PEDPDX - PORTLAND'S CITYWIDE PEDESTRIAN PLAN
Non-Binding City Policy
NCP-TRN-6.09
PURPOSE
WHEREAS, in 1998 the Council adopted the Portland Pedestrian Master Plan by Resolution No. 35689, which the City has been implementing over the past two decades; and
WHEREAS, in 2016 the Council adopted the 2035 Comprehensive Plan which established new goals and policies to guide Portland’s growth including numerous policies to advance Portland as a great walking city; and
WHEREAS, Policy 9.6 in Portland’s 2035 Comprehensive Plan states that Portland’s Strategy for People Movement prioritizes pedestrians over other modes and Policy 9.17 calls for making walking the most attractive mode of transportation for short trips; and
WHEREAS, in 2017 the Council authorized an intergovernmental agreement with the Oregon Department of Transportation to accept a $200,000 Transportation Growth Management grant to partially fund the update to the 1996 Portland Pedestrian Master Plan by Ordinance 188594; and
WHEREAS, in 2018 Portland’s 2035 Transportation System Plan was adopted by the Council, which seeks to develop a transportation system that makes it more convenient for people to walk, bicycle, use transit, and drive less to meet one’s daily needs; and
WHEREAS, over the course of two years over 5,400 Portlanders participated in a citywide public survey informing PedPDX, Portland’s Citywide Pedestrian Plan; and
WHEREAS, PedPDX was overseen by a geographically and demographically diverse Community Advisory Committee comprised of representatives from across Portland, in recognition that one’s walking experience in Portland varies greatly depending on area of the city and one’s physical abilities; and
WHEREAS, much of the content of PedPDX arose from the meaningful engagement of traditionally underrepresented community voices, including Black and African American Portlanders and Portlanders with disabilities; and
WHEREAS, investing in pedestrian safety and infrastructure improvements and making walking a safe and attractive choice helps achieve several City goals and objectives, including improving public and individual health outcomes, minimizing local carbon emissions, managing growth and congestion, and making Portland neighborhoods more livable; and
WHEREAS, in Portland pedestrian safety and access is an equity issue, and inadequate pedestrian infrastructure and traffic safety concerns disproportionately impact low-income communities and people of color; and
WHEREAS, because pedestrians suffer a disproportionate number of traffic-related deaths and serious injuries, improving pedestrian safety for people walking in Portland is critical to meeting the City’s Vision Zero objective of eliminating all deaths and serious injuries on Portland streets by 2025; and
WHEREAS, PedPDX affirms walking as a fundamental human right and the most fundamental means of transportation, and seeks to ensure that walking is a safe, accessible, and attractive experience for everyone in Portland by putting pedestrians at the forefront of City policy, investments, and design.
POLICY
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the City of Portland adopts PedPDX, Portland’s Citywide Pedestrian Plan, as shown in Exhibit A; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council directs the Bureau of Transportation to update the City’s Transportation System Plan to reflect the updated pedestrian classifications in PedPDX; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council directs staff to engage in activities aimed at implementing the recommendations of PedPDX; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Council directs the Bureau of Transportation to update the Pedestrian Design Guide to reflect the recommendations of PedPDX; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED this resolution is non-binding city policy.
Link to Exhibit A (PDF Document, 248 MB)
HISTORY
Resolution No. 37429, adopted by City Council June 12, 2019.