NOTE: Police or Sheriffs' Departments applying for a grant, click here to scroll down to application information.

Many of us have experienced the difficulty of crossing a busy street on foot, even at a crosswalk. According to a 2004 study by the Surface Transportation Policy Project, “walking is by far the most dangerous mode of travel per mile. Although only 8.6 percent of all trips are made on foot, 11.4 percent of all traffic deaths are pedestrians.”

The same study highlights why we cannot accept an unsafe environment for walking:

“While walking presents some dangers, not walking may hold more hazards. As children have been walking less, the percentage of children who are obese or overweight has soared. The same is true for adults: the portion of people who walk to work dropped by 25 percent between 1990 and 2002, at the same time that the percentage of the population who are obese jumped 70 percent."

About Pedestrian Safety Enforcement operations

To work on improving pedestrian safety BTA and Willamette Pedestrian Coalition (WPC) will team up with police and sheriffs’ departments across Oregon to make it safer to cross the street. In partnership with Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), BTA/WPC are pleased to offer mini-grants for the enforcement of crosswalk laws.

The program provides funds to police departments around the state to stage crosswalk enforcement actions against motorists who fail to yield to pedestrians. In these operations, a decoy police officer attempts to cross a street at an intersection or marked crosswalk. (Crosswalk laws apply to unmarked crosswalks as well.)  If passing motorists fail to stop and yield for the pedestrian they are issued either a warning or a citation. The operations include a media outreach component, with the purpose of raising awareness around motorist responsibility toward pedestrians.

Grant funds may also be used to offer diversion classes that violators can take in lieu of paying tickets. Community response from citizens and public officials has been overwhelmingly positive. Says Dennis Burge of Grants Pass, "The public support for these operations was outstanding and has not stopped. I am constantly getting asked about the operations.”

Learn more about current crosswalk law by downloading a brochure produced by the Oregon Department of Transportation.

How to Apply for a Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Mini-Grant

Submit a completed workplan on department letterhead to BTA by January 31, 2008.

First-time applicants must send at least one officer to the PSE Training on March 17th (see below); for all other applicants, the PSE training is optional.

Download application materials:

Application Guidelines in .pdf or .doc format

Sample Work Plan in .pdf or .doc format

2008 Pedestrian Safety Enforcement Training Information

This year's training will review pedestrian laws, how to conduct pedestrian safety enforcement operations, and how to run PSE diversion classes.

Who can attend: Officers or staff from any police or sheriff’s department, whether or not applying for a mini-grant.
Training date: Monday, March 17, 2008
Training times: 9:00am–2:00pm
Location: Lane County Public Works, Eugene

Five-hour training includes:

• Pedestrian Safety Enforcement operation basics
• Diversion classes: how to set up and run a diversion class
• Supplemental CD specifically on diversion classes
• Working lunch (meal provided)
• PSE signs (set of 2) for use in operations

For departments that receive a 2008 Ped Safety Enforcement mini-grant, reimbursement for training expenses will be allowed through mini-grant funds. The registration fee is $30 per person.

To register, submit a PSE Training Registration Form and fees by February 26, 2008.

Download a PSE Training Registration Form in .pdf or .doc format

For more information on traffic safety in Oregon, visit these links:

2006 Updates to the Law: Senate Bill 591

Brochure on pedestrian safety and crosswalk law (PDF in English)
Brochure on pedestrian safety and crosswalk law (PDF in Spanish)

ACTS Oregon website

ODOT's Transportation Safety Website

Questions?

Contact Lynn Lindgren-Schreuder at (503) 223-1597.