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Newsletter
PBOT's Safe Routes to School May 2026 newsletter.
Published
Updated
Dear parents, caregivers, educators, and community,
Tomorrow is National Walk+Roll to School Day! Walking, biking, and rolling to school is exhilarating and fun — give it a try tomorrow! Here are some ideas:
- If you're able, leave the car at home and travel to school with friends through either a walking school bus or bike bus.
- If you live too far to walk, bike, or roll, try a park-and-walk by parking a few blocks away from the school and walking the rest of the way.
- If you take the school bus, have a walk in the school yard or do a few laps around the track at break time so you can get active too!
Follow us on Instagram and Facebook, and tag us in your stories — we love celebrating your school community with Portland!
With gratitude,
Safe Routes to School Team | Brittany, Janis, Jeri, Meaghan, and Sima
It's onward and upward for Safe Routes to School's Gui Fonseca!
Last month, Gui Fonseca, Safe Routes to School's ever-charming, always witty, and endlessly kind Youth Engagement & School Circulation Coordinator rode off into his next position at the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT). After three years with the team, Gui is now a Shared Micromobility Implementation Specialist helping to make Lime and Lyft e-scooters safe and easy to use. Continue reading to learn more about Gui and his time on the Safe Routes to School team.
What are some of your favorite memories of your time at Safe Routes to School?
There are too many! I really enjoyed working on school campus circulation. It was really fun because I worked with so many different teams including PBOT engineering and parking enforcement, as well as the schools. It was a really collaborative effort with a lot of brainstorming. We would all arrive at the school early in the morning in the middle of winter when it was really cold. But we were all in it together and had this can-do attitude that we're going to make it better. In the end of the day, I could see the results of our interventions.
I enjoyed supporting all of PBOT's different events like Portland Sunday Parkways and bike fairs where I helped with the learn-to-ride and bike rodeo stations. What started off me drawing the course with chalk quickly turned to chaos, which was very fun to watch!
What are some things you learned during your time at Safe Routes to School?
I learned a lot! I learned a good balance of student skills — how to interact with youth, how to be a teacher/mentor role, and how to talk to diverse groups of students of all ages. I also learned a lot about different city policies, codes, signs, anything you need to know about installing infrastructure in the right-of-way close to schools, and how to influence those policies to better serve students and their safety needs.
If you could give some advice to someone starting out at Safe Routes to School, what would you tell them?
Be creative and take initiative because you'll end up creating some really cool stuff.
What will you be doing after your last day at Safe Routes to School?
I will be managing our e-scooter program contracts to help make sure that our operators are complying with our contracts and modifying these contracts to make them better serve Portlanders.
Tell us a little bit about Gui outside of Safe Routes to School?
I love spending time with wife, Nicole, and our dog. I love riding my bike. Bikes, videos games, beers, and the Timbers sums it up.
Send Gui a note of appreciation!
Congrats to schools that participated in Dolores Huerta Walk+Roll to School Day!
You make our community great!
Abernethy, Arleta, Capitol Hill, Chapman, Chief Joseph, Creston, Grout, Irvington, James John, Jason Lee, Lewis, Lincoln Park, Maplewood, Meadows, Parklane, Patrick Lynch, Peninsula, Vestal, Whitman, Wilkes, Woodlawn, and Woodstock elementary schools; Astor and César Chávez K-8 schools; and Kellogg Middle School.
Learn more about Dolores Huerta Walk+Roll to School Day
Community spotlight: Kaddour Bouguettaya
Do you know someone in your community who helps kids and their families safely walk, bike, and roll to and from school? Tell us about them. We're interested in sharing their story!
Kaddour Bouguettaya is one of those people helping kids and their families safely walk, bike, and roll to and from school. Continue reading to learn more about Kaddour!
Question: Why did you get started volunteering to support school traffic safety?
Answer: I started volunteering as a traffic safety person because my family and I have lived across the street from the school for the past 20 years. I witnessed a lot of congestion on our narrow street, and I was concerned for the safety of the students and the neighbors. There's a lot of traffic between Roseway Heights Middle School and McDaniel High School, and I thought I could have a positive impact on the community by volunteering in traffic safety.
Q: What is one bit of wisdom for people who want to support school traffic safety?
A: I think the most valuable wisdom I can share with others about traffic safety is that patience pays off. Everybody has the same goal of getting to school safely, so when there is a high intensity situation, patience is the best solution for everyone.
Q: What is something you've learned from your school traffic safety work?
A: Something that I learned that I wasn't expecting is how appreciative the students and their families are of the work that I do. When I had a family loss earlier this year, I was touched and humbled by how many people from the school and the community reached out with kindness and compassion.
Q: What keeps you motivated?
A: What keeps me motivated is the smile on students faces when they greet me in the mornings and afternoons. It means the world to me when students say, "thank you," and I know that I am helping them get to and from school safely. You can't put a price on giving back to your community and neighbors.
Q: What is one thing you'd like people to better understand about school traffic safely?
A: Being alert, being cautious, and taking it slow are the essential components of traffic safety. When people take it slow, they are more able to pay attention to the drivers, the traffic signs, and potential bikes and other pedestrians. High visibility makes all the difference when it comes to pedestrians and traffic signs.
Q: Tell us a little bit about yourself!
A: I came to the United States in the 1990's from North Africa, and I fell in love with Portland. I love cars, I love gardening, and I love helping others.
Tell us about someone in your community!
Spring pedestrian safety education at Earl Boyles Elementary School
This April, PE Teacher My Thach taught students at Earl Boyles Elementary School essential pedestrian safety skills using Safe Routes to School's curriculum.
As students shared what they learned, many said it's important for everyone on the streets to stay alert. Some shared stories about close calls they had seen, including people driving motor vehicles who weren't paying attention and younger siblings who didn't know how to cross safely.
The program also included a community walk on nearby SE Bush Street. Students learned what street markings like sharrows mean and practiced looking around parked cars and other obstacles before crossing.
Learn more about pedestrian safety education
Celebrating student artwork in new Parkrose Middle School BIKETOWN station
The City of Portland's Earth Day 2026 celebration — Earth in Motion — was an extraordinary coming together of city government, community partners, and Portlanders from across the city. On Saturday, April 11 at Parkrose Middle School in the heart of District 1, more than 45 exhibitors filled the space with resources, energy, and excitement, demonstrating how much momentum Portland has built toward a cleaner, more sustainable future.
Mayor Wilson, joined with City Councilors, Chief Sustainability Officer Vivian Satterfield, and staff to celebrate the unveiling of a new BIKETOWN station at Parkrose Middle School, designed by Parkrose High School student Dana Ha. Parkrose Superintendent Michael Lopes-Serrao highlighted the investment needed in District 1 and the Parkrose School District to bring resiliency to its community members.
New crossing coming to Roseway neighborhood in NE Portland
Construction is currently underway on the NE Sandy Boulevard and 74th Avenue Crossing Improvement Project. When complete, this project will provide a safe crossing for Roseway Heights Middle School students and families crossing NE Sandy Boulevard. The project will update existing concrete curb ramps to comply with current city standards, build news median islands, stripe two crosswalks, and install Rapid Flashing Beacons.
Project elements
- Curb ramps: Update all four corners with new curb ramps
- Crosswalks: Stripe two crosswalks
- Median islands: Update median islands
- Rapid Flashing Beacon: Install a flashing overhead light to make people driving motor vehicles more aware of pedestrians waiting to cross the street.
Informed by local student and family needs
Together with the community, PBOT identified the NE Sandy Boulevard and 74th Avenue intersection as an important connection yet difficult connection for students and families travelling to and from Roseway Heights Middle School during a Safe Routes to School outreach process.
Funding
The NE Sandy Boulevard and 74th Avenue Crossing Improvement Project is funded by the Portland Public Schools Building Improvement Bond Program.
Learn more about the NE Sandy Boulevard and 74th Avenue Crossing Improvement Project
Oregon Safe Routes to School 2026 High School Task Force
This spring, Oregon Safe Routes to School welcomes their 2026 High School Task Force cohort!
Elevate student voices in transportation
In communities across Oregon, students see transportation challenges every day — whether it's a dangerous crossing near their school, a missing bike lane, or a bus stop that feels unsafe to reach on foot. The High School Task Force program is designed to elevate student voices in transportation decisions and give young people the opportunity to take on issues that matter to them.
Turning ideas into real improvements
Representing schools and perspectives from across the state, each member of the High School Task Force will identify a Safe Routes to School challenge they care about and work to create real change in their community. With support from a locally based Safe Routes to School Coordinator serving as a mentor, students will design and carry out projects that make walking, biking, and transit safer and more accessible where they live. The High School Task Force gives students the tools, mentorship, and platform to turn their ideas into real improvements for their schools and neighborhoods.
Local Portland representative
Representing Portland in the High School Task Force, Zayd Faruqui, a senior at Benson Polytechnic High School. Zayd enjoys exploring new ideas and embracing new experiences. He is particularly interested in the ecological impacts of transportation and was inspired to pursue active transportation through his involvement in his school's Sustained Elevated Ecological Design club. Zayd is also passionate about programming, robotics, and reading, and he actively participates in both his school's robotics team and Oregon Battle of the Books. He is eager to apply his technical and environmental interests to transportation solutions.
Zayd will work with Portland Public Schools Safe Routes to School Coordinator, Maddy Cirineo, as his mentor.
Learn more about the High School Task Force
Bike to Books Design Contest is back!
The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) and Multnomah County Library are teaming up once again for the eighth annual Bike to Books design competition. Starting on May 1, Portlanders are invited to design original art to celebrate Bike Month and the hundreds of miles of bike lanes around the city. Participants start with the standard sharrow bike lane marking and put their own flair on it for the chance to add color and whimsy to Portland streets! Submit art in the pre-Kindergarten to 2nd grade, 3rd through 6th grade, 7th through 12th grade, or adult categories.
Prizes for each age category
Grand prize winners (one per age category) will have their designs installed on one of Portland's many neighborhood greenways by PBOT's Traffic Signs and Pavement Markings crews. Second and third place winners will also be eligible for prizes. This year, the bureau is once again inviting adults to submit designs alongside pre-K to 12th graders.
Free bike events at libraries
In May and throughout the summer, visit your local Multnomah County library branch for free, bike-related events and classes like Bike Storytime.
How to participate
To participate, pick up a copy of the design sheet at your local library branch or visit PBOTs Bike to Books website for a downloadable copy. Once your design has been created you can drop it off at your local Multnomah County Library branch, no later than Sunday, June 1.
Design sheets are available to pick up or download in English, Spanish, Vietnamese, Chinese, and Russian.
Learn more about the Bike to Books Design Contest
Calling St John: Give feedback on greenway improvements
The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is asking for community feedback on four proposed neighborhood greenway improvements and a diversion pilot near James John Elementary School. These ideas were shaped by public input last fall to better support the James John Bike Bus and kids walking and biking to school. Now PBOT needs your help refining and prioritizing them.
This summer, PBOT will test diversion (also called traffic filtering) on the N Charleston neighborhood greenway to help reduce high traffic volumes. PBOT is seeking feedback on the pilot locations on Charleston Avenue, with three potential options. Four additional projects have also been proposed to support the bike bus which will need to be prioritized due to limited funding.
This is part of a larger Neighborhood Greenway Bike Bus Project intended to support elementary school bike buses and make it safer and more comfortable for kids to bike and walk to school. PBOT is working with one school in each City Council District; surveys for project proposals in Districts 1, 3, and 4 will be made available in the coming weeks.
Do you travel in North Portland? Then take the online survey to learn more and share your thoughts with PBOT.
Free Bike Month PBOT bike events
New to Portland Ride: Lents
Tuesday, May 5
Are you new to town or new to cycling in Portland? Want to explore some of the best low-stress bike routes in the Lents, Foster-Powell, and Mt Scott-Arleta neighborhoods? Join the New to Portland Ride: Lents on Tuesday, May 5 from 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. starting at Lents Park (SE Steele Street and 89th Avenue). This is an 8-mile, moderate-pace (8 mph), no drop, loop ride. The ride will take you to some great parks, Heritage Trees, and other gems in the area.
Learn more about the New to Portland Ride: Lents
Bike to Books Family Ride
Saturday, May 9
Join the Portland Bureau of Transportation for a fun, family-friendly bike ride exploring bikeways connecting two Southeast libraries. Meet at Woodstock Library (6008 SE 49th Ave.) at 10 a.m. and end at Sellwood Library around 11 a.m. Spot some Bike to Books art along the way! This is a 4-mile, moderate-pace (8 mph), no drop. Stay after the ride to fill out your Bike to Books design sheet.
Learn more about the Bike to Books Family Ride
Centennial Neighborhood Bike Fair
Friday, May 29
The Centennial Neighborhood Bike Fair at Parklane Elementary School (15811 SE Main St.) is an all-ages event on Friday, May 29 from 2:45 to 5:45 p.m. Activities include biking lessons for kids and adults, bike safety skills station, free quick-fix bike repair, and free helmet distribution. Participants are encouraged to bring their own bikes, but there will also be a limited number of bikes available for children and adults to borrow.
Learn more about the Centennial Neighborhood Bike Fair
Portland Sunday Parkways 2026 Season
The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is thrilled to announce the return of Portland Sunday Parkways Presented by Kaiser Permanente for the 19th consecutive year! This program promotes healthy active living through a series of four free events opening the city's largest public space — its streets — for walking, biking, rolling, and playing. These community events are accessible for all ages and are multimodal, meaning anyone is welcome to walk, bike, or roll along the routes!
Mark your calendars
- May 17: Southwest Portland
- June 28: East Portland
- Aug. 2: North Portland — brand-new route!
- Sept. 13: Downtown Portland
These four events will provide Portlanders with an opportunity for robust physical movement, community connection, and plenty of shared smiles along the miles of car-free open streets!
Volunteer with Portland Sunday Parkways
Consider signing up to be one of the hundreds of people who help make these events safe, accessible, and fun. There are opportunities to sign up as an individual or as a group. Shifts take place in the morning or afternoon, providing ample time to explore the route and enjoy the event festivities.
Learn more about the 2026 Portland Sunday Parkways season
Metro lunchtime webinar series for Safe Routes to School champions
As part of the Metro's work supporting walking school buses and bike buses, they are offering a monthly lunchtime webinar series to support leaders, planners, and educators working to make it safer and more joyful for students to walk and bike to school.
The series will be held on the first Wednesday of the month at noon:
The series will focus on practical, real-world topics including quick build infrastructure, group ride safety and de-escalation, activation and incentive based programming, and honest reflections from walking school bus and bike bus leaders at different stages of their journey.
Learn from experienced practitioners from across the country
Each session will feature experienced practitioners from across the country sharing lessons learned, tools, and examples that can be adapted locally. The goal is to build shared knowledge, strengthen leader confidence, and support communities that are actively trying to make student transportation safer and more human.
Learn more and register for Metro's lunchtime webinar series
Reclaiming Streets for Students: The Open Streets for Schools Program
Transportation Seminars at Portland State University (PSU) have been a tradition since 2000. Formerly known as the "Friday Transportation Seminar" series, the university has opened up the schedule to accommodate more audience's post-pandemic and the seminars are no longer held exclusively on Fridays. With over 450 seminars presented and recorded, PSU hosts both visiting and local scholars to share the latest in research, technology, and implementation in transportation.
Topic: Reclaiming Streets for Students: The Open Streets for Schools Program
When: Friday, Mary 15 from 12 to 1:30 p.m.
Location: Online or in person at PSU (Vanport Building 269)
Who can attend: This seminar is free and open to the public
In New York City, many schools lack outdoor space for play, learning, sports, and safe active commuting. As a response to this issue and the COVID-19 pandemic, NYC's Open Streets for Schools program launched to reclaim the streets in front of schools during recess, physical education, or pick-up and drop-off periods. The program has expanded to 78 schools across all five boroughs.
While the city appears to provide more resources to implement, support, and sustain the Open Streets for Schools program in underserved neighborhoods, there are no evaluations of health equity in the program by measuring who has access to the program, and who is benefiting (or not benefiting). This is a common evidence gap in public space and active transportation plans and programs, which results in persistent physical activity disparities among low-income children and children of color.
This talk — featuring speaker Katie Burford, Postdoctoral Research Scholar in the Department of Parks, Recreation, and Tourism Management at North Carolina State University and Postdoctoral Research Scientist in the Department of Epidemiology at Columbia University's Mailman School of Public Health — will present on ongoing efforts to evaluate health equity and physical activity impacts of the NYC Open Streets for Schools program. The talk will also discuss future directions for advancing this work to support the expansion and sustainability of the program.
Learn more about the Reclaiming Streets for Students seminar
Apply for a PBOT Block Party permit
Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) Block Parties are a fun and easy way to build community and get to know the people next door. PBOT's Block Party program is intended for neighborhood-scale gatherings. Gather your neighbors and host a block party on your street or turn the street into a playground for kids. Best of all, the permit is free!
Learn more about how to apply for a PBOT Block Party permit
Cycle Oregon Kids Bike Camp
Cycle Oregon Kids Bike Camp is an exciting day camp designed for young riders ages 8-12. Campers will build confidence, independence, and essential bike safety skills while exploring their surroundings on two wheels. With a focus on fun, community, and hands-on learning, this camp is the perfect way for kids to deepen their love for bicycling in a safe and supportive environment. Camps are located in Portland, Hillsboro, and Bend with sessions in June, July, and August. Scholarships are available.
Learn more about Cycle Oregon's Summer Kids Camp
PCEF Community Grants
The Portland Clear Energy Community Benefits Fund's (PCEF) Community Grants program supports planning and implementation projects that reduce emissions and improve climate resiliency in ways that advance economic, social, and climate justice for our under-resourced communities.
How to apply
To apply for a PCEF 2026 Community Grant, follow these steps:
- Review the Applicant Handbook
- Access WebGrants
- Review the Technical Assistance webpage
- Decide grant type and funding area categories – One of these categories, "transportation decarbonization," supports active transportation programs and projects that reduce emissions!
- Review allowable expenses and funding restrictions
- Optional: download application templates
- Prepare application materials
- Submit via WebGrants by Wednesday, May 27 at 5 p.m.
Eligibility
Nonprofit organizations who meet all the following requirements are eligible to apply for PCEF grant funds:
- Designated by the Federal government as a 501(c) or 521(a) nonprofit entity.
- Registered and certified with the Oregon Secretary of State as a nonprofit organization.
- Not on the Oregon Department of Justice list of Disqualified Charities.
Learn more about PCEF Community Grants
Bike Month – Go compete!
Bike Month is here — and it's time to ride! If you haven't yet, sign up for the Get There Bike Month Challenge and join a team to log your bike trips throughout May. The team that averages the most trips wins a trophy, so every ride counts. Beyond the challenge, there are free community events happening all month long. Get out there and ride!
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 anon-urgent traffic safety concern, report bias and hate, participate in a self-defense workshop, and more.
Learn more about personal safety community resources
Job and volunteer postings
The City of Portland posts new job opportunities every Monday.
Community Involvement Committee District 1
Apply by Sunday, May 31
Portland's Comprehensive Plan calls for the creation of a volunteer body to oversee the City's community involvement efforts for land use and transportation planning projects. The Community Involvement Committee is committed to authentic, transparent and equitable public engagement processes — and to challenge traditional thinking and move the Bureau of Planning and Sustainability toward its goals. We want people from here to share their voice on this committee, especially people who have not been involved before. If you want to serve your community and to help government make better choices, then we want to see your application.
Learn more about the Community Involvement Committee
What we're reading
- Rebuilding the ride to school (People for Bikes)
- I'm 15 and can't drive. Here's why transit is a key to teen independence (Greater Greater Washington)
- Beyond enforcement policies for reducing speeding among young e-scooter riders (Transport Policy)
- New tactical urbanism project prioritizing school safety (WTHR)
- School buses should have alcohol detection to prevent drunken driving, NTSB says (Education Week)
- Building family-friendly cities principles for reversing the urban family exodus (Manhattan Institute)
- What the federal transportation bill means for bike infrastructure and the U.S. bicycle industry (People for Bikes)
Parts of this document were edited with the support of ChatGPT. City staff reviewed and fact-checked all content.