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Portland Appearance: Wheels4Wellness

April 4, 2008

Dan Beard in Portland

On his recent trip to the City of Roses, which was marked by a snap snow storm, Dan met with a delegation from the City of Portland to discuss the Capitol's new bike sharing program, Wheels4Wellness. The meeting was facilitated by Meeky Blizzard (pictured), who is the Advisor for Livable Communities on the staff of Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), based in his Portland Office.

Blizzard is no stranger to transportation issues. She has been involved with transportation and land use matters since 1989, has won several awards for her work on environmental and "better community" initiatives and, with her husband, biked across the United States in three months (that's approximately 50 miles a day in case you're wondering).

At the meeting, which was held in downtown Portland, city officials and their community advisors shared their thoughts on how to launch an effective bike sharing program, which they are currently planning. Tom Miller, the City of Portland's Chief of Staff (not pictured) explained that "convenience" is key to the success of any bike sharing roll-out. The City is in the process of figuring out how many bikes they should purchase for their program. European cities that have encountered the most success, like Paris, made bikes widely available and easily accessible, he noted.

Some of the city's advisors suggested that rather than making bikes available on racks, the House should consider "valet" attendants for the bikes. They also suggested the bikes be shielded from the elements (nobody likes a wet seat, after all).

Dan plans on purchasing 30 bicycles as part of the House's program, the details of which are being currently worked out.

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