 Vision Zero Week!
I am so excited to be bringing Vision Zero legislation to full City Council for a vote on Wednesday, 9/17!
Every Portlander deserves to make it home safely at the end of the day. Every traffic death is preventable, and every life saved matters.
Vision Zero demands that we prioritize high-crash corridors, and protect the places where our loved ones walk, bike, and ride transit. This resolution not only recommits our City to eliminating traffic deaths and serious injuries, but also directs us to act with urgency and coordination between City bureaus and service areas.
To celebrate the collaboration and hard work that has gotten us to this point, our team has planned several fun events next week:
On Wednesday… Vision Zero supporters will be gathering at Salmon Springs on the waterfront for popsicles & bike and pedestrian parade to City Hal! Join us at Salmon Springs at 4:50 p.m. for popsicles, music, art and joy! We’ll parade up to City Hall, and then head into Council Chambers to testify and show support. Wear ORANGE, and RSVP here!
If you’d like to share your thoughts about the importance of safer streets, you can register for testimony or submit written testimony to Council. For inspiration, enjoy this fabulous video with my staffer Sprout!
On Thursday… I’ll be speaking at AARP’s 2025 Age-Friendly Oregon Summit at Portland State University (registration is free). Councilor Jamie Dunphy and I will talk about goals for an age-friendly Portland, and highlight local efforts to make Portland an even better place to grow up and grow old. My Council Aide Alan DeLaTorre will moderate an afternoon workshop on housing strategies. Come join us!
On Friday… from 11 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., my team and I will be creating a “parklet” next to Oblique Coffee at SE Stark and 30th Place for (PARK)ing Day. There will be activities for kids and families, educational materials about Vision Zero, and lots of good vibes! Stop by and say hello!
 Emergency Preparedness
Last Monday in the Transportation and Infrastructure committee meeting, there were excellent presentations about emergency preparedness. There was so much useful information!
An important program that was discussed is Neighborhood Emergency Teams (NET). Composed of volunteers, NET assists our city’s readiness for natural disasters. I asked about how to bring more NET volunteers into the system, and specifically raised the possibility of intergenerational work that would bring older, more knowledgeable and experienced volunteers together with students and younger people. I look forward to the Portland Bureau of Emergency Management exploring ways to develop those kinds of partnerships to help prepare vulnerable community members, and build our city’s long-term preparedness and resiliency.
Other great resources to know about include signing up for public alerts at www.publicalerts.org, finding your Earthquake Emergency Communication node at www.portland.gov/beecn, and preparing supplies in case of an emergency at https://www.publicalerts.org/get-ready.
 Moda Center Tour
It was interesting to get a tour of the Moda Center Wednesday – Along with several members from the District 3 City Council team, I heard more about ideas for this City-owned arena. With 88 concerts and 43 Trailblazers games drawing 2.2 million visitors last year, a partnership with Albina Vision Trust, and new WNBA team, there is a lot to learn about!
 Foster Area Business Association
It was great to join the Foster Area Business Association at their monthly meeting Wednesday night! It’s inspiring to see District 3 small businesses supporting one another, planning activities, and setting collaborative goals for our community. I’m already excited for their winter community gathering!
 Join Us! Next Constituent Coffee at PDX Saints Love TOMORROW!
My next constituent coffee will be TOMORROW, from 9 to 10:30 a.m. at PDX Saints Love, 247 SE 82nd Avenue. Please join us and share your thoughts about Portland!
Thank you to our dear friend, PDX Saints Love, for hosting us! If you are able to bring a pair of new socks to donate, they would greatly appreciate it (of course donations are not required to come!).
My colleague, Councilor Mitch Green, recently helped get stop signs installed outside of Duniway Elementary School. Check out this inspiring video about his team’s work!
I was honored to be interviewed by Grant High School Magazine’s podcast team about Portland’s status as a sanctuary city. The episode, Creating Sanctuary in a Divided Nation, provides an overview of Oregon’s regulations preventing local authorities from cooperating with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
Councilor Koyama Lane’s ‘Vision Zero Week’ aims to up urgency for road safety – article about Vision Zero week from BikePortland!
Portland Parks & Recreation Activity Guide now Online!
Portland Transportation Plan Survey
The Portland Bureau of Transportation is updating our city’s plan for transportation projects, programs, policies and investments over the next 20 years. Take this survey to help guide the 2045 Transportation System Plan!
Advisory Boards about Pedestrian and Transportation System
Fired up about Vision Zero and making our streets safer? One way to get more deeply involved is to be part of community advisory committees, either as a member or observer. PBOT's Pedestrian Advisory Committee meeting is 6 to 8 p.m. on Tuesday, September 16, via Zoom, and the 2045 Transportation System Plan Community Advisory Committee is meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. September 25. Both meetings require registering online.
ICE Updates
The ICE situation is constantly evolving. Though I know I’ve run this piece from Councilor Morillo for a couple weeks in this newsletter, it feels helpful to include the information once more at this critical time. I stand with my colleague and encourage everyone to read this update. Update on ICE in Portland | Portland.gov
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