Friday Transportation Seminar: Safety Interventions for Houseless Pedestrians

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DATE: 
Friday, June 3, 2022, 11:30am to 12:30pm PDT
SPEAKERS: 
Street Perspective (PSU MURPs): Peter Domine, Nick Meusch, Asif Haque, Angie Martinez, Sean Doyle, and Meisha Whyte
COST: 
Free
LOCATION: 
ONLINE and IN-PERSON: PSU's Vanport Building (Room 269) 1810 SW 5th Ave Portland, OR 97201
CREDIT: 
PDH: 1 | AICP: 1

Friday Transportation Seminars at Portland State University have been a tradition since 2000. You can join us online or in-person (proof of vaccination required, see below) at 11:30 AM. All presentations are recorded and shared on the event page afterwards.

PRESENTATION ARCHIVE

THE TOPIC 

Cities across the U.S. are facing alarming increases in traffic fatalities, especially among the number of pedestrians who are struck and killed by drivers. Last year, 70 percent of all pedestrian fatalities in Portland were of people experiencing houselessness. As the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is updating the city's Vision Zero Plan, a team of PSU urban and regional planning masters students have been investigating how to reduce the risk of being hit and killed specifically for unhoused people. During this presentation, the Street Perspective team will explain the situation, review their approach, and then share the recommendations they'll be providing to PBOT to reduce the risk of pedestrian fatalities among the city's vulnerable houseless communities.

This project was conducted by graduate students in the Master of Urban and Regional Planning (MURP) program at Portland State University. They work in teams of 4–6 members to complete applied planning projects, as part of a required course known as "the MURP workshop." This course is intended to give our students hands-on experience in conceiving, planning, and implementing a community-based planning project in close consultation with a committed client/partner. 

KEY LEARNING OUTCOMES

  • The solution is more complex than simply sweeping camps near high-crash corridors and moving people experiencing houselessness to safer locations.
  • Sweeping in and of itself only makes the problem worse, contributing to declining mental, physical, and emotional health for unhoused people.
  • Access to basic needs and services is crucial to the well-being of houseless individuals, and creating safer access should be a priority.

SPEAKERS

Street Perspective is a team of six MURP students from a variety of backgrounds, interests, and experiences: Peter Domine, Nick Meusch, Asif Haque, Angie Martínez, Sean Doyle, and Meisha Whyte. We are all committed to making Portland and other cities safer, more equitable, and more accessible places for all residents.

PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT

This 60-minute seminar is eligible for 1 hour of professional development credit for AICP (see our provider summary). We can provide an electronic attendance certificate for other types of certification maintenance.

COVID-19 SAFETY PROTOCOLS

Attendance at this in-person event on the PSU campus requires valid proof of COVID-19 vaccination.
Valid proof of COVID-19 vaccination is either a hard copy or a picture of a vaccination card showing a vaccine series was completed at least two weeks prior to the event date. Documentation of a recent (within the last 48 hours) COVID-19 test with a negative result is either a printout or picture of results that include your name and test date. Proof of boosters not required at this time, and your medical data will not be recorded during the spot-check at the door.

Effective March 19, 2022, Portland State University no longer requires that masks be worn in classrooms, offices, and most other public and private indoor spaces.
As PSU shifts into the next phase of the response to COVID-19, we understand that some in our community may feel more comfortable continuing to wear a mask. That is a personal decision that we wholeheartedly support. We ask that our community respect the choice of people who keep their masks on, but to refrain from asking others to wear a mask. Disposable masks will continue to be available at PSU building entrances.

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Photo courtesy of NACTO/PBOT

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.