PORTLAND, OREGON – Population 645,291
Sporting a platinum award from the League of American Bicyclists, along with being ranked as the second most bikefriendly US city by CNBC (Consumer News and Business Channel), Portland has come a long way since adopting its first Bicycle Plan back in 1973.
Since 2001, bicycle use in Portland has tripled, with 6% of commuters choosing to bike to work, the highest of any major US city and about 10 times the national average.
The City’s Bicycle Plan for 2030 was adopted in 2010, and Portland now has 21 miles of protected bike lanes with funding earmarked for an additonal 29 miles. The current overall cycling network totals 411 miles with funding planned for another 82.5 miles and an envisioned goal of additional bikeways to reach 1,040 miles.
Major investments in cycling infrastructure include $55 million spent on safety fixes for the High Crash Network in 2017 and 2018. In addition, 11 diverse bridge crossings of the Willamette River, a major tributary of the Columbia River, now include a designated bike lane while the Tilikum Crossing — the People’s Bridge — is closed off to cars.
Portland is so pro-bike that each of its public transit operations accommodates bicycles. Even the city’s international airport, PDX, caters to cyclists with bike parking and a dedicated assembly and repair station.
The city’s bike share program, Biketown, run by the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) and managed by Lyft, boasts 1,500 e-bikes with plans to grow the entire
fleet and double the number of e-bikes by 2024. Biketown is currently the largest bike share system in the USA.
Oregon began modifying speed limits in 2012, and the new speed limit on residential streets in Portland since 2018 is 20mph (32kph). The City also updated its Bicycle Parking Code to ensure adequate, secure and convenient short- and long-term facilities.
Portland also features many cycling events, including one of the world’s largest naked (yes, naked) bike ride events and a month-long festival called Pedalpalooza. Say that three times while atop your bike!