Equity & Environmental Justice

3/27/19 update: HB 2007 has been scheduled for a work session on April 4, 2019. The bill was scheduled prior to the first chamber deadline so that it may continue to advance this session. While no amendments have been posted yet, we're supporting partners in asking for amendments that will strengthen the bill. Read our post from earlier this month for more details:

After two years of study and collaboration with community partners, the Portland Bureau of Transportation is ready to showcase PedPDX, Portland’s citywide pedestrian plan. It prioritizes sidewalk and crossing improvements and other investments to make walking safer and more comfortable across the city. The plan identifies the key strategies and tools we will use to make Portland a great walking city for everyone. 

With the First Chamber deadline quickly approaching, we're monitoring key transportation and climate bills advancing in the Oregon Legislature. Here are just a few bills we're watching:

The Statewide Transportation Improvement Fund (STIF) is a new dedicated source of funding for expanding public transportation service in Oregon. (Read our earlier coverage of STIF & activity in the Salem-area). Eighteen of the forty-two eligible transit providers in Oregon have submitted applications for the first STIF review cycle, which started in November 2018.

As cities across the country take steps to address equity, traffic congestion, and reduce climate emissions, many are looking to bike and scooter share programs for possible solutions. New mobility programs seem to make headlines each week, with announcements of new transportation technologies hitting our streets. Last year, Portland held a fourth-month pilot program to test out e-scooter share programs in the City. And in recent weeks, the City of Salem has been gearing up for a new bike share and contemplating its own e-scooter deployment.