Multnomah County REACH Traffic Safety Report
REACH works to highlight disparities in traffic incidents and casualties affecting the Black and African (including immigrant and refugee) communities and create pathways to policy and systems change. Due to economic and systemic disparities, Black and African people are continuously moving to areas with many highways, fewer sidewalks, and less parks and greenery. This creates barriers to general mobility and accessing safe areas for exercise.
Not only do Black communities face challenges engaging in a simple and effective method of preventative health care but are also overrepresented in traffic casualties in the county. Commissioned by REACH and by spearheaded by Multnomah County’s Healthy Homes and Communities Manager Brendon Haggerty, MURP, the traffic safety report is a collaboration of government and community.
Informed by a previous initiative, Walking While Black from REACH partner Oregon Walks, the report consolidates 250 responses from the Action Communities for Health, Innovation and Environmental Change (ACHIEVE) Coalition and individuals across the region on a multitude of topics. The ACHIEVE Coalition provided valuable feedback that resulted in tangible changes and highlighted areas of concern to residents regarding traffic safety including racism and policing practices.