City official, nonprofit leaders on why Portland’s traffic deaths have fallen

 A recent report by the Portland City Administrator shows traffic deaths in the city have continued to fall after a spike during the COVID-19 pandemic. Are Portlanders driving differently now than they were when the streets were emptier? Are earlier state and federal investments in traffic safety now just taking shape? Nonprofit leaders and city officials agree there are multiple factors involved in the decline. But as pandemic recovery continues, and the future of Gov. Tina Kotek’s road funding bill remains unclear, it’s an open question whether the city will be able to keep the trendline down. 

We’re joined by Dana Dickman, the Vision Zero policy manager for the City of Portland, to unpack the latest data and discuss how the city is working to make roads safer. Also joining us are Sarah Iannarone, executive director of The Street Trust, and Zachary Lauritzen, executive director of Oregon Walks.