Most cities have a street cleaning schedule, but potholes, cracks, leaves, tree branches, and other debris can accumulate after storms or between cleanings. Your city is equipped with the tools to keep bikeways clear and safe for people riding. Use the traffic safety hotline and follow these steps to report safety issues and request maintenance.
1. The best tool in this situation is your cell phone. Cell phones provide an easy and direct line to city and county staff that can take proper action in clearing bike lanes of debris as well as replacing storm drains that can damage bike wheels. Here is a list of numbers that may be useful to Portland area residents. Tip: save useful phone numbers in your phone’s contact list.
- Portland : 503-823-1778 or 503-823-1700 (24/7) | online
- Gresham: 503-618-2626
- Beaverton : 503-526-2220
- Vancouver: 360-696-8177
- ODOT Region 1: 503-731-8559
- Washington County: 503-846-7623
- Clackamas County: 503-557-6391
- Multnomah county: 503-988-5050 x26797
- Is your area not listed? Search your city’s website or ask for the traffic safety hotline number.
Note: traffic safety hotlines are for non-urgent issues. In an emergency, contact the police or call 9-1-1.
Debris in the bike lane. Photo by Seth Alford.
2. Don’t be afraid to make multiple phone calls. City staff may not be able to respond to your request right away. Follow up after a week if you haven’t heard back.
3. If you have a smart phone with a camera, take a photo to document the debris or safety issue. If your camera doesn’t have a flash, remember to take pictures during the day or under a street lamp. Suggestion: Keep those pictures on your computer for future reference in case the problem becomes chronic or no action is taken.
4. Email the photo directly to the traffic safety hotline or staff contact person. Some cities even have smart phone apps, like Portland’s PDX Reporter, that allow you to upload a photo and submit a report. If you can’t send email from your phone, do this as soon as you have access to a computer.
6. Say thank you. Email a thank you note to city staff and anyone else who helped you fix the problem. Be sure to also CC the people to whom you sent the original note. And post a follow-up note to whatever social media sites you posted your earlier note with the problem.”
If you have a successful bikeway cleaning story or insight to share, please discuss them in the “comments” section of this blog post!
