This post is tardy, but I have always felt, "better late than never."

Late last year, I attended the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition Annual Meeting. This meeting provides members with an opportunity to celebrate the previous year's accomplishments, and thank volunteers for their service. This gathering, at Mercy Corps HQ in Old Town Chinatown, was particularly memorable because it was one of the last public appearances of Gail Achterman, who received an award for her lifetime of service to transportation issues in Oregon.

Pictured with me is Keynote Speaker Nicholas Johnson, who is one of our awesome Commissioners with the Portland Commission on Disability.

Photo courtesey of Stephanie Routh, WPC Executive Director

I have been an enthusiastic pedestrian advocate for many years.  Most trips start or end with a pedestrian experience, which included using a wheelchair or other assistive mobility device on the sidewalks (or at the side of the street, in neighborhoods like mine where there are few sidewalks). I appreciate the leadership of the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition and its visionary early founders, including Ellen Vanderslice and Doug Klotz.  I will continue to advocate for sidewalk construction and actions that promote pedestrian safety, for as long as I am on the City Council.