BTA Column: On North Williams, build a movement, not just infrastructure
By Rob Sadowsky
Contributing Columnist
If you ride a bike, you probably spend a lot of time telling people about the value of bicycling. You describe the benefits for individuals and the community as a whole. You explain that Portland is a wonderful and safe place to ride a bike, but it could be safer.
Chances are you’ve got friends and relatives who think you’re crazy for riding a bike to work, or who don’t understand why transportation dollars should go to bike infrastructure. And chances are, you’ve had a few people come around. I’ve had a few friends and relatives go from grumbling about Sunday Parkways a few years ago to now saying, “Portland should do more of those!”
In my experience, people aren’t convinced by a single conversation. Most people aren’t convinced by traffic counts, crash statistics, street designations, or carbon savings. We evolve in our view of the world by sharing stories, getting to know one another, finding common ground, and discovering shared beliefs among other people we trust. The statistics help support conclusions we’re already inclined to draw.
Having observed the traffic conditions on North Williams every afternoon as I biked home from work, it seemed like there should be an easy solution to get people to slow down, make it safer for people crossing the street, and reduce bus/bike conflicts. Those were some of the safety concerns identified when the North Williams Traffic Safety Operations Project kicked off in April.
Over the course of several months, I have realized that the best design solution is not necessarily the right solution. I am grateful to have the chance to learn an extraordinary amount about race, history, and gentrification on North Williams from community members who bring different perspectives and experiences to the conversation.
My colleague Susan Peithman, who represents the BTA on the Stakeholder Advisory Committee, has shared with me of the stories she’s heard from residents, church leaders, business owners, families, and people who travel on North Williams.
Collectively, we are beginning to rethink our definition of success.
The BTA cannot speak to the priorities of every person who rides a bike. But as the leading bicycle advocacy and education group in the region and the state, our goal is to lay out an inspiring vision for bicycling that everyone can get behind.
Our vision for bicycling has always been part of a much larger vision for a healthy and just community. Our work to make bicycling safe and accessible is connected on many levels with the efforts of countless other individuals and organizations who are working to transform communities.
So what if we see this as an opportunity to build a stronger, more inclusive movement, and not simply an opportunity to build infrastructure?
We might be successful.
Dr. Tim Keller, the Senior Pastor of Redeemer Presbyterian Church (PCA) in Manhattan describes a successful movement as one that is marked by “an attractive, clear, unifying vision for the future together with a strong set of values or beliefs.”
And “in a successful movement, the accomplishment of the vision is more important than power and position. So people are willing to make allies, be flexible and cooperate with anyone sharing the basic vision and values.”
As we listen, as we hear stories, the line between those who support and those who oppose has started to blur. We don’t have to decide whether the issue is about either traffic safety or social justice. It’s not just about the destination, but also about being open to an alternate path forward.
Bikes are economic engines and tools of empowerment. Bicycling is an affordable, healthy mode of transportation. Bikes connect people to jobs, to physical activity, and to other people.
But bikes themselves simply are not that powerful. The power is in the movement.
