Jeremy Beausoleil Smith
District 4
What is your experience with off-road cycling? Do you have a favorite trail to ride?
I use my road bike as one of my forms of transportation in Portland, but I haven’t had the chance to off-road cycle in the area yet. When I lived in Virginia, I had an off road bike and would use it on an off road skills practice course near Virginia Tech. I’d love to get a mountain bike again and explore Gateway Green, or the trails at Powell Butte.
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
Yes. I love Portland’s biking culture, but I agree that there need to be more accessible off-road trails like the ones proposed in the ORCMP, both for transportation and recreation. This would be a great way to get more people outside and enjoy our natural spaces. As long as new trails are constructed in a way that protects local ecosystems, I’m supportive of developing them in District 4.
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 think partnerships like this with proven and experienced community organizations are valuable, especially when City staff are stretched thin. It’s also a great way to get community involvement in our public spaces. In office, I would want to strengthen these partnerships and make it easier for NWTA to work with Parks staff on projects that benefit the public.
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?
Yes. Forest Park is one of Portland’s greatest treasures, and protecting it has been a big part of my platform from day one. I think expanding cycling trails in a minimally invasive and environmentally sustainable way is a great way to improve public access to the park and reduce trailhead congestion. I support advancing the ORCMP recommendations.