Chris Smith
chrissmith.us
Chris Smith
@chrissmith.us
Low car transportation advocate
Reposted by Chris Smith
Also just remembering half the money came from local bridge projects getting cancelled to put up a match for a grant we didn’t get for RQ 💀
November 11, 2025 at 9:29 PM
Reposted by Chris Smith
Nobody wants to accept that they've worked for years to build nothing.

So it hurts when an infrastructure project dies. It hurts for the planners, engineers, and politicians.

We need more discussion of this process, because when it's repressed, it becomes a bad reason projects should never die.
November 11, 2025 at 7:08 PM
Reposted by Chris Smith
There are a lot of Portlanders who consider themselves progressive but turn reactionary when they see visible poverty.

The urge to just make poverty disappear from sight instead of working toward holistic solutions is why we don’t have nice things in this country.

Poverty is a social creation.
November 11, 2025 at 4:59 PM
Reposted by Chris Smith
The War on Cars, welcome to Portland, OR.
November 11, 2025 at 12:05 AM
Reposted by Chris Smith
We don’t have a youth e-bike problem — we have a youth e-moto problem.
144 comments

I struck a chord with this @bikeportland.org advocating for Oregon's youth. This would be a game changer for moms like me who unfairly bear the burden of kid shuttling and for t(w)eens who need to learn resiliency and independence the fun way.

bikeportland.org/2025/11/05/o...
Opinion: Let Oregon kids ride Class 1 e-bikes
Oregon's age restriction takes away a crucial mobility tool for young people.
bikeportland.org
November 10, 2025 at 8:27 PM
Reposted by Chris Smith
"The Big Dig" podcast from Boston came to town for a conversation with OPB’s Lillian Karabaic, whose "Stop Requested" project looked into public transit across Oregon, about Portland’s own attempts to solve that puzzle and undo the harms of the past.
‘The Evergreen’: What to do about freeways
Every American city — including Portland — is divided by crumbling old highways, and every city is trying to figure out what to do with them. Listen in this week as "The Big Dig" podcast in Boston joins in.
www.opb.org
November 10, 2025 at 6:15 PM
opb.org/article/2025...

Yours truly had an opportunity to pontificate about freeway fighting!
‘The Evergreen’: What to do about freeways
“The Big Dig” podcast in conversation with OPB’s Lillian Karabaic of the “Stop Requested” transit reporting project.
opb.org
November 10, 2025 at 4:28 PM
Reposted by Chris Smith
Design vehicles to fit the streets rather than streets designed to fit the vehicles.
November 9, 2025 at 2:41 PM
Reposted by Chris Smith
Lets cut red tape and increase neighborhood resiliency by allowing corner stores everywhere @mayorkwilson.bsky.social !
Mayor Chow posted a video about corner stores!
November 8, 2025 at 10:35 PM
Reposted by Chris Smith
We used to build MAX lines and now we’re debating whether we can afford paint for bus lanes bikeportland.org/2025/11/07/t...
TriMet says full bus lanes on 82nd are up to project partners
Here's why our transit agency is opting for less transit.
bikeportland.org
November 8, 2025 at 9:13 PM
Reposted by Chris Smith
Sudan is experiencing the largest humanitarian crisis ever recorded.

12 million people have been displaced — that is the population of the state of Georgia. And more than 635,000 people are facing famine.

We must push for an arms embargo on Sudan and get aid in immediately.
November 7, 2025 at 3:21 PM
Reposted by Chris Smith
"It’s overdue for Oregon to honor its proud bike heritage — one that fosters resiliency, health, and mobility choice — and extend it to our youth, who arguably need it now more than ever."

@bikeportland.org Opinion: Let Oregon kids ride Class 1 e-bikes

🔗 bikeportland.org/2025/11/05/o...
November 7, 2025 at 1:22 AM
Reposted by Chris Smith
𝑺𝑻𝑬𝑳𝑳𝑨𝑹 𝑺𝑨𝑴𝑴𝒀 🌎

Sam's been nominated for FIFA's Best Women's XI! Congratulations Captain! 👏

You can vote here: www.fifa.com/en/the-best-...
November 6, 2025 at 10:02 PM
Reposted by Chris Smith
I absolutely agree with allowing kids to ride class 1 ebikes, I hope that the legislature will pass a bill to allow it next year.

bikeportland.org/2025/11/05/o...

@repwillychotzen.bsky.social
Opinion: Let Oregon kids ride Class 1 e-bikes
Oregon's age restriction takes away a crucial mobility tool for young people.
bikeportland.org
November 5, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Reposted by Chris Smith
A federal judge ruled today that the U.S. DOT violated the constitution by trying to coerce states to cooperate with ICE if they want federal transportation dollars.
November 4, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Reposted by Chris Smith
Portland's ruling class has a bizarre theory that the way to revitalize troubled locations is to remove seating, bathrooms, and open spaces, then add boulders and hideous fencing. You see it at Central Library, Firefighter Memorial, etc.

Meanwhile in Europe...
I just arrived in Barcelona. One of the first things I noticed (and love): So many public places to sit down!

Such a contrast with the hostile architecture that's widespread in US cities.
November 1, 2025 at 7:13 PM
Reposted by Chris Smith
Metro's TPAC - Transportation Policy Alternatives Committee - is seeking a community rep. TPAC works a lot on Regional Transportation Plan (RTP) implementation and in this role you'd be giving the policymakers/electeds insight from your lived experience. - www.oregonmetro.gov/regional-lea...
TPAC community member application
Metro’s Transportation Policy Alternatives Committee is seeking community representatives interested in regional transportation issues. Apply now.
www.oregonmetro.gov
October 31, 2025 at 4:50 PM
Reposted by Chris Smith
So cool to wake up to this profile of my bud and fellow urbanist documenter nerd Clarence Eckerson @streetfilms.bsky.social ! He's had such an amazing career. A true innovator of the form whose work changed the game forever.

hellgatenyc.com/livable-stre...
The Livable Streets Revolution Has Been Televised—By This Guy
For more than two decades, Clarence Eckerson Jr.'s videos have shown that walkable, bike-friendly streets are possible. Now, he's thinking about hanging up his camera.
hellgatenyc.com
October 31, 2025 at 2:46 PM
Reposted by Chris Smith
The problem with PBOT and the city's approach in general to East Portland roads, isn't a lack of attention or investment. It's that the projects they do build are way too compromised (bcuz politics), too sympathetic to drivers, and are lacking in physical protection for bikers/walkers.
October 30, 2025 at 10:30 PM
Reposted by Chris Smith
Baker’s “no” and his unwillingness to go-along to get-along could be seen as a shot across the bow.
Having one of ODOT's five bosses vote "no" and request a delay on a project of this scale — one that has vast bureaucratic inertia behind it — is unheard of.

bikeportland.org/2025/10/30/n...
'No' vote an ominous first for Interstate Bridge project
While it was just a procedural step, Commissioner Jeff Baker was not having it.
bikeportland.org
October 30, 2025 at 10:25 PM
Fun panel!
Packed house for the @opb.org / @wgbh.org live taping of the cross over Big Dig / Stop Requested podcast! NMF co-founder @chrissmith.us is on tonight’s panel
October 29, 2025 at 3:51 AM
Reposted by Chris Smith
cannot express the levels of rage and sadness this brings me
Portland Fire & Rescue officials say they responded to reports of the fire in Southeast Portland at around 2:40 a.m Sunday.

https://www.koin.com/news/portland/portland-city-councilor-candace-avalos-car-home-damaged-in-fire-investigation-underway/?cid=bluesky_ 
October 26, 2025 at 7:23 PM
Reposted by Chris Smith
This follows ODOT shuttering their Urban Mobility Office (tasked w implementing megaprojects including IBR, I-5 RQ, etc..) and the UMO Office Director Tiffani Penson resigning from her role earlier this month.
October 24, 2025 at 7:38 PM
Reposted by Chris Smith
Breaking news: Interstate Bridge Replacement Project Administrator Greg Johnson is stepping down from his role in the project effective Dec. 31.

He will be replaced by Carley Francis from WashDOT.
October 24, 2025 at 7:34 PM