Description
Portland Bureau of Transportation's (PBOT) Safe Routes to School program is partnering with Bike Bus PDX leaders to support bike buses and help make biking to school safer.
In 2025, we received a $50,000 Metro Regional Travel Options grant to make bike bus routes at nine elementary schools within Portland Public Schoolsmore visible. The Bike Bus Wayfinding Pilot Project signage and pavement markings will educate communities about bike buses, how to travel on neighborhood greenways, and safe driving. Our goal is to help students and families feel safer and more confident biking to school.
Project elements
- Bilingual lawn signs for schools to place along bike bus routes
- Bilingual bike signs with safety messages for bike bus leaders
- Signage and pavement markings on neighborhood greenways that overlap with bike bus routes (piloting at five schools)
- Messaging and Safe Routes to School staff support
- Evaluation through traffic counts and school community surveys
Pilot schools
- Alameda Elementary School
- Abernethy Elementary School
- Creston Elementary School
- Glencoe Elementary School
- James John Elementary School
- Maplewood Elementary School
- Vernon K-8 School
- Vestal Elementary School
- Woodstock Elementary School
Metro's Regional Travel Options program funds projects and programs to educate, encourage, and reduce barriers to increase the use of travel options.
What is a bike bus?
A bike bus is a group of kids and adults biking to school together, picking up others along the way.
What is a neighborhood greenway?
Neighborhood greenways are Portland’s network of low-traffic, low-speed streets designed for comfortable biking—perfect for bike buses!
Why this matters?
Bike bus leaders across the city shared their concerns about traffic safety. They told us more support was needed to help families feel safe biking and walking to school. Key issues include:
- Too many people driving motor vehicles on bike bus routes. Drivers often use the same streets, making biking less safe.
- Lack of visibility. Families may not know where to join the bike bus, and drivers may be unaware of the routes.
- Desire to encourage participation. The more families joining a bike bus, the greater sense of community and the fewer cars during arrival and dismissal.
Why now?
We're doing this now because bike buses are more popular than ever with parents, caregivers, and kids—even gaining global attention. The community asked us to support bike buses and to look for ways to improve safety. Grant funding is currently available to test bike bus wayfinding solutions.
Goals and outcomes
- Create clear wayfinding for bike bus routes.
- Increase awareness so more families can participate in bike buses across the city.
- Develop wayfinding guidelines for future expansion to more schools.
How can you help students and families feel safer biking to school?
- Join or organize a bike bus. Visit bikebuspdx.org to learn if your school already has a bike bus.
- Find an alternative driving route that is not a neighborhood greenway or bike bus route.
- Drive at or below the speed limit. Slow down and be prepared to stop.
- Give bike buses space. Leave plenty of room between your car and the bike bus.
- Do not pass bike buses. Only pass if an adult ride leader gives you a cue and there is enough room.
- Be patient and encouraging. Kids on bike buses are learning independence and transportation safety skills.
- Pick up and install a free Vision Zero yard sign.