In November, Metro and partners were awarded $1.1 million in funding from the U.S. Department of Transportation’s Safe Streets and Roads for All program. The program was created under the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
“Every child deserves a safe journey to school. This funding helps deliver that. By investing in safety demonstration projects and education, as well as annual adopt-a-bike events for children who might not otherwise be able to get a bike, this pilot program will provide extensive support at seven schools in North Portland and will help our region for generations to come,” said Metro Councilor Ashton Simpson.
The school cluster in North Portland includes five elementary schools (Astor, James John, Sitton, Rosa Parks and César Chávez), George Middle School and Roosevelt High School. This is a close-knit community with many students living within walking and biking distance of schools and other destinations. However, the areas around James John, George and Roosevelt schools have among the highest crash rates of any schools across the greater Portland region. Learn more about the conditions for walking and biking at schools across the region.
Partners on the Safe Routes to School project include Portland Public Schools, City of Portland Bureau of Transportation, Oregon Walks, Community Cycling Center, and Portland State University's Transportation Research and Education Center. The lessons learned will be shared through Metro's regional Safe Routes to School network, expanding the impact of the grant.
"Oregon Walks is thrilled to be part of this project because it augments our already-existing walking school bus efforts throughout Portland,” said Zachary Lauritzen, executive director of Oregon Walks. “There are so many benefits to kids walking and rolling to school, and we are proud to be working with local partners to make that a reality for our deserving kids."
Over three years, starting July 2025, this demonstration grant will be invested into a full suite of activities to ensure walking and rolling is safe and accessible for all students and aid the evaluation of the success of these interventions. This includes:
- Ensuring every kid learns to ride a bike by second grade
- Providing adult-led walking and/or biking buses
- Teaching multimodal (scooter, bike and transit) education across all grade levels
- Installing temporary and pop-up street design and wayfinding improvements
- Hosting adopt-a-bike events at each school
With a focus on one school cluster, this grant will allow deep engagement with the school community to ensure each activity meets individual school and community needs, while also supporting opportunities for providing in-depth programming with the expertise of multiple partners with strong ties to the neighborhood and schools.
"Thanks to the Safe Streets for All federal grant, we are equipping students in North Portland with the tools they need to walk, bike and take public transit safely," said Priya Dhanapal, the City of Portland's Deputy City Administrator for Public Works. "This investment in North Portland’s schools not only promotes safe commuting and healthier habits, supporting students' overall well-being, but also demonstrates how focused safety measures and strong community partnerships can transform how our children get to school. The pop-up safety demonstration projects in North Portland can serve as a powerful model for schools across Portland, and even, potentially, nationwide."
“In the 2023-24 school year, PBOT Safe Routes to School staff helped nearly 4,000 students learn about transportation safety including how to walk, bike and take transit safely," said Millicent Williams, Portland transportation director. "This grant will help us bring together safety education and infrastructure improvements focused in the Roosevelt High School cluster and allow us to demonstrate how coordinated efforts can dramatically improve student safety and mobility."
Visit Metro’s Safe Routes to School program webpage to learn more about resources and funding for safe routes to school at schools across the greater Portland region.