Rumors are swirling that the lead local advocate for the Bicycle Transportation Alliance will soon announce her resignation—possibly over the next week.

Poyorouw at the opening of the Trimet Green Line last September
  • Poyorouw at the opening of the Trimet Green Line last September
Michelle Poyourow joined the BTA in 2006 and during those three and a half years has become the public face of the influential bicycling organization. As an advocate, Poyourow was a force working with City Hall, local businesses and regular citizens to promote bicycling.

Poyourow had no comment this evening. Her rumored resignation follows the firing of former BTA boss Scott Bricker last November, and will leave Portland cycling advocates scrambling for leadership just days before the major 2030 bike plan heads to a vote at city council. Just days ago, Poyourow was announcing a "build it" campaign to pressure city council to fund the plan.

I'm thinking that the BTA might wish they had chosen a different face for the idea.

In 2009, Poyourow met frequently with the mayor's office and city commissioners to discuss the city budget, downtown cycletrack and general bike issues. She sat on numerous committees in town as the BTA representative, including the Willamette River Bridge Advisory Committee and a Columbia River Crossing oversight committee before walking off in protest earlier this year.