In this email
- Back to School: Drive carefully, slow down, and look out for kids
- New speed and intersection safety camera contract
- Holistic approaches to solving impaired driving
- Speed limit changes
- Ask a PBOT expert
- Free upcoming PBOT bike events
- Portland Sunday Parkways debuts brand-new downtown route September 14
- Take the Green Loop survey!
- High Crash Network safety 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
Back to School: Drive carefully, slow down, and look out for kids
Back-to-school season is here, and streets are about to get busier. With thousands of students walking, biking, rolling, and riding transit to school starting as soon as next week, remember to travel with extra care.
Everyone plays a part in kids traveling to and from school safely
Exercise caution while travelling regardless of whether you're near a school or not. There are more than 120 elementary, middle, and high schools in Portland. On average, people moving about the city pass a school or a route commonly used by schoolchildren every half mile. Also, traffic crashes are most common between 3 and 7 p.m., a time when students are being let out from school and after-school programs for the day.
Tips for people driving
- Slow down.
- Watch for people outside your vehicles, especially at intersections—every intersection is a legal crosswalk in Oregon.
- Stop for school buses and crossing guards.
- Never pass vehicles stopped at crosswalks—it's against the law!
- Always drive sober.
Tips for families and caregivers
- Practice your route before the first day of school.
- Join or organize a walking school bus or bike bus. Visit bikebuspdx.org to learn if your school already has a bike bus.
- Talk with kids about how to cross streets safely.
- Follow traffic signage near schools.
- Park a few blocks away from school and walk kids to the door.
Play your part and travel with care this back-to-school season.
Learn more about PBOT's back to school resources
New speed and intersection safety camera contract
Earlier this month, Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) and Portland Police Bureau (PPB) announced a new contract with NovoaGlobal to supply and operate speed and intersection safety camera program, as well as PPB Traffic Division’s two mobile speed enforcement vans.
Work is underway to install NovoaGlobal's industry-leading technology at 32 existing camera locations and two mobile vans. The new camera installation work is projected to be completed by November 1.
As part of this transition, the city will add three additional locations:
- SE Powell Boulevard at 34th Avenue (westbound)
- NE 82nd Avenue at Fremont Street (southbound)
- NE 82nd Avenue at Klickitat Street (northbound)
In addition, the city will install two speed safety cameras on SE Powell Boulevard at or near 60th Avenue by January 2026. Two cameras to be installed on SW Barbur Boulevard in the 5900 to 6100 blocks are also in the design phase.
This fall, PBOT and PPB will undertake a camera expansion planning process to expand beyond 40 cameras. New locations are selected based on traffic crash data and site suitability. All of Portland’s safety cameras are on Portland's High Crash Network—the 30 streets and intersections with the most serious crashes. The High Crash Network makes up 8% of Portland streets but accounted for an average of 67% of traffic deaths from 2020 to 2024.
Learn more about the new safety camera contract
Holistic approaches to solving impaired driving
Last month, members of the Vision Zero team attended a graduation for the Multnomah County District Attorney's DUII Intensive Supervision Program (DISP). Graduates completed many months (up to years) of treatment and close supervision to address previous charges of driving under the influence of alcohol and/or drugs. This program is one way community partners collectively work together to improve traffic safety. Impaired driving is a top contributing factor to deadly crashes in Portland.
The purpose of DISP is to reduce DUII recidivism and help repeat DUII offenders establish and maintain a life that is free of alcohol and drug abuse for the duration of probation and beyond. Since 1998, over 3,200 people have graduated from the program, improving their lives as well as the safety and security of our community.
In the program, DUII offenders are required to have frequent meetings with court-based case managers, electronic alcohol monitoring, frequent and random alcohol and drug testing, long-term treatment with mental health components, and 12-step meeting attendance. Additional conditions of probation include payment of fees, fines and restitution, full time work, GED, ESL, social activity, honesty, and driving only with the court’s permission. These conditions often lead to permanent changes in behavior.
Impairment is a top contributing factor to traffic deaths
In 2024, 31% of deadly crashes with known toxicology information involved an impaired driver. Thirteen people were killed in these crashes. Sixty-nine percent of deadly crashes between 2017 and 2021 involved alcohol and/or drug impairment. In that same period, 430 people died or suffered life-altering injuries due to impairment. In these crashes, 79% of the drivers were impaired.
Learn more about the Multnomah County District Attorney's DUII Intensive Supervision Program
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:
30 to 25 mph
- N Weidler Street from Ross to NE Grand avenues and 16th to 24th avenues
30 to 20 mph
- NE Weidler Street from Grand to 16th avenues
- NE Broadway Street from Grand to 24th avenues
Upcoming changes
Locations where PBOT recently received approval from the Oregon Department of Transportation to reduce the speed limit. PBOT will post new speed limit signs in the upcoming months.
45 to 40 mph
- SE McLoughlin Boulevard from Franklin to Harold streets
- NE Killingsworth Street from 450' east of 82nd Avenue to Sandy Boulevard
45 to 35 mph
- NE Killingsworth Street from 82nd Avenue to 450' east of 82nd Avenue
40 to 30 mph
- NE 138th Avenue from Marine Drive to Sandy Boulevard
35 to 30 mph
- N Basin Avenue from Going Street to end of road
- N Schmeer Road from Interstate to Vancouver avenues
- N Whitaker Way from 122nd to 138th avenues
- NE 105th Avenue from Sandy Boulevard to Airport Way
30 to 25 mph
- N Broadway Street from Larabee to NE Grand avenues and 24th to 33rd avenues
- Miller Road from NW Cornell to SW Barnes roads
- NE Killingsworth Street from 42nd Avenue to Lombard Street
- 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
25 to 20 mph
- N Russell Street from Interstate to Kerby avenues
- SE Belmont Street from Grand to 49th avenues
- S Corbett Avenue from Grover to Hamilton streets
Learn more about speed limit changes in Portland
Ask a PBOT expert
Our Vision Zero inbox is filled with thoughtful questions from community members about traffic safety—and our team strives 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 questions and answers in our newsletter, edited for clarity and brevity, to highlight insights and ideas that benefit us all.
Question: How is Portland Bureau of Transportation working with people experiencing houselessness to support traffic safety?
Answer: People experiencing houselessness are at a higher risk of being seriously injured or killed in traffic crashes because they often spend more time on our streets than Portland’s housed population. Portland Bureau of Transportation works with community partners, such as Cultivate Initiatives, Hygiene 4 All, JOIN PDX, Oak Street Village, and the Streetcar Ambassador Program, to help reduce this disproportionate danger. Together, we hold traffic safety workshops and provide lights, reflective gear, and other visibility tools to people traveling on Portland's highest crash streets. Visibility is a focus because in 2024, 83% percent of traffic deaths occurred in nighttime conditions—during dusk, night, and dawn. Of all pedestrian deaths, 86% occurred in nighttime conditions.
We also improve infrastructure, reduce vehicle speeds, and increase lighting to make streets safer for everyone. In 2022, we partnered with Portland State University students to produce a report with recommendations for better outreach and site-specific improvements. We plan to continue this work as funding allows.
Learn more about how we're making streets safer
Free upcoming PBOT bike events
Reducing the amount of 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. Traveling fewer vehicle miles is strongly correlated with safer streets. Below are several free events the Portland Bureau of Transportation created to help make biking more desirable and easier to incorporate into your daily routines!
New to Portland Ride: St. Johns & Portsmouth
Wednesday, August 20
Are you new to town or new to cycling in Portland? Want to explore some of the best low-stress bike routes in the St. Johns and Portsmouth neighborhoods? Join the New to Portland Ride: St. Johns & Portsmouth on Wednesday, August 20 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. starting at Portsmouth Park (N Princeton Street and Stanford Avenue). This is a 7.5-mile, moderate-pace (8 mph), no drop, loop ride. Come with questions about getting around by bike!
Learn more about the New to Portland Ride: St. Johns & Portsmouth
City Bike Bus
Wednesday, September 10
Commute to downtown with the City Bike Bus on Wednesday, September 10! Community members are invited to join one of nine unique bike bus routes on your ride to downtown before meeting at Salmon Street Springs (SW Naito Parkway and Salmon Street) at 8:15 a.m. for a group photo, coffee, and treats. A bike bus is a group of students—but in this case, adults—biking to school—but in this case, downtown—together.
Learn more about the City Bike Bus
New to Portland Ride: Southwest
Monday, September 25
Are you new to town or new to cycling in Portland? Want to explore some of the best low-stress bike routes in the St. Johns and Portsmouth neighborhoods? Join the New to Portland Ride: Southwest on Monday, September 25 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. starting at SW 37th Avenue and Texas Street. This is an 8-mile, moderate-pace (8 mph), no drop, loop ride. There will be some hills, and a few packed gravel sections, so come ready to pedal and make sure your gears are working properly!
Learn more about the New to Portland Ride: Southwest
Portland Sunday Parkways debuts brand-new downtown route September 14
Mark your calendars for an epic Downtown Portland Sunday Parkways event, presented by Kaiser Permanente, on September 14! The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will create a 2.3-mile block party in the heart of the city, showcasing SW Broadway and SW Park Avenue between Oak and Harrison Streets. Park your bike and walk as you explore downtown businesses, parks, and cultural destinations along the way.
Make a weekend of it and bring Sunday Parkways to your front door! Visitors from across Oregon and the metro area are encouraged to book a hotel room downtown September 12-14 as part of Portland Staycation Weekend, sponsored by Travel Portland in partnership with Sunday Parkways. Be a tourist in your city and explore new places and spaces or visit your tried-and-true favorites in the heart of the city. Enjoy discounts and special packages at downtown hotels, restaurants, and retailers all weekend long.
Learn more about Downtown Portland Sunday Parkways
Take the Green Loop survey!
The Green Loop is a concept for a 6-mile linear park and multiuse path connecting the Central City. Share your feedback on the Green Loop vision, how you'd use it, priorities, and trade-offs. Take the Green Loop survey by Monday, September 15.
Your input will inform the work to come in the Green Loop Concept Plan: refining the Green Loop route, cross-section, and implementation strategies.
High Crash Network safety 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 2024, 71% 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 safety 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 reflective stickers and pins, brochures, and fliers in the mail or pick-up a yard sign at the Portland Building (1120 SW Fifth Ave.). 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
- Helsinki goes a full year without a traffic death (Yle)
- It’s easy to hate traffic cameras. But they do save lives. (Governing)
- New York City intersections see one-third fewer pedestrian injuries with longer head-start intervals (Phys.org)
- Six things any city can do to improve bicycling (PeopleForBikes)
- The Dutch intersection is coming to save your life (Bloomberg CityLab)
- Washington state helps test passive drunk-driving sensors (StateScoop)
- Why did cars get so hard to see out of? (Bloomberg CityLab)
- Opinion: How daylighting can allow NYC’s streets to fight flooding (CityLimits)
Parts of this document were drafted with the support of ChatGPT. The content was edited and fact-checked by city staff.