Portland's 'Adaptive Biketown' Sets a New Standard for Access to Mobility

The Adaptive Biketown system hit the streets in Portland on July 21, 2017.

1 minute read

July 27, 2017, 9:00 AM PDT

By James Brasuell @CasualBrasuell


Wounded Warrior Ride

Wounded Warriors from the Hampton Roads region cruise through Naval Station Norfolk on adaptive bicycles. | The U.S. Army / Flickr

"Portland now operates the nation’s first partnership between a private bike shop, a bike share system and a city government to provide access to adaptive bicycles," reports Jonathan Maus.

Adaptive Biketown is the latest evolution of the Portland Biketown bikeshare system. Planetizen covered the announcement of the adaptive bike rollout back in March 2017.

Maus, however, sums up the importance of Adaptive Biketown after attending the program's launch on July 21:

What I realized being at the launch today is that this isn’t about access for people with disabilities. Yes, simply having these adaptive bikes available is the key. But this is really about acceptance. When a city has an official program for something it sends a signal that transcends the nuts-and-bolts details. In this case, Portland has just said: 'Everyone with a disability who hasn’t been able to ride a bike for whatever reason, come on out and give it a try. We welcome you!'

Hat tip to Angie Schmitt for sharing the news about Adaptive Biketown.

Friday, July 21, 2017 in Bike Portland

portrait of professional woman

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching. Mary G., Urban Planner

I love the variety of courses, many practical, and all richly illustrated. They have inspired many ideas that I've applied in practice, and in my own teaching.

Mary G., Urban Planner

Cover CM Credits, Earn Certificates, Push Your Career Forward

Logo for Planetizen Federal Action Tracker with black and white image of U.S. Capitol with water ripple overlay.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker

A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

July 16, 2025 - Diana Ionescu

Green vintage Chicago streetcar from the 1940s parked at the Illinois Railroad Museum in 1988.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails

Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

July 13, 2025 - WTTV

Blue and silver Amtrak train with vibrant green and yellow foliage in background.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail

The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

July 14, 2025 - Smart Cities Dive

Worker in yellow safety vest and hard hat looks up at servers in data center.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power

Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

July 18 - Inside Climate News

Former MARTA CEO Collie Greenwood standing in front of MARTA HQ with blurred MARTA sign visible in background.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns

MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

July 18 - WABE

Rendering of proposed protected bikeway in Santa Clara, California.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant

A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.

July 17 - San José Spotlight