Dear parents, caregivers, educators, and community,
Big changes often start small—new travel habits are no different. Whether you’re walking, biking, or rolling, these tips can help you turn good intentions into lasting habits:
- Start small. Choose one super simple change to build momentum.
- Eliminate the guesswork. Decide ahead of time and stick to it—no second-guessing.
- Stay accountable. Organize a walking or biking group with friends, family, or neighbors.
- Make it fun.Blast tunes on your ride, add a bubble machine to your bike, track your walks, or find your own twist.
- Stay motivated. Identify who or what inspires you and lean on that to push through challenges.
- If you fall off track, just begin again. Aim for progress rather than perfection.
Use these tips to prepare for Winter Walk + Roll to School Day on Wednesday, Feb. 5! For those organizing on behalf of school communities, make sure to order incentives before Wednesday, Jan. 29.
We love seeing your journey, whether it's your first walk to school or 400th. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook, and tag us in your stories so we can share your success with the Safe Routes to School community!
With gratitude,
Safe Routes to School Team | Brittany, Dana, Gui, Janis, Jeri, Josh, and Meaghan
Events, grants, and opportunities
Rose City Self-Defense youth personal safety classes
Registration is open
Rose City Self-Defense empowers girls, women and the LGBTQ+ community. Youth-based classes are open to ages 11-14. Two-part series classes are available in February, April, May, and June in neighborhoods across the city. All programming is free!
Learn more about Rose City Self-Defense youth personal safety classes
League of American Bicyclists' Community Spark Grants
Due Friday, January 17
The League of American Bicyclists awards organizations for projects and programs that spark change and catalyze a community’s ability to create places where bicycling is safer, easier, and more accessible. Community Spark Grants support the growing number of local grassroots changemakers and organizations nationwide working to improve their communities through better bicycling with $2,000 mini-grants.
Learn more about League of American Bicyclists Community Spark Grants
America Walks Community Change Grants
Due Friday, January 17
The Community Change Grants program supports the growing network of community champions, organizations, and agencies working to advance walkability. America Walks grants are awarded to innovative and engaging programs and projects that create change and opportunity for walking and movement at the community level. This program will award grantees $2,000.
Learn more about America Walks Community Change Grants
Winter Walk + Roll to School Day
Wednesday, February 5
Put on your snow or rain boots and walk or roll to school while enjoying wintertime in Portland. On Wednesday, Feb. 5, schools across Portland and the state are celebrating Winter Walk + Roll to School Day! This annual tradition is just one fantastic opportunity for the local school community to come together, building connections, and celebrate getting to school in a fun and sustainable way. Make sure toorder incentives before Wednesday, Jan. 29!
Learn more about Winter Walk + Roll to School Day
Teens in the Driver Seat Driving the Message Contest
Due Friday, February 14
This year's Teens in the Driver Seat, a peer-to-peer safety program for America's youth, Driving the Message Contest will give middle and high school students an opportunity to showcase their creative talents. Students have a chance to win prizes of up to $1,500 plus an opportunity to have a professional film crew re-produce your video!
Learn more about the Teens in the Driver Seat Driving the Message Contest
Project Yellow Light scholarship competition
Due Saturday, March 1 and Tuesday, April 1
People know distracted driving is dangerous, but they do it anyway. As a Project Yellow Light applicant you have one clear mission: create a public service announcement to encourage your friends to avoid distracted driving, specifically using your phone while driving. Scholarships range from $2,000 to $8,000.
Learn more about Project Yellow Light's scholarship competition
Metro Regional Travel Options small grants
Applications reviewed on a rolling basis
Metro Regional Travel Options (RTO) small grants fund specific, one-time purchases of materials and services to support events, education, and outreach activities ranging from $500 (Safe Routes to School micro-grants) to $5,000 (RTO mini-grants). Only individual schools and Parent Teacher Organizations may apply for Safe Routes to School micro-grants.
Learn more about Metro RTO small grants
New sidewalks for students and families getting to school in Portsmouth
Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) has nearly completed the N Willis Sidewalk project—an essential connection for students and families in the Portsmouth neighborhood. The project will help create safer, continuous pedestrian routes on the south side of N Willis Boulevard between Newman Avenue and Chautauqua Boulevard.
Construction crews started in fall 2024 and finished most work by year’s end. Only pavement restoration and elements like marking crosswalks remain, which will be completed as weather conditions allow.
Project elements
- 6-foot concrete sidewalk filling gaps between existing sidewalk
- 4 new and 11 updated curb ramps (Americans with Disabilities Act-compliant)
- 14 new or refreshed marked crosswalks
- 18 new street trees
- 1 upgraded traffic signal and street light luminaire at pedestrian crossing
- 1 new concrete bus pad
Informed by local student and family needs
Together with the Roosevelt school community, PBOT identified this segment of N Willis Boulevard as an important connection for students and families travelling to and from César Chávez School during a Safe Routes to School outreach process.
Made possible by Portland voters
The N Willis Sidewalk Infill Project is funded by Fixing Our Streets, the 10-cent citywide gas tax approved by voters in 2016, 2020, and 2024. PBOT allocated a proportion of the funding to improve how Portland families access schools.
Learn more about the N Willis Sidewalk project
Cast your vote to name five PBOT snowplows by Jan. 22
After two weeks of submitting names, thousands of Portlanders suggested over 3,000 unique snowplow names. Now the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is calling on the public to help choose the top five snowplow names using a ranked choice voting ballot by Wednesday, Jan. 22.
Prepare for winter weather now
PBOT is the lead agency for the city's winter weather response. Now’s the time to prepare for severe weather. Tips include:
- Create an emergency plan for winter weather with friends and family
- Put together an emergency bag stocked with water, food, etc.
- Prepare an emergency kit for your home
- Stock up on supplies like ice melt and a snow shovel
- Get to know your nearby transit stops
- Stay informed with severe weather information by signing up for PBOT alerts via text or email
- Visit PBOT’s Guide to the Winter Weather Center to learn how to track the latest traffic, road closure, snowplow information, etc.
Vote to name five PBOT snowplows by Jan. 22
Job and volunteer postings
The City of Portland posts new job opportunities every Monday.
Safe Routes to School Program Coordinator
Open until filled
The Portland Public Schools Safe Routes to School Program Coordinator (Job ID 28358) will conduct analysis and planning to create a district Safe Routes to School Implementation Plan in partnership with Oregon Department of Transportation, Portland Bureau of Transportation, schools, and other community stakeholders. The person hired for this position will participate in various committees and meetings and coordinate events to further program goals.
Learn more about the Safe Routes to School Program Coordinator
Safe Routes to School Coordinator
Open until filled
The Centennial School District Safe Routes to School Coordinator is responsible for development, coordination, and implementation of the Safe Routes to School program for the district. This includes program development/planning, program administration, marketing/outreach, education and training, event promotion, and volunteer coordination.
Learn more about the Safe Routes to School Coordinator
Transportation Demand Management Specialist
Apply immediately
The Portland Community College (PCC) Transportation Demand Management Specialist will coordinates the college’s programs to reduce single occupancy vehicles arriving at PCC campuses. This position will oversee all aspects of Transportation Demand Management programs at PCC by collecting data to evaluate transportation usage, promoting alternative transportation options, working with community leaders to communicate effects of transportation issues in the surrounding areas, and leading multimodal transportation initiatives.
Learn more about the Transportation Demand Management Specialist
Sustainability and Climate Commission
Open until Friday, Jan. 17
The City of Portland's new Sustainability and Climate Commission will elevate the importance of building resilience and sustainability in our communities to address the climate crisis. The Sustainability and Climate Commission will be the city's leading authority on climate and sustainability and advise city elected officials and report to city leaders. Four of the 20 seats available are dedicated for youth ages 16-24.
Learn more about the Sustainability and Climate Commission
82nd Avenue Transit Project Community Advisory Committee
Open until Monday, Jan. 27
TriMet's 82nd Avenue Transit Project Community Advisory Committee (CAC) serves an important role in representing our community and will provide feedback to the project’s decision makers. The CAC will comprise a diverse group of individuals representing a variety of perspectives, including residents, business owners, transit riders and organizations that serve people who use 82nd Avenue and the project route.
Learn more about the 82nd Avenue Transit Project CAC
What we're reading
- How to teach bike safety to kids: What Seattle is doing as traffic deaths rise (Seattle Times)
- Automatic braking sensors on cars may not actually notice pedestrians wearing safety gear (The Sacramento Bee)
- A blueprint for better bike lanes (Bloomberg CityLab)
- A commuting resolution for 2025: Ride your local subway or bus (Bloomberg CityLab)
- A third of Americans don’t drive. So why is our transportation so car-centric? (Yale Climate Connections)
- Why it’s so frickin’ hard to stop driving (Slate)
- Preventing unsafe speeds (Vision Zero Network)
- People know distracted driving is unsafe but do it anyway, survey shows (Family Safety & Health)
- You aren't imagining it. Car headlights are brighter. (Albuquerque Journal)
- Taller vehicles are more dangerous to pedestrians, even at low speeds, research finds (NPR)
- Can states hit the brakes on runaway roadbuilding? (Bloomberg CityLab)
- Functional Engineering: The practices of compassionate engineering (ProFound City Insights)
- Big gains in San Francisco street safety are elusive. This traffic expert tells why (The Frisc)