Public Safety

Commissioner Adams was at City Hall to congratulate Rob Widmer of Widmer Brothers Brewing who crossed the finish line Thursday five minutes ahead of his brother, Kurt, who drove.

The event, a Bicycle Commuter Challenge, kicked off National Bike Month by showcasing the efficiency of riding your bike to work instead of commuting by car. Two paths from the Cadillac Cafe in Northeast Portland to City Hall on SW 4th Avenue were traveled by bicyclists. Rob arrived after 16 minutes of following the same route as Kurt, who traveled by car and arrived after 21 minutes, while Kim Seymour, of David Evans and Associates, biked along the NE Tillamook bike boulevard and the Eastbank Esplanade, a low-traffic route, arriving just 2 minutes later than Kurt.

Bike boxes are a hit, but some community education on their usage is needed. City of Portland and the Office of Transportation along with Portland's own Matt Giraud made a video to clear up a few questions that bicyclists and motorists may have.

PAL HOSTS SAFE HAVEN SPRING BREAK 2008

Portland, Oregon:  March 24-28, 2008, the Police Activities League of Portland will be hosting Safe Haven Spring Break 2008 at the PAL Youth Center, 424 NE 172nd Ave.

A few weeks ago, on Feb. 20th , the Office of Youth Violence Prevention reported to City Council. During the morning session it became clear there are three necessary legs of a stool to tackle gang problems: law enforcement, parole and probation, and community outreach programs all need to be present and strategically working in partnership.

By WILLIAM YARDLEY

SEATTLE - State and local governments in many parts of the country are struggling to pay for roads, bridges and other building projects because of rising construction costs, adding another burden to budgets already stressed by the troubled housing market.

January 10, 2008

By WILLIAM YARDLEY

When it comes to our transportation system, safety is Sam's top priority. Because of one-time general funds that Sam led the charge on and secured at City Council, many important safety improvements and projects were implemented in 2007 to make driving, walking and bicycling safer throughout Portland.

Sam and neighborhood leaders unveiled the new crosswalk work to the press.When making decisions about where and whether to place crosswalks, PDOT has until recently only looked at automobile traffic counts to determine whether or not a crossing was worthy at any particular intersection.

The Oregon Liquor Control Commission (OLCC) is currently accepting public testimony on a proposed change that would allow music and entertainment venues to submit control plans which would allow minors on premises while alcohol is served.

THINK BICYCLE SAFETY: All users of the road deserve respect, and all users of the road have responsibilities. When you use the road, think. Be careful. Watch for others. KEEP OUR ROADS SAFE.With the news of yet another severe automobile-bicycle collision that has led to major cyclist injuries on the intersection of N Interstate and N Greeley, we want to the public to know about what we've been doing in our office both in response to these specific tragedies, and to ensure that similar tragedies are prevented at all problem intersections in the future.

“PDOT has strongly endorsed the design that enhances separation… similar designs are employed in the world-class cycling cities… whose ridership levels, policies and practices we hope to emulate.”

Courtesy of Elders in Action

If you get a phone call or e-mail asking for your bank account number so that your kicker refund can be electronically deposited in your account, don't believe it. 

Roll and Stroll with Portland Citizen's Disability Advisory Committee (PCDAC)

To raise awareness of how people with disabilities get around Portland, the Transportation Subcommittee of Portland's Citizen's Disability Advisory Committee (PCDAC) is hosting a special "Roll and Stroll" event from 11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on Friday, September 14, outside City Hall. City Commissioners Sam Adams and Dan Saltzman, along with PDOT Director Sue Keil and PCDAC members, will have a chance to use mobility devices that include but are not limited to wheelchairs and goggles along with white canes to assimilate what people with disabilities use daily to access Portland streets and sidewalks.

In 2005, the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave the nation an infrustructure report card.  Overall, the U.S. got the GPA equivalent of a "D."  America's total investment needs to shore up our infrastructure totalled $1.6 TRILLION, a number that increases as time passes.

Done years before recent high-profile tragedies, this report outlines a nation chronically under-investing in its infrastructure.