Safer Streets for Tigard: Slower Speeds, Stronger Community
As your mayor, I am deeply committed to ensuring the safety and well-being of everyone who lives in, works in, and travels through Tigard. Whether you drive, bike, or walk, you deserve to feel safe on our streets. That’s why we have taken an important step toward fulfilling our promise to make Tigard safer by lowering speed limits on key roads across the city.
You may have noticed “NEW TRAFFIC PATTERN AHEAD” signs appearing in different areas. These signs reflect a meaningful change—Tigard has successfully worked with the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to reduce speed limits on nine key streets. Since early February, our Streets Division has been installing new speed limit signs to reflect this shift, a critical step in our city’s efforts to reduce traffic crashes and save lives.
This change is about more than just adjusting numbers on a sign. It’s about protecting our community and prioritizing human life. Research and crash data consistently show that reducing vehicle speeds leads to fewer crashes and, when crashes do occur, they are far less severe. For pedestrians and cyclists, a lower speed can mean the difference between life and death. Simply put: slower speeds save lives.
We know that when drivers travel at safer speeds, our streets become more welcoming and accessible for everyone. Parents feel safer letting their children walk to school, seniors can cross intersections with confidence, and cyclists can navigate our roads without fear. This change is about creating a city where all road users—not just drivers—are valued and protected.
Our efforts are part of a larger strategy to align with Tigard’s Vision Zero goals—the commitment to eliminate traffic deaths and serious injuries. A Safe Systems approach to traffic safety means recognizing that people will sometimes make mistakes, but our roads should be designed to prevent those mistakes from becoming fatal. Lowering speed limits is one of the most effective ways to accomplish that goal, and we are proud to take this step forward as a city.
Of course, making our roads safer requires all of us to do our part. As you travel through Tigard, please be mindful of the new traffic patterns and adjust your speed accordingly. Your actions behind the wheel have a direct impact on the safety of others, and together, we can create a safer community for everyone.
Thank you for being a part of this effort. To learn more about road safety and how safe speeds help protect lives, visit our website: bit.ly/Tigard-safe-streets.
Let’s continue working together to make Tigard’s streets safer, one step at a time.
