2026 Policy Makers Ride Recap

Last Friday, September 18th, about 100 elected leaders, public agency innovators and project deliverers, and community leaders and agitators came together for the annual Policy Makers Ride.

This year's route through Tigard and Tualatin was perhaps the loveliest yet in the three years Oregon Trails Coalition has been hosting the event. The group ventured down beautiful segments of the Tigard Heritage Trail, Fanno Creek Trail, Tualatin River Greenway, and up the Nyberg Creek Trail. While on trail, the group took in vibrant parks and riverside greenways, restored wetlands and oak savannah, wonderful public art, and beautifully designed trails, bridges, and neighborhood connectors. Off the trail, the group also experienced great public plazas, on-street safety improvements, and some serious gaps in our system: gaps in the regional trail network leaving riders on the side of high traffic roads, incomplete sidewalk networks, safe separated bikeways that end suddenly leaving riders sharing the road with high-speed semis, and gaps in way-finding and safe routes to school. We celebrated the wonderful work accomplished through collaboration and grounded ourselves in the remaining challenges ahead.

We're so grateful to all of our sponsors, planning committee members, on-ride volunteers, and speakers that made the ride possible. We also thank all the elected leaders, candidates, and other participants who took the time away from other responsibilities to spend a day learning and building relationships while experiencing our communities on two (or three) wheels.

The group rode one critical (and lovely!) segment of the Fanno Creek Trail that agency leaders had not thought was possible until a conversation among the right partners unfolded over the course of the day during a Policy Makers Ride years ago.

We hope this year's ride spurs the same kind of collaboration with equally wonderful results for our communities. Decision makers (both elected leaders and the public) are going to be faced with big transportation and parks and nature funding decisions in the year ahead: a Metro Parks and Nature levy renewal, a state transportation funding package, and a federal transportation bill reauthorization. With serious political headwinds and a tough economic climate, it’s going to take every ounce of hope and creativity and collaboration and raging love for vibrant, healthy communities that we’ve got to make sure that the things we care about aren’t left on the cutting room floor: safe, connected regional trail systems and Oregon Community Paths, access to thriving parks and natural areas close to where we live, Safe Routes to School, and a transportation system that works for all of our neighbors regardless of age, income, or car ownership.

We'd especially like to acknowledge our ride leader and map maker, Kirk Paulsen at Parametrix and our e-bike fleet coordinator Jordan Del Valle Tonoian at Westside Transportation Alliance for going above and beyond to support this year's ride as well as all the speakers and elected leaders who joined us last Friday:

• Metro Councilor and JPACT Chair, Christine Lewis

• City of Tigard Mayor Yi-Kang Hu

• Shawne Martinez, Cycle Oregon Jump Start program

• Schuyler Warren, City of Tigard

• Zachary Lauritzen, Oregon Walks

• Metro Council President Juan Carlos Gonzalez

• Metro Councilor Gerritt Rosenthal

• Washington County Commissioner Jason Snider

• Zach Morris, City of Tigard

• Glenn Fee, Tualatin Riverkeepers

• Tiffany Gehrke, City of Tigard

• Sari Hedges, Principal, Durham Elementary School

• Dustin Schull, City of Tualatin

• Senate President Rob Wagner

• Jonn Karsseboom, Owner of Garden Corner

• Tualatin City Councilor Bridget Brooks

• Sidaro Sin, City of Tualatin

• Mike McCarthy: City of Tualatin

• Nic Westendorf, City of Tualatin

• Lauriel Amoroso, City of Tigard

• Dan Keller, City of Tigard

• State Representative Dacia Grayber

• Washington County Commissioner Pam Treece

• Tigard City Council President, Maureen Wolf

• Beaverton City Councilor Kevin Teater

• Beaverton City Councilor Nadia Hasan

• Clackamas County Commissioner Paul Savas

Photos from Top: Mick Orlosky, Sophie Smith, Sophie Smith, Mick Orlosky, Sophie Smith, Sophie Smith, Hau Hagedorn, Mick Orlosky, Sophie Smith, Mick Orlosky, McKenzie Worthington, Sophie Smith, Sophie Smith, Hau Hagedorn, Hau Hagedorn, Sophie Smith, Mick Orlosky, Hau Hagedorn, Hau Hagedorn, Hau Hagedorn, Sophie Smith, Sophie Smith, Sophie Smith, Sophie Smith, Sophie Smith, Mick Orlosky, Hau Hagedorn, Sophie Smith, Sophie Smith, Mick Orlosky, Sophie Smith