Dear parents, caregivers and community,
As the Lunar New Year ushers us into a period of renewal, we wish our Safe Routes to School partners happiness and health. As our Chinese, Korean, Mongolian, Tibetan, Vietnamese and many more communities celebrate across Portland, we're reflecting on where we've been, appreciating the present and welcoming new beginnings.
Our first major event coming up in this new year is Winter Walk+Roll to School Day on Wednesday, February 8. We hope you join us and schools around the state as students prove walking and rolling to school can be fun all year long. Continue reading below for more information about this and other ways to start off the new year strong!
With gratitude,
Safe Routes to School Team | Dana, Janis, Abra, Lale, Xao, Meaghan and Brittany
In this email:
- New year goal setting
- Fixing Our Streets and Safe Routes to School
- Fix-It Fair: George Middle School, January 28
- What we're reading
- Job and volunteer postings
New year goal setting
This time of year is perfect to find inspiration, plan activities for the upcoming months and set goals. We have a few ideas to help you start brainstorming.
Walking school bus
Check out this video we made with James John Elementary School to highlight their community-driven walking school bus. Remember, there are plenty of resources to learn from on our website if you're interested in starting a walking school bus or bike train in your neighborhood.
Winter Walk+Roll to School Day, February 8
Winter Walk+Roll to School Day is Wednesday, February 8 this year. Join schools around the state as students prove walking and rolling to school can be fun all year long. We love this toolkit that our friends at Oregon Safe Routes to School put together -- check it out!
You may also order incentives for your event here. Make sure to order your incentives by Wednesday, February 1 to receive them in time for the big day!
If you need assistance as you plan, please don't hesitate to reach out. You may contact us at 503-823-1171 or saferoutes@portlandoregon.gov. And when you're taking photos, remember to tag us on Facebook @PBOTSafeRoutes and Instagram @saferoutespdx!
Thank you, congrats and farewell, Xao Posadas!
We're wishing a bittersweet farewell to Xao Posadas this month as she wraps up her time with us and prepares for her new role at Oregon Department of Transportation Safe Routes to School as a Construction Program Manager!
Xao has spent the last seven years supporting students on the Portland Bureau of Transportation Safe Routes to School team. As a youth advocate, she believes youth empowerment and leadership in community engagement is essential for creating the world we want to see. Xao is excited to incorporate youth advocacy and transportation equity to better serve historically underrepresented communities throughout Oregon and bring her lived and professional experience to this new role.
Thank you for all the heart you've brought to Portland's youth.
Fixing Our Streets and Safe Routes to School
When Portland voters approved Measure 26-173, the 10-cent gas tax, in 2016, they created the Fixing Our Streets program and a major new funding source for Safe Routes to School. Fixing Our Streets designated $8 million to build transportation projects that are helping to connect families to schools across Portland.
Since the need for street improvements is greater than the funds available, Safe Routes to Schools developed a process to prioritize investments. We engaged with families and students about how they travel to school and how we could help make their journeys safer and more convenient. The community identified over 1,200 projects to create a network connecting schools in every high school cluster. Across Portland, the top concern was unsafe crossings. Missing sidewalks and traffic speed were also major safety issues. We also considered equity, safety and student/route density to determine which projects to start building first.
We've already built 96 projects with the $8 million in funding from Fixing Our Streets, and we continue to make progress on the 60 other funded projects. In the meantime, we are working hard to identify more local, state and federal funding to build out the rest of the network.
NE 113th Avenue projects
The completed NE 113th Avenue Pathway Project and upcoming NE 113th Avenue Sidewalk Infill and Signalized School Route Crossings projects will create an accessible pathway and new connections for Ventura Park Elementary School and Floyd Light Middle School families and neighbors in Hazelwood.
Click the links below to learn more about these exciting projects in the David Douglas School District:
- NE 113th Ave Pathway Project (completed)
- NE 113th Ave Sidewalk Infill Project (spring 2023)
- NE 113th Ave Signalized School Route Crossings (winter 2023)
To learn more about Fixing Our Streets and Safe Routes to School projects and progress, please visit SafeRoutesProjects.com.
Fix-It Fair: George Middle School, January 28
Save the date! Fix-It Fair returns in-person on Saturday, January 28 at George Middle School from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm. You won't want to miss the return of this one-stop event for hands-on resources to stay healthy and safe while also saving money.
Make sure to check out the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s booth during your visit! We will be sharing bike repair tips and providing a luminous activity, so make sure to bring a personal item (e.g., article of clothing, a helmet, a favorite bag/backpack, etc.) that you want to bling out in the new year!
What we're reading
- Why reducing vehicle speeds matters to pedestrian safety (America Walks)
- Building inclusive bicycling at school and beyond (PeopleForBikes)
- Parks & Recreation projects to move forward (The Skanner)
- The cities keeping their car-free spaces (CityLab)
- Street improvements aim to help prevent drive-by shootings at Jefferson High School (The Skanner)
- Wins and wrecks for Vision Zero (Vision Zero Network)
Job and volunteer postings
1. Division Midway Alliance Program Coordinator: Division Midway Alliance is looking for a motivated and culturally responsive Program Coordinator who will oversee DMA core programs, provide support to DMA’s cultural liaisons and build partnerships with existing and new program partners, government entities. DMA is in one of the diverse districts in the city of Portland, serving communities from diverse ethnic and language backgrounds. Open until filled. Job posting here.
2. Pedestrian Realm Coordinator: The Portland Bureau of Transportation is looking for a dynamic planner to serve as Portland’s Pedestrian Realm Coordinator within the bureau’s Complete Streets Team to influence the bureau’s choices about how to use right-of-way, how to increase the number of trips made by walking and how to improve safety and access for pedestrians in Portland. PBOT strives to model inclusivity and promote equity through its work and organizational culture. Closing 1/30/2023. Job posting here.
3. Government Transition Advisory Committee: The Government Transition Advisory Committee will advise City Council, officers and city teams on issues related to the development and implementation of the transition plan and community education and engagement plan related to the charter amendments approved by the voters in the November 2022 election. Closing 2/12/2023. Volunteer posting here.
4. Portland Clean Energy Fund Benefits Fund Committee: Are you looking for a space where your passion, knowledge, and skills will contribute to a more just society? Do you envision your city as one that advances racial justice and leads with equity to provide a clean energy future for frontline communities? The committee is seeking leaders like you. With your help, we can ensure the most impacted Portlanders are prepared for a changing climate as we move toward our goal of net zero carbon emissions by 2050. Closing 2/19/2023. Volunteer posting here.
The City of Portland updates it's job opportunities list weekly. Make sure to check out those new positions every Monday!