Expanding Access to Micromobility: E-Bike Lending Libraries Across The United States

The concept of e-bike lending libraries is simple: they allow people to borrow e-bikes – for a few hours or a few months. Borrowing lets people try e-bikes when they're not ready or able to commit to the expense of buying one. By getting people used to riding e-bikes for everyday trips, lending libraries make e-bikes more accessible, reduce vehicle miles traveled (VMT), and advance city and state climate goals. A new report, "E-bike Lending Libraries: Trends and Practices in The United States," offers a comprehensive scan of e-bike lending libraries across the U.S. Through interviews and surveys, researchers John MacArthur, Joshua Miller, and Isa Swain of PSU identified key elements, goals, commonalities and differences among 54 e-bike lending libraries in the United States. The research team also produced an online resource to keep track of them all: the U.S. E-Bike Lending Library Programs Tracker.

Blumenauer Talks Transportation Finance at Portland State University 

In his first public presentation at PSU since returning to Portland, former U.S. Congressman Earl Blumenauer spoke with an audience of about fifty students, faculty, and community members on May 17 about transportation funding. Drawing from years of government experience at all levels, Blumenauer outlined the funding challenges faced by transportation agencies in Oregon and beyond. He started by referring to a saying that for every problem there is often an elegant solution that is wrong. Raising the gas tax, he said, is such an “elegant solution.” The impact of raising the gas tax is less significant now than it was 30 years ago. “Paying by gallons is no longer rational with electrification,” he pointed out, instead advocating for a road user charge. Blumenauer reminded the crowd that Oregon was the first state to adopt a gas tax, in 1919. Our state has been a pioneer in transportation innovation, and it may be time for us to once again lead by example.

From Transit to Ride-Hailing, PSU Urban Planning Grads Work To Make Transportation More Accessible

PSU's Class of 2025 celebrated its commencement ceremonies this past weekend, and we'd like to take a moment to highlight two graduates of the Toulan School of Urban Studies & Planning who devoted their time at PSU to improving the accessibility of transportation services. Minju Song and Jules Plotts each focused their graduate studies on addressing transportation challenges for particular communities: Song's PhD dissertation examined ride-hailing as a potential solution for older adults who can no longer drive, and Plotts' masters thesis focused on non-daytime shift workers and their access to transit. TREC is proud to congratulate both of these outstanding grads, and looking forward to seeing their next chapter!

PSU Researchers Develop Better Ways to Assess Transportation Infrastructure Risk

A report by PSU researchers offers an improved framework for assessing the seismic risk of transportation structures. Earthquake preparedness is a high priority for the Pacific Northwest, and cities and state agencies will benefit from having a more accurate and consistent way to prepare. In collaboration with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) and the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA), the researchers developed a new, automated method to manage bridges and tunnels using data and modeling. The research was sponsored by the FHWA Office of Bridges and Structures, and conducted by David Yang, Arash Khosravifar, Diane Moug and Avinash Unnikrishnan of PSU's Maseeh College of Engineering and Computer Science.

Applications Are Open: PSU Transportation Summer Camp for High Schoolers

Aug 3–8, 2025

Hosted at Portland State University, our week-long summer camp is free and open to any Oregon student entering the 9–12 grade. It offers an immersive introduction to transportation careers and the workings of transportation systems. Students hear from guest speakers, develop data collection and STEM skills, and go on daily field trips. Campers will stay on the PSU campus for one week guided by TREC staff, as well as young adult Residential Counselors. Each day is tied to a theme, and half the day is spent in the classroom hearing from PSU faculty and guest lecturers from ODOT, the FHWA, PBOT, TriMet, the Port of Portland, and other public and private transportation agencies from the Portland metro area. The other half is spent outside, on field tours of Portland’s transportation infrastructure and public spaces. Applications will be accepted on a rolling basis until the camp is full!

IBPI Workshop: Comprehensive Bikeway Design

Aug 25–29, 2025

There are still spaces open in our 2025 summer workshop, Comprehensive Bikeway Design, presented by the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI)!

"The IBPI Bikeway Design Course gives tangible examples of policies and standards in action. The Neighborhood Greenways are a wonderful example of how walking and bicycling has been prioritized by policy, and then you physically ride a bike and see the diverters and traffic calming measures realizing this vision. I would highly recommend anyone attend this course to learn and experience the practical design implementation of a great cycling city."
-2024 attendee

"I came into the course hoping to learn new insights on bikeway design and left with all my expectations being exceeded."
-2021 attendee

Transportation Alumni Highlight: Nick Foster, Class of 2014

Nick Foster graduated from PSU in 2014 with a Master's of Science in civil engineering. He is a Principal Planner at Kittelson & Associates in Boise, ID. "I worked at Kittelson for six years before coming to PSU. I came to PSU looking to hone my research skills, learn from professors who were leaders in their field, and take some time to explore technical topics I was interested in outside project work. I was able to use the skills and knowledge I gained from my time at PSU to continue on in safety and active transportation research projects, as well as to help the communities I work with advance their capabilities to safely serve all modes of travel," Nick said.

TRANSPORTATION UPDATES

• SAVE THE DATE - PacTrans Conference: The 2025 Conference of the Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium (PacTrans) Region 10 will be held at Portland State University. Mark your calendar for a full-day gathering on October 10!

• Beyond Copenhagen: Walking and Cycling Success Stories Worldwide: The UCLA Institute of Transportation Studies is hosting a free, virtual mini-symposium on June 23.
• Public Transportation Research - Problem Statements Due June 20: Anyone interested in public transit can submit an idea for further research via a problem statement.

Portland State University's Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) is a multidisciplinary hub for all things transportation. We are home to the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI), the data programs PORTAL and BikePed Portal, the Better Block PSU program, and PSU's membership in PacTrans, the Pacific Northwest Transportation Consortium. Our continuing goal is to produce impactful research and tools for transportation decision makers, expand the diversity and capacity of the workforce, and engage students and professionals through education, seminars, and participation in research.