Our 2025 Legislative Agenda

Posted on by Shawn F

2025’s Context

The Oregon Legislature convened last week for a 160-day session to tackle some of the state’s most pressing challenges, like how to keep people and goods moving equitably, safely, and efficiently through our state. The rising costs of transportation projects and declining revenue from the fuel tax — combined with Oregon’s constitutional mandate to ensure that passenger vehicles and heavy vehicles pay into the system equally (which hasn’t been happening as of late) — means the funding mechanisms present a difficult set of challenges.

Lawmakers are making transportation a priority, despite competition with other major issues like housing, healthcare, and education. House Speaker Julie Fahey (D-14) even kicked off the session by gifting wooden cars, trains, trucks, and boats to representatives to underline the urgency of transportation issues.

As advocates, The Street Trust’s job this session is prioritizing the core elements of a transportation system that meets the everyday needs of all users, not just people who drive. That’s why we are focused on “reclaiming the basics” to create an equitable, accessible, and efficient transportation system for all Oregonians. So in addition to funding system maintenance like paving potholes, we’re championing:

  • Adequate funding for complete sidewalks and bikeways
  • Transforming Orphan Highways into vibrant Main Streets
  • Ensuring everyone has access to safe public transit that runs on time.

During the last transportation package HB 2017, The Street Trust achieved historic amounts of funding for Safe Routes to School and public transit.

📝 Pro-tip: Bookmark The Street Trust’s Bill Tracker here to follow key transportation-related legislation. We’ll update it as the session progresses and keep you informed on critical opportunities to advocate for or against specific bills that impact transportation and our community.

How We Win in this Political Environment

The session begins with Democrats holding supermajorities in both chambers and the governorship, giving them the power to pass revenue-raising legislation without Republican support. While this provides an opportunity to tackle significant challenges, such as funding ODOT’s $1.8 billion projected revenue shortfall, history shows that bipartisan collaboration leads to more durable, effective outcomes.

The recent history of walkouts means that failing to gain minority support can stall progress. It’s also true that a Democratic majority does not equal a clear path to victory. We still need to win over Democrats in fiscally conservative or purple districts.

Those who benefit from maintaining the status quo may be banking on these divisions to derail the session. The risk of not achieving a transportation package is very real.

Local efforts to expand bike lanes and bus service often encounter resistance from these lawmakers, but the opposition isn’t solely rooted in partisanship. Geography plays a key role, and the politics of transportation often follow the urban-rural divide. Many Oregon legislators represent more rural areas where shopping streets do double duty as freight routes, public transit may be less cost-efficient to operate, and safe access to schools or services without a car can seem impossible.

There’s a saying that transportation isn’t politically red or blue, but grey like asphalt, concrete, and steel. At The Street Trust, we take this one step further: investing in transportation system is green — good for our economy and good for the environment.

From years of research, we know that, regardless of geography or political affiliation, both household and state budgets benefit from investments in public transit, active transportation, and maintenance and operations, like filling potholes and plowing roads.

To reach our goals this session, we must demonstrate that a sustainable transportation system can bridge the urban-rural divide and transcend party lines for the betterment of all Oregonians. By focusing on our values shared across the aisle — safety, affordability, resiliency, and economic opportunity — we can achieve broad, bipartisan support in Salem.

So how do we build the political power to win?

Ride2Own.org ribbon cutting in Milwaukie, Oregon. This innovative public-private partnership demonstrates how investments in electric micromobility in less urban communities can reduce climate pollution and increase economic opportunity.

Our Three Pillars for Success

1. Defending & Growing Investments in Safe Streets for All & Transit that Works

2. Finding the Courage to Innovate
3. Convening and Communicating Toward Common Ground

We are at a critical moment for our transportation future. The stakes could not be higher for us and for future Oregonians. Oregon needs a long-term investment strategy to preserve and modernize our transportation infrastructure now, while prioritizing holistic maintenance that supports all modes of travel.

The relationships, coalitions, and strategies we’ve built can help get transportation legislation that works for everyone funded and across the finish line, despite the many potential obstacles. This will require targeted prioritization, spending flexibility in partnership with local governments, and likely, dedicated revenue mechanisms for broadly popular programs like Safe Routes to School, which are in high demand and consistently underfunded.

Pillar #1: Defending & Growing Investments in Safe Streets for All & Transit that Works

In 2024, traffic crashes claimed 529 lives in Oregon, a devastating public health epidemic that disproportionately impacts BIPOC and low-income families. Now lawmakers need to prioritize safety by investing in complete routes for walking, biking, and transit. These investments are proven to save lives, while reducing costs for households and communities.

We need to fiercely defend broadly popular programs that prevent crashes — without allowing internal or partisan divides to distract us from our common goals. That’s why we are committed to fully funding:

For the past two years, The Street Trust has been setting the table to make these investments happen by chairing the state’s Jurisdictional Transfer Advisory Committee, or JTAC, established through Majority Leader Ben Bowman’s (D-25) leadership in passing HB 2793 in 2023. Through collaboration with statewide partners in JTAC, we helped create fair and objective criteria for improving “Orphan Highways,” some of Oregon’s deadliest arterials, across urban and rural communities

This led to the creation of HB 2161, which prioritizes the transfer of Hall Boulevard to the City of Tigard and a portion of the Hood River Highway to the City of Hood River. Recognizing that many jurisdictions can’t take on Orphan Highway projects without sufficient funding, we are also working with Rep. Rob Nosse (D-42) to secure $30 million for additional safety improvements to Inner Powell Blvd in Portland (currently LC 4111, soon to be assigned a bill number).

While bike lanes can be highly polarizing, our extensive participation in the statewide public listening tour, leadership roundtables, and legislative working groups in 2024 confirmed that:

Urban or rural, red or blue, investments in safety programs and vibrant main streets are universally popular across all legislative districts, and can enjoy broad bipartisan support in Salem.`

This intersection, where several fatal crashes have occurred, illustrates the extent of the safety funding needs, especially on Oregon’s deadliest urban arterials, AKA “Orphan Highways.”

Pillar #2. Finding the Courage to Innovate

So what is the plan to pay for these investments across the state? As Oregon transitions away from outdated and declining revenue sources like the gas tax, The Street Trust is championing innovative, equitable, and environmentally sound funding mechanisms.

Next month, we’ll take a deep dive into the various revenue streams under discussion for the 2025 package and unpack the Highway Cost Allocation Study (HCAS). Public policy doesn’t get more complicated than HCAS! Fortunately, The Street Trust sits on the HCAS team and can break down how it works and why it is so critical to this session.

We want to ensure that all road users contribute equitably, while prioritizing investments in multimodal infrastructure and system maintenance, but it’s going to be a heavy lift. To advance innovative solutions, we will need to stay laser-focused on:

  • Clearly breaking down costs and funding sources like local taxes, fees, federal grants, and tolling (if implemented) to build public trust and long-term understanding.
  • Reliable data and modeling to demonstrate how each project will improve safety, reduce congestion, and boost economic development in specific communities.
  • Educating the public on how highway projects compare to multimodal alternatives like transit improvements to foster a deeper understanding of Oregon’s priorities and decision-making process (and in turn, help build the broad support needed to move transportation systems forward).

As the session unfolds, transportation revenue options are where the rubber is going to hit the road. Democrats are going to need to avoid unilateral action, while Republicans will have to abandon obstructive tactics like walkouts to get this package done. Despite the challenges, The Street Trust will do everything we can to support legislators in crafting policies that benefit the entire state, lead us into a prosperous future, and stand the test of time.

Pillar #3. Convening and Communicating Toward Common Ground

Over the past year, we’ve worked across sectors and organizations to advance our mission and policy priorities in community with other stakeholders.

That’s why we helped revitalize the Oregon Micromobility Network (OMN). Formerly the E-Bikes for All working group, we convened experts, manufacturers, advocates and riders in a single statewide network to craft sensible, enforceable e-bike legislation. After collaborating with lawmakers and state agencies over the summer, we’re currently tracking and revising several key pieces of e-bike and micromobility legislation. Stay tuned for our next edition of On The Move where we’ll provide a detailed update from the group.

📝 Pro-tip: Sign up for the OMN mailing list here to stay up-to-date on the bills they are refining and to get urgent calls-to-action.

To build the political power needed to win a transportation package that works for all Oregonians, we’ve also been holding conversations, conducting research, and working with advocacy groups since the summer of 2023, resulting in the Move Oregon Forward campaign.

Powered by over 40 active transportation, climate, labor, and environmental justice organizations from across the state, we mobilized turnout for public testimony at this past summer’s statewide listening session, identified community leaders for roundtable discussions, and secured a significant number of seats on three statewide legislative working groups shaping the transportation package (Operations & Maintenance, Public & Active Transportation, and HB2017 Commitments/Megaprojects).

Together, we’re advancing a safety first and climate forward agenda for the legislature.If you or your organization would like to endorse the Move Oregon Forward campaign, please complete this interest form.

What’s Next and How to Help Move Oregon Forward

The first draft of the 2025 transportation package is scheduled to drop just before The Street Trust’s 2025 Oregon Active Transportation SUmmit (OATS) creating a pivotal opportunity for advocates, policymakers, and community leaders to convene and work together.

More than a celebration of our shared vision, the year’s OATS will provide a strategic space to hear from stakeholders and coalitions, tackle challenges, build consensus, and turn shared goals into actionable solutions, forging the power needed to secure a transportation package that works for all Oregonians.

You can submit proposals here for workshops, presentations, panel discussions, mobile workshops, and study tours at OATS through February 14th. We hope you’ll join us!

Beyond hosting a working summit, the next few months are going to be a busy! Sign up for email updates here and follow us on Bluesky to stay informed and take action when it matters most. Let’s work together to shape an equitable, accessible, and resilient transportation system that works for all Oregonians.

What’s Next? We’ll cover the details of the Oregon Micromobility Network and proposed E-Bike Legislation.

 

P.S. We need your support to continue this transformative advocacy work. Please join us as a member of The Street Trust here. You’ll get discounts, free entry to community events, and insider updates on the legislative session. Thank you!

The Street Trust’s Newest Collab: Parkrose High School

Posted on by Burgin Utaski

 

November 7, 2024

In February of 2023, The Street Trust connected with The Pathfinder Network to discuss community engagement and collaboration with the students at Parkrose High School. The Street Trust is currently working as the backbone organization behind an initiative to build a multi-modal pathway in East Portland at the cross levee spanning from Sandy Blvd to NE Marine Drive at about 142nd (running north-south), strategically linking Argay and Parkrose Neighborhoods to the bustling Columbia River. 

Guided by The Street Trust, this community-driven project will increase accessibility, connectivity, safety, and resilience within our neighborhoods. We envision an interconnected path between Parkrose and Argay Neighborhoods, providing crucial access to the Columbia River. By improving access to green spaces and reducing the urban heat island effect, the path will assist in creating a harmonious relationship between people, nature, and the built environment.

Essential to this project is extensive community engagement, understanding the needs of those living, working, studying, recreating, and playing in the Parkrose, Argay-Terrace, and surrounding neighborhoods. By fostering collaboration across sectors and stakeholders, we aim to enhance the quality of life for residents, creating a more vibrant and accessible community while championing historically underserved populations. 

Thanks to a grant from APTA, The Street Trust was able to fund this collaboration, including a presentation at The PATHfinder Club about civic engagement through public space, the onboarding of a Youth Steering Committee Member (Parkrose sophomore Bradynn D.), and a compensated walk audit with thirteen club members. 

Bradynn, our Youth Steering Committee Member, has participated in stakeholder meetings for the project, where we government, private sector, and community partners oversee the project. Her contributions to the communications and public safety plan as a well-connected Parkrose resident have been invaluable. 

Most recently, Club members joined The Street Trust staff in a walk audit along the proposed pathway. During the walk, students received a meal and provided feedback about what they would like to see on the path. Students highlighted the need for good lighting, a paved path, vibrant public artwork, and security features. Some students even highlighted interest in community activation projects like a community garden or a monthly food truck event. Of all student attendees, 100% said they would use this path if built! At the end of the walk, each student received a $25 Visa gift card.

Looking forward, The Street Trust would love to continue collaboration with The Pathfinder Network and the amazing students at Parkrose High School, encouraging students to get involved with local community projects and feel empowered doing so. One way to encourage this is continued compensated engagement, where students are paid for their time and expertise. This multi-modal path project is a several-year-long process to plan, fund, and build, and we hope to continue this partnership with The PATHfinder Club throughout.

 

Coordinated Response Needed to Prevent Street Racing Events in Portland

Posted on by staff

 

August 3, 2024

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Portland, OR – As Oregon’s leading safe streets advocacy group, The Street Trust is appalled by the City of Portland’s inability to effectively address the street takeovers and racing events posing a threat to street safety for its residents. Despite the additional measures provided by state lawmakers in 2023 via SB 615, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) claims they cannot track basic data or muster adequate resources to counter these dangerous gatherings and life-threatening behavior. This contrasts sharply with PPB’s swift and resource-intensive responses to the 2020 protests, where they frequently deployed significant personnel and equipment to disperse gatherings in Portland’s streets.

These illegal street racing events predominantly occur within Portland’s High Crash Network, areas already suffering from poor infrastructure and high crash rates. These streets and intersections are located in neighborhoods which are, according to PBOT’s Equity Matrix, often lower-income and home to higher percentages of BIPOC and immigrant residents. These areas require immediate traffic calming measures, such as raised hardened centerlines, which are effective at stopping street takeovers without compromising the safety of other street users such as bicyclists and motorcyclists. Portland’s deadliest streets, like Marine Drive, should be a priority for these interventions. The lack of immediate investment in these areas poses a daily threat to Portland’s most vulnerable communities.

Moreover, the city’s response continues to be dominated by a failing law enforcement-centric approach when a coordinated, community-oriented approach is essential for sustainable solutions. Engaging with other bureaus and government agencies, traffic safety advocacy groups, neighborhood associations, and community-based organizations is crucial. The Street Trust is calling on City of Portland leadership to mount a unified community response to address these takeovers, emphasizing diverse community engagement, awareness campaigns, and proactive data-driven and equity-focused public safety interventions.

To truly safeguard our communities and address the epidemic of traffic fatalities on our streets, Portland must invest with urgency in traffic calming measures and work to foster collaboration with the community in an ongoing manner. Additionally, addressing the thrill-seeking and competitive attitudes driving these street racers requires a long-term public health approach. Educational campaigns and youth intervention models are vital to changing risky driving behaviors and ensuring lasting safety improvements.

We urge Portland city officials and the PPB to reevaluate their strategies and prioritize the safety and well-being of all residents by adopting these comprehensive, collaborative, community-centered solutions as recommended by The Street Trust. 

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The Street Trust Welcomes 2024 with the New Year’s Day Ride

Posted on by Madi Carlson

For over 50 years, Portland area residents have welcomed the new year with a bike ride. The ride serves multiple purposes: to joyfully welcome in the new year, celebrate improvements to our streets, and provide an opportunity to experience new parts of the region with friends old and new. This year we gathered our members at The Street Trust HUB at Lloyd Center for a family-friendly seven-mile bike ride followed by a community gathering with hot food and drinks.

The New Year’s Day Ride stops to pose on the Willamette River Greenway Trail

We were joined by 60 friends, new and old, on all manner of bikes including cargo bikes, kid-assisted tandems, dog-friendly basket bikes, and recumbent trikes. We noted a lot of e-bikes this year which was very exciting given our increase in e-bike programming, like the Ride2Own community-powered e-bike ownership program in partnership with We All Rise and our Lloyd District E-Bike Lending Library in partnership with the City of Portland’s Clean Energy Fund. We were also joined by our friends at Cynergy E-Bikes who conducted bike safety checks before the ride.

The New Year’s Day Ride rides over the Blumenauer Bridge

In keeping things close to “home” this year so we could utilize the transit- and bike-accessible Lloyd Center as a starting spot–not to mention the empty parking lot for space to spread out in the sun–our ride featured three bridges and a jaunt along the picturesque Willamette River. We had figured correctly that this would be many attendees’ first ride along the Willamette River Greenway Trail–a bit of hidden gem! We also took some Blumenauer Bridge newbies for their first crossing. Our 2022 New Year’s Day Ride featured a peek at the soon-to-be Blumenauer Bridge (accompanied by an update from Friends of the Green Loop and little bow ties for everyone’s bikes!) so finishing our loop by traversing the new bridge was a lovely touch. Attendees loved the route so here’s a map if you’d like to explore it on your own:

The 2024 New Year’s Day Ride was a first for The Street Trust’s Community Engagement Coordinator Burgin Utaski, who shared, “What a great way to start the new year! While spending New Year’s Day in pajamas is fun and all, having the opportunity to connect with enthusiastic community members on a gorgeous day took the cake! Huge thanks to our Executive Director, Sarah Iannarone, for providing delicious chili to warm us up after the ride.”

Over the last couple years we’ve noticed that as people are getting back into the habit of gathering in public, connecting as a community is what we’re most aching for and we supported this need by hosting a cookie exchange at the end of the 2023 ride. This year we welcomed everyone at the end of the ride with veg*n Frito Pie, hot cocoa, random drawings featuring items to help keep warm and illuminated in cold and dark weather, and a Wishing Tree crafted out of a bike wheel and bike repair stand to which we hung our hopes and dreams for 2024.

Hanging resolutions, goals, wishes, and notes on the Wishing Tree

Happy 2024 from The Street Trust! We hope to see you at a future event. Please sign up for our newsletter to get updates on events, info on advocacy efforts, and to learn more about the impact we’re having in our community; sign up to volunteer to help assist events like this and others, and donate to The Street Trust to support multimodal transportation options that prioritize safety, accessibility, equity, and climate justice.

Nicole’s Story: Championing Safe Routes to School in Clackamas County

Posted on by Kayla Kennett

In Clackamas County, where diverse geography and demographics present unique transportation challenges, our Safe Routes to School (SRTS) program is at the forefront, offering customized solutions with a strong focus on equity.

Our SRTS work in Clackamas County includes infrastructure safety assessment and evaluation, community engagement through events, education programming, a K-8 art poster contest, and creating action plans alongside communities. These initiatives empower students, families, and communities to recommend vital projects and activities, ensuring the safety and equity of all students, regardless of their background or location.

The driving force behind this program is Nicole Perry, our dedicated Clackamas County Safe Routes to School Coordinator.

A Personal Journey for a Safer Community

Nicole’s personal journey within the Clackamas County Safe Routes to School program began when her eldest child started kindergarten. They intentionally moved to be within walking distance of their local school. However, she soon realized that while she had a relatively complete pathway system for her kids, some neighbors on the other side of the school did not. This prompted Nicole to work alongside Safe Routes to School advocates, securing grants, creating action plans, and organizing encouragement events at Linwood Elementary/Sojourner School in Milwaukie.

Advocacy That Creates Lasting Impact

Nicole continued her involvement in Clackamas Safe Routes to School as a Confluence AmeriCorps member, serving Clackamas County. Her advocacy efforts focused on House Bill 2017, which played a crucial role in securing cyclical grant funding crucial to sustain the program and support the Linwood Ave Improvement project. This project stands as Nicole’s proudest accomplishment, as it had a profound impact on her community.

“The Linwood connection is the proudest one for me as it is literally my community. I live in the neighborhood. The improvements were completed well after my children went to school there, but my neighbors are using them with their kids and the entire community benefits, including my dog!”“I believe that everyone deserves safe, reliable access to the places they want to go, and that we need more options to make this a reality. When someone can’t access work, community or recreation, just because they can’t drive or don’t have a car, it has countless ripple effects on their health and well-being.”

Impact on Safety, Participation, and Community Engagement

Over the years, Nicole has seen her efforts lead to increased community involvement and higher participation of kids in active transportation, all while raising safety awareness. Her motivation to continue stems from the program’s increasing longevity and the growing interest from school districts and cities in collaborating on solutions to transportation challenges. Nicole is passionate about teaching kids how to safely navigate their communities and is optimistic about the revitalization of programs that encourage active transportation choices.

“There are so many ways kids can get to school and around their community, and there needs to be resources to teach them how to do so safely. Clackamas County is considering multiple modes of transportation. By prioritizing pedestrians, bicyclists, and other wheel-operated contraptions, the awareness of all users grows. I envision my role as a conduit of information and opportunities for people to grow their knowledge and put forth action toward more active transportation choices.”

A Promising Future

Looking ahead, Nicole envisions a promising future for the Clackamas Safe Routes to School program. Today, she supports the program full time as a staff member of The Street Trust. She is hopeful for the resurgence of programs like Safety Town and crossing guard initiatives, and anticipates additional pedestrian and bicycle education opportunities. The program’s focus on multiple modes of transportation in Clackamas County is set to raise awareness among all users, encouraging active transportation choices.

Get Involved

To learn more about the Clackamas Safe Routes to School program visit: https://www.clackamas.us/engineering/srts.html

To learn more about how you can support Safe Routes to School, contact [email protected].

World Day of Remembrance 2023

Posted on by staff
World Day of Remembrance Graphic

 

Families for Safe Streets of Oregon and SW Washington, in partnership with The Street Trust, invites you to join us for the observance of World Day of Remembrance 2023 on November 19. This international event honors the memory of those who have lost their lives in road traffic crashes and advocates for safer streets.

Event Details:
11:00 am Gathering begins outside The Street Trust offices at 1259 Lloyd Center

11:30 Processional Walk led by Oregon Walks departs Lloyd Center for Memorial Coliseum

12:00 Program with Invited Speakers starts at Veterans Memorial Coliseum

  • Charlene McGee, Director Chronic Disease Prevention & Health Promotion, Multnomah County Health Department
  • Wendy Serrano, Equity and Inclusion Manager, City of Portland Bureau of Transportation

The Morrison Bridge will be lit up yellow all day in observance and participants will wear yellow, as well. There will be an installation under the portico of Memorial Coliseum of black “body bags” representing the lives lost in traffic on Portland streets to date in 2023. (Actually sleeping bags, they will be donated to people in need following the event.)

Objectives of the Event:

  • Remember all individuals killed and injured in traffic crashes this year
  • Advocate for improved support for road traffic victims and their families
  • Raise awareness about the legal response to culpable road deaths and injuries
  • Promote evidence-based actions to prevent future road traffic incidents

The Challenge in Oregon:
Between 2010 and 2022, annual traffic fatalities in Oregon increased from 351 to 606. The rate per 100,000 residents surged from nine to 14. This alarming rise highlights a public health epidemic, emphasizing the urgent need for safer and complete public streets.

Policy Makers Pledge:
Transportation leaders and decision-makers will be challenged to commit to meaningful action to reverse this epidemic, ensuring safer streets for all. We are asking leaders to sign this pledge acknowledging the harms and inequities of this crisis and committing to actions that can save lives. Signers are encouraged to attend the event and the full list of signers and their comments will be shared with attendees.

Transportation Options:
Veterans Memorial Coliseum is easily accessible by MAX (red, green, blue lines to Rose Quarter Transit Center or yellow line to Interstate/Rose Quarter) and *TriMet* bus lines (*4, 8, 35, 44, 77 to Rose Quarter Transit Center*).

Join Us:
We encourage all concerned residents, road safety stakeholders, elected leaders, and members of the media to participate in this crucial event. Help us remember those we’ve lost, advocate for safer streets, and support initiatives that can save lives. 

Please visit the event page to RSVP.

“A Place for People” – TST Board Member Randy Miller on Portland’s Secret to Success

Posted on by staff
Screenshot of The Street Trust Board Member Randy MIller on KATU

The Street Trust Board Member Randy Miller was recently featured in an  in-depth interview series conducted by KATU called, ‘City in Crisis: Broken Bridges, New Pathways‘ which spoke with community leaders and changemakers tackling some of the city’s most pressing challenges. 

According to Miller, who for over thirty years has hosted best practices trips for hundreds of Portland’s civic leaders domestically and internationally, there are no “cookie cutter formulas” to make a city great. “You have to really understand the ethos and the culture of that community,” he insists. 

And Portland’s ethos? Focus on making Portland a great place for people in the community. “We were outliers… we created a community that [is] attractive for people… not necessarily anything else,” he stresses, “for people.” 

Randy shares The Street Trust’s optimism that Portland can reclaim its status as a great place by focusing on core elements such as compact neighborhoods, safe infrastructure for people walking and bicycling, robust public transit, and investments in environmental sustainability and climate adaptation. 

Ride2Own: A Pioneering Step Towards eBike Accessibility in Oregon

Posted on by staff

 

Oregon’s eBike enthusiasts were abuzz this fall with the electrifying news of the Ride2Own launch in Portland’s Portsmouth neighborhood. This groundbreaking initiative, a brainchild of The Street Trust in collaboration with We All Rise,Oregon DEQ, and PGE is set to revolutionize eBike accessibility in Oregon, particularly for historically excluded communities.

The Ride2Own program is not merely about providing eBikes. It’s a comprehensive approach that encompasses education, gear, and community-building. The overarching goal? To create transformative experiences through e-mobility and initiate a ripple effect that expands sustainable transportation options across the region.

The program’s first pilot kicked off on October 1st, 2023, with a year-long pilot in the Portsmouth neighborhood of Portland, reported by KPTV. The program is providing the first cohort of 15 electric bicycles to community members with low-incomes who would otherwise lack access, education, or support for e-mobility. Participants will track their experiences over twelve months and, upon successful completion, keep their bikes for free.

This is the first of four pilots Ride2Own will be conducting across the Portland metro region. The other neighborhoods are Portland’s Parkrose, Milwaukie, and Hillsboro. A total of approximately 90 eBikes will be distributed to qualifying community members across the four pilot areas.

“I am excited about the opportunity to be a part of making bike commuting even more accessible to members of communities of color like myself,” said one program participant in their application.

It’s hard to overstate the significance of this launch. At a time when Oregon’s transportation sector contributes a staggering 40% of the state’s GHG pollution, initiatives like Ride2Own are not just welcome; they’re imperative. Ride2Own’s overarching goal is to create positive, transformative experiences through eBiking and initiate a ripple effect that expands sustainable transportation options for residents and reduces the amount that people need to drive (VMT, vehicle miles traveled) across the region.

“Portland General Electric is excited to award funds from DEQ’s Oregon Clean Fuels Program to support our partners in expanding cleaner transportation systems across the state,” said Elyssia Lawrence, senior manager, Product Manager and head of PGE’s Transportation Electrification team. “Transportation electrification plays an essential role in accelerating the clean energy transition. It is going to take all of us working together to achieve a cleaner and more equitable future for all Oregonians.”

Ride2Own stands as a testament to what’s possible when innovation meets determination.
In a world where the status quo often reigns supreme, Ride2Own is a reminder that with the right vision and commitment, we can build transportation systems that serve everyone equitably. As we celebrate this launch, let’s also recommit to a future where every Oregonian, regardless of background or zip code, has access to safe, sustainable, and inclusive transportation options.

Special thanks to The Street Trust Board Member Paul Buchanan, for helping bring the Portsmouth Neighborhood Pilot from idea to reality and to PGE Drive Change Fund, which is funded via the Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s Clean Fuels Program. Funded by the sale of Oregon CFP credits, which PGE aggregates on behalf of residential customers who charge their electric vehicles at home, the fund supports projects aimed at expanding electric mobility options and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. The DCF prioritizes projects focused on serving vulnerable populations and underserved communities.

“A City for People First” – Board Member Victor Duong featured in Forbes, Strongtowns

Posted on by staff
Screenshot of Victor Duong Testifying Planning Commission

 

The national spotlight recently shone on Victor Duong, a distinguished board member of The Street Trust, in a Forbes article that delved into the complexity of bike parking regulations in Portland. As a housing architect of Vietnamese descent, an avid sport cyclist, and a former Portland Bicycle Advisory Committee (BAC) member, Victor’s multifaceted background offers a fresh and informed perspective on the challenges and opportunities surrounding urban planning and transportation.

The piece highlighted the paradox of bike parking mandates in cities like Portland. While there’s a growing trend to reduce or eliminate car parking requirements, bike parking regulations seem to be on the rise. Such mandates, though well-intentioned, can inadvertently inflate housing costs. The logic is simple: when housing developers are compelled to allocate space for bike storage, it can lead to larger unit sizes, which in turn can push up rents.

Victor, in his professional capacity as a Project Manager at Leeb Architects, has witnessed firsthand the implications of these regulations. He notes, “The previous revision of the bike parking code removed approximately 1-2 units for every 200 units; the current bike parking code now removes approximately 1 out of 15 units.” Such reductions come at a time when housing efficiency is paramount.

The crux of the matter isn’t about diminishing the importance of bikes or undermining their role in sustainable urban mobility. It’s about striking a balance. As Victor aptly puts it, “We are crafting a city for people, not just buildings and bikes.”

At a public hearing on October 24th before the Portland Planning Commission, Victor brought his unwavering commitment to fostering a safe, equitable, and sustainable transportation system, promoting a conversation and vision that harmoniously integrates the needs of all Portlanders. (Full  video of the meeting available on YouTube.) He followed up his terstimony with a think piece in Strongtowns, where he emphasized, “Our regulatory priorities are backwards… bike parking is important, but not more important than housing, not even close. Resources should first go to housing, then figure out bike parking from there.”

We are inspired by Victor’s unique insights and dedication to service on our board’s Policy Working Group, where he reminds us weekly that when we advocate, it must be through an equity lens, via respectful dialogue, and with a focus on the collective well-being of our community.

Kotek Appoints Iannarone to Jurisdictional Transfer Advisory Committee

Posted on by staff

Last month, Oregon Governor Tina Kotek appointed The Street Trust Director Sarah Iannarone to represent road users on the state’s new Jurisdictional Transfer Advisory Committee. This appointment recognizes The Street Trust’s subject area expertise and dedication to fighting for safety and multimodal investments on behalf of all street users, irrespective of their zip code or primary transportation mode.

House Bill 2793, sponsored by State Representative Ben Bowman (HD 25) and supported by The Street Trust, was passed in the 2023 legislative session. The bill establishes the Jurisdictional Transfer Advisory Committee within the Department of Transportation. This committee, consisting of 11 members appointed by the Governor, is tasked with reviewing jurisdictional transfer applications and recommending a list of jurisdictional transfers for funding.

The committee’s composition ensures a diverse range of perspectives. It includes transportation engineers, representatives from cities, counties, and regional governments, law enforcement, transit users, and members from the state bicycle and pedestrian advisory committee, and the Transportation Safety Committee. By having a seat at the table, The Street Trust can help ensure that these decisions prioritize safety, accessibility, equity, and climate action for all Oregonians.

As you probably know, dangerous arterials such as Powell Boulevard in Portland (pictured above, source: KGW news) were originally constructed across Oregon to connect communities to each other and goods to market. But as our state has urbanized – in some areas quite rapidly – these deadly “orphan highways” no longer reflect the land use and mobility needs of the community. Jurisdictional transfers are more than just administrative decisions; they can be matters of life and death. 

Transferring these facilities from ODOT to local jurisdictions – as was recently done on 82nd Avenue in Portland – is a pathway to transforming them for improved safety, equity, and mobility. The Jurisdictional Transfer Advisory Committee’s mandate is to review and recommend jurisdictional transfers, ensuring that our roads are managed effectively and safely.

“As we celebrate this appointment,” said Iannarone, “it reminds us of the importance of our work and the impact transportation decisions have on the lives of Oregonians. The Street Trust remains committed to collaborative approaches in which diverse voices come together to shape a safer, more efficient transportation system for all Oregonians. Whether you’re a farmer delivering produce to market, a worker eBiking to your job at the port, or a care provider catching the next bus, we believe that you deserve to get home safely to your loved ones at the end of the day.”