ODOT Safe Routes to School Annual Program Report and Grant Solicitation Award Updates

Oregon Department of Transportation sent this bulletin at 08/10/2026 02:22 PM PDT

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page.
Hood River Safe Routes to School Group Photo

MidValley Elementary School families smile for the camera before walking and rolling to school together in Hood River.

August 10, 2026

Dear Partners,

We’re so grateful for our Safe Routes to School community and we look forward to continuing our work together.  

We are also pleased to share the 2025 Program Report where you'll find:

  • Highlights from last year 
  • Details about pilot programs for Traffic Gardens and the High School Task Force 
  • Stories from communities with Education and Construction grants
     

2026-2027 Funding Updates 

In March of this year, ODOT announced federal funding opportunities for the Safe Routes to School Education grants and Construction Technical Assistance services. We want to congratulate the following agencies on being awarded the following projects and services.

ODOT Safe Routes to School Education (Non-Infrastructure) Grants 

These grants help Safe Routes to School Education programs start, sustain, and innovate to help students and families across the state safely walk, bike, and roll to school. The Education Grant program offers three tiers of grant support based on readiness level: Tier 1 (Beginner), Tier 2 (Intermediate), and Tier 3 (Advanced).  

ODOT awarded SRTS Education Grants to 14 projects divided into three-tiered levels of funding (Beginner, Intermediate, and Advanced). These two-year grant projects will support Safe Routes to School program coordination for walking, riding, and rolling safety trainings, encouragement events and coordinating activities to help make travel safer at and around the school environment. See below for the list of awarded agencies funded for the 2027 and 2028 federal fiscal years. These projects are set to start 10/1/2026. 

Tier 1 (Beginner) 

  • City of Woodburn (Woodburn School District) 
  • Gresham Barlow School District  
  • Commute Options (Ashland, Medford, and Talent School Districts) 
  • Oregon Cascades West Council of Governments (Central Linn and Santiam Canyon School Districts)   

Tier 2 (Intermediate) 

  • Community Cycling Center (David Dougls School District and Portland Public Schools)  
  • Bend-La Pine School District  
  • Centennial School District  
  • City of Hillsboro (Hillsboro School District)  
  • Corvallis School District  
  • Thrive Umpqua (Douglas Education Service District)  

Tier 3 (Advanced) 

  • Hood River County School District   
  • Beaverton School District   
  • bike works by p:ear (Centennial, Reynolds, Gresham Barlow School Districts)  
  • Portland Public Schools   

ODOT Safe Routes to School Construction (Infrastructure) Technical Assistance Services 

ODOT offers three technical service programs for the Safe Routes to School Project through the Identification Program: Planning Assistance, Project Refinement, and Traffic Garden projects. 

Planning Technical Assistance 

The Planning Technical Assistance program offers professional consultant planning support to communities to develop a Safe Routes to School Plan that includes education and infrastructure recommendations that address key obstacles to school access. Eight communities were selected for Planning Technical Assistance in 2026-2027: 

  • Elmira (Lane County)​ 
  • Halsey (Linn County)​ 
  • La Pine (Deschutes County)​ 
  • Oakridge (Lane County)​ 
  • Redmond (Deschutes County)​ 
  • Reedsport (Douglas County)​ 
  • Adrian (Malheur County)​ 
  • Dundee (Yamhill County) 

Project Refinement 

The Project Refinement (formerly known as Engineering Assistance) program provides professional consultant technical support to further the planning of a key infrastructure project that enables students to safely walk or roll to school. The documents and planning level cost estimates prepared through this program are intended to support a future ODOT Safe Routes to School Construction grant application. Four communities were selected for Project Refinement services in 2026-2027: 

  • Creswell (Lane County)​ 
  • Hood River (Hood River County)​ 
  • Newburg (Yamhill County)​ 
  • Veneta (Lane County) 

Traffic Garden Technical Assistance 

The Traffic Garden Technical Assistance program provides professional consultant support to design (and in some cases install) traffic gardens in Oregon communities. Traffic gardens are car free spaces for students and communities to practice walking, biking, and rolling safely. Three communities were selected for Traffic Garden Technical Assistance in 2026-2027: 

  • La Pine (Deschutes County)​ 
  • Portland (Multnomah County)​ 
  • Waldport (Lincoln County) 

Learn more about Safe Routes to School.

Questions contact:

Education Program: Heidi Manlove
Safe Routes to School & Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety Program Manager

Construction Program: Xao Posadas
Safe Routes to School Program Manager

Plan ahead.

I-5 through the Rose Quarter in Portland is aging and needs repairs. Starting September 11, 2026, all lanes of I-5 southbound will be closed through the Rose Quarter between I-405 and I-84 around the clock for up to 5 weeks. One lane will remain open from I-405 to the Broadway exit at the Moda Center. We encourage those biking and walking to school to exercise extra caution as there will be increased in traffic on local streets in the area around the closure.

The more people modify their travel plans, the better the system will function for everyone, including emergency responders and freight trucks. We’re urging travelers to plan ahead, leave early, adjust travel times if you can and consider options like carpooling or transit.