PBOT outlines reasons for decline in bike mode share and a multi-pronged plan to regain ridership; council raises safety, diverters debate

Portland Bureau of Transportation staff told the Climate Resilience and Land Use Committee on Aug. 14 that bicycling, long a hallmark of the city’s transportation identity, has declined since a 2014–2015 peak and that reversing the trend will require sustained infrastructure investment and an expanded mix of programs and outreach.

PBOT presenters — including Kristen Hall, manager for planning and project delivery, and Roger Geller, the city’s bicycle coordinator — framed cycling as a core tool for meeting Portland’s climate goals and Vision Zero safety goals, and they said mode shift (biking, walking and transit) is essential to reducing transportation greenhouse gas emissions.

PBOT staff presented data showing Portland’s 2014–15 increase in bicycle commuting stalled and began declining before the COVID-19 pandemic; the pandemic then reduced commute trips further because remote work rose sharply. Staff said bicycling had been the…