chris anderson

How I worked with PBOT to build a ‘play street’ in my neighborhood

Pull in some logs, plant some flowers, and a street can be transformed. This is urban forester Dave Barmon (Fiddlehead Landscapes), who helped us find and place the logs.
(Photos: Chris Anderson)

This post was originally submitted as a Subscriber Post by long-time BP reader and supporter Chris Anderson.

Portland is full of unpaved and unimproved or deteriorating roadways. While a nuisance and a sign of disrespect from City Hall to some, many of us feel these streets are an element of our city’s character to be celebrated. But at the same time, a lack of clear policy about how we can make them better leaves these spaces feeling neglected. Neighbors who want to improve their block have to be trailblazers willing to pave their own way.

That’s what I did (without the paving). Here’s my story…

Buffered Bike Lane with a bike symbol and arrow pointing forward

Chris Anderson and Amy Subach, with their two children.
(Photo: Megan Gray via Subach)

A Northeast Portland couple launched a political action committee this week that aims to push politicians out of office if they support the status quo on American streets.

Chris Anderson and Amy Subach say they were inspired by a local electoral win last year and empowered by, among other things, participating in this month’s die-in demonstration outside the Oregon Department of Transportation.

“I think that there absolutely needs to be the kind of advocacy organization for Vision Zero that’s not-modally-specific and nonconfrontational,” said Anderson. “Sort of like the BTA, but for drivers too.”

“I’m not interested in being that organization,” added Anderson, an entrepreneur who co-founded the software company Couchbase. “The way to get people that need to change their tone to change their tone is to be a takedown organization.”

How I worked with PBOT to build a ‘play street’ in my neighborhood

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