Better Block PSU is a partnership program between the public spaces advocacy nonprofit Better Block PDX and Portland State University. Partnering since 2015, we have developed implementation plans and designs for many community-driven transportation projects. These projects promote equitable placemaking, community building, and active transportation that meet community needs. TREC at PSU has adopted this program under our umbrella of transportation education initiatives, and it is integrated into PSU planning and engineering classes each year. 

If you have a vision for reimagining public space, an intersection, or streetscape to better meet the needs of all people, we encourage you to attend this question & answer session to learn more about what Better Block PSU can do for you! This will also be recorded for those who cannot attend live. Check this page after the event to find the video.

We are seeking proposals for our 2021 round of projects. Download the 2021 Request for Proposals and Better Block PDX Guide to Projects here (PDF).

Want to see what a Better Block PSU project looks like, once it gets going? Read about an in-progress project: Re-Imagining a Safer Route to the César Chávez School.

Questions about the program? Contact us at treceducation@pdx.edu

For more general announcements, subscribe to the TREC monthly newsletter

The Transportation Research and Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University is home to the National Institute for Transportation and Communities (NITC), the Initiative for Bicycle and Pedestrian Innovation (IBPI), and other transportation programs. TREC produces research and tools for transportation decision makers, develops K-12 curriculum to expand the diversity and capacity of the workforce, and engages students and professionals through education.