By Tyler Bullen | LUTC Vice-chair

Every morning before I strap on my helmet for a half hour bike commute into the Pearl, I wonder, “Is today the day I get hit by a car?” Given the number of miles I bike weekly, there’s a decent statistical likelihood of a collision with an automobile at some point in my life.

Despite the risks, I commute via bike, largely because it’s much faster than driving. It’s also cheaper, better for our environment and, when not competing for road space with cars, far more enjoyable.

Many Portlanders recognize this, which helps drive our nation-leading bike commute rates. Yet Portland’s bike commuting culture could be so much stronger if bikers felt truly safe on our streets.

Don’t get me wrong. We’re better than most other American cities. In 2016, Portland adopted Vision Zero, the concept that every road injury is preventable. We’ve lowered speed limits, increased enforcement and expanded road safety education.

However, the only way bikers will feel materially safer on our ever-more-crowded city streets is to reduce the potential for collision with cars.

Concordia features many bicycle greenways, roads designated to be low trafficked by cars and well-suited for bicycles. In theory, these roads provide easy through routes for bicycles, free of impediments like stop signs. But roads without stop signs attract cars.

To combat this, diverters – structures that prevent or dissuade cars – are occasionally placed on these roads. Well-situated, diversions can dramatically reduce car traffic.

Going Street, northeast’s most utilized greenway, performs well. It features diversions at MLK Boulevard, and 7th and 15th avenues, and speed bumps throughout. But too often our neighborhood greenways function as nothing more than normal neighborhood roads, like 37th Avenue.

Nothing in city code requires greenways to have diversions, often rendering the designation nearly pointless. Without material separation, these roads do nothing to dissuade cars or increase bicycle safety.

It’s time Portland adopted an approach that will make a difference. Physical diversion ought to be a matter of policy on all neighborhood greenways.

The concept is fairly simple. Any greenway crossing a road with yellow dotted or solid lines requires a diversion. There are at least five such intersections in Concordia, and hundreds across Portland.

Diversion takes many forms, and each intersection should be considered independently. But, when executed properly, bikers will appreciate the reduced stress that comes when not constantly thinking of cars ahead or behind. More people will leave their cars home in favor of bikes. Residents on these roads also benefit from fewer pollutants, noise and stress of cars. Portlanders can enjoy a more livable city.

Maybe I’ll even wake up one day no longer wondering, “Is today the day?”

Tyler Bullen lives with his wife and two boys in the southeast corner of Concordia.

TriMet is asking your help – in person and via an online survey – to shape priorities for new funding for public transit under the Keep Oregon Moving law passed by the Oregon legislature last year.

It provides ongoing payroll-tax funding to improve and expand public transportation statewide. Locally, it could mean an additional $55 million each year.

At a recent meeting in Concordia, TriMet officials reported that TriMet may invest in more electric buses and deploy new service in the next five years from the Parkrose Sumner Transit Center to downtown Portland via Prescott and Alberta streets, and MLK Boulevard. A new bus yard is also in the works at 42nd Avenue and Columbia Boulevard in the next two years.

A series of workshops is planned to offer you information and ask for your input. The next one is Wednesday, June 6, 6-8:30 p.m. at Ride Connection, 9955 N.E. Glisan St. Your RSVP is requested, and a light dinner will be provided, along with child care and interpretive services.

RSVP or take an online survey to register your opinions and/or learn more information.

By Rachel Richards | CNA Media Team

Faubion School now offers monthly community cooking classes through the 3 to PhD program. That program is a collaboration of five different agencies: Portland Public Schools, Concordia University, Kaiser Permanente, Trillium Family Services and Basics (formerly Pacific Foods) with the shared mission to create safer, healthier and more educated communities.

The goal of 3 to PhD is to close the opportunity gap for the most vulnerable children and families, and to restore school as the heartbeat of the community.

Jaclyn Sisto, 3 to PhD services coordinator, created the community cooking classes and taught the first one in December about making tamales. She feared no one would show up, but 50 people came together and shared feedback that they really enjoyed the event.

Jaclyn obtained funding for the cooking classes to be ongoing throughout the school year through the Northeast Coalition of Neighborhoods Community Grant program.

“With so many partners and agencies involved, our community cooking classes bring them together with Faubion families to build community and share cultural knowledge through sharing culturally specific food,” Jaclyn said.

The program is accepting donations of food (3 to PhD also provides a food pantry for Faubion families in need) or financial support. Donations can be made by contacting Jaclyn at JSisto@cu-portland.edu or 971.804.9125.

In February, three Faubion parents taught a class on Ethiopian food. In March, Faubion parent Ana Rosa Gonzalez taught a class on how to make albondigas, which are Mexican turkey meatballs.

April featured Southern cooking with Andre, who is the school’s night custodian. Another April class taught community members how to make Argentinian empanadas.

“The community cooking classes give people the opportunity to do something they are good at and share it with others,” Jaclyn pointed out. “It is a great way for community members to share culture in a way that is accessible – food. Who doesn’t love food?”

May’s cooking class is pizza on Wednesday, May 16, at 3:30 p.m. in the 3 to PhD demonstration kitchen.

Rachel is a 16-year Concordia resident who loves her community. She has a background in counseling/education and uses her passion for helping others in her work as a real estate broker. Contact Rachel or learn more about her at RachelRichardsRealtor.com.