Metro's Regional Travel Options grants program has announced 17 awardees receiving $2.5 million to make it easier to walk, bike, take transit and share rides in greater Portland.
Every two years, the Regional Travel Options program awards a portion of federal transportation dollars called Regional Flexible Funds to communities, nonprofits and educational institutions for projects that make it easier for residents to get around without driving alone.
This cycle's awardees, selected through a competitive process, continue the program's trend of focusing on youth and underserved communities.
Nearly half of the upcoming project funds support projects that make it easier for college students, children and families to walk and bike to school. Four local Safe Routes to School projects totaling over $640,000 were funded and two projects totaling $320,000 will continue work at community colleges to make walking, biking and taking transit an easier option for students and faculty. Funds from the program will help:
This grant cycle attracted an overwhelming number of strong applicants, requesting a total of $3.5 million – over a million dollars more than the program was able to fund. Projects are funded from July 2017 to July 2019.
“These projects are building a foundation of having walking, biking and taking transit be regular ways for kids to get where they need to go,” said Metro Transportation Planning Manager Ted Leybold, “improving their health and reducing stress on the transportation system.”
Several projects incorporate open streets events into their approach to help residents experience and imagine how we use our largest use of public space – our streets. First time grantees Oregon Walks and Multnomah County both use the idea of opening streets to walking and biking to increase use of travel options in their programs.
Multnomah County program manager Joanna Valencia said her team will be “taking a look at the Better Blocks concept and seeing how we can do a better Safe Route to School concept, trying temporary improvements on the roads that can be a showcase for parents, students and people driving.” Multnomah County will focus on students and families who attend public school in the cities of Fairview, Wood Village, Troutdale and Gresham.
Metro’s Regional Travel Options program accounts for only one half of one percent of the region’s transportation budget, but its impacts are large. Since tracking of the program began in 1997, the use of walking, biking, transit and rideshare at businesses that work with the program’s partners has risen from 19 percent to 39 percent, far above the national average. During the 2011 to 2013 grant cycle, more than 84,000 people from around the region reduced their driving by 47 million miles. That’s the equivalent of 1.7 million trips from Beaverton to Gresham that didn’t happen thanks to help from Regional Travel Options programs.
Grants awarded around the region
Programs funded this cycle include the following. Read descriptions of each grant
Recipient | Project | Awarded amount |
|---|
Beaverton School District | Safe Routes to School Program | $75,000 |
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Bicycle Transportation Alliance | Access to Bicycling | $203,461 |
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City of Milwaukie | Downtown Milwaukie Wayfinding | $15,000 |
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City of Portland | Smart Trips. Smart City. | $600,482 |
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City of Tigard | Safe Routes to School Program | $186,000 |
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Clackamas Community College | Expanding Access to Education | $130,000 |
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Clackamas County | Clackamas County Active Transportation Counting Devices | $15,909 |
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Community Cycling Center | Community Safe Routes to School | $178,080 |
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Explore Washington Park | Washington Park Travel Options Incentive | $149,200 |
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Hillsboro Parks and Recreation | Rock Creek Trail Counters | $4,760 |
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Hillsboro Parks and Recreation | Rock Creek Trail Access Video | $3,000 |
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Multnomah County | Safe Routes to School Program | $200,000 |
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Oregon Walks | Oregon Walkways | $99,208 |
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Portland Community College | Expanding Commuting Options | $191,000 |
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Ride Connection | RideWise | $239,440 |
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South Waterfront Community Relations | South Waterfront Wayfinding | $13,460 |
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Westside Transportation Alliance | Increasing Transportation Options in Washington County | $196,000 |
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The funds now being awarded were allocated by the Metro Council and Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation in 2013.
Read descriptions of these grants
This story has been updated.