Dear parents, caregivers, educators, and community,
There's no denying tensions are high these days. For many of us those tensions can lead to very real negative health consequences. We hope you're taking notice of how these stressors impact your day-to-day experience. If you're able to, we encourage you to take a little extra time to care of yourself and those around you by adding a little more activity to your day. Research supports that physical activity helps both our physical and mental health:
- Five minutes of movement every half hour can lower blood pressure and blood sugar levels and boost your mood according to Columbia University researchers
- Bike riding in middle school may boost mental health according to Loma Linda University researchers
Continue reading to learn about how to order incentives for next week's Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day, bike with newborn babies (yes, you can do it safely), bike through the winter months, and more!
Please reach out if you need anything. And remember to follow us on Facebook and Instagram and tag us in your photos and videos!
With gratitude,
Safe Routes to School Team | Abra, Brittany, Dana, Gui, Janis, Josh, Lale, and Meaghan
In this email:
- Order your incentives for Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day (Nov. 14) today!
- Biking with a baby — even in the first few weeks! It's fun, safe, and means more time for connection
- Follow local bike buses and walking school buses on Instagram!
- Winter cycling workshop - Nov. 9
- Webinar: The Voices of the Next Generation in Transportation - Nov. 16
- Celebration of Rain Bike Ride - Nov. 18
- World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is Sunday, Nov. 19
- Fixing Our Streets: Improved crossings and travel lanes in Montavilla near Harrison Park School!
- Share your budget comments to support important transportation services, including Safe Routes to School
- Leaf Day pickups start Nov. 11 and run through the end of December
- Check out resources from Portland United Against Hate's Healing Summit
- Your Voice, Your Action = Youth Infrastructure Safety Contest - register and submit before Dec. 31
- Apply now for a Metro Safe Routes to School micro-grant
- What we're reading
- Job and volunteer postings
Order your incentives for Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day (Nov. 14) today!
Ruby Bridges Walk to School Day, which takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 14, is an opportunity to teach children about the civil rights movement and make connections to today's collective efforts for change. Oregon Safe Routes to School provides resources for to help make this event fun for your community.
Be sure to place your order for incentives TODAY! Orders must be in by Tuesday, Nov. 7 to receive your items in time for the event!
Visit the Ruby Bridges Foundation websites to learn more about this important day.
Biking with a baby — even in the first few weeks! It's fun, safe, and means more time for connection
My partner likes to joke that our first baby purchase was a bike. I've never owned a car; I use my partner's car sometimes, but I really don’t know how to get around without a bike. As soon as my partner found our she was pregnant, I realized I needed to find a bike that I could use to get around with the baby.
Finding a bike to get around with the baby
There are lots of bikes out there that are safe for babies to ride in. Until a baby can reliably sit up on their own though, the bike has to have an attachment that allows for a car seat to be attached directly. There are many ways to achieve that, but the most straightforward is with various front loader cargo bikes that have a specially built car seat attachment. I wanted an electric assist front loader cargo bike but wasn’t quite ready for the expense of a new one. So I regularly checked Craigslist and found someone selling the Taga we use today.
More face-to-face connection time
Biking with a baby is amazing. The Taga is specially built so the baby is as close to the rider as possible. I can reach her to pat her or hand her something while riding, and we can look at each other the whole time. The experience is much more joyous and connected than when we get in the car and have to face away from each other.
Finding safety on quiet, slow streets
Some people have asked me if I’m worried about her safety — especially since she was only one week old for her first bike ride. Since she’s able to sit in her car seat, the risk of jostling her neck is no greater than when she goes in a car. Also, I feel much better protected from traffic violence while biking on a neighborhood greenway than while driving on a busy, high-speed arterial street or freeway, and crash data supports that feeling.
If you have a baby or are expecting, I highly recommend getting around by bike. The Taga is no longer manufactured, so you can only find it used. I’ve heard it’s very difficult to find the car seat attachments but there are so many other great bikes out there. And even if the price seems high, the bikes don’t lose too much value when you go to resell.
Biking with your baby, even in their first weeks, make getting around more fun, more connected, and helps you keep one more car off the road.
To learn more about all stages of family biking, check out our Portland Family Biking Guide.
This is a guest contribution from Leeor Schweitzer, Portland Bureau of Transportation's Vision Zero lead for safe streets project development and policy.
Follow local bike buses and walking school buses on Instagram!
Done with doomscrolling? Brighten up your Instagram feed with the sights and sounds of local bike buses and walking school buses, instead! Below is a sampling of accounts run by caregivers, teachers, Parent Teacher Association volunteers, and more here in Portland:
- Abernethy Elementary School: @abernethybikebus
- Creston K-5 School: @crestoneaglesbikebus
- Glencoe Elementary School: @glencoebikebus
- James John Elementary School: @sustainabilityatmyschool
- Kelly Elementary School: @kellyschoolpta
- Laurelhurst School: @coachbalto
- Lent K-5 School: @lentpta
- Maplewood Elementary School: @maplewoodptaevents
- Rose City Park Elementary School: @rcp_otters
- Vestal Elementary School: @vestalpta
Did we miss an account? Let us know and we'll share it in our next newsletter.
Learn more about how to start a bike bus and walking school bus online!
Winter cycling workshop - Nov. 9
Join Portland Bureau of Transportation on Thursday, Nov. 9 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Taborspace for a fun, hands-on workshop to learn about winter cycling. We'll go over basic bike maintenance and how to make simple adjustments to keep your bike running smoothly. We'll also cover safety tips and gear recommendation for riding throughout the winter. This workshop is brought to you in partnership with Metro and the Federal Transit Administration.
Come ready to learn and share skills! You're encouraged to bring your bike, but it's not required for attendance.
Webinar: The Voices of the Next Generation in Transportation - Nov. 16
Join America Walks and National Organizations for Youth Safety (NOYS) on Thursday, Nov. 16 at 11 a.m. for a discussion about the innovative solutions that young leaders are bringing to the forefront of transportation. You'll hear about how they are challenging the status quo of who has power and authority to frame the narrative of our transportation system, discover the power of youth leadership, and learn more about what NOYS has been doing to transform the transportation landscape for young people.
Register online for the webinar today.
Celebration of Rain Bike Ride - Nov. 18
Keep riding through the seasons on this tour of community spaces that celebrate the rain. We'll see some hidden gems where people are turning precipitation from a problem to a gift and let our smiles be our umbrellas (but bring rain gear if needed).
Meet at the Nossa Familia Coffee at 10, we'll roll out at 10:15 a.m. This 11-mile ride is a loop (will return to start). We'll travel at an easy-pace, and no one will be left behind — oh, and we'll ride rain or shine. Free and open to everyone!
Text "BIKE" to 888-520-0526 to receive event updates or visit the event webpage.
World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims is Sunday, Nov. 19
Each year, the World Day of Remembrance for Road Traffic Victims honors those who have been killed and injured on roads around the globe – 1.35 million people each year worldwide.
On Sunday, Nov. 19, join crash victims, street safety organizations, community members, faith leaders, elected officials, and dignitaries from across the country and globe to remember, support, and act. The event will begin with speakers at 12 p.m. at the Memorial Coliseum Plaza covered outdoor space (N Ramsay Way and Center Court Street).
To learn more and get involved, please follow this link.
Fixing Our Streets: Improved crossings and travel lanes in Montavilla near Harrison Park School!
Portland Bureau of Transportation crews recently completed another voter-approved Fixing Our Streets funded project that will help improve active transportation networks in Montavilla! The SE 92nd and Lincoln Crossing Improvements project includes:
- Protected bike lanes separated from motor vehicle travel lanes
- A new sidewalk segment and three new curb ramps
- Marked crosswalks
- A concrete island to provide a waiting space for people walking
- A tighter turning radius to slow down turning vehicles
- Extended bike lane through intersection
- Adjusted parking spaces
Students and families accessing Harrison Park School identified this crossing as an important connection during a Safe Routes to School outreach process in 2017.
Fixing Our Streets is Portland's 10-cent citywide voter-approved gas tax funding $13 million worth of engineering projects to improve how Portland families access schools. Visit our website to learn more about Fixing Our Streets and Safe Routes to School, understand how we collaboratively selected projects with the community, and view a map of funded locations.
Share your budget comments to support important transportation services, including Safe Routes to School
Parking and state fuel tax revenues continue to come in below projections, while expenses continue to rise. Portland Bureau of Transportation's (PBOT) fiscal year 2024-25 budget will require up to $32 million in additional service reductions. Unless we find a solution, dramatic and visible transportation service reductions are likely.
In last month's city council work session, PBOT leadership identified projects, programs, and positions that could be cut, including:
- Bicycle, pedestrian, transit, freight, and ADA coordination and engagement
- Public plaza maintenance and street activation
- Community responsive Quick Build safety projects
- Large project development, grant preparation, and community engagement capacity
- Community programming, including Safe Routes to School, Portland Sunday Parkways, Transportation Wallet, BIKETOWN for All, equity partnerships, and the Portland State University Portland Traffic and Transportation Class
There are several ways to provide budget comments to city council:
- Submit written comments through the online form
- Email testimony to budgetcomment@portlandoregon.gov
- Testify in-person at a budget listening session or hearing
Learn more about the PBOT budget online.
Leaf Day pickups start Nov. 11 and run through the end of December
The Portland Bureau of Transportation’s (PBOT) Leaf Day service sweeps 52 districts with the highest concentration of mature street trees and leaves — about a third of the city.
What is Leaf Day?
From November to December each year, PBOT’s Leaf Day service helps us provide cleaner, safer streets, keep our storm drains clear, and ensure our intersections don’t flood. Leaf Day pickup is free for residents in Leaf Districts.
Look up your address, view a map of Leaf Districts
Everyone in a Leaf District should receive a brochure in the mail letting you know your pickup district number and schedule, as well as directions on how to make the most of your Leaf Day.
Check out the Leaf day schedules by district and neighborhood today. Not sure if you're in a Leaf District? Look up your home or business address and find out online.
Check out resources from Portland United Against Hate's Healing Summit
Did you miss the Portland United Against Hate Healing Summit sponsored Portland Bureau of Transportation? No problem. We have recordings and resources from the three-day virtual event to share!
The Healing Summit was a response to an increasing hate and bias incidents our communities endure. Workshops included:
- Rose City Self Defense: Empowerment based, all-gender self-defense
- It Did Happen Here: A discussion on the history of the anti-fascist movement
- Oregon Department of Justice Civil Rights Unit: Responding to bias
- Fireweed Collective: Emotional first-aid
- Right to Be: Active bystander intervention to support youth in public spaces
These workshops gave attendees the opportunity and tools to be able to recognize the impacts of traumas from living with witnessing hateful acts, identify healthy ways to resolve and remediate the impacts of trauma in everyday life, and provide an opportunity to explore self-defense options to help build the confidence to confront the challenges of society head on in a healthy way.
Please reach out to Sean Tyler if you have any questions, concerns, or access needs.
Your Voice, Your Action = Youth Infrastructure Safety Contest - register and submit before Dec. 31
National Organizations for Youth Safety'sYour Voice, Your Action = Youth Infrastructure Safety Contest encourages young people to identify a problem in their neighborhood that affects pedestrian safety and propose a solution to fix it. The contest is open to young people in the U.S. age 15 to 29.
The contest aims to give young people in the United States a voice by hearing their opinions on what infrastructure improvements are needed in their neighborhoods to support safe walking, cycling, and equitable use of street spaces for all road users.
Sign-up as an official participant to get started. A $1,500 prize will be awarded to the winner by a panel of expert judges. The contest is open until December 31st.
Apply now for a Metro Safe Routes to School micro-grant
Metro is distributing 25 Safe Routes to School $500 micro-grants to individual schools and nonprofit school parent teacher organizations in the Portland metropolitan area. Metro will award micro-grants on a rolling basis. Applicants may submit their application at any time throughout the grant cycle which runs through June 30, 2024.
Metro will prioritize applications that support:
- walking school buses or bike buses.
- traffic safety activities, e.g., crossing guard programs, park-and-walk programs, etc.
- activities that aim to reduce carbon emissions.
Learn more and apply online today!
What we're reading
- Anti-fat bias harms the movement for safe streets — particularly for kids (Streetsblog)
- The real reason you should get an e-bike (The Atlantic)
- Reimagining streets for safe, active, and joyful trips to school (Streetsblog)
- Bicycle, safety advocates nationwide say enough is enough: It’s time for cities to ban right turns on red lights (Fortune)
- Everywhere is biking more, except Portland (Axios)
- Mobility safety from a feminist perspective (Streetsblog)
- Americans are walking 36% less since Covid (Bloomberg CityLab)
- Cities are providing safe parking to serve growing number of Americans living in their cars (Jalopnik)
Job and volunteer postings
- Portland Pedestrian Advisory Committee: The committee advises on all matters that encourage and enhance walking as a means of transportation, recreation, wellness, and environmental enhancement. The committee (15 members) meets monthly to discuss city transportation policy, programs and projects that impact how people move around the city on foot. Closing 11/19. Volunteer posting here.
- New Portlanders Policy Commission: This commission works to integrate immigrant and refugee communities’ voices into the city's policies and decision-making. Commission members are immigrants, refugees, community advocates, and live, work, play, or pray in Portland. Closing 12/31. Volunteer posting here.
The City of Portland updates it's job opportunities list weekly. Make sure to check out those new positions every Monday!