Please note: I don't speak for any organization or anyone other than myself -- someone who wants to live in a great urban city.
That being said, I believe PBOT, the agency in charge of Portland's Vision Zero Project, has completely failed to make adequate progress towards its stated goals or provide valid accountability reports. What reports it does provide only speak to what small steps they have taken without even trying to explain why other major goals have been seemingly ignored.
Background
Vision Zero, the goal to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries, originated in Sweden in 1997 and made landfall in the U.S. in New York City in 2014.
Portland committed to this vision in the city’s original Vision Zero Action Plan (2016). It reaffirmed again in the Vision Zero Two-Year Update (2019) and in the Vision Zero Action Plan Update 2023-25.
PBOT's Listed Performance Measures:
1. Set safe speed limits
I can't only talk about the bad without mentioning the good. One area where Portland is moving in the right direction is in reducing speed limits. This page shows the 190+ streets where the speed limit has been reduced since 2017.
The majority of Portland's streets are now limited to 20mph
Which is GREAT because risk of death for pedestrians exponentially increases at speeds over 20mph
As great as this is however, it is not enough. Numerous studies have shown that simply reducing speed limits, without making proportionate changes to infrastructure, is insufficient to change driver habits. This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone. The vast amount of drivers ignore speed limits.
2. Redesign dangerous streets to encourage safe speeds
It's like PBOT read my mind! Time to get to their numerous street infrastructure improvements, right?
Wrong.
You notice how they say it's now "scheduled" for 2024? Don't be fooled. This has been a key performance measure since the plan's inception in 2016.
3. Where feasible, retime signals on the High Crash Network to slow vehicles down.
I'm not a traffic engineer, so I can't say if retiming signals actually works to slow vehicles. However, no signals were re-timed in 2023 (or in any prior year as far as I can tell), and what plans exist, exist for only one street.
In 2023, PBOT advanced plans for new and retrofitted signals on 82nd Avenue to have the technology for slowing speeds through signal timing. In 2024, PBOT will continue to advance the 82nd Avenue signal timing work and identify other candidate corridors.
4. Install more cameras for automatic speed enforcement in crash hotspots.
Portland has establised 17 speed and intersection safety cameras (17 more are in the design or construction phase.) (first sentence below is two seperate links)
According to the most recent legislative report, overall speeding has decreased by 7-10%.
Total revenue from the speed cameras totals around $1.33 million.
PBOT's FAQ regarding the program states that all revenue goes toward funding of the project
However, the legislative report says specifies that $60 of every fine first goes to the Criminal Fine Account, and then whatever remains is split 50/50, with only one portion of that split going to program costs.
I'm not averse to traffic cameras, and a 7-10% reduction in speed is nothing to scoff at, but it's clear that the vast majority of PBOT's effort is directed towards "soft" policies rather than permanent infrastructure improvements that makes the city safer for anyone not in a car.
5. Launch “no turn on red” pilot.
Zero progress since 2016.
6. Launch “rest in red” pilot.
Zero progress since 2016.
7. Infrastructure improvements to High Crash Intersections (i.e. - installing roundabouts.)
Zero progress since 2016.
8. Transform wide, fast streets into streets that are safer for all modes.
This one is my favorite. First, let's take a look at PBOT's progress report from 2019.
Now let's look at these streets to see how they have been transformed!
Ne 102nd Ave (from Weidler to Sandy) + another + another
NE Glisan (from NE 122nd to NE 162nd) + another + another
NE Marine Drive (NE 33rd to NE 185th) -- Imgur got mad so this is just a google maps link
SE Foster Street (SE 50th to SE 90th) + another
DO THESE STREETS LOOK SAFE FOR ALL MODES? No, they do not. It is 100% clear these streets remain dedicated 100% to vehicles, and vehicles only, with only the most token crumb thrown to biking and zero attention to pedestrians. This is absolutely contrary to Portland's Vision Zero goal. As they admit in their report, over and over and over again. It is no wonder at all that
Since adopting the first Vision Zero Action Plan in December 2016, there has been a marked increase in traffic violence.
9. Upgrade temporary materials (such as rubber curbs and flexible posts) to permanent materials (such as concrete) at priority safety project locations.
Zero progress since 2016. (Imgur still hates me but go check for yourself)
10. Integrate the Safe System approach into PBOT’s internal decisions and processes.
Zero Progress since 2016.
11. Place a variable message sign at the site of deadly crashes.
I know I said the other one was my favorite, but this might take the cake. But hey, at least the number looks good "variable message signs were placed at the locations of 91% of eligible sites."
However,
In 2024, PBOT will pivot to a distribution process that supports the city’s 2025 transition to a new form of government and reflects our commitment to fiscal responsibility.
So you might no longer get to see signs that show where people died. Sad.
Conclusion
This post is already way too long, but I didn't even touch on a lot of things. However, there are a few takeaways I think are clear:
- PBOT likes putting up signs
- PBOT likes paying lip service to reducing traffic fatalities
- PBOT has failed to make any significant, lasting, infrastructure-level changes that reduce the number of vehicle-related fatalities in our city
- Portland remains dedicated to making the city safe for cars, not people.
