When I interviewed the Bicycle Transportation Alliance's new Executive Director Rob Sadowsky (a Chicagoan and reformed rollerblader) a couple weeks ago, I asked, "In what ways is Chicago doing things better than Portland for bikes?"

His reply: "We have a central bicycle station, which is something that Portland lacks. It’s a facility downtown where you can lock your bike all day and take a shower. Three hundred bikes fit there, it’s been sold out for four years."

Well now Hillsboro's gone and unveiled it's plans for a city bike commute station, complete with showers. Goddamit. I mean, um, good job, Hillsboro!! I just hate losing.

The plans are up on the BTA blog, but here they are at right as a thumbnail. Click to make 'em bigger.

The H'boro bike commute center will have space for 40 bikes, according to the city, and accounts for about $200,000 of a $16 million transportation project which is building a whole transit center about a block away from the Tuality Healtcare stop on the MAX Blue Line. The whole project (which involves a car parking lot) is funded by the city of Hillsboro, Tuality Healthcare, state lottery funds and stimulus funds. It'll be a membership based space, so to lock your bike up and use the showers, you'll need to buy a membership. No details yet on how much that'll cost.