Portland, Oregon Transportation Director Leah Treat quietly enacted one of the nation's most pro-bike policies last fall.
Michael Andersen writes of a policy enacted in Portland, Oregon last fall, which adopts one of the most supportive bureaucratic requirements for bike infrastructure in the country. "Effective immediately, every time Portland road designers recommended a bike lane, they would need to make it a protected bike lane — or else explain why not," explains Andersen.
"Portland's policy, announced internally in an Oct. 19 memo from Transportation Director Leah Treat, applies to all city-managed streets with average daily traffic of 3,000 motor vehicles or more," adds Andersen.
According to Andersen, Treat is on the record saying the city will go even further than the terms laid out by this internal direction to staff. "The city is also preparing to consider a formal administrative rule that she said would require developers to provide protected bike lanes with new developments — much as they've long been required to provide sidewalks."
The article includes more detail on the thinking behind the policy, and Treat's goals for the city in enacting the policy.
FULL STORY: PORTLAND IS FIRST U.S. CITY TO MAKE PROTECTION THE DEFAULT FOR ALL NEW BIKE LANES
Portland and Multnomah County Push for Lower Speed Limits on Bridges
The Portland Bureau of Transportation and Multnomah County agree on a 30 mph speed limit on five downtown bridges, but the state's department of transportation denied the change on two key spans.
Making Protected Bike Lanes the Design Standard
An institutional mandate isn't enough to make a design vision a reality. Portland is working on bringing its standards and guidelines in line with its ambition for protected bike lanes.
Portland Bike Lanes and the Danger of Half-Measures
Willamette's new bike lanes make for an important link in Portland's bike infrastructure, but building unprotected bike lanes on a high-speed street carries risk.
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
National Parks Layoffs Will Cause Communities to Lose Billions
Thousands of essential park workers were laid off this week, just before the busy spring break season.
Retro-silient?: America’s First “Eco-burb,” The Woodlands Turns 50
A master-planned community north of Houston offers lessons on green infrastructure and resilient design, but falls short of its founder’s lofty affordability and walkability goals.
Test News Post 1
This is a summary
Analysis: Cybertruck Fatality Rate Far Exceeds That of Ford Pinto
The Tesla Cybertruck was recalled seven times last year.
Test News Headline 46
Test for the image on the front page.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
EMC Planning Group, Inc.
Planetizen
Planetizen
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research
NYU Wagner Graduate School of Public Service