 Women's History Month and the 12th Annual Wonder Woman Awards
There's just a few days left to nominate women for the city’s 12th Annual Wonder Woman Awards. This year's theme is Everyday Greatness. Nominate any woman working at the city who stands out as a community connector, supportive resource, inclusive leader, mentor, or recognized as a fabulous city employee! Remember, you can nominate more than one woman for the Wonder Woman award and/or the Fabulous Wonder Woman award.
In this issue of Street Cred:
PBOT’s Equity & Inclusion team has a new service request form. This will help them manage the many requests that come in. Need their assistance? Want a member of their team to attend an upcoming meeting? The form makes it easy to share details about your project, what type of help you’re seeking, and your deadline.
Even if your project is a long way off, the form works better than email so they can prioritize each one. Thank you for using the new form. The team will follow up with next steps!
 Screenshot of the PBOTers’ Picks final round survey. The survey has a blue background with bright yellow lemons.
This is your last chance to vote on your favorite food and beverage spot near PBOT buildings! We’ve narrowed it down to the top two to four picks for each category. Please take a few minutes (or more… picking favorite restaurants is HARD) and fill out this final survey. Survey closes end of the day Friday, April 1!
The PBOT’s Communications & Public Involvement team created a photo catalog in Microsoft Teams. Staff can now search, download, upload, archive, or share photos easily. Because it’s through Teams, staff have access to photos from anywhere, and can easily search by year, name, or special tags.
Need access? Email Sarah Gandy or request access through the channel.
IMPORTANT NOTE: This database is for photos by PBOT staff only. Do not add photos from media, our partners, or any other source. We need to ensure we own the copyright and have permissions for use.
Once you’re part of the PBOT Photos group in Teams, click on “Files” in the top toolbar, then click on the folder “PBOT Photos and Videos.”
We set up a basic structure with a “general” folder and year folders going back a decade (see screen capture below). The generic folder captures undated pictures or evergreen topics such as bikes, pedestrians, street lighting, etc. Year folders help keep photos from specific events, projects, and programs organized.
Tips on using the database
Access more features by opening the “Files” tab in SharePoint.
This wiki page has more tips on how to navigate the database, upload, and tag photos.
City employees are responding to calls and email – with limited verified information regarding available resources and how people can support humanitarian efforts in Ukraine. Our community is exhausted but not losing hope. By community, we mean City staff, extended Eastern European/Ukrainian/Slavic/Former Soviet Union community members, various supportive community organization leaders, and beyond. Locally, the Immigrant and Refugee Community Organization’s (IRCO) Slavic and Eastern European Center is seeking donations (non-cash option) and ongoing supplies at Ukrainian War Relief Fund.
Additional city resources CityStrong GuidanceResources, the city’s free and confidential Employee Assistance Program (EAP), has put together an update about Ukraine with information on how you can help. There are 24-hour counseling services available, with Ukrainian and Russian speaking counselors available. Just ask for one when you call. Mental health resources can also be found on the CityStrong web page. More resources and PDFs here:
Further support is available for Portland Fire Fighters Association, Portland Police Association, and Portland Police Commanding Officer Association members at 1-800-433-2320, via text at 503-980-1777, or online at Canopywell.com.
All other employees can call 1-800-888-9891, or go to GuidanceResources and use web ID “CityStrong.”
Ever wonder how PBOT multiplies its limited funding to build big, impactful projects? Here’s a primer. For Regional Flexible Funds Allocation (RFFA), distributed by Oregon Metro, it starts with understanding planning at the regional scale. Most federal and state transportation funding is tied to specific projects and programs. However, a few sources, like RFFA, provide discretion for using funds. That’s why PBOT springs into action around RFFA every three years.
First, we sit at the regional table and advocate for projects that advance our goals. This has led to funding for active transportation projects that address safety, equity, climate change, and growth management.
Then PBOT staff spend a hectic six months coordinating applications. Led by Zef Wagner on the Area & Project Planning team, individual sets of teams work on different projects. The latest round of grant applications had help from planners Bryan Poole, Mike Serritella, Nick Falbo, Laurel Priest, and Mauricio Leclerc; capital project managers Steve Szigethy and Gabe Graff; modal coordinators Roger Geller and Michelle Marx; and engineers of different disciplines including Tim Bowers, Omar Orozco, John Wilson, Matthew Machado, Andrew Sullivan, Marisa DeMull, Jamie Jeffrey, and Charles Radosta.
The result is a set of competitive projects that best meet the program’s criteria, are in our long-range plans, and are technically sound. They are also projects supported by the public and which can be constructed within a specified timeline and budget.
We then present this project list to PBOT’s Community Involvement Committee (or bureau leadership) for approval and matching funds. They’re also shared with the city’s pedestrian and bicycle advisory bodies and other key stakeholders.
As a final step, PBOT submits the application with concept drawings and cost estimates. A public comment period begins once Metro gets these. After careful consideration, Metro awards the grants.
With $17 million in projects awarded this round, PBOT's tireless work captured nearly half (48%) of the region’s total funding allocation.
From our press release March 16: “At Portland City Council today, City Commissioners voted to accept approximately $17 million in federal grants distributed by Metro through the Regional Flexible Funds Allocation (RFFA) program for four new capital projects. With a local match of approximately $11.8 million from the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), the four projects will bring improvements to NE 122nd Avenue, N Willamette Boulevard, NE Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard, and on the SE Stark/Washington streets corridor in East Portland with a total investment amount of $28.7 million.”
Community Use Permitting: Kalise Rucker, Bridgette Coleman, Kim Harrison, Dana Dister, Nico Lim, Terry Redeau, and Louis Waller, as well as Yen Tan, Elizabeth Currey, Ryan McKinnon, Allison Madsen, and Jocelyn Glinton.
Temporary Street Use Permitting: Jesse Long, Taylor Huschka, and the whole TSUP team.
Traffic Engineering: Geoff Judd, Wendy Cawley, Carl Schneider, and Carlos Hernandez
Policy, Planning & Projects: Nick Falbo, Gena Gastaldi, Mike Serritella, Kristin Hull, and Art Pearce
Communications & Public Involvement: Hannah Schafer, Dylan Rivera, Stacy Brewster, Brady Lovell, Sarah Gandy, and Kailyn Lamb
We also got support from Dave McEldowney, Greg Raisman, Ryan Kinsella, Maribeth Elmes, Mike Crebbs, Richard Thallheimer, Dana Whitley, Eddie VanBuren, Tosin Abiodun, Mahn Saechao, and Cary Watters.
If we missed anyone we peppered with questions or reached out to for help, know that we appreciate you. You’ve all helped us build this amazing program!
If you haven’t scheduled your second round of Coffee Talk, make sure to do that ASAP. Third and final matches will be emailed Friday, April 1. Questions? Contact Kailyn Lamb.
Join Tammy Boren-King on Wednesday, April 6 from 12 – 12:50 for "How Development Shaped Portland's Street System." We won't have time to cover all of Portland's 150-year history, but we can learn quite a bit, including how a law signed by President Millard Fillmore still fundamentally shapes the transportation network we all use and work with today. Click here to join the meeting
Interested in hosting a Lunch and Learn? Contact Kailyn Lamb.
While Russ Kreis’s sidewalk crew was working at NE 33rd Avenue and Sandy Boulevard, six fire trucks with Portland Fire & Rescue responded to a fire a couple blocks away. The sidewalk crew took control and shut down Sandy’s westbound lanes, detouring traffic from the fire and providing access to emergency responders. The crew did a great job until Portland Fire & Rescue left the scene.
Shout out to crew members Jason De Santis, Mike Heckman, Omar Ceballos, Genie Miles, and Tyler Kinnie.
On March 11, Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty and her aide Derek Bradley got a walking tour of the Kerby, CityFleet, and Valvoline facilities. On hand from PBOT were staff from Maintenance Operations, Signs & Street Lighting, and Parking & Regulatory, along with Director Chris Warner and Deputy Director Tara Wasiak. The CityFleet team from the Office of Management & Finance was also there to give a tour of their auto mechanic space.
This in-person tour was part of a larger effort by the Citywide Asset Management Group to give city council an overview of best practices as it pertains to asset management, highlighting examples of assets in good shape and bad.
Our goal with the tour was to highlight the quality of work happening in these spaces, and the volume. It was also our chance to point out the safety risks in each building. On the tour Commissioner Hardesty got a chance to create a street sign in the Sign Shop…
 Angie Hopper (center), Maintenance Operations’ sign shop lead, demonstrates the sign lamination machine while Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty (left) and PBOT Director Chris Warner (right) observe.
Hardesty got to see the electrician’s service map from Signals & Street Lighting and see the response times in her neighborhood…
 Peter Koonce (left), Signals & Streetlight Engineering Manager, provides an overview of the digital service map while Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty (center) observes.
The Commissioner even got to surprise the meter shop with an unplanned pop-in…
 Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty (right) shares her personal parking meter experiences to Casey Smalling (left), PBOT Meter Shop technician, and PBOT Director Chris Warner (center).
Last on the tour was a survey of our anti-icing operations out of the 91-year-old Valvoline Building. Old buildings like these exemplify our biggest fears and woes: assets in very poor condition and in need of much more than routine maintenance. Everyone on the tour left with the impression that change needed to happen soon, even if we don’t have the funding to make it happen yet.
 Mike Roy (right), OMF’s CityFleet Manager, points to the rudimentary emergency fire control system at the Fleet Building while Commissioner Jo Ann Hardesty (center) and OMF Division of Asset Management Manager Maty Sauter (left) observe.
 PBOT Operations & Maintenance Facilities Manager Bob Pyle (right) conducts an upstairs tour of the Valvoline Building where Maintenance staff fill and monitor the large vats with the anti-icing materials.
This tour capped a couple of very busy months for asset management. Already this year, we requested critical asset replacement funds through the city’s Capital Set-Aside budget. We also supported a budget work session on asset management and completed our portion of the annual citywide asset management report. That report will be published next month and we’ll provide a summary here in the Street Cred. Stay tuned!
Well, it’s official. Monday, April 4 marks the soft return to city offices for teleworking employees. We want everyone’s first mornings to go smoothly and recommend taking time now to think about how what you’ll need for your trip.
As part of my work in the SmartTrips program, I let our community know their options to get around every day.
No matter how you commute, we hope these tips are helpful for all PBOT staff, including our newest staff who may be reporting in person for the first time.
We know you’ve had them in a safe place. Or you were just issued them. Wherever they are, find them today. Don’t wait until the morning of. This means your city badge and any other badge you may need to get into a city facility like the Portland Building.
Along with your badges, it’s likely there are quite a few items you’ll need to pack. Preparing your list in advance and asking questions like the ones below will help reduce planning fatigue your first day:
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Do you need your face covering?
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Will you be bringing your lunch?
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Do you need a bigger bag to fit your laptop and power cord?
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Is there something cozy, maybe a picture of your pandemic pet, you want to have at your desk?
How will you get there? Do you have the right card or app? Here are some things to think about:
Several transit lines have changed over the last few months, so keep in mind your commute might feel different than pre-pandemic. And make sure you can pay for your transit ride.
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Check out TriMet.org for real-time data on your route, schedule, and stops.
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Find your Hop card, update the app on your phone, or have cash ready. TriMet’s Ways to pay page is also helpful.
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Remember your mask. As of this writing, federal law still requires masks on public transit
Walking to work is a great option if you live 2-3 miles from work. You can also combine a walk with transit, bike-share, or an e-scooter to increase your range and get some exercise. A win-win!
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Plan your route and determine how long it will take. Average walking speed is 3 mph.
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Gather your gear. Will you need a raincoat, umbrella, or backpack?
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Wear comfortable shoes and bring an extra pair of shoes for the office if you need.
Biking is a great option, but may require more planning and prep, especially if it’s your first commute. These steps will help you feel ready:
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Plan your route at portlandbikemap.com
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Make sure your bike is commute ready. Check tire pressure and make sure the brakes work and your chain is well lubed.
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Gather your gear. Will you need rain pants, bike lights, a pair of dry socks?
Whether you’re new staff starting at a PBOT facility for the first time, a teleworking employee returning to in-person work, or staff adjusting to having a lot more of your colleagues around on the regular, this will be a big adjustment. Build in extra time and extend as much grace to yourself and to others as possible.
Here are common best practices to help reduce stress:
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Wake up a little earlier each day
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Get everything ready the day before
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Coordinate and communicate plans and timelines with family members
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Expect imperfection and give yourself some grace
Trip Reductive Incentive Program (TRIP) for eligible employees
If you’re eligible for city benefits, don’t forget about the Trip Reduction Incentive Program (TRIP) which helps cover part of your monthly transit passes, or rewards you for biking or walking to work. Go to the Employee Programs tab within SAP (where you do your timesheets). TRIP benefits cover up to $50 a month for the following:
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TriMet or C-TRAN monthly passes. The period to sign up for annual passes is over, but you can still sign up for monthly passes.
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Bike and Walk Bucks. Get $50 of additional (taxable) income monthly for walking or biking.
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Carpool Checks. To help reduce the cost of driving, you’ll get $50 off carpool or vanpool parking at downtown parking locations. Contact your timekeeper for more information.
A new commute, some new faces, or shifting work dynamics, might all feel daunting no matter how you’ve been working since the first lockdown. Remind yourself how resilient, adaptive, and creative our entire workforce has been these last two years. Change is within your reach.
Want to share a PBOT story here in Street Cred? Limit your copy to less than 500 words, provide detailed captions for any graphics, and email kailyn.lamb@portlandoregon.gov by 5 p.m. Thursday the week before so we have time to copy edit and proof. For longer featured articles please reach out to us first so we can target the best date for you.
Upcoming editorial deadlines:
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April 13 issue [deadline: April 7]
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April 27 issue [deadline: April 21]
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May 11 issue [deadline: May 5]
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