2005 Award Winners

John Blackwell (Portland)
A veteran Portland civic leader and fundraiser, John Blackwell has led a host of bicycling causes. During his tenure as treasurer of Cycle Oregon, Inc., the then-fledgling Cycle Oregon Fund came under the wing of the Oregon Community Foundation. Today it generates as much as $100,000 annually to finance community-development causes, many bicycle-related. As chairman of the Oregon State Parks and Recreation Commission, he helped state government embrace bicycling as a key component of the strategy to link Oregon’s extensive network of state parks. John knitted the public/private partnership between parks, the state agency, and Cycle Oregon, Inc., resulting in Gov. Ted Kulongoski’s unveiling, in 2005, of an historic first for Oregon: a State Scenic Bikeway. This 130-mile Willamette Greenway “linear park,” linking the cities of Portland and Eugene, is designed to be the first in an emerging series of state scenic bikeways. Blackwell’s leadership promises to position Oregon as America’s best bicycling state.

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Todd Boulanger (Vancouver)
Through a program he dubbed “R U Bridge Curious?” Todd Boulanger taught Vancouver residents how to bike across the I-5 bridge to the MAX light rail station at the Expo Center, purchase tickets, load and unload their bikes, and make transit and bike-lane connections from the destination station. As a Bike Station board member, “Pedalpalooza” organizer, and bike education presenter, Todd tirelessly promoted bike/ped/transit/traffic calming around Vancouver. He wrote an EPA grant to bring workers in downtown the “Green Fleet Shared Vehicle Project,” providing free Flexcar access to those who work in the downtown area and walk, bike, or bus to work. He created “community bike pumps” and placed them around town, and his enthusiasm for the 2004 “Bicycle Commute Challenge” was key in influencing local businesses to participate in the event. Todd played a huge role in advocating and bringing a CCC branch to Vancouver, which has a large population that benefits from these programs.

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Ayleen Crotty (Portland)
Ayleen Crotty talks the cycling lifestyle better than almost anyone, as the host of KBOO radio’s monthly bicycling program on the first Wednesday of every month. She also walks the talk, through her organization of the “Midnight Mystery Ride,” her tireless work as communications director for the Community Cycling Center (CCC), and as mainstay in the SHIFT community. Ayleen encourages cycling for the pure pleasure of self-motivation, spreading the cycling “gospel” wherever she goes. She is truly one of Portland’s most effective and long-time bike proponents.

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Beth Dayton (Salem)
As a member of the Mid-Willamette Valley Chapter of the BTA, Beth Dayton has played a key role in introducing the BTA’s Bicycle Safety Education classes to Salem-Keizer schools, currying the schools’ interest and approval of elementary schools, launching media coverage, and raising funds for the program, which is spreading like wildfire through her community. A surgeon, Beth earned the support of her medical peers in her efforts to promote bicycling as a preventive medicine against childhood obesity and inactivity. Her advocacy goes beyond working with children: Beth was the primary force in the improvement of the Croisan Scenic Trail in south Salem, a valuable bike/ped corridor.

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Mark Lear (Portland Office of Transportation)
Working with State legislators and the League of Cities, among others, Mark Lear was successful in getting increased traffic-fine revenue dedicated to local Traffic Safety Accounts across Oregon. In Portland, this $2 million account funds the Portland Community and School Traffic Safety Partnership (CSTSP) which focuses on reducing driver error, increased pedestrian and bicycle safety, and growing the City’s “Safe Routes to School” program. Mark also led the effort to broaden the vision for the Portland Traffic Calming Master Plan. Thanks to Mark, police and the bicycle and pedestrian community are working together to provide activities that improve safety; transportation and schools are working together to enable kids to walk and bike to school safely; transportation and health professionals are collaborating on projects that support the national and state physical activity agenda; and neighborhoods and the traffic safety community are working together to reduce driver errors that cause injury and death.

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Karl Rohde (Lake Oswego)
Karl Rohde’s support of bicycling and walking began his political career. Leading a neighborhood coalition, Karl spearheaded traffic calming in Lake Oswego. He was elected and reelected to the city council where he served as one of the strongest proponents for bicycling infrastructure. Karl was known to cycle to city council meetings where he worked on the redevelopment of downtown, ensuring a new-urbanism styled development that has become a model for how small cities can attract businesses and visitors by emphasizing a bike and pedestrian friendly design. Karl pushed METRO’s Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (JPACT), to fund the Morrison Bridge multiuse path and the Springwater Corridor three-bridge project. He supported bringing the streetcar to Lake Oswego; his vision included a multi-use bikeway connecting Lake Oswego to Sellwood and downtown Portland, and he pushed for bike access across the Willamette in the south metro area.

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