The City of Portland is calling out to its citizens to be the watchful eyes on the streets, urging them to report non-emergency traffic safety concerns that might have skipped the city's vigilant gaze. Citizens can easily submit their concerns regarding pedestrian safety, unsafe crosswalks, traffic issues around schools, and any infrastructure deficiencies through a dedicated page set out by the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), separate from emergency and urgent maintenance reports, which have their own distinctive channels.
Adhering to a tiered response system, PBOT outlines clear expectations: urgent issues will be addressed within 1-3 business days, though the city may not follow up; routine requests or historical issues could take up to two months for a response; and new concerns requiring an engineer's study might take around 3-4 months before a professional contacts you to discuss next steps. Due to workload and focus areas, these timelines may shift. However, each request is valuable in helping map traffic safety across Portland and enabling better prioritization in the future.
In their stance against the common threat of speeding, Portland has put a citywide review of speed limits into motion, with a vision of achieving 20-30 mph on most city streets; residents can also obtain yard signs advocating for slower speeds through the city's Vision Zero initiative. However, it is noted on the PBOT website, "We are currently not able to further respond to speeding related concerns."
When residents notice hidden risks, such as missing sidewalks or dangerous blind turns, they can report these issues using the online submission form or by calling 3-1-1 or 503-823-SAFE (7233). Each report helps create a clearer picture of traffic safety in the city, ensuring that every corner, crosswalk, and child’s route to school is considered in Portland's efforts to improve urban safety.
