As the weather gets warmer, and even as it doesn’t, people are turning on two wheels rather than four. Bicycling is embedded in the pathways of the southern Willamette Valley, but is it a safe two-tired activity?
Newly released data shows that Oregon’s “Bicycle Friendly State” rank dropped from No. 2 to No. 3 in 2024 due to an uptick in fatalities.
Oregon reported 94 pedestrian and 12 bicyclist fatalities caused by traffic collisions last year, according to the 2024 Bicycle Friendly States Report & Ranking (BFSRR) by the League of American Bicyclists. Lane County saw two pedestrian versus motor vehicle crashes within two days of each other just last February.
The Oregon State Legislation convened its 2025 session in January, and bike safety is up for discussion. District 4 Sen. Floyd Prozanski, representing Springfield and Eugene, sponsors Senate Bill 471, which addresses transportation and safety issues, including regulating specific e-bikes.
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https://www.oregonlegislature.gov
Out of concerns about fast e-bike riders around slower bikers and walkers, the legislation seeks to ban street-legal Class 3 electric bicycles — which can reach motor-assisted speeds of up to 28 miles per hour — from bike lanes and bike paths.
The Legislature also focuses broader discussions on improving safety and the future of transportation funding for bicycle infrastructure.
“The legislation is expected to allocate billions for road maintenance, road building, public transit, and walking/biking transportation projects … and will shape the state’s transportation infrastructure for decades to come,” stated Zachary Lauritzen, executive director of Oregon Walks, a nonprofit established in 1991 that advocates for safe and attractive walking conditions.
Local cyclists say it is about time.
Cycling in Springfield
Springfield faces its unique struggles to maintain safe routes for pedestrians and cyclists.
“I was recently on a bike ride myself, and I went on the Mill Race path east to Agnes Stewart, and then I wanted to get from there to the EWEB path, and it was total crap. The whole way,” said Douglas Bovee, Springfield Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee board member, at a Feb. 12 meeting. BPAC advises the city council and staff on bicycle and pedestrian infrastructure policies, programs, education, and enforcement.
The Mill Race is a three-mile, paved, multi-use path along the Springfield Mill Race from downtown. The EWEB path is 2.7 miles from Pioneer Parkway to 35th Street.
“We have got to do better. And right now, it’s not safe; it’s hard on bikes. There’s the railroad tracks and the traffic. It’s crazy. I felt like I was putting my life on the line,” Bovee said.
The City of Springfield BPAC 2024 report revealed other troublesome areas for cyclists. A bicycle safety audit showed that the area between the Chamber of Commerce building and the Gateway area presented safety concerns for commuters.
Despite the marked intersection, another “somewhat treacherous” location is heading westward on the Harlow Road roundabout.
“A problem was noted with the eastbound bike lane, which ends abruptly at the roundabout without a ramped cutout to access the sidewalk. This creates a difficult and potentially dangerous situation,” according to the report.
The City’s project plans identify goals for improving accessibility for pedestrians and cyclists by addressing crossings and raising curb ramps to meet ADA standards.
Laura Street near the roundabout will be updated to include sidewalks and full bike lanes at a date to be determined.
On and around Mill Street, cyclists ride in the roadway and weave in and out of parked cars. Nine bicyclist-involved crashes were reported between 2008-15.
The ongoing Mill Street construction plans call for protected bike lanes from Main to E Streets and buffered bike lanes from E Street to Centennial Blvd.
Cycling in Creswell
If you’ve spent time in Creswell, you’ll likely see Ed Gunderson and company cycling along the Creswell Jog and downtown streets. He’s been a bicycle safety lobbyist since the 1970s. He’s built shelter projects, or “mobile homes” on bicycles for the unhoused, and “velomobiles” or bicycle cars.
Gunderson recalls cyclists throwing items at them from moving cars, calling them names, and yelling for them to “get off the road! … I knew one guy; it was so bad he carried a gun under his saddle.”
“Our overall traffic death rate is absolutely disgusting. It’s the second-highest cause of death among children in the United States,” Gunderson said. “A lot of people are worried about the guns … Nobody seems to care,” about motor vehicle deaths.
There were 4,733 deaths from gun-related incidents in ages 1-19 and nearly 4,400 motor-vehicle-related deaths in children within the same age range, according to 2021 data from the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Gunderson said that even with road improvements, safety hazards persist. New, wider roads may not be the solution to the problem. A Street in Creswell was reconstructed with bike lanes and broader vehicle lanes.
“Now they’re clocking traffic, the average speed 35 miles an hour, and they’ve clocked people up to 70 miles an hour on that street, but it’s wide, a wide street, so it invites high speeds,” Gunderson said. A Street is posted as a 25-mile-per-hour zone, except a school zone, which drops it to 20 mph.
Gunderson said residents may feel unsafe walking or biking in town because the speed zones are not often patrolled. Creswell does not have 24-hour police coverage; the City contracts with the Lane County Sheriff’s Office to provide deputies and a sergeant.
Alex Speldrich, Creswell patroller for the LCSO, said that Creswell has received reports of speeding vehicles on A Street and has actively patrolled the area for this. “I have not seen any speeds out of the ordinary during my patrol in that area,” Speldrich said.
Due to community traffic complaints, a radar sign used to alert drivers of their high rate of speed was temporarily installed between 3rd and 4th Streets.
“The highest speed that I recall logged on the radar sign was 45 mph,” he said.
According to Gunderson, if enforcement for speeding increased, safety would too.
He suggested implementing photo radar cameras around the city.
The State Legislature passed House Bill 4109 in 2024 to modify photo radar laws. These traffic enforcement cameras detect offenses like speeding and running a red light. A police officer reviews and signs the bill.
He said that “speed calming” is “an easy fix” with ticketing cameras.
“Train people the hard way, unfortunately,” he said.
Cycling in Cottage Grove
As the owner of a bike shop on Main Street in downtown Cottage Grove, Chris Compton has a front-row seat to distracted driving.
He said that while it is a great area to bike, “The number of people I see driving their car, very clearly and visibly looking down at a cell phone in their hand or lap … It’s … it’s terrifying to me,” Compton said. “In the blink of an eye, it can significantly affect somebody.”
Compton grew up in Elkton, lived in Eugene, and found Cottage Grove to be the perfect blend of the two locations, both geographically and demographically.
“Only once have I had somebody throw a soda bottle at me while riding my bike down the road,” Compton said in jest.
Compton started cycling in Eugene in his early 20s when his car started breaking down. He bought a 1980s Nishiki road bike from a friend that was “several sizes too small,” and tried it out.
Compton said being overweight and sedentary at the time made riding his bike around the block the first few times challenging, but that didn’t stop him.
“Something about it clicked for me. It was the first form of exercise I just loved for the sake of doing it,” Compton said. “I could get around town by bike faster than by car.
It was the start of a pretty significant, life-changing thing.”
Bicycling around Cottage Grove certainly has its perks. The Gran Fondo, or “Big Ride” in Italian, is a long-distance, mass-participation cycling event that occurs every May, attracting hundreds of cycling enthusiasts.
“Bike safety is a surprisingly complicated thing,” Compton said, adding that accountability is critical on both the drivers’ and cyclists’ sides.
“The idea that the road is just for cars is ridiculous,” he said. “As cyclists, we have the same obligation to be aware of the rules of the road and the responsibility of piloting a bicycle safely on the roadway,” he said.
Oregon Bicycle Law states that if a vehicle is passing a cyclist, the overtaking vehicle must pass the cyclist at a sufficient distance to prevent contact with cyclists if they fall over into the traffic lane.
“The closest I’ve ever been buzzed by a car was by a police officer – the person responsible for making sure … we can all get home safely,” Compton said. “How are they not aware of (the law) or not willing to follow that rule?”
Rules of the Road
Follow these “Rules of the Road” to ensure your safety:
■ Ride on the right side of the road with the flow of traffic
■ Ride single file
■ Stop at stop signs and traffic lights
■ Use hand signals for turns
■ Give the right of way to pedestrians
■ Give a clear warning (bell, horn, or voice) when needed for safety
■ Carry no passengers (except in an approved baby seat)
■ Park your bicycle out of the way of vehicle or pedestrian traffic
■ Your bicycle cannot be towed by a motor vehicle
■ Carry no bundles or packages except in a basket or on a rack
■ Equip your bike with front and rear reflectors, pedal reflectors, lights, and wear reflective material on both sides of your body
■ Do not adjust handlebars above your shoulders or alter the front of your bike
■ Do not ride on express or limited-access highways
■ No person over 12 years of age shall operate any cycle or similar vehicle upon a sidewalk
