
Press release on PBOT 2010 traffic fatality data
Below is the press release from Mayor Adams’ about the 2010 traffic data (we reported about it yesterday):
2010 traffic data show progress on reducing fatalities in advance of Transportation Safety Summit
The Portland Bureau of Transportation released data today on the number of traffic fatalities in 2010. Bureau staff working on traffic safety noted the following about the numbers:
2010 had the second lowest number of total traffic fatalities on record in the City of Portland. The official record began in 1925.
The 2010 figure continues a long-term, downward trend in total traffic fatalities in Portland that began in the mid-80s and exceeds the national decrease in fatalities. (See accompanying graphs.)
Sadly, there was an increase in pedestrian fatalities in 2010 compared to numbers from the previous 5 years. The Bureau continues its work to make walking in Portland safer and asks the general public to attend the upcoming Transportation Safety Summit on February 8 at Marshall High School.
The seven motorist fatalities in 2010 are the lowest number recorded in Portland since 1925. For comparison, there were 37 motor vehicle fatalities in 1996.
There were zero bicyclists recorded as traffic fatalities last year. This has happened five of the last ten years.
“Since becoming transportation commissioner in 2004, safety has been and will continue to be my number one priority for the Bureau,” Mayor Sam Adams said. “Last year’s data show that Portland has made progress and that traffic fatalities are still trending downward. But even one fatality is too many. In the year ahead, we will continue to promote traffic safety for all through education, enforcement and engineering efforts with our excellent partners at Police and ODOT. I urge all interested Portlanders to attend the Fifth Transportation Safety Summit.”
[MORE]Commander of the Traffic Division Todd Wyatt said, “Our partnership with the community and the Portland Bureau of Transportation is creating one of the safest and most livable cities in the country. As people walk, bike and take transit more often, we all have to slow down, be sober and watch out for one another. The result is that fewer people are getting killed on our streets.”
PBOT Director Sue Keil said, “Portland should be proud of its safety record. By focusing on preventing unnecessary death and injury on our streets, we can help make neighborhoods, schools and business districts thrive.”
The Fifth Annual Transportation Safety Summit is an opportunity to learn more about Portland’s transportation safety trends, increase your awareness of recently completed and planned projects, identify innovative tools and techniques that can assist your work, collaborate with transportation safety professionals, and share your feedback. It will be held from 6 to 9 p.m. on Tuesday, February 8 at Marshall High School.
BTA Video: Wear pants? Use lights!

Shot from BTA’s new video.
– Watch it below –
For most of us, there’s only one night a year where we’d even think about hopping on our bike without our pants on. The BTA has put out a new video that uses this idea to encourage the use of bike lights.
They unveiled a hilarious new video the other day titled, Strategies for Getting Around Without Bike Lights (or Pants). It features Portland Mercury editor Wm. Steven Humphrey trying to get through his day without pants on — which is just as silly as trying to get around town in dark without lights on your bike.
maroon unknown single speed unknown
Year: unknown
Brand: unknown
Model: single speed
Color:maroon
Stolen in Portland, OR 97211
Stolen:2010-11-15
Stolen From: NE 7th and Skidmore, residential house
Neighborhood: King
Owner: Jack Lynn
OwnerEmail: jack.cog.pdx@gmail.com
Description: maroon single speed racing bike with no markings except a insignia on front of two dragons wrapping around each other. It only had one brake on the front and the other brake handle had been removed from the handle bars. Typical curve down bars. It also had toe straps.
Police record with: Portland
Police reference#: T11000645
This registrant does not have proof of ownership of this bike
Effort to ban studded tires moves forward: Signature gathering to start soon

Portlander Jeff Bernards, a well-known citizen activist who started the “Get Lit” free bike light program and who won a BTA Alice Award in 2006, has made major progress since we last checked in on his effort to ban studded tires in Oregon.
Bernards is chief petitioner on a forthcoming ballot measure and is the force behind the “Preserving Oregon Roads” campaign. Bernards told us this morning that he has filed with the Oregon Secretary of State and he expects to begin the initial signature-gathering process in the next few weeks. By mid-March, he and his team expect to begin the long road toward gathering the 80,000 signatures he’ll need to get a measure on the November 2012 ballot.
Kidical Mass set for February; but don’t expect to see Rep. Greenlick
After news spread earlier this month about Oregon House Representative Mitch Greenlick’s law proposal that would ban kids six years and under from riding on (or being pulled behind) bikes with their parents, Kidical Mass organizers felt their ride would be a fitting way to demonstrate their opposition to the bill.
On January 15th, despite rain-soaked skies, about 50 people showed up to ride through the streets of Sellwood. Ride organizer Katie Proctor invited Rep. Greenlick to join them but he had a prior commitment (House Rep. Jules Bailey did attend). This month, Proctor once again invited Greenlick, but he has declined the invitation.
State Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee to meet in Portland
Some interesting items on the agenda for a rare local meeting of Oregon’s official Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee (they usually meet in Salem)…
Bike/Ped Advisory Committee to meet Feb. 2 in Portland
SALEM – The Oregon Bicycle and Pedestrian Advisory Committee will meet Wed., Feb. 2 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Oregon Department of Transportation Region 1 Headquarters, 123 NW Flanders Ave. in Portland. Agenda items include discussions on greenhouse gas emission reductions, flexible federal funds and TriMet bridge naming, among other items.
All Bicycle/Pedestrian Advisory Committee meetings are open to the public. Accommodations will be provided to persons with disabilities. To request an accommodation, please call ODOT’s Bicycle/Pedestrian Program office at (503) 986-3555 (TTY: (503) 986-3854).
TriMet: Bikes will be detoured off Esplanade during light rail work – Updated
This just in from TriMet: Starting February 2nd, bicycle traffic will face a detour at the south end of the Eastbank Esplande for “preconstruction work” on the forthcoming Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail bridge over the Willamette River.
The detour is between SE Clay and Caruthers and is scheduled to be in place through February 11th. Here’s a map of the proposed detour route provided by TriMet:
Get Together brings SW Portland issues to the table
Our 2011 Get Together season got off to a fantastic start last night. About 40 people who live and/or work in Southwest Portland gathered at Macadam’s Bar and Grill to hear from advocates and experts, share their experiences, and to meet other fine folks they’d never stop and talk to on the hectic bikeways nearby.
Not just safer for bikes: Fatal car crashes lowest since 1925 – UPDATED


– Download larger image (with additional data) as a PDF –
TriMet wants 10 year ODOT funding commitment for Milwaukie light rail

Hoping to find the final 1% of funding for their $1.49 billion Portland-Milwaukie light rail project, TriMet has set their sights on small pot of ODOT Flexible Funds set aside for non-highway projects. TriMet has requested $1.93 million for the next ten years and they plan to bond against that money. In total, the transit agency hopes to secure $15 million from ODOT for this project.
While the request seems like a savvy move from TriMet, it has some people concerned that they are playing outside the rules.
Portland had zero bike fatalities in 2010 (again)
Lost in the end-of-year festivities and perhaps overshadowed by a startling number of people killed while walking on Oregon roads in 2010 (60), lies a positive statistic that deserves our attention. In 2010, there were zero fatal bicycle crashes in Portland.
According to PBOT data, this is the sixth time since 1999 that no one has been killed while riding a bike in our city (others were 1999, 2000, 2002, 2006 and 2008).