‘The life of the bicycle program’
A pioneer of city pedal paths,
she wrote the book on bikes
By Deborah Janes
Of the Emerald
Ruth Bascom is a pioneer
She may not have traveled the
Oregon Trail, but the Eugenean has
cycled hundreds of miles on Eugene’s
first, primitive bike trails In fact, Bas
com devoted the past 12 of her 56 years
to help design those bikeways
"She’s the life of the bicycle pro
gram," says Diane Bishop, one of two
bicycle coordinators for the city of
Eugene
"No one has played a more impor
tant, active role in establishing the
bikeways and safety standards (in
Eugene) than Ruth," says Lane County
Commissioner Scott Lieuallen, a local
biking enthusiast
As chairer of the Eugene Bicycle
Committee from 1971 to 1978 and as a
citizen member since 1978, Bascom
has been the driving force behind the
Greenway Bridge Project, the bicycle
bridge linking Eugene downtown and
Valley River Center, and the Eugene
Bikeways Master Plan, Lieuallen says
And early last year Bascom decided
the accomplishments of the Eugene
Bicycle Committee and the history
behind Eugene's unique bikeway sys
tem deserved recording
After a 1 Vi years of research and
writing, Bascom has produced "Bicy
cles in Cities: The Eugene Exper
ience ’’ The series of 12 reports
focuses on everything from the Eugene
master plan to the Willamette River
Bank Trail System
The master plan outlines 12 years of
brainstorming and experimentation
that hired consultants, Eugene Bicycle
Committee members and concerned
citizens have devoted to formulating
Eugene's extensive bike network
Route detail must be altered in the
light of experience and bikeway plan
ning and design requires fine tuning,"
reads the master plan report
During the bikeway's early days,
Bascom often would strap on her hel
met and test that fine tuning
Another report. Bridges for Bicycles,
summarizes the approach taken to
garner funds for the Greenway Bridge
At Bascom's request. Sen Bob Pack
wood authored the National Bikeway
Demonstration Bill After the bill
passed, Eugene competed nationally
for the appropriated funds but lost
But Bascom came to the rescue She
initiated a letter-writing campaign to
Packwood's office The results?
"Packwood received more letters on
that issue than any other that year,”
Bascom says And the Eugene Bicycle
Committee got the money
Although Bascom produced 80 per
cent of the bicycle publication's copy,
several University professors provided
technical assistance and actual mater
ial
John Crawford, a retired journalism
professor, advised Bascom on adver
tising procedures for her mail-out order
forms Duncan McDonald, assistant
professor of journalism, supplied pho
tographs and design guidance And
Professor C Bennett Pascal, head of
the classics department, wrote part of
the Bridges for Bicycles” report
During October, shortly after the
report s completion, Bascom present
ed the publication to the annual Pro
Bike conference in Colorado, where
Eugene won three of five national ex
cellence awards
Eugene's city council also viewed the
reports last Wednesday
The documents are on sale in local
bike stores and Bascom has sent order
forms to urban planners, city councils,
consulting firms and citizen groups
across the country.
As an author, political activist and
avid cyclist, Bascom helped "pave the
way" for Eugene’s bike paths and bike
lanes
But she humbiy denies she played a
key role in planning and implementing
Eugene's successful bike commuting
system
"I just found my niche in the com
munitv. a community that encouraged
me to : eep going.”
mm
et al.
MEETINGS
The next meeting ol the IFC wW be held today at 5 30
pm in 33/ EMU The agenda is expected to include
Goal Hearings including Am. Ad Fed . Asian Studies,
and University Song and Dance
There will be a meeting tor alt women Interested In
trying out lor the varsity wrestling rally squad at/pm
tonight in the letterman s room in MacArthur Court
Experience with wrestling is helpful but not required
Additional information can be obtained through the
wrestling office in MacArthur Court or by calling x5495
The College Republicans will hold a meeting tonight
at 7 in the EMU Fishbowl
SEMINARS/WORKSHOPS
Child Care Inc., a private non-protlt day care center, Is
sponsoring a tree workshop on “Toys." The workshop
will be held from 7 to 8:30 tonight at Child Care Inc , 169
N Washington Street Guest speaker Muriel Singer,
director ol Child Care Inc , will lead an informal discus
sion on different types of worthwhile toys for children
She will also be exploring the link between child abuse
and toys Free child care provided on advance notice
For more information contact Dolly at 344-1165
"Mind As Healer, Mind As Slayer” is the title ot a tree
workshop on psychosomatic medicine to be given by
Douglas Bloch tonight from 7:30 to 10 at the Eugene
Center lor Acupuncture and Acupressure, 1177 Pearl St
For further information, please call 345-4175
"Depositions! Environments in the Chile Trench and
Their Influence on the Composition ot Accreted Ter
renes ol Convergent Margins” is the title of a lunchbag
ger seminar presented by Dr. La Verne D Kulm, Oregon
State University, today at 12:30 p m in 307 Volcanology
The seminar is sponsored by the University Department
of Geology
Want to ma|or In business administration? The Office
of Academic Advising and Student Services is sponsor
ing a workshop at 3:30 p.m. today in 164 Oregon Hall.
MISCELLANEOUS
There will be an Open House today Irom 9:30 to 11:30
a.m. to give you an opportunity to meet Joseph Chilton
Pearce, author and lecturer The open house will be held
at Dan and Lynn Noble s, 86 W 25th. Eugene For more
information call 342-8387
Last opportunity to nominate your favorite prolessor
lor Prolessor of the Month. Submit your nomination to
the nomination box on the first floor of the library, or the
Mortar Board mailbox in Suite 4, EMU. Deadline for
nominations is Wednesday. Nov 24
ASLCC First Annual Peace Week Is this week. Today
at noon Dr Aaron Novick will be speaking and a film, "No
First Use" will be shown in 244 Math & Art At 1 p m the
poetry contest winners will be announced Steven Shinn,
songwriter and singer, will sing protest songs and songs
tor peace at 2:15 p.m The essay contest winners will be
announced at 2:45 p.m. in the LCC Main Cafeteria.
OXFAM's Annual Fast For a World Harvest is today.
Stop by the table in the EMU lobby to anwer your
questions and find out more Donation boxes will be at
the table and near the entrance to the cafeteria all day
There will be a free breakfast celebration dinner tonight
at Grace Lutheran Church, 17th and Hilyard, at 6
"The Politics ol World Hunger” is the title of a forum
coinciding with OXFAM's Fast for World Hunger. The
forum will feature Ed Comstock of the International
Studies Department, Raymond Wolfe of the Chemistry
Department and Cynthia Kokes ot C A L C The forum
will be at 4:30 p m today at the Faculty Club Admission
is free This event is yet another public service of the
International Studies Association
"Afro-Turf: Racism and Contemporary Oral Tradition"
is the topic of the Intertaith Lecture Series, Monday, Nov
22 at 7:30 p.m. in the EMU Forum, with Barre Toelken,
Professor of English and Director of Folklore and Ethnic
Studies This lecture is tree and open to the public
Sponsored by Campus Interfaith Ministry
A tree film entitled “Long Canyon, The Wilderness
Issue” will be shown tonight at 7 in 177 Lawrence
Presented by the Survival Center
ORCA members going on the HP tour will meet at
11:15 a m outside Anderson's Sporting Goods, EMU
Persons providing their own transportation will travel
with the van. and should pick up directions and a
timetable from ORCA's mailbox, Suite 4, EMU
Lettz/WM Analytical Microscope Exhibit will be held
Friday from 9 a m. to 4 p.m. in 111 Science III. the exhibit
will feature computer controlled microdensitometer,
DADS-560; computer driven automatic microtiter
scanner, MPV-MT; computer system for biomedical
image analysis. BIOQUANT: and much more
POLICY
The Emerald's briefs column is the respon
sibility of the news/editorial department and is
open to anyone wishing to announce meetings,
lectures, seminars, exhibits, scholarships, inter
views. or miscellaneous events Briefs are run
once and they are subject to space limitations.
They must be typed and triple-spaced in a
65-character margin, include all pertinent in
formation Also, list a name and phone number in
case we have questions, and the date you want
the brief to run Events with donations or admis
sion charges will not be accepted unless the
organization is non-profit All items must be
turned in by noon the day before publication at
the Emerald Office, Room 300, EMU If you have
a question, contact Cort at 686-5511.
Page 5 Section A
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