In a move lawyers called “highly unusual,” Portland City Council declined to accept the terms of a legal settlement over the city’s adherence to the Oregon Bike Bill, which had been negotiated by the city attorney. Now, the $6 million settlement—which would be used for bike infrastructure projects around the city—is in jeopardy.

The settlement is the product of a 2022 lawsuit filed against the city by bike advocacy group BikeLoud PDX. The plaintiffs argued that Portland was out of compliance with a state law requiring local governments to include bike facilities on new streets or those undergoing major reconstruction. The 1971 law, known as the Oregon Bicycle Bill, contains certain exceptions, but generally applies when a city or other agency is carrying out total street repavement projec

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