Over the course of the past year, I've given lots of kudos and coverage to progressive bicycle initiatives. They are, of course, a great way to reduce traffic and related inner city congestion, not to mention a great way to reduce one's carbon footprint.

As I was scanning past posts, however, I noticed that I haven't done justice to many of my hometown's two-wheel accomplishments. Fortunately, the mainstream media has taken notice. Here's a sampling of the news from and about Portland, Oregon's bicycle-friendly climate:

New York TImes: In Portland, Cultivating A Culture Of Two Wheels.

Cyclists have long revered Portland for its bicycle-friendly culture and infrastructure, including the network of bike lanes that the city began planning in the early 1970s. Now, riders are helping the city build a cycling economy…

in a city often uncomfortable with corporate gloss, what is most distinctive about the emerging cycling industry here is the growing number of smaller businesses, whether bike frame builders or clothing makers, that often extol recycling as much as cycling, sustainability as much as success.

Also, the NYT piece has an accompanying video titled The Business Of Biking that is well worth watching.

One of the trends I have covered extensively is city-wide bike rental programs, from Berlin to Barcelona and New York. Not to be left out, Portland has its own program in the works, as the Portland Tribune reports.

But a city-wide bike rental program isn't the only thing on Mayoral candidate Sam Adam's agenda. As Willamette Week reports in Wheels Of Fortune:

If Commissioner Sam Adams gets his way, the city will spend nearly three times as much on bike projects as it does now.

Adams, the front runner in the May mayoral election, says the rationale for his proposal is simple: About 4.5 percent of daily commuters in Portland report getting to and from work by bike, according to the U.S. Census.

Adams thinks the Office of Transportation’s five-year capital budget should devote that same 4.5 percent to bikes rather than the 1.6 percent it does now. The difference in spending would work out roughly to $7 million over the next five years, or about $12.75 per Portlander.

Indeed, Portland is the epitome of a bike-friendly city. Sure, the sheer numbers of cyclists can't compare to Amsterdam or Copenhagen, but Portland is leading the way on American soil. Kudos to all.

Carbon Neutral Journal's kudos are brought to you by Grand Targhee Resort.

Popularity: 8%