Multnomah County health leaders celebrated Public Health Week with a series of events related to this year’s theme: “Local Public Health is Where You Are.”
On Wednesday, Multnomah County’s Public Health Division and the Racial Ethnic Approaches to Community Health (REACH) program partnered with Oregon Walks to host Take Back the Block. The event was a way to celebrate National Walking Day and National Public Health Week.
Before kicking off the walk, Multnomah County REACH program specialist Taylor Ford joined Oregon Walks Executive Director Ashton Simpson to share one of the goals of the event: highlighting how distracted driving and dangerous driving conditions can limit the public health benefits of walking and other modes of active transportation.
Ford said community members can improve their health by walking, jogging and biking around their neighborhoods, especially if they don’t have the privilege of accessing gyms. Simpson said the location of the neighborhood and the walk — a 1.5-mile tour that met at Gateway Discovery Park— was intentionally chosen for drivers and residents to see an example of what should be a walkable community.
Simpson and Ford reminded the audience about the recent uptick in traffic deaths.
In Multnomah County, traffic crash deaths have increased an average of 44% over the previous five years. In 2021, traffic crash deaths reached an all time high of 80 deaths.
By walking around the area, and showing the impact of crosswalks and warning lights that alert drivers, the event was a way to show the community that walking in a pedestrian-friendly environment, with attentive driving, is possible.
Jessica Guernsey, Multnomah County’s public health director, said the more people who come out and walk and actively use public rights of way, the more drivers and others will get the message. The community walk, she said, reminds everyone that Gateway can be a walkable neighborhood.
“There’s safety in numbers in us going out and walking together,” said Guernsey, also noting that “these investments have been made that are great to help protect people, pedestrians and bicyclists. It’s the combination of those two things, building community and building safety.”
“It is important to build our environment in a way that makes pedestrians feel safe and like walking is a pleasant thing to do,” said Dr. Jennifer Vines, the region’s top health officer, adding that it is great for individuals’ mental and physical health.