Eli Arnold
District 4
What is your experience with off-road cycling? Do you have a favorite trail to ride?
I”ve been a bicycle cop. I’ve used Gateway Green before, have been through Forest Park, and have ridden some trails in Mt. Hood National Forest. I also did some mountain biking in various parts of the U.S. while in the military. I did a ride from Ski Bowl down to Rhododendron a few years ago, which was great.
The Off-road Cycling Master Plan (ORCMP) was published by the City in 2023 after a robust public process. It found that Portland suffers from a severe lack of opportunities for off-road cycling despite Portland’s cycling reputation. Are you committed to advancing the goals of the ORCMP in your district? Why or why not? Off-Road Cycling Master Plan for reference: https://www.portland.gov/bps/planning/off-road-cycling/documents
I am committed to advancing those goals. We have a strong cycling culture, great terrain for it, and I see it as a real opportunity to add excitement to the urban landscape.
NWTA is a City of Portland partner with a proven track record in building, restoring, and maintaining high-quality, sustainable trails for multiple user groups, in addition to providing cycling and stewardship programming for Portlanders. To what degree would you help strengthen and promote partnerships with groups like NWTA to support City staff and improve our public parks?
I believe we should partner more deliberately with advocacy groups which seek to improve their neighborhoods. Groups like NWTA and Southwest Trails spend their own time and energy seeking to improve our city and we should seek opportunities to lend support.
For over 40 years, the City of Portland has blocked all efforts to provide meaningful multi-use trail access in Forest Park. Now, the City’s ORCMP (page 72) has a number of recommendations for Forest Park that bring environmentally sustainable multi-use trails online and follow the Forest Park Natural Resources Management Plan process. Are you willing to make sustainable off-road cycling trail improvements a priority to improve trailhead congestion, environmental concerns and access for all Portlanders to Forest Park?
I am willing to support efforts to increase off-road cycling opportunities in Forest Park.