top of page

On yesterday morning's traffic deaths

Writer's picture: enderineastportlanenderineastportlan

Hi Team,

 

This morning, two people were struck and killed on East Portland streets while riding their bicycles—one person on NE 105th & Marx and one on NE 128th & Glisan. These events impact families who will never be the same. We do not know the victims’ names at this time, but we know that they leave behind people who loved them and that their untimely deaths interrupted futures of possibility, love, and belonging.


Over the course of the past year, we (Timur and Steph) have been engaged in many conversations that focus on the critical importance of community safety, from gun violence to homelessness to traffic deaths. This is not an academic exercise for people in District 1. Our part of town has more gun violence, more traffic deaths, and a life expectancy 10 years lower than the rest of Portland.

 

This is our current reality, but it doesn’t have to be our future.


We cannot achieve community safety through just one project, or using one policy, or one response type. We need to acknowledge that community safety is a web, a system. Every part has an effect on every other part.


Just take a look at the connection between shootings and traffic safety: This interactive map of shootings in Portland shows us that they are much more frequent along our high-crash corridors. The reverse is also true. A recent project in Mt. Scott Arleta has shown that increasing traffic safety and other place-based interventions can reduce the number of shooting incidents. 


Each positive action also improves our neighbors’ everyday lives. For example, a decade ago, as Oregon Walks’ executive director, Steph attended the ribbon cutting for the sidewalk and crossing project right near today’s tragedy at 128th. There, Steph talked with a resident of the Providence elder care facility who said she was excited to finally be able to volunteer for the Menlo Elementary after-school reading program now that she could cross the street.


We have so many levers to pull to improve public safety. We must incorporate them all.


We are running for City Council because we both believe that the true treasures of East Portland are its people, and when we lose someone to violence of any kind, we lose part of our community. We will not have all the answers, but news like these two deaths this morning remind us that we can’t stop working toward solutions. As two individuals, we have worked for combined decades on securing funding, implementation, and creating policies for safer streets. 


The next City Council will undoubtedly have challenges ahead of it, but as we work toward a future where everyone can thrive, we must recognize that community safety includes leveraging the tools, levers, and resources of local government to extend our community's life expectancy.  We are committed to providing the political support to do that.


Sincerely,

Steph Routh & Timur Ender




5 views0 comments

Recent Posts

See All

Vote 411 Voter Guide

Ranked Choice Race City of Portland Councilor District 1 Rank up to 6 candidates You can select up to 6 candidates to rank in this race....

Comments


bottom of page