In this email
- City Council Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passes Vision Zero resolution
- Check out the Vision Zero Action Plan Progress Report one-page summary
- Ask a PBOT expert
- Working with communities most affected by traffic violence
- Speed limit changes
- Free upcoming PBOT bike events
- Bike to Books design contest is back for Bike Month in May
- High Crash Network projects
- Access the latest deadly crash data
- Remember to say crash, not accident!
- Free Vision Zero materials and yard signs
- Personal safety community resources
- What we're reading
City Council Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passes Vision Zero resolution
On Monday, May 19, the Portland City Council Transportation and Infrastructure Committee passed a motion to send a resolution to the full City Council to reaffirm commitment to Vision Zero and convene a cross-bureau Vision Zero Task Force.
Read the full Vision Zero resolution
Check out the Vision Zero Action Plan Progress Report one-page summary
Earlier this year we shared the 2024 Vision Zero Action Plan Progress Report. Recently, we condensed that lengthy online report into a one-page summary to help the public quickly understand our efforts to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries on Portland's streets. It highlights the progress we've made to advance 10 of the 35 actions in the Vision Zero Action Plan Update 2023-25.
Read the Vision Zero Action Plan Progress Report one-page summary
Ask a PBOT expert
Our Vision Zero inbox is filled with thoughtful questions from community members about traffic safety—and our team works hard to provide equally thoughtful answers. These exchanges often spark meaningful conversations, and we believe they deserve a bigger audience! That’s why we’re sharing some of these question and answers in our newsletter, edited for clarity and brevity, to highlight insights and ideas that benefit us all.
Question: Changing the speed limit sign does not make people slow down. PBOT recently reduced the speed limit on a street near my home from 30 mph to 25 mph, but people still drive 40 mph. Maybe some enforcement?
Answer: Speed limits are one of our critical tools to slow speeds on our streets. Safe speeds lower the risk of crashes—and when crashes do occur, safe speeds make it less likely that people are killed or seriously injured. But, as your question suggests, speed limits are just one way to slow speeds on our streets. Through the Safe System approach, we’re designing our streets to be forgiving of mistakes and human frailty—think speed limits paired with speed bumps, narrower travel lanes, and even vertical enclosures like street trees. Lower speed limits allow us to design our streets for slower speeds. Another part of the Safe System approach is speed enforcement. So, you’re right to question what other strategies we can bring forth to make our streets safer. Together, these different elements work together to act as layers of redundancy to prevent crashes and ensure a safe transportation system.
Learn more about Vision Zero's Safe System approach
Working with communities most affected by traffic violence
In April and May, our Vision Zero team partnered with community organizations representing demographic communities more likely to be killed or seriously injured in a traffic crash. We shared traffic safety tips and education with people who primarily travel in East Portland or along high crash corridors; are experiencing houselessness; are immigrants or refugees; identify as Black, Indigenous, and People of Color; and are youth or older adults. These organizations include, but are not limited to:
- Division Midway Alliance
- Ethiopian and Eritrean Cultural and Resource Center
- Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization
- JOIN
- Multnomah County Library's aging and disability outreach program
- Multnomah County Racial and Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH)
- Oregon Rises Above Hate
- Play Grow Learn
- Portland Clean Energy Community Benefits Fund
- Safe Blocks
We're doing this work because no person should die or be incapacitated from simply going about their day. Protecting human lives is core to Vision Zero.
Deepening understanding of Portland's transportation network
For the past two years, Vision Zero has partnered with the Ethiopian and Eritrean Cultural Resource Center (EECRC) to offer traffic safety trainings funded by an Oregon Department of Transportation grant. These sessions support recently emigrated Ethiopian and Eritrean community members with practical tips for safely navigating streets, understanding traffic laws, responding to crashes, and learning how transportation agencies design and manage the system. They also include Vision Zero's Safe System approach and encourage community engagement in infrastructure projects.
This spring, Vision Zero and the EECRC are expanding their collaboration to promote traffic safety education, active transportation, and community involvement in the Building a Safer 122nd Avenue project. As part of this work, Vision Zero is launching an African Leader Forum to engage trusted voices in Portland's African community. The forum will deepen understanding of the transportation network and decision-making processes while creating space for dialogue about the community's needs along 122nd Avenue.
Learn more about how we're making streets safe through Vision Zero
Speed limit changes
The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is updating speed limits citywide to set safe travel speeds. Why? Because speed is a top contributing factor to traffic deaths. Safe speeds lower the risk of crashes, and when crashes occur, safe speeds make it less likely that people are killed or seriously injured. We track speed limit changes online.
Recent changes
Locations where PBOT reduced the speed limit in the past three months:
45 to 40 mph
- N Portland Road from the Columbia Slough Bridge to Suttle Road
35 to 30 mph
- SE 162nd Avenue from Stark Street to Powell Boulevard
30 to 25 mph
- N Argyle Street/Way from Interstate Avenue to Columbia Boulevard
- NE Fremont Avenue from SE 102nd to 122nd avenues
- SW Vermont Street from 30th to 52nd avenues
- SE 92nd Avenue from 91st Place to Stark Street
- SW 62nd Avenue from Taylors Ferry Road to Pomona Street
- NW Miller Road from Cornell to Thompson roads
Established 25 mph speed limit
- N Macrum Avenue from Columbia Boulevard to Fessenden Street
30 to 20 mph
- N Mississippi Avenue from Fremont to Cook streets
Upcoming changes
Locations where PBOT recently received approval from the Oregon Department of Transportation to reduce the speed limit in the past three months. PBOT will post new speed limit signs in the upcoming months:
35 to 30 mph
- N Schmeer Road from Vancouver to Denver avenues
30 to 25 mph
- N Weidler Street from Ross to NE Grand avenues and 16th to 24th avenues
- N Broadway Street from Larabee to NE Grand avenues and 24th to 33rd avenues
- N Mississippi Avenue from Cook to Russell streets
Establish 25 mph speed limit
- NE 80th Avenue from Columbia Boulevard to Holman Street
- NE Holman Street from 80th Avenue to 82nd Avenue Frontage Road
- NE 82nd Avenue Frontage Road from Holman Street to 82nd Avenue
30 to 20 mph
- NE Weidler Street from Grand to 16th avenues
- NE Broadway Street from Grand to 24th avenues
Learn more about speed limit changes in Portland
Free upcoming PBOT bike events
Reducing driving is core to our Vision Zero work
We can eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries in Portland by significantly changing the design of our most deadly streets to slow drivers—as well as making it easier for people to get around without a car. Less driving makes our streets safer. Below are several free events Portland Bureau of Transportation created to help make biking more desirable and easier to incorporate into your daily routines!
Basic Bike Maintenance Workshop
Saturday, May 31
The Basic Bike Maintenance Workshop at Hillsdale Library (1525 SW Sunset Blvd.) is your opportunity to learn about bike maintenance and get some hands-on experience doing basic repairs on Saturday, May 31 from 1 to 3 p.m. After going over the major systems on a bike, you'll learn how to do some simple adjustments and practice flat repair. Bring your bike—but it's not required. Come with questions about issues you might have!
Learn more about the Basic Bike Maintenance Workshop
New to Portland Ride: East Portland
Tuesday, June 3
Are you new to town or new to cycling in Portland? Want to explore some of the best low-stress bike routes in the Mill Park, Hazelwood and Centennial neighborhoods? Join the New to Portland Ride: East Portland on Tuesday, June 3 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. starting at the East Portland Community Center (740 SE 106th Ave.). This is an 8-mile, moderate-pace, no drop ride. Come with questions about getting around by bike!
Learn more about the New to Portland Ride: East Portland
Northeast Cully Neighborhood Bike Fair
Friday, June 6
The Northeast Cully Neighborhood Bike Fair at Rigler Elementary School (5401 NE Prescott St.) is a family-friendly event on Friday, June 6 from 2:30 to 5 p.m. Activities include biking lessons to learn bike safety skills, learn-to-ride coaching, quick-fix bike repair, and helmet fitting. Participants are welcome to bring their own bikes, but there will also be bikes of various sizes available for children and adults to borrow.
Bike to Books design contest is back for Bike Month in May
The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) and Multnomah County Library have teamed up once again to invite Portland-area students (and now adults!) to design original bike lane art to celebrate bike month and the hundreds of miles of bike lanes around the city. PBOT striping crews will install winning designs on one of Portland’s many bike lanes and neighborhood greenways. To participate, pick up a copy of the design form at your local library branch or visit the Bike to Books website for a downloadable copy. Submit your designs by Sunday, June 1.
Learn more about the Bike to Books design contest
High Crash Network projects
Portland Bureau of Transportation prioritizes safety investments on our highest crash streets and intersections in areas with higher proportions of people of color and people living with lower incomes. In recent years, 67% of traffic deaths occurred on the High Crash Network. We track recently completed and currently under construction High Crash Network projects online.
Learn more about High Crash Network projects
Access the latest deadly crash data
Our Vision Zero dashboard provides an overview of traffic safety improvements from the past five to 10 years—as well as data relating to our performance measures. Staff update the dashboard regularly. Preliminary deadly crash data is updated monthly, while other data is updated quarterly or annually, based on availability.
Learn more about the Vision Zero dashboard
Remember to say crash, not accident!
We want to change the way we talk about crashes and remind each other that they are predictable and preventable. A Vision Zero approach refuses to accept the idea that crashes are inevitable. That's why we're saying crash, not accident! Will you join us?
Learn more about why we say crash, not accident
Free Vision Zero materials and yard signs
Help educate the people in your community about Vision Zero, Portland's commitment to eliminate serious and fatal traffic injuries. Order and receive stickers, brochures, and fliers in the mail or pick-up a yard sign at the Portland Building. Materials are available in English, Arabic, Chinese, Japanese, Lao, Romanian, Russian, Somali, Spanish, Ukrainian, and Vietnamese.
Learn more about how to get free Vision Zero materials
Personal safety community resources
We want to help create a transportation system that allows all people to feel safe getting where they need to go. We put together free, accessible personal safety resources for community members, including how to report a non-urgent traffic safety concern, report bias and hate, participate in a self-defense workshop, and more.
Learn more about personal safety community resources
What we're reading
- What’s behind the rise in serious injuries on New York City’s streets? (Bloomberg CityLab)
- America’s roads are killing us (The Hill)
- Virginia will use technology to slow chronic speeders’ cars—and other states are rushing to join in (Fast Company)
- Tesla could benefit the most from new rules on reporting of self-driving car crashes (AP News)
- Pike Place Market goes car-free in pilot program (KIRO7)
- Trump’s transportation officials buck a long-held practice of using ‘road diets’ to slow speeders (The Hill)
- Watch as traffic safety research is explained in 101 seconds (UC Berkeley News)
- Safer walking and cycling crucial for road safety and better health (World Health Organization)
- Why car YouTuber Matt Farah is fighting for walkable cities (Bloomberg CityLab)
Parts of this document were drafted with the support of ChatGPT. The content was edited and fact-checked by city staff.