Does the Hospital ER Need More Bike Parking?

The new hospital facilities opened recently. Improved bike parking was part of the plan.

An unplanned visit to the emergency room today (the patient returned home ok) created an opportunity to evaluate the parking as a customer. Its location was not obvious, and it appeared to be at capacity. But otherwise it was pretty nice.

The racks are under a overhang and get a little shelter. Inside, behind the glazed prow - looks like a ship's prow to me! - there was a piano and seating. Outside, around the pavers were several benches. It's nice parking mostly.

The drawbacks? Not near either of the entries, so I had to ask security for directions. I understand improved signage is on the way (see below).

It also looks like more staple racks are needed. There were six bikes locked to four staple racks. I also saw two other bikes elsewhere. So eight bikes for four racks is capacity.

Does the hospital need more?

I'd say yes.

The new construction also contains additional parking for employees. A physician writes:

As of now, staff and physicians can use their badge for entry into an enclosed room in the first floor of the parking garage, where there are about a dozen wire cages, a bank of lockers and a heater for winter. The new building has car parking in the basement, and along one wall there is a fenced cage with badge access, inside of which are 30 enclosed bike lockers. Interested regular bike commuters can be issued a key by security.

Under the Center for Outpatient Medicine, accessible to the general public, there is a bike cabinet that holds four bikes completely enclosed, secured with a personal padlock, and a row of staple racks. There are also several staple racks and wire cages around the old hospital building. Showers for staff are available in the old OR locker rooms, and in about a year we are supposed to have a locker room with showers in the basement of the new tower, next to the bike cage. New versions of the hospital campus map are to show bike parking areas, and there will be appropropriate signage.

We'll try to get photos and more on the employee situation.

Bicyclists meet with DAS to Improve Parking at State Offices

Back in May, the Department of Administrative Services (DAS) proposed to cut locks and impound bikes locked to stairwells. But at many state buildings there is no bike parking!

Fortunately bicyclists responded by email and attended a hearing. And DAS listened!

Last week, nine interested bicyclists, including bicycling experts from the Department of Transportation and from Parks and Recreation, met with Linda Penick, DAS Parking and Commuting Services Manager, at the General Services Building (pictured, without bike parking!) to start planning for improved bicycle parking at state office buildings.

There is no set time schedule, but the meeting was really encouraging. The toast racks at the Capitol will disappear (Photo: Jonathan Maus / Bikeportland), to be replaced by staple racks, and hopefully with some located under shelter! At other buildings where there is no bike parking, or the bike parking is invisible, new racks will be placed at or near building entries.

There was also some brainstorming about grander parking schemes, possibly funded by a Transportation Enhancement grant from ODOT.

All in all it was a very positive meeting and we look forward to improved parking facilities for employees and visitors to state buildings. When bike parking is high-quality and plentiful, there will be no worries about cutting locks and impounding bikes.

Some Good News amidst the Rivercrossing Hooey

The River Crossing process (Alternatives Page) contains lots of hooey:

During the alternatives development process, a stand-alone Transportation System Management and Transportation Demand Management (TSM/TDM) alternative was studied and determined not to meet the project Purpose and Need all by itself....To make sure the Salem River Crossing project still supports the goal of decreasing single-occupancy vehicle travel across the river, the project team is pursuing the following approach.

First, the Draft EIS will assume that the future demand (year 2031) for vehicle trips across the river is 8% less than otherwise forecast. Basing the project design on a reduced traffic volume anticipates a high degree of success in increasing non-auto travel across the river and also helps prevent the project from being overbuilt.

Fortunately, the hooey is also generating a project that stands to do some good:

The Project Management Team (PMT) has initiated the Salem River Crossing Alternative Modes Study to identify potential transit and other alternative mode improvements that could be made either at the same time as, or separate from, the Salem River Crossing project. This study will help assure that all potential TSM/TDM options are fully studied and that they can be implemented independent of the Salem River Crossing project if needed.

Further details regarding this approach are documented in the two background documents below:
Approach to Analysis of Transit/TDM/TSM Options Memo (PDF, 206KB)
Summary: Demand Reduction Assumptions Used For Travel Demand Analysis (PDF, 309KB)

In late June and again in early July, the Alternate Modes Study study group met twice to discuss ways to reduce congestion. At the second meeting, a charette, about fifteen community activists representing pedestrian, bicycling, transit, and rideshare interests split up into three groups to plot solutions and ideas on maps of Salem. Each group rotated and spent time at each of three map discussions: Bike/Ped, Transit, Carpool/Vanpool.

These photos are taken at the Bike/Ped table. Rory Renfro and Jessica Roberts from Alta Planning + Design led the discussion. Alta is a national leader in bicycle planning, and they will push for bicycles as well as anyone can.

Most importantly, the project will develop ideas and proposals that will be valuable independent of the bridge. If the bridge gets built, the plans will be important mitigation. If the bridge doesn't get built, the plans can be a terrific part of a rational transportation plan for the 21st century, part of which will make Salem truly bicycle-friendly. Either way the project stands to give momentum and value to the plans. With luck, the project will also make some of the hooey more transparently visible.

(For a more skeptical view, which really zeros in on the hooey, see the excellent and passionately argued posts at LoveSalem.)

Bike Lane Runs into Opposition; at Council on 27th

The plan to restripe Commercial Street downtown and add a bike lane has run into some opposition and will go before Salem City Council on Monday, July 27th.

At least one businessperson in a building along Commercial is circulating a petition against the plan. Most of the claims about the plan are unfounded, but a number of businesses have signed on nonetheless. Fortunately, when city staff and others have gone through the plan, most of the objections evaporate.

Here are the four objections from the petition:


Three of the arguments are specious. One has some merit. In order:

1) Safety is often used as an excuse to push bicyclists off the roadways. Over 40,000 people a year die in automobile accidents, but we don't use this as a reason to tell people not to drive. Bicyclists understand biking is not risk-free, but people often overstate the actual risks because without the metal carapace around a bicyclist, the biker appears more vulnerable.

More worrisome is the way the safety argument can be used to place the burden on the bicyclist who "chooses" to bicycle (or the pedestrian who chooses to walk) in an ostensibly dangerous environment - "it's not my fault if you get hurt; you knew it was dangerous; I can't help myself!" But the burden to act with care rests on all road users, not merely bicyclists. Motorists have certain responsibilities to act with care, and merely by being on the road bicyclists do not give up their expectations or rights that other road users will act with care.

2) Taking cars off the road and encouraging travel by substitute modes is the surest way to reduce congestion. Bicycling reduces congestion. Encouraging more people to bike will relieve congestion downtown, not increase it. City traffic engineers have shown that the loss of a lane will not impact traffic volumes, and increases in bicycling will reduce auto traffic further. Adding the bike lane and making downtown bike friendly has the opposite effect of reducing congestion.

3) The Front Street bypass bike lane is just that: a bypass for through traffic. It does not help with getting around downtown.

By itself, a bike lane on Commercial doesn't make many connections. It is not a comprehensive solution - and we hope it will not be an end condition. All things being equal (which they are not because of the resurfacing schedule), Commercial might not be bicyclists' first choice. This argument has some merit.

We hope a bike lane on Commercial will operate as a pilot and encourage bicycle facilities on multiple downtown streets. This will give people multiple transportation options on "how to get there."

4) Angle parking remains unchanged.

If you care about bicycling and you want to see downtown become more bike friendly, please come to Council on Monday, July 27th, and voice your support for the restriping plan.

Want to Bike More? Bike Commuting 101 at Saturday Market!

Learn basic tips on bicycling in traffic at the Salem Saturday Market tomorrow!

League Cycling Instructors Robert Fox and Gary Obery will led a market workshop on safe biking at 11am tomorrow. Whether you bike, walk, or drive to the market, stop in and get some tips! Robert might even show you how to change a tire!

For more information see the FSSM blog.

And if you're bicycling, don't forget about the valet bike parking!

Bikes for Everyone! Adaptive Bike Clinic Sunday

Oregon Disability Sports is holding an Adaptive Bike Clinic this Sunday, July 12th, from 9am to Noon at Riverfront Park under the pavillion. Check out hand-cycles, tricycles, all kinds of cool recumbents! There are bikes for almost everyone now, and if a diamond-frame two-wheeler isn't right for you, check out some of the options!

Fourth of July Parade

On Saturday the Willamette Valley Pedal Pushers participated in the Monmouth-Independence "Western Days" Fourth of July Parade. Thanks to Sharon Oberst of WOU, who taught us some basic drills and routines! And to Robert and Debbie for organizing the group!

Some of the ladies of the Cherry City Roller Derby also joined us! Next time, we'll have to remember to have candy for the kids! The float in front of us, Les Schwab Tires, kept throwing candy, and we just couldn't compete with that...

The parade reminded me that last year, amidst the high gas prices, there was a great "fuel-free Fridays" promotion. Gas prices came down, but they are creeping up again, and of course even though there will be significant volatility and price swings, the permanent movement will be towards more costly petroleum. Promoting energy independence might be the most patriotic thing you can do.