-experienced riders. Connecting residential Milwaukie to the businesses, schools, trails and trains of downtown Milwaukie is common sense. STATUS: BTA collaborated with a new local group, Bike Milwaukie, to run a successful advocacy campaign to get this project adopted by Milwaukie City Council. We expect the City of Milwaukie to conduct further modeling and analysis of impacts as a result of diverting automobile traffic to make Monroe a safer place to walk and bike. The City of Milwaukie will be pursuing grant funding from available sources to invest in this project. In the next year, the City will install temporary diverters on Monroe to further understand the impact this traffic change will have. BTA will continue to support Milwaukie as they move forward with this planned project, and we look forward to a fully funded and built project in the next couple years. Additional information: http://www.milwaukieoregon.gov/planning/monroe-street-neighborhood-greenway-concept-plan 8 Currently, support for this project includes: NE 7th & SE 9th Corridor A bicycle and pedestrian bridge across I-84 could provide the continuous north-south route that inner Portland needs. NE 7th Avenue would provide a safe route north from the highway and NE/SE 9th Avenue would provide a safe, low-traffic route to the south. We predict that this corridor — connecting the Lloyd District, a burgeoning inner eastside industrial district, neighborhoods like Powell and Brooklyn, and recently built streetcar and light-rail stations — would quickly become one of Portland’s most heavily used and important neighborhood greenways. STATUS: We are thrilled to report that the NE 7th/9th Greenway Project from Lloyd to Woodlawn Neighborhood received over $550K from the new City of Portland Gas Tax. While much more funding will be required, BTA’s advocacy in support of the gas tax will provide a key starting point for planning and building this future project. Staff at the Portland Bureau of Transportation are currently planning the project and discussing it with key stakeholders. With an estimated price tag of $12 million, it will take some significant work to move this project forward with full funding and community support. Currently, support for this project includes: CREATE NEIGHBORHOOD GREENWAYS Washington County According to the 2009 National Household Travel Survey, 41% of Washington County trips are under three miles. With a neighborhood greenway network, many of these trips could easily be made by bicycle rather than in a motor vehicle. Many of the neighborhoods in Washington County can be connected through neighborhood greenway-style improvements, connections through cul-de-sacs, and wayfinding signage in neighborhoods. Such facilities are an inexpensive way to compensate for the gaps in the non-motorized transportation network on major streets in Washington County. We want to see Washington County build at least 15 miles of neighborhood greenways by 2018. STATUS: Thanks to BTA’s advocacy, the City of Beaverton is creating neighborhood bikeways on Broadway and Millikan. These two low-traffic streets in the heart of downtown provide access to City Hall, local shops, and the Beaverton Transit Center. Washington County completed a neighborhood bikeways plan identifying 30 miles of neighborhood bikeway routes but so far is only building one of them -- a route to PCC’s Rock Creek Campus, near Springville and 185th. Beaverton and Hillsboro are kicking off plans to identify potential neighborhood bikeways, and BTA will remain focused on advocating for funding for these popular, familyfriendly routes. 9 Currently, support for this project includes: East Portland The Portland Bureau of Transportation is planning nearly 30 miles of neighborhood greenways in East Portland, but this will not achieve the goal of the Portland Bicycle Plan for 2030 which calls for 80% of Portland’s population to live within ½ mile of a low-stress street. East Portland is home to over a quarter of the population of Portland but the rates of walking, bicycling, and transit use in East Portland are far lower than the city average. Many places in Portland east of 82nd Avenue lack features that make walking and bicycling an option. We must prioritize building neighborhood greenways in East Portland to provide transportation options that are desirable and affordable. STATUS: The BTA advocated in support of the newly passed City of Portland Gas Tax that will now fund two of the high priority projects listed for East Portland Neighborhood Greenways. These include the 4M (SE Mill, Market, Main and Millmain) and HOP (NE Holladay, Oregon and Pacific) greenways. We also partnered with EPAP Bike to hold a Policy Makers Ride to highlight the need to fund and construct this project. Currently, support for this project includes: BUILD INSPIRING TRAILS BUILD INSPIRING TRAILS Most of us are familiar with the Springwater Trail. It is both a recreational destination and daily transportation corridor. The trail helps people get from their homes and through the southern part of Portland to jobs downtown and destinations across the city. The Springwater Trail, and trails like it, are very popular with residents and tourists. We need to learn from this type of trail. We need to recognize their popularity and potential and plan accordingly by offering dedicated space for people walking or rolling more slowly. An inspiring network of trails will connect town centers, residential neighborhoods, and outdoor destinations with smooth, paved space for everyone including daily commuters, families headed to the park, and senior citizens on a stroll. 10 North Portland Greenway A safe, flat, scenic, direct route between St. Johns and Downtown Portland would serve thousands of commuters and connect residents throughout the area with jobs in Downtown and on Swan Island. The Swan Island Industrial District alone is home to over 11,000 jobs, yet bicycle access to the area is currently restricted to one narrow sidewalk and a steep climb up N Going St. Construction of the North Portland Greenway Trail, including an alignment with the Ash Grove Cement Road, will continue the popular eastside waterfront trail from Kelly Point Park and St. Johns down to the Steel Bridge and the Eastbank Esplanade, creating a regional trail over 12 miles long. STATUS: Trail projects can take decades to complete and so it is hard to evaluate the short term progress. Fortunately, a great group, npGREENWAY has emerged as a true champion for this trail. Plans are moving on the North Portland Greenway Trail and large portions of the trail will soon be a reality. Recently, two small, but important connections have been built—the bridge from Pier Park to Chimney Park and a beautiful new segment in front of Daimler’s new headquarters on Swan Island. Another important connector, the bridge from Chimney Park over Columbia Blvd and into the St Johns Prairie, has entered the planning and design phase and will be built by 2018. Portland Parks and Recreation is in the process of applying for a Regional Flex Funds Active Transportation grant to complete design work and fully build out the entire trail segment from Pier Park to Cathedral Park. If funded, the completion of this segment will mean a contiguous trail all the way from Kelley Point Park to Cathedral Park, nearly half of the trail! Public support will be crucial in the competitive grant process, so stay tuned for ways you can help. Follow along at http://npgreenway.org/. Currently, support for this project includes: BUILD INSPIRING TRAILS Portland to Lake Oswego Less than four miles south of the Sellwood bridge, Lake Oswego is Portland’s most difficult suburb to reach by bike. The most direct route, Hwy 43, is so unpleasant that many people opt to ride further and climb twice as high on SW Terwilliger Blvd. There is a 3.5-mile route that would allow easy, flat access from Lake Oswego to the Sellwood Bridge. By converting the old Lake Oswego Trolley line and tunnel into a multi-use path, the trip between the Sellwood Bridge and Lake Oswego would turn from a grueling climb to a safe, pleasant, familyfriendly trip by bicycle or a mere hour-long walk. North of the Sellwood Bridge, there is also work to be done on the existing Willamette Greenway trail. Sharp turns, narrow paths, and rough pavement will not safely accommodate the high volumes of bicycle and foot traffic expected after the new Sellwood Bridge is complete. STATUS: BTA has been working with one of our most talented and dedicated volunteers, Patty Freeman, for the last few years trying to find a way to build this trail. While we are not yet ready to say if it will or will not happen, building this trail is an incredibly complex and interwoven set of legal, financial, and political challenges. The existing public right of way, held in trust by eight regional jurisdictions known as the Willamette Shore Line, 11 is subject to federal, state, and local regulations regarding maintaining existing rail use. Additionally, several access easements across private property include clauses to revoke the easement if the alignment falls out of rail use. To date, BTA staff, volunteers, jurisdictional partners, and independent experts from groups such as Rails to Trails have not been able to find a way to convert this amazing public space into a future trail. We will continue looking for options in the years to come but this is a long-term project. Currently, support for this project includes: Gresham-Fairview Trail As a key north-south connector in east Multnomah County, the five mile trail will ultimately connect the Springwater Trail and the Marine Drive Trail, two existing trails with regional significance. Three miles of the Gresham-Fairview Trail have already been built and only an additional two miles, north of the existing trail, need to be constructed. Once this missing gap is completed, people will be able to ride a 40-mile loop around east Multnomah County, providing access to the natural areas along Johnson Creek, Fairview Creek, the Columbia Slough, and the Columbia River. STATUS: Currently, The City of Gresham is in the process of identifying funding for the remaining two miles of the trail that exist between NW Halsey Street and Sandy Boulevard and Sandy Boulevard /Marine Drive. Currently, support for this project includes: Westside Trail BUILD INSPIRING TRAILS Washington County residents are hungry for off-street opportunities to ride bikes for transportation and recreation. There is a plan for a much-needed off-street, north-south connector in Washington County known as the Westside Trail. Nine non-consecutive miles of the 24-mile trail have been constructed but the plan is to extend the existing trail segments to connect the Tualatin River to the Willamette River at the St. John’s Bridge. The completed trail will connect nearly 120,000 residents to jobs, services, schools, natural areas, and public transit hubs. We need to build all 24 planned miles of the trail and anticipate its wild popularity by building separate bicycle and pedestrian paths and safe mid-block crossings. STATUS: In 2014, the BTA rallied critical support for the Westside Trail Master Plan. More than 400 of our members spoke up in support of the trail, leading to unanimous adoption of the plan by all of the cities, counties, and park districts involved. The trail is now complete between Barrows Road and the Tualatin Hills Nature Park, and we continue to help identify funding for the remaining segments to the north and south. We celebrated new segments of the Westside Trail at Sunday Trailways in Beaverton in 2014, and have led many great rides along the trail. Washington County and Nike recently announced a ground-breaking agreement to construct another link in the trail along 158th Avenue, by the Nike campus. 12 Currently, support for this project includes*: *Dedicated funding is still needed to construct the trail segments north of Jenkins Rd. and south of Barrows Rd. An inspiring long term trail vision: Hood to Coast Trail Network In 2011, the Portland metro area welcomed close to 8 million visitors who generated nearly $4 billion in direct spending. Portland’s bicycle-friendliness is a well-known part of its identity and many tourists visiting Portland ride bicycles during their visit. While a Hood to Coast train network is not specifically one of our Blueprint projects, because of its broader scope and timeline, we offer the following bold vision for trails: We envision a trail network where people can ride bikes the 130 miles from Government Camp to the Oregon Coast. By linking existing trails and building out the missing pieces, people will travel to Oregon for this destination trail as they do for Missouri’s Katy Trail or Quebec’s Route Vert. BUILD INSPIRING TRAILS STATUS: The Salmonberry Trail will link the Banks-Vernonia Trail to the Oregon Coast. When combined with the future Council Creek Trail and TV Highway Trail, you’ll one day be able to bike from the Portland area to the coast riding completely on off-street paths. The Salmonberry Trail Intergovernmental Agency is hard at work adopting the trail into local city plans, identifying funding sources, and conducting needed environmental assessments. The BTA educated our members of Congress about the Salmonberry Trail at the 2015 and 2016 National Bike Summits in Washington, D.C. Currently, support for this project includes: 13 WHERE WE’RE GOING 2016 and beyond... We need a safer TV Highway in Washington County. We need protected bike lanes in Downtown Portland. We need a complete corridor with the Powell-Division Bus Rapid Transit that provides reliable and fast bus services, physically protected bike lanes, and pedestrian safety improvements in East Portland and Gresham. We need Vision Zero policies adopted at every level of government to eliminate all road fatalities across our region and state. We need to bring Safe Routes to School to EVERY KID in Oregon. This is where we’re going. Vision Zero In conjunction with Oregon Walks, we will continue to support Families for Safe Streets’ campaigns and push for policies at the state and local levels. A few highlights of BTA’s Vision Zero Work include: The BTA is serving on the newly formed City of Portland Vision Zero Task Force committee along with a host of other community partners shaping the plan that will be out late summer / early fall 2016. In partnership with Oregon Walks, the BTA supported the launch of Oregon and SW Washington Families for Safe Streets, a group of families of crash victims calling for rapid implementation of Vision Zero. Members of Oregon and SW Washington Families for Safe Streets placed over 130 memorials for World Day of Remembrance on Sunday, November 15, 2015. After years of advocacy and a Vision Zero #WorkZoneWTF social media campaign championed by Oregon Walks and the BTA, the city of Portland has finally passed a new work zone policy. A year after BTA and Oregon Walks released our Vision Zero Report, the BTA thanks our members and other City of Portland voters for passing Measure 26173 to provide critical funding for street maintenance and safety projects in the neighborhoods that need them most. Women Bike WHERE WE’RE GOING Our new female and female identifying focused program will empower new riders and increase awareness of our work through rides, meet-ups, and an online forum. During its first year Women Bike held monthly rides, education events, coffee clubs, and happy hours and tracked nearly 400 event attendees over the year. We also built an engaged online community of over 800 women who use the platform to ask questions, share knowledge, plan meet-ups and rides, and simply connect. Women Bike also launched a Roll Model program which will support eight Roll Models to inspire more women in their community riding bikes through peer-to-peer mentorship. Women Bike Ride in the Rain Ride, February 2016 14 For Every Kid: Expand Safe Routes to School The BTA, as part of the For Every Kid Coalition, fought and won $3.5 M in dedicated funds for school-based, region-wide walking and biking programs including encouragement, education, and engineering. For the 2016 and 2017 legislative seasons, the BTA and our partners will focus on statewide expansion. Members of the For Every Kid Coalition attended JPACT meetings to demand dedicated funding for Safe Routes to School. The BTA and over 89 partners in the Metro Area joined the For Every Kid Coalition to urge Metro Council to dedicate Regional Flexible Funds to Safe Routes to School. We worked with city, county, and Metro staff, local elected officials, businesses, and individuals to show how Safe Routes to School can increase walking and biking to school by 40%, and be a regional solution to problems around rising health issues, safety concerns on local streets, and inequitable health and safety investments in communities of concern. We engaged and activated For Every Kid Coalition partners and thousands of individuals in writing postcards, sending emails, making phone calls, attending rallies, testifying at public meetings, and much more. Ultimately we were able to win $3.5M for Safe Routes to School and over $25M for active transportation projects. Because of this win, hundreds of kids, families, and elders in the Metro-area will be able to safely walk, bike, and access transit in their neighborhoods! Bike Commute Challenge: Revamp and Relaunch WHERE WE’RE GOING 2015 saw 10,500 riders compete in the September Bike Commute Challenge, but we want to reach a new, larger audience. We reinvented the event by holding it in May and adding more advocacy opportunities for participants. The Bike Commute Challenge was reinvented into the Bike More Challenge. The program moved to May to encourage people to try biking and stick with it through the summer biking season. Another major change to the program included opening up the Challenge to recognize all trips made my bike and not solely focusing on the commute. The 2016 Bike More Challenge saw 11,741 riders bike 1,656,098 miles, the equivalent of circling the Earth 66 times! This marked participation of 1,000 more riders than last year. Almost 2,000 of them identified as new to biking, and these new riders logged over 100,000 miles. Team Quantum Spatial won 1st place for their size category (200-499 staff) in the May 2016 Bike More Challenge! 15 Bike the Vote All signs point to an exciting election season. We will have a governor’s race, a mayoral race, two key council member races and important state legislative races. While we cannot endorse candidates, our “Bike the Vote” campaign will inform voters, influence candidates, and get out the vote. In the beginning of 2016, the BTA released a Bicycle Platform that we asked Candidates to use in their campaigns, sent a Candidate Questionnaire and publicly displayed candidates’ responses, and published a Voter Action Toolkit to keep voters informed of BTA’s priorities when speaking with candidates. The BTA is excited to focus on adding a 501(c)4 advocacy arm in the next year to allow us to become even more involved in upcoming elections and directly influence candidates and issues. BTA Member at the 2015 Member Holiday Party excited to get involved in Bike the Vote! Safe Routes to School: Bike and Pedestrian Safety Education The Bicycle Transportation Alliance (BTA) Safe Routes to School programs are the best bicycle and walking safety programs in the country. We offer several program models designed to bring education services to your students, to train your teachers, and to encourage students and families to walk and bike to school. WHERE WHERE WE’RE WE’RE GOING GOING A few highlights of BTA’s Safe Routes to School education program include: Every year, BTA’s Education Team works in public schools throughout the Portland metro region to teach Safe Routes to School bike and pedestrian safety eduction to youth. Our Safe Routes to School education program reached over 5,000 students in the past school year. The BTA prioritizes providing Safe Routes to School education at Title 1 (low-income) schools and is currently teaching at 21 out of 24 Title 1 schools within the Portland Public School System. Students from Ockley Green School out on their Friday Community Ride after two weeks of Bike Safety Education. 16 THANK YOU TO ALL OUR INDIVIDUAL SUPPORTERS $5,000+ $2,500+ Jay and Allison Graves Rosanna and William Henderson Betsy Platt Dwayne King Jennifer Dill Justin and Katrina Yuen Mark Edlen Ray Thomas Stephen Gomez and Shannon Holt $1,000+ Andrew Mason Anthony Carlton Cecil Reniche-Smith Christi and Ben McKinley Courtney Martin and Jen Dederich David and Cassie Kottkamp David Forman and Julie Robinson Deena Grossman Doug Morris Jennifer Heldmann and McPherson Beall Jim and Lisa Peters Kathleen Swift Kenji and Tess Sugahara Kristen Connor Leah Treat Marjin Wall and Kate LaGrand Mel Birge and Janet Morgan Steve Swanson Michael Morrow and Miriam Berman Susan and Don Moote Peter and Janet Bonafede Susan Marks Phoebe Rich Susan Otcenas Randy Miller Tal Johnson Rob Sadowsky and Stacey Theresa Carr and Edward Hansen Schubert Sarah Lazzaro Scott Kocher Galen Seitz and Jacqueline Villnave Gene and Vicki Henschel Greg Hatton Hau Hagedorn James Allard Jason Blackwell Jeff Lang Jim Piper and Roberta Lampert John and Melissa Davies John Beaston and Susan Hayden Johnna Wells Josh Capps JS and Robin May Karly Ritter and Brad Will Ken Dennis Kevin and Kysa Vassily Krista Rider Leslie Carlson Mark and Mary Roberts Michelle Blackwood Nathan Donley Nicholas Hengen Fox Nick John Peter and Susan Koonce Phil and Debbie Richman Randy Greb Richard Ray and Anne Philipsborn Richard Schubert Robert Spurlock Scott and Deena Fredricks Syd and Joan Smith Tom and Ann Usher Dennis Moran and Betsy Hayford Derek Feltham Edna and David VanGundy Eric Abrams and Abby Solomon Erik and Karyn Goodfriend Eve and Denis Heidtmann Gil Wistar Greg and Beth Raisman Gregory Gohman Gregory Taylor Heidi Nielsen Hugh and Ann Bynum Ian Yolles and Irene Parihal Ira Ryan James Bohem and Johanna Nelson Jeff Mendenhall Jennifer Lyons Jerome Fulton Jim Cavanaugh Jim Middaugh and Anna Goldrich Jody Rose John and Lisa Lynch John Bauer and Mary Lee Baker John Thoren Jonathan and Jamie Caulley Jonathan Lindgren Jonathan Rettmann and Alison Edelman Joseph Greulich Judith Becher and Jeff Wallace Karen Garber and John Desmarais Katherine Atkins Kathleen and Chip Masarie Kevin Blair Kevin Turner Kimberlee Stafford Lee Taylor Lindsay Selser Lisa Farley Lisa Nilsson Lou Stagnitto Marc San Soucie and Kathryn Harrington Mark Fischl Mark Garzotto Mark Hand Mark Poling Marti Frank Mary Fetsch Matthew Denton Michael Phillips Michelle Gardner Michelle Poyourow Nancy and Howard Bales Pamela Kane Patrick Blanchard Peter Beyer Peter Jacobs and Elizabeth O’Neill Peter Warton Philippa Ribbink Renata Hahn Rex Burkholder and Lydia Rich Richard and Elizabeth Marantz Richard Walker Robby Russell Robert Kline Robert Ludemann Roger and Shelley Tragesser Sarah and Roger Friedel Scott Urbatsch and Jessica Duke Sean Farrell Stefan Bussey Stephanie Leikas-Homolya Stephen Frenkel and Judy Walton Stephen Upchurch Steven Kimble Steven Martine Susan Kubota and Jim Lundblad Suzanne Horst Suzanne Savell Terry Rudd Thomas Gewecke Tonya Davis Toshihiko Murata Wade Lange $500+ Alenka and Scott Grealish Bill Chin Bob Oxford Brad Ross Brian Sallay Bryce and Christina Bederka Chris Smith and Staci Paley Christoph Franklin David Weber Denna Stempler Emily Rimas THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS $250+ Adam Moore Adnan Kadir and Stacey Royce AJ Zelada and Martine Sacks Alan Hamilton Allison and Alan Zimmerman Andrea Matsumura Augusto and Carissa Carneiro Barb Stark Barbara Jennings and Dick Teutsch Benjamin and Kristan Sias Bill Blosser Bob and Adrienne Stacey Bob and Ellen Currey-Wilson Bob Cortright Brendon and Melissa Haggerty Brian Walker and Sandra Fredericksen Bruce and Susan Kilgore Chad Davis Charles Brabenac Christopher, Ginny and Mandy Achterman Clint and Kristin Culpepper Dan Colley David Backes and Jenny Trygg David Baumgarten David Paul and Barb Hutchinson Debbie Meisinger and Barry Buchanan Dennis Gilbert 17 THANK YOU TO ALL OUR BUSINESS SUPPORTERS $10,000+ $5,000+ Kaiser Permanente Metro NORTH Car2go Castelli & Sportful America EarthShare of Oregon Gyroscope Creative Michaelson Foundation Oregon Department of Transportation Oregon Health & Science University Pinpoint Logic LLC Portland Design Works Quantum Spatial River City Bicycles Spinlister Swanson, Thomas, Coon & Newton TeamEstrogen.com Travel Oregon $2,500+ Alleman Hall McCoy Russell & Tuttle, LLP American Assets Trust BicycleAttorney.com Bike Gallery Cable Huston CH2M - Portland Chipotle Chris King Precision Components FMYI KIND Healthy Snacks Kittelson & Associates, Inc Melvin Mark Companies MetroMile New Seasons Market Oregon Bicycle Racing Association Portland General Electric Portland Pedal Power Puppet Labs Rack Attack Showers Pass GlobeSherpa Hotlips Pizza Kaiser Foundation Health Plan of the Northwest Community Giving Campaign KPFF Consulting Engineers Kristin Lensen Consulting NW Auction Support Inc. NW Natural Oregon Health Authority Pacific Continental Bank Pacificorp Portland Wheelmen Touring Club REN Cycles The Standard Insurance TMT Development Tonkon Torp LLP TREC Trillium Transit TriMet Wells Fargo - Oregon Yuba Bicycles Zipcar Portland $1,000+ THANK YOU TO ALL OUR SUPPORTERS Alta Planning + Design Birk-Coblens Family Fund of the Oregon Jewish Community Foundation Con-way Enterprise Services Cynergy E-Bikes Dero DK Whitaker Engineering DKS Associates $500+ $250+ Abraham Fixes Bikes Beneficial State Bank Brink Communications Cambia Health Solutions Levi’s Nike Employee Matching Gift Program Patagonia Timbuk2 Visual Aid Washington County Commission Cascade Locks Ale House Chrome Industries Fidelity Charitable Gift Fund Hunt & Gather Iberdrola Renewables Nike, Inc. Orp Silicon Valley Community Foundation United Health Group BECOME A BUSINESS MEMBER OF THE BICYCLE TRANSPORTATION ALLIANCE by visiting btaoregon.org/join/#businessmembership 18 2015 - 2016 FINANCIALS FINANCIALS REVENUE 2015 2016 Government Grants & Contracts Private Grants & Contributions In-Kind Contributions Program Events & Fees Special Events Merchandise Sales Other $ $ $ $ $ $ $ 397,991 505,100 78,489 103,355 178,754 3,436 20,272 $ 376,277 $ 498,660 $ 16,889 $ 93,018 $ 185,407 $ 2,330 $ 15,534 Total Revenue $1,287,397 $1,188,115 EXPENSES Advocacy Education Encouragement Administration Fundraising Total Expenses $ 516,806 $ 236,724 $ 179,108 $ 166,634 $ 234,754 $1,334,026 $ 339,690 $ 245,180 $ 163,715 $ 158,644 $ 207,863 $1,115,092 NET INCOME $ $ 46,629 73,023 19 CONCLUSION For the coming weeks, months, and years, our job as residents and advocates is to share our vision for a network of safe streets where everyone can get to where they need to go safely. We will build a bigger movement with members and other supporters to create a safer and more comprehensive network of safe streets, trails and transit opportunities, and encourage increasingly dynamic and healthy activity throughout the region. Our expanded work will improve your total transportation environment by creating safer and fewer drivers because more people will be biking, walking, and riding transit. To build safe, complete streets, we must continue to push for the design, policy funding, and political support required to make our vision a reality. The goals of reducing our health care costs, reducing our carbon footprint, and eliminating fatalities on the road are too important to wait; we must get to work now in order to achieve these benefits in the future. WE NEED YOUR HELP! Now is the time to join us as a member, volunteer, or supporter. Now is the time to share these ideas with your neighbors and friends, city counselors, and county commissioners. Now is the time to talk with people about how important it is that we reduce the amount of money we spend on transportation while we increase the amount of physical activity in our daily lives. By ensuring that people who want to ride a bicycle can do so safely and easily wherever they want to go, whatever their comfort level, we can build the future we want to create. We need your help as we make this vision a reality. CONCLUSION BECOME A MEMBER OF THE BICYCLE TRANSPORTATION ALLIANCE by visiting btaoregon.org/join Board Staff Dr. Chris Achterman Leslie Carlson David Forman Jude Gerace Stephen Gomez Diane Goodwin Hau Hagedorn Rep. Val Hoyle Adnan Kadir Dwayne King Peter Koonce Susan Marks Ben McKinley Randy Miller Stewart Yaguda Justin Yuen Jordan Bailey Nicole Davenport LeeAnne Fergason William Francis Lisa Frank Brittani Garner Sheilagh Griffin Lauren Hugel Amanda Judkins Gerik Kransky Carl Larson Anne Lee Sarah Newsum Stephanie Noll Elizabeth Quiroz Rob Sadowsky Greg Sutliff Kate Walker 20