Every day, the streets in front of schools get very busy each morning and afternoon as hundreds of students arrive for school in a 10-15 minute period.

The engineering safety strategy at the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is simple: keep speeds low and pedestrian visibility high. PBOT and Safe Routes work directly with principals when there are safety concerns about school pick-up and drop-off. We work with principals because they hear from the entire community and have the authority to make changes at schools.

The best way for a school to make a request for review of their pick-up or drop-off process is to have the principal dial our Traffic and Livability Hotline at 503-823-SAFE (7233) or write safe@portlandoregon.gov with their concerns.

For parents who drive to school, you can contribute to safety by observing no parking zones and by stopping for crossing pedestrians. No parking zones around schools are very important because they are set up to provide pedestrian visibility and to allow school buses to arrive and leave school.