Birthday Drive

I turned 65 on Saturday the 25th and to celebrate, I decided to take a nice friendly loop I know to "pedal off into the sunset" as I posted on Facebook.  I live on E Main St. in beautiful Downtown Hillsboro and followed a route that is used by several cyclists to get out of the city quickly and emerge in the quite and solitude of the countryside north and west of the city.

The 3rd Annual "Grande Tour de Parks", a metric century 'linking 7 parks in 7 cities' in Washington County, use these streets and roads in the beginning stages of the ride. The city of Hillsboro has the route on its master plan because of the very low traffic and fantastic sight distance on the road once the city limits and Urban Growth Boundary are passed.

Along the way, I encountered 3 pedestrians and 4 cyclists, 3 of whom were a mother and 2 children all on the same set of wheels (the toddler was in a seat mounted to the bike, the adolescent on a 3rd wheel attached to the seat post.  I also flew among scores of dragon flies who were taking the most of the bounty of fruit flies that were dining among the berry orchards along the road.
Using my GoPro camera setting of taking a picture every 10 seconds, I though that, when I came to a stop sign, I would change the setting to video to see if I could capture their flight and passing while in motion.

After turning on to NW Leisy Rd, I was pedaling along, enjoying the day and noticed a white SUV behind me about 100 yards back.  I was riding along in the right tire track, made by motor vehicles, as is my custom, when about 4 minutes and 20 seconds into the shoot the vehicle overtook me so close the front wheel well brushed my side.  Had it hit the bicycle, I would have been road rash, to say the least.
I'll post the video soon...

Dragonfly Summer

Dragonfly Summer, a set on Flickr.

Gotta love August

Evergreen Blvd. Rock Creek Trail Crossing Open House

On May 3, Hillsboro Parks & Recreation Department hosted Robert Rivera, project manager, and other Washington County Staff as they presented the county's proposal to address crossing Evergreen Blvd from the Rock Creek trail and to facilitate access to it from the road.

More than 20 citizens, interest groups, stakeholders and property owners in the affected area attended and provided several comments for the county to take back and consider before the actual project begins.

Starting with the existing conditions, which include a median strip with high curbs, and no ramp on the southern side of the roadway, crossing by bikes can be hazardous at best and, for those using wheelchairs or other mobility devices, impossible without traveling at least ¼ mile in wither direction to cross at a driveway or intersection.

This project is intended to remedy that with an at-grade crossing with ADA compliant approaches and exit and entrance "ramps" for cyclists proceeding on to the trail from Evergreen.

The project includes a push button operated traffic light (red, yellow, green) at the intersection that is timed to the entire system along Evergreen.  While it will occasionally halt motor vehicle traffic, it won't do so without regard to the regular flow of traffic.

I've posted some brief videos (mostly because my still camera's battery was dead) and I hope you can see them well enough.  Stop them along the way as you need to to see what is there and what is proposed. (Mute the background noise, too,)

Meanwhile, I have asked Robert to put the posters on the county's site so more of the public can see it.

Existing Conditions

Proposed Change

The sidewalk will be realigned and be permeable concrete.  The bike 'ramps' will be asphalt with a small stencil directing cyclists to the trail north or south.

This aerial view shows existing conditions, too.

Exercise your right to vote

Have you voted yet?  Election Day is Tuesday, May 15.  Your mail-in ballot must be received by 8:00 PM by the Secretary of State's office.  Postmarks do not count!

National Bike Month

In 1955, the League of American Wheelmen (DBA League of American Bicyclists) successfully petitioned congress to declare May as National Bike Month.

National Bike Month is an opportunity to celebrate the unique power of the bicycle and the many reasons we ride. Whether you bike to work or school; to save money or time; to preserve your health or the environment; to explore your community or get to your destination, get involved in Bike Month in your city or state — and help get more people in your community out riding too!

May 14-18 has evolved from it to form Bike to Work WEek and Friday May 18  Bike to Work Day.

The inaugural Bike to School Day is May 9, 2012.

Check your local listings for events in your area.

Schouten for County Commission

Re-Elect Dick Schouten to the County Commission 

Dick has served on the board of commissioners for Washington County since 2000.  In that time, he has been a tireless advocate for improvements in the bicycle and pedestrian facilities throughout the county and in particular, District 1, which he serves.

District 1 covers most of Beaverton, Cooper Mountain, Aloha and Reedville.

I've known Dick since our days together serving the City of Beaverton on its Bicycle Advisory Committee and Tualatin Hills Parks & Recreation District Trails Advisory Master Planning Committee in the 1990s.

Dick has worked hard to improve pedestrian and road safety, including successfully lobbying for a recently awarded Community Development Block Grant to close key sidewalk gaps along SW 173rd near Aloha-Huber K-8 School and the at Kinnaman and Farmington Roads.

His work to create the County’s Minor Betterment Program and to expand the list of services eligible for the County's Urban Road Maintenance District, has increased the County’s ability to create "safety improvements," such as new sidewalks, bike lanes and paved shoulders.

Dick has been an outstanding leader in protecting and expanding parks and Greenspaces in our part of the County.  Including the public acquisition of over 160 acres of park and green space land inside Washington County's Urban Growth Boundary, including Roy Dancer Park near SW Murray and Allen in Beaverton (3 acres);  the Dent Property portion of Hart-Lowami Woods Park (10 acres) on SW Hart Road also in Beaverton;  Tualatin Hills Nature Park at South Woods (22 acres);  the Sunrise Property on Bull Mt.  (20 acres);  the Summer Creek Property in Tigard (48 acres);  the Old Orenco Woods Golf Course Property in Hillsboro (30 acres);  and the Mt. Williams Property in
West Beaverton (30 acres).

His opponent, Betty Bode has served the City of Beaverton as a council member for more than 8 years, and has done a great service to the city.  I do hope she continues in that role, but in the May 18 primary, let's return Dick to his seat on the commission and continue his great service to us.

Veterans Drive Ribbon Cutting Ceremony

Citing the theme, Honoring past, present and future Veterans, Hillsboro Mayor Jerry Willey, Council President Aron Carlson, current Washington County Commission Chair Andy Duyck, and former chair Tom Brian cut the ribbon to celebrate the opening of Veterans Drive at the Washington County Fairgrounds today.

Chair Duyck opined that the route provides "an important east west connection" for visitors attending the many events on the grounds, from "bead shows to the county fair" that takes significant pressure off Cornell Road traffic for the more than 100,000 visitors who attend the 4 day fair each August alone.

More than a dozen cyclists also took part using the county's first elevated cycle track next to the vehicle lane along the drive, separated by a slanted curb that would allow easy egress from the track to the road surface to make a left turn for example, is easy to navigate.  Getting back on might be a problem, but an easy one to master.


Here's looking to phase II which will connect with Veterans Plaza at the round-about eastward to Brookwood Drive.

Here is a link to the map - http://www.ci.hillsboro.or.us/PublicWorks/CapitalImprovementProjects/Documents/VETERANSVICINITYMAP.pdf

The first opened today.  THE next phase is expected to be completed in 2013.