 News media contact:
Dylan Rivera
(503) 823-3723
dylan.rivera@portlandoregon.gov
@pbotinfo
News Blog: Community members step up to make Vision Zero a reality
By Matt Ferris-Smith, Portland Bureau of Transportation
 (Nov. 29, 2016) Bright orange yard signs are blossoming on Portland streets.
The signs, free to borrow from PBOT, reflect a shared desire for people to
drive safely in Portland.
“People are
requesting these signs because they feel unsafe on their street,” says Donna
Herron, interim chair of the SWNI Public Safety Committee, who has helped
distribute at least 40 yard signs in the last year.
Herron says the demand is a result of people “driving like
crazy,” including texting, speeding and rolling through stop signs.
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 Neighbors in the Markham neighborhood pose with their new Vision Zero yard sign. Photo by Donna Herron, Markham Neighborhood Association.
The yard signs are a small but highly visible part of Vision
Zero, a citywide program that aims to eliminate traffic deaths and serious
injuries by 2025. Along with education, Vision Zero focuses on changing street
designs to prevent deaths and serious injuries. Vision Zero also uses
enforcement and policy changes to support safety.
In addition to requesting
yard signs with safety messages, people can promote awareness of Vision
Zero by requesting
stickers, pins, brochures and fliers. Going forward, there will be additional
opportunities to get involved.
 Markham Neighborhood has embraced Vision Zero with its "Paint the Neighborhood Orange" campaign. Photo by Donna Herron, Markham Neighborhood Association.
The opportunities are described in the Education &
Accountability section of the draft Vision Zero Action
Plan, which Portland City Council will consider for adoption on December 1.
People wanting Vision Zero materials can pick them up at the hearing.
Other education-related actions in the Vision Zero Action
Plan include:
- Form agency-led “street teams” that engage
people driving, walking, biking and taking transit to raise awareness of Vision
Zero and moving safely through Portland
- Develop targeted engagement for middle and high
school students in traffic safety through the Safe Routes to
School program, with a focus on empowering youth leadership to promote safe
transportation in their own school communities, prioritizing Communities of
Concern
- Conduct multi-component education campaigns to
build public awareness and leverage Vision Zero actions
Markham Neighborhood has already embraced Vision Zero with
its “Paint
the Neighborhood Orange” campaign, which encourages residents to install
the brightly colored PBOT yard signs on their property. PBOT loans a yard sign
free-of-charge for every six people who sign a safety pledge.
“We know people want
safe streets because we hear it every day—from phone calls and emails, from
neighborhood meetings, from our own neighbors,” says Vision Zero Project
Manager Clay Veka. “In order to achieve Vision Zero, we absolutely have to tap
into our shared desire to help people reach their destinations safely, no
matter how they travel.”
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Tips for Yard Sign Placement
Donna Herron, a Southwest Portland resident who helps neighbors
request yard signs from PBOT, suggests the following:
- Move the yard sign frequently to catch drivers’
attention
- Add visibility with reflective tape
- Avoid creating a travel hazard for people
walking, biking or driving
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Portland is committed to ending traffic violence in our
communities. Through the Vision
Zero program, the City of Portland and our partners are working to
eliminate deaths and serious injuries on our streets by 2025.
The Vision Zero Task
Force has overseen the creation of a draft Vision Zero
Action Plan with specific steps to make streets safe. This draft plan
will go to Portland's City Council for approval on Thursday, December
1, at 3 p.m.
The public hearing will
include a short presentation followed by testimony from community members who
helped create the plan through the Vision Zero Task
Force.
Others who would like to speak
can sign up at City Hall starting at 1 p.m. on the day of the hearing. Each
person receives three minutes to speak in the order in which they are on the
list. Community members interested in Vision Zero can pick up stickers, signs,
pins, brochures and other materials about the program while at the
hearing.
For questions about the
hearing on Thursday, email Vision Zero.
The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is the steward of the City’s transportation system, and a community partner in shaping a livable city. We plan, build, manage and maintain an effective and safe transportation system that provides access and mobility. Learn more at www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation
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