Advocacy

The Trail Ahead

Image courtesy Jonathan Maus/BikePortland Almost 30 years ago, Theo Patterson spoke up to make sure mountain bikes weren’t banned from Forest Park. To help, Patterson founded Portland United Mountain Pedalers, or PUMP. In 2009, PUMP became Northwest Trail Alliance, and we turn 30 this year. With our Big Three-Oh looming, let’s glance back and gaze forward. … Read More

The Tide is Turning

Image courtesy Jonathan Maus/BikePortland Throughout 2017, more than 1,700 mountain bikers — from shredders to striders — dropped in to Northwest Trail Alliance-hosted digging and riding events. And, all tolled, our volunteers carved a smidgen over 12,000 hours into our trails and the political arena that sustains the flow of riding in our region. Those … Read More

HB 1349

In recent weeks, the national discussion around bicycles in Wilderness areas has reached a fever pitch.  Here at NWTA, we wanted to take this opportunity to let all of our members know where we stand on the issue. As many of you know, HB 1349, championed by the Sustainable Trails Coalition and sponsored by Rep. … Read More

NWTA’s ORCMP Testimony

Portland’s Parks Board is currently deliberating on the merits of Portland’s Off-Road Cycling Master Plan (ORCMP). The outcome will be a set of Parks Board recommendations flowing back to the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability, as well as to City Council for consideration when the ORCMP comes before them for their vote. NWTA has provided … Read More

Input Needed: Timothy Lake Trail Improvements

Through the end of the year, Portland General Electric (PGE) is surveying trail users with regard to planned improvements to the Timothy Lake trail system in the Mt Hood National Forest, including: • Improvement of the overall condition of the trails: Removal of safety hazards, mitigation of resource damage, repair of structures, restoration of the … Read More

ADVOCACY ALERT – Washington Park Master Plan

ADVOCACY ALERT – Washington Park Master Plan – Comment period closes Thursday at 5 pm.  Portland Parks is wrapping up the planning process and needs your comments.  The good news, an off road cycling trail is included in the plan, the bad news is they have prioritized it to the final phase, many years in … Read More

E-I-E-I ORCMP

Assessing the Off-Road Cycling Master Plan Portland’s Off-Road Cycling Master Plan is now in its final stage of development, the Draft Plan Phase. The Bureau of Planning and Sustainability (BPS) is asking the public for feedback on the Draft, which will be incorporated into the Proposed Plan presented to City Council for adoption. As an … Read More

Wrapping Up ORCMP

After a summer out of view, Portland’s Off-Road Cycling Master Plan (ORCMP) is stepping back into the sometimes harsh spotlight of political discourse: The next PAC (Project Advisory Committee) meeting — scheduled for Thursday, October 5th at 4pm, 1900 SW 4th Avenue, 7th floor — is set to discuss an updated set of draft recommendations … Read More

Rank Portland’s Bicycle Friendliness

Admittedly, we’re a little out of our realm here, but many of you are also commuters and road cyclists. Help the The League of American Bicyclists rank Portland as a Bicycle Friendly Community (spoiler alert: there’s nothing here about off-road cycling). Portland’s 2013 Rank was Platinum. Does that still ring true? Here’s the survey: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/BFC_FA17_PortlandOR

The Oregon Trail Tax

In case you haven’t heard, pay it forward has a whole new meaning in Oregon. In response to the ‘bike tax’ recently implemented under Oregon House Bill 2017, Santa Cruz Bicycles will be matching the $15 per bike excise tax customers pay with an equal donation to three Oregonian trail building organizations–the Northwest Trail Alliance (NWTA), … Read More