Division Midway Alliance shares transportation safety progress in its district

See how their work promoting safer streets has paid off, as explained at this large outer East Portland follow-up conference …

Checking in guests to the 2024 Division Midway Alliance Transportation Resource Fair are Mohammad Khalid and Dania Khalid.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton

Following up on their successful meeting last year, the Division Midway Alliance Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative (DMA) held another Transportation Resource Fair on July 13, again in the Gethsemane Lutheran Church’s Community room.

Exhibiting at the Fair, representing Ride Connection, are Sarah Morrill and Sophia Shiovawa.

About 90 outer East Portlanders attended. Additionally, exhibitors with METRO, TriMet, Oregon Department of Transportation, Ride Connection, and the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) were there, to share information about their services and resources with guests.

Centennial Community Group President David Linn spends a moment with DMA Executive Director Lisha Shrestha at the event.

“The goal of this conference is to report back to the community on what we heard from our 2023 ‘Beyond Traffic Safety’ focus group,” explained DMA Executive Director Lisha Shrestha. “This event was to ensure our accountability to the community and inform them how PBOT is partnering with DMA and other local community-based organizations in implementing some of the tools from the report,” she said.

PBOT Community Outreach Coordinator Macey Bishop tells how their Bureau is using information from the “DMA Toolkit” to improve street safety.

“Specifically, PBOT explained how they are using ‘tools’ from the ‘toolkit’ created by DMA, and are implementing the 122nd Avenue Transportation Project,” Shrestha elaborated.

While not overcrowded, the expansive room was certainly filled with eager participants.

Translators at tables help attendees participate in the program in their native languages.

“Our tables were set up based on the languages spoken by the six main groups attending – including those from the Chinese, Bhutanese/Nepali, Karen (Myanmar), Spanish (Latinx), Afghani, and Vietnamese communities,” said DMA Executive Director Lisha Shrestha. “We also have one table for English speakers.”.

The primary take-aways from the meeting, according to organizers and participants – Shrestha told East Portland News – included:

The feedback shared in 2023 Beyond Traffic Safety project is being addressed through the toolkit developed by Division Midway Alliance.
Attendees learned the importance of feeling safer in public spaces and sense of belonging is integral part of vibrant community.
Those who came gained information about resources and services provided by transportation-based agencies.

An additional benefit of attending this Transportation Resource Fair is a delicious luncheon.

“We came away feeling that this conference was successful in many ways – including the great turnout and the audience participation,” summarized Shrestha.

Stay in touch with the Division Midway Alliance Neighborhood Prosperity Initiative by visiting their official website: CLICK HERE.

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