Steph Routh, a well-known figure in local cycling and transportation advocacy circles, is among the first candidates for Portland’s expanded slate of city council seats.
The Independent Charter Commission voted to adopt the new district map on Monday and Routh has put her hat in the ring to represent District #1. The district spans to the northern and southern boundaries of Portland roughly between Parkrose and Lents and includes all neighborhoods east of I-205 and 82nd (south of Division).
On her campaign website, Routh says east Portland is, “the home of my birth and the home of my heart.”
“I grew up in Parkrose and have memories of East County becoming part of Portland. We heard a lot of promises then, of services on par with the rest of the city,” Routh writes. “I’m running for City Council to make sure the city keeps its promises, that government is accountable to the people of East Portland, and that all of our neighbors can build a life of belonging and purpose here.”
Routh has a long history in local community organizing and transportation reform activism. In 2008 she was on the organizing committee that brought the international Towards Carfree Cities Conference to Portland. She was also a founding board member for Umbrella, a nonprofit that supports numerous events and organizations in the bike scene including, Pedalpalooza, Breakfast on the Bridges, the Ladds 500, World Naked Bike Ride, and more. In 2009 she became the first full-time staffer for Oregon Walks, a pedestrian advocacy group. Since then she’s held positions with the Community Cycling Center, the Portland Bureau of Transportation, Portland Underground Grad School, Sightline Institute, and others. Routh is also one of eight members of the Portland Planning Commission.
In 2017, Routh contributed a series of interviews to BikePortland for Women Bike Month.
Routh says she’s running for city council to represent people who are fighting against the odds:
“I have seen a lot of students, neighbors, and coworkers struggle to just get by through a housing crisis, a climate crisis, a pandemic, and a growing wealth gap. I’ve been there, too. We’ve beaten the odds. I’m running for City Council to change the odds. Because the odds are getting tougher to beat, and it just shouldn’t be this hard.”
Routh, whose great aunt is former Oregon Governor Barbara Roberts, is the only person running for District #1 so far. Other candidates that have filed as of today include Mingus Mapps (Mayor), Sandeep Bali (District #2), and Chris Flanary (District #3).