Tonight in Portland at the Central Library, from 5:30-7:30 pm, the Oregon Parks and Recreation Department will be taking comments on their recently proposed Scenic Bikeways rule.
The rule establishes a committee and a process for designating certain routes around Oregon as “Scenic Bikeways.” It has great potential for making Oregon into even more of bicycling destination, and for helping local communities highlight their natural assets and attract tourists to them. Bikeways would be nominated by local governments or residents, and would be evaluated based on yet-to-be-established criteria (like traffic volume; natural beauty; availability of lodging, food and water; presence of strip-malls; riding surface; and more). Once designated, they would be signed and maintained as bikeways.
We are very excited about this rule and the work Parks and Recreation has been doing towards making Oregon a great place for long bike rides. We have two concerns, which we’ll address in our testimony tonight and on the Bikeways committee:
1. That the routes be truly safe and comfortable for bicyclists, i.e. that they have low traffic volumes or low traffic speeds and few pinch points; and that they are monitored over time for changes in quality and, if their quality deteriorates, they are brought back up to high quality or lose their designation.
2. That the routes be clearly marked as Scenic Bikeways in such a way as car and truck drivers know to expect bicyclists and safely follow and pass them. Such markings should include not only the established small green “Bike Route” signs but also larger signs and innovative pavement markings.
The Parks and Recreation Department, the BTA, and tourism groups are working to make Oregon a major national and international cycling destination. This will take a big marketing effort, but ultimately what will make or break our reputation is the beauty, comfort and accessibility of our state routes. This Scenic Bikeways Program is a big step towards that goal.
Here is the text of the rule (scenic-bikeways-management-procedures-draft.doc) and some example criteria (example-scoring-criteria.xls). If you are in support of this rule, or have changes to suggest, please come to tonight’s hearing at the Multnomah County Central Library at 801 SW 10th Ave from 5:30-7:30 pm (or in Newport on 1/30, 5:00-7:00 pm at the Newport Public Library, 35 NW Nye St; and in Bend on 2/4, 5:00-7:00 pm, at the Deschutes County Library, 601 NW Wall St).
Of course, we’ll be there representing you. That’s why you pay us the big membership bucks.
PS – If you can’t make hearings you can still comment through February 15th. Do so by emailing Iris Riggs at “iris.riggs[at]state.or.us” and asking her to put your comments in the record.