In a vibrant display of community initiative, the Portland Bureau of Transportation's (PBOT) Safe Routes to School program has kicked off a series of projects aimed at enhancing pedestrian and bicycle access throughout the city, assisted by the youthful energy of two new high school summer interns, Jason and Matthew. These students joined the PBOT team as part of a partnership with the ROSE Community Development's Lents Youth Initiative, according to a recent newsletter from the organization.
The pair, who were part of the Lents Youth Initiative's leadership and career development training, are set to actively participate in the bureau's operations, focusing on the Safe Routes to School and Vision Zero projects. They are also expected to broadly explore different career paths within the transportation realm. Matthew and Jason previously garnered attention for their storytelling skills in a video about their time interning with Green Lents.
A major achievement of the Safe Routes to Schools program, as outlined in the newsletter, was the acquisition of $50,000 from Metro for the development and installation of wayfinding signage designed to support walking and biking bus routes. This is part of nearly $500,000 in grants awarded through Metro's Regional Travel Options program to fund community-based multimodal transportation projects. The signage aims to increase the visibility of safe walking and biking routes to encourage more families to choose these modes of transport for school commutes.
The efforts don't stop there. PBOT has revealed upcoming infrastructure improvements within the Cully neighborhood, slated for next year. These enhancements, fostering safer routes near schools, include paving gravel streets, adding sidewalks, calming traffic, and upgrading stormwater infrastructure. The Cully Neighborhood Street Improvement Project stands out as it's predominantly funded by the Local Transportation Infrastructure Charge, an alternative to direct sidewalk construction for developers in single-family zones—complementing additional funding from a mix of city and bureau resources.
Beyond infrastructure, the Safe Routes to School team also encourages student engagement during the summer months to instill strong walking, biking, and rolling habits ahead of the new school year. Highlighting this initiative's scope are various activities like family-friendly bike rides, such as Pedalpalooza BIKE SUMMER, and Portland Parks & Recreation's Summer Free for All program, which includes meal services and fitness classes, aiming to build community through inclusive recreation.
