Photo by portlandparks.org

Recognizing the impact of the closure for non-automobile commuters, Portland Parks and Recreation says construction workers will work 12 hours a day, 7 days a week in order to reopen this vital route as soon as possible without compromising the safety of trail users.  The city estimates the trail should be ready for use in about a month.

Users of Tolinda Trail, Springville Road, Hardesty Trail, Ridge Trail, Gas Line Road, Oil Line Road, Fire Lane #7, and Water Line Trail should use extreme caution when crossing Leif Erikson Trail.

A map of the impacted area will soon be available on the Portland Parks and Recreation website.

Photo by portlandonline.com

While repaving is almost complete, some detours still exist. For more Springwater Corridor detour information, visit the website: Springwater Corridor Detours."

Equity Ride
Thursday, August 26, 6:30 pm
Meet at the Immigrant & Refugee Community Organization
10301 NE Glisan, Portland, 97220

With ODOT, Audobon Society of Portland, Community Cycling Center, Bicyclists of Color, East Portland Action Plan, Friends of Trees, and Portland Bureau of Transportation.

Blue Route detour map. Click the image to enlarge.

See the full construction schedule and detour information below. Visit Portland Parks & Rec's website and follow @springwaternews on Twitter up-to-date information all summer long.

DETOUR ROUTES

Orange Route
The trail segment closure from SE 28 Ave to Linwood is scheduled May 24-July 9.

Exit trail at SE 28 Ave. Follow detour east via Sherrett to SE 33 Ave; north to Johnson Creek Blvd; east to SE 45 Ave & Harney Dr; east to Flavel Dr; south to rejoin trail at Johnson Creek Blvd/Flavel intersection. Orange Route Detour Map

Blue Route
Happy fourth of July! The Blue Route will be open July 3, 4 & 5. The trail segment from I-205 to SE 128 Ave is scheduled to be closed until July 16.

Exit trail at I-205 bike path. Follow detour north to Harold; east to SE 128 Ave; south to rejoin trail. Blue Route Detour Map

Green Route
The trail segment from Linwood to I-205 will be closed once the contractor has made sufficient progress on the Orange segment. This will ensure that overlaps in closures are minimized.

Exit trail at Flavel Dr. Follow detour north to Alberta Ave; east to SE 72 Ave; north to Flavel St; east to I-205 bike path; north to rejoin trail at intersection with I-205 bike path. Green Route Detour Map

Purple Route
The trail segment closure from SE 128 Ave to Jenne Rd is scheduled July 19-August 13.

Exit trail at SE 128 Ave. Follow detour north to Holgate Blvd; east to SE 130 Ave; north to Cora; east to SE 132 Ave; north to Bush; east to SE 148 Ave; north to Powell Blvd; east to Naegeli; south to Powell Butte Pkwy; south to Circle Ave; east to rejoin trail at SE 174 Ave & Jenne Rd. Purple Route Detour Map

PROJECT OVERVIEW

Repaving of eight miles of the Springwater Corridor is anticipated to begin this April and likely continue through August. The work will require periodic closures of the trail between SE 28 Ave, just east of the Three Bridges section, to SE 174 Ave and Jenne Rd near the border with the City of Gresham.

The repaving will involve laying a 2" porous asphalt overlay over the existing trail, as well as other improvements, including the replacement of wood and metal bollards in a new concrete band, replacement of trail and bollard signage, and new pavement markings, from the existing Union Pacific Railroad Bridge to the east city border.

During construction, sections of the Springwater Corridor Trail will temporarily close to pedestrians, bicyclists, and other users. Detours around the closed areas will be established in advance of any closures. The contractor will work with PP&R and the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) on determining closures and detours.

PP&R will provide the public, trail users, and those who live along the detour routes with timely information on how and when they will be impacted by the repaving. Because the locations of closings may change from week to week during the project, check here for closure information. Beginning April 1, trail users can follow the project at Twitter/springwaternews, where closure updates will be tweeted as soon as they become available.

The repaving is funded through a $1.8 million grant from the 2009 American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA).
For more information, contact Elizabeth Kennedy-Wong, 503-823-5113.

?

Check it out, and register your comments right away, the online form will only be available for two weeks.

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz

What was that?  A flying two-wheeled spandor?  A terrorizing trike?  A jumping, bunny-hopping, slaloming BMXer?  A carefree commuter on the way home pushing for the next personal best?

When the sun comes out, even our beloved mixed-use paths carry some element of traffic danger.  And when that happens, bicyclists find themselves on the other side of the road.  On paths, we are the big, fast-moving traffic that can hurt users.  When using these paths be sure to bring along a friendly bell for passing or practice your favorite cartoon voice to loudly proclaim, "On your left!"  Personally, I use Kermit the frog's voice.

I live just by the Springwater Corridor and often use the Eastbank Esplanade to get to North Portland, but when a sunny weekend arrives I steer clear of the crowds and take less congested bikeways.  If you are using the paths for commuting and are finding the congestion unbearable try a different route.  Down here at the BTA office we have a ton of free Portland Bike Maps.  Come pick one up.  Don't want to bother coming downtown?  Check out the new googlemaps bike directions: the sweetest thing to hit the internet since chat rooms.

If you are using the paths for recreational rides there are many great places to raise the heart rate and get a good days' sweat in.  Check out www.rubbertotheroad.com.  The website has over 40 rides that range in difficulty from sunny struts to climbing leg-busters.  I just did a quick glance and the "Little Switzerland" ride sounds amazing.  Give it a try and let us know how it is.

Except for me.  I grew up in BeaverTron, as it is so lovingly dubbed, and last Friday I got a chance to show some staff the wonders of Beaverton.  Five of us attended a training on Scholls Ferry near Washington Square Mall and we decided to make an adventure of it.

First on our itinerary was a MAX ride out.  And it was an adventure.  We debated what time and which stop to meet at.  "At 7:30 people are getting off Downtown so we should get on later," I said.  "But there might not be any bike hangers, so we should get on sooner," LeeAnne said.  We took LeeAnne's advice and tried to finagle Stephen's recumbent onto one of the racks, which worked out surprisingly well.

Secretly harboring a fantasy to be a tour guide, I had to show everyone my old stomping grounds, so we got off at Beaverton Transit Center and made a slight detour to the Beaverton Bakery on the outskirts of downtown Beaverton (yes, there is a downtown).  After a quick purchase of their delightful coffeecake we rode the rest of downtown to go to the scariest railroad crossing in Oregon.  Portland cyclists fear Streetcar rails.  None of them compare to the 3-4 inch lip on Watson at Farmington.

We passed the beautiful Beaverton Library to get to Hall Blvd. and ride one of Beaverton's longest, fully connected bike lanes.  Joel was very impressed with the bike lanes in Beaverton and thought they were much better than in some parts of Portland.  I told him to wait until we used the trails.

We got to the training and found very limited bike parking.  A single upside-down "U" for 4 bikes and a recumbent.  We made it work and went inside.

Locking up in Beaverton isn't always easy.

During the training, we talked, we ate, we laughed, we trained hard.  I think Kristin broke a sweat while she ferociously learned very advanced Excel processes.  During lunch we checked out Greenway Park, one of the greats containing a fun 9-hole disc golf course.

Then it came time to go home.  Should we take the MAX or ride home?  Sitting in front of a computer all day just to get cramped with all the commuters…no thanks  We rode!

And what a ride it was.  We decided on the Fanno Creek Trail.  A pair of bicyclists decided to follow us thinking we knew where we were going.  Oh, ho, no they shouldn't have done that.  We led them to a trail end that stopped at the back of a school bus depot.

The Fanno Creek Trail is an interesting trail.  In the springtime it is one of my favorites because you feel like you are riding down a green and leafy tunnel.  But at times the trail ends at dangerously busy roads which causes tricky maneuvers and unclear directions.  There are even gates that forced us to stop and lift Stephen's recumbent (not a friendly task) to continue on our way.  However, the trail itself is serene and peaceful.  It winds through Washington County in a safe, picturesque sense.  It functions very well as a transportation corridor without the title, funding source, and availability of one.

We got off the trail and took fast, downhill routes the rest of the way to downtown – Multnomah to Barbur.  Overall it was a very fun day with very fun people and an exciting bike ride.  If you haven't ridden in Beaverton before, don't let its suburban, not-Portland connotation stop you.  There are many places to explore and fun rides.  Wind through the Wonderland neighborhood, dine in downtown, hustle the hectic trails of Highland.

The gang crossing one of Beaverton's bike boulevards.

Click the map to enlarge.

At each open house you'll have a chance to learn more about the project from Metro staff and discuss proposed trail alignments and potential connections with your neighbors. Refreshments and kid-friendly activities will be provided, so bring the whole family.

Tuesday, Dec. 8
6:30 to 8:30 p.m.
Tualatin Council Chambers Building
18880 SW Martinazzi Ave.,Tualatin
Co-hosted with Tualatin Parks Advisory Committee

Wednesday, Dec. 9
6 to 8 p.m.
Wilsonville City Hall, Council Chambers
29799 SW Town Center Loop E, Wilsonville
Co-hosted with Wilsonville Planning Commission

Thursday, Dec. 10
5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Sherwood Community Room, Sherwood City Hall
22560 SW Pine St., Sherwood
Co-hosted with the City of Sherwood

View the open house materials
Online questionairre

Can't make it to an open house? Download and print the questionnaire and mail it to the Tonquin Trail master plan, c/o Heather Coston, 600 NE Grand Avenue, Portland, OR 97213. Metro is taking community input on the project Master Plan until December 21.

Follow these signs to experience the best of bicycling in Oregon.

Your input will help the Scenic Bikeway Committee build a collective knowledge of the best bike rides in Oregon, make it easier for people to experience all our state has to offer on a bicycle, and help the state prioritize funding for improvements to recreational routes. More riders will bring tourist dollars to communities along the ride and help grow support for grassroots bicycle, environmental and community groups to make Oregon's natural areas even better. Plus, studies show that encouraging recreational bike use helps create more bike commuters in urban areas.

Proposed routes will be evaluated by the committee for scenery, natural and human-made characteristics, and roadway conditions such as surface, traffic volume and speed. Linear routes must be 40 mile or longer, or at least 5 miles for a circular route.

To learn more about the selection process and evaluation criteria, download the Designation Handbook for Oregon Scenic Bikeways. Then download the Application Form to officially nominate a route (or multiple routes!) for recognition. The deadline for submitting applications is January 31, 2010.

Questions? Contact Alex Phillips, Bicycle Recreation Coordinator at Oregon Parks & Recreation, at alex.phillips@state.or.us or 503-986-0631.

Clackamas County Commission Chair Lynn Peterson, ODOT Region 1 Director Jason Tell, and BTA Executive Director Scott Bricker cut the ribbon as a rainbow broke through the clouds. Photo by Elliot Scott, Alta Planning + Design.

The I-205 path is one of the region's most well-used bike trails, and planners recognized it as an important north-south trail connecting the Columbia River with Clackamas County. However, while it was suitable for recreational use there were serious barriers for commuters. Trail users faced long crossing distances and high-speed traffic at several major arterials without any facilities to aid crossing. Some sections were unlit and others visually unappealing, causing many users to feel uncomfortable riding or walking after dark and in the winter months.

When TriMet began construction on the new Green Line, transportation planners, public agencies and neighbors saw an opportunity to improve biking and walking connections to nearby businesses, neighborhoods, and public services. These improvements represent a step forward in bringing transportation options to underserved communities.

In comments before the ride, elected officials emphasized the significance of new ARRA-funded lights and landscaping improvements in making the path feel safe, comfortable, and attractive to users. East County resident Jim Chasse spoke on behalf of everyone who lives, works or rides near Lents and Clackamas County when he expressed his excitement about finally having access to a real transportation corridor.

Volunteer opportunity: help plant trees on the new path
Local nonprofit Friends of Trees, in partnership with Metro and ODOT, will be planting trees along the new path as part of a regional program to increase habitat connectivity, cut down on stormwater runoff, and enhance trails to encourage walking and biking. To learn more about volunteer opportunities, visit the website or contact Greg Tudor at 503-282-8846 ext. 12.