I had the pleasure of working with Ann Niles for many years. She chaired the transportation committee in the Pearl District, and I played the same role in the neighborhood immediately to the west.

Her commitment to transportation options in the Pearl that supported the livability of her neighborhood was unflagging. She was the driving force for the configuration of the Streetcar Loop line in the Pearl, a design that not only serves the north end of that neighborhood, but also creates the flexibility to freely route Streetcars in all directions, an aspect lacking in the initial proposal. I was privileged to play a small supporting role in realizing the much improved approach.

Ann passed away before the Loop was complete. An annual lecture series at the Initiative for Bicycle & Pedestrian Innovation at PSU has been established in her memory, and the first lecture in the series is coming up:

Jean-François Pronovost of Vélo Québec
“Growing a World-Class Cycling Culture: Lessons from Québec.”
August 26, 2013 6:30 pm
Lincoln Recital Hall, Lincoln Hall
Portland State University
1620 S.W. Park Ave.

I’ll be there to honor Ann, and to get smarter about continuing the work her leadership focused on.