CORONA DEL MAR TODAY

Cycling Safety

By Frank Peters

“We are Holland,” according to City of Hillsboro Planning Manager, Colin Cooper; that’s how he likes to describe his city to the press. Does that make Los Angeles more like a Barcelona? Platinum “Portland sets the bar for all of us,” in terms of cycling initiatives, he adds. Hillsboro is surrounded by beautiful farmland, just a little over a mile from downtown; it’s great for cycling.

Hillsboro just installed a BikeStation facility near their downtown light rail station adjacent to the Cultural Arts Center and Tuality Hospital, one of many large employers. Imagine this sustainable transportation model: take your bike on the train then cycle the last miles to work. You’ll learn much of Hillsboro listening to Colin, like the fact that all Intel’s latest chip designs are created locally.

From a California point of view, Hillsboro and the greater Portland area seem way ahead in terms of accommodating cyclists, but what are the issues they continue to face in terms of buy-in from the driving public?

And what’s the Urban Growth Boundary? Listen to hear Colin describe how Oregon uses it to control sprawl.

Photos courtesy of Frank Peters.

Frank Peters is a Corona del Mar resident and was a member of the Newport Beach Task Force on Cycling Safety. Peters will be writing an occasional column about cycling safety and other cycling issues. He also is author of cdmCyclist, a blog that focuses on cycling issues.