Oregon Could Launch E-Bike Rebate Program

If approved by the state legislature, a $6 million program would help fund the purchase of e-bikes, helmets, and other accessories.

1 minute read

December 9, 2022, 7:00 AM PST

By Diana Ionescu @aworkoffiction


Cyclist on bike path in Portland, Oregon with bridge over river and city skyline in background.

Agnieszka Gaul / Biking in Portland, Oregon

A bill proposed in the Oregon state legislature would establish a rebate program for electric bikes and accessories such as helmets and lights, reports Michael Brady in Smart Cities Dive. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Karin Power, says the bill is meant to encourage transportation diversification and put e-bikes within reach of more Oregonians. Power says e-bikes can help lower the city’s carbon footprint and provide an efficient, affordable transportation option for commuters. “Incentivizing e-bikes is one way we can creatively foster greater transportation justice and equity,” says Power. 

Through the program, “Only purchases from authorized, in-state retailers would be eligible for rebates, and rebate recipients would need to own their e-bikes ‘for at least one year after receiving the rebate,’ according to the bill.”

Rebates on e-bikes are proving hugely popular in places like Denver, where applications for the city’s rebate program get snapped up almost as quickly as they are released.

Monday, December 5, 2022 in Smart Cities Dive

Portland Bus Lane

‘Forward Together’ Bus System Redesign Rolling Out in Portland

Portland is redesigning its bus system to respond to the changing patterns of the post-pandemic world—with twin goals of increasing ridership and improving equity.

August 30, 2023 - Mass Transit

An aerial view of Milwaukee’s Third Ward.

Plan to Potentially Remove Downtown Milwaukee’s Interstate Faces Public Scrutiny

The public is weighing in on a suite of options for repairing, replacing, or removing Interstate 794 in downtown Milwaukee.

August 27, 2023 - Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

Conceptual rendering of Rikers Island redevelopment as renewable energy facility

Can New York City Go Green Without Renewable Rikers?

New York City’s bold proposal to close the jail on Rikers Island and replace it with green infrastructure is in jeopardy. Will this compromise the city’s ambitious climate goals?

August 24, 2023 - Mark McNulty

A rendering of the Utah City master planned, mixed-use development.

700-Acre Master-Planned Community Planned in Utah

A massive development plan is taking shape for lakefront property in Vineyard, Utah—on the site of a former U.S. Steel Geneva Works facility.

August 31 - Daily Herald

A line of cars wait at the drive-thru window of a starbucks.

More Cities Ponder the End of Drive-Thrus

Drive-thru fast food restaurants might be a staple of American life, but several U.S. cities are actively considering prohibiting the development of new drive-thrus for the benefit of traffic safety, air quality, and congestion.

August 31 - The Denver Post

Air pollution is visible in the air around high-rise buildings in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Air Pollution World’s Worst Public Health Threat, Report Says

Air pollution is more likely to take years life off the lifespan of the average human than any other external factor, according to a recent report out of the University of Chicago.

August 31 - Phys.org