Safer Streets Coming to Salem Thanks to New Street Sweeper
Without a street sweeper small enough to navigate protected bike lanes and multi-use paths, plans for physical barriers between vehicles and riders of all ages and abilities would remain out of reach to Salem’s residents. Recognizing this need, the SBV team set out to find a source of funds that could help the City provide protected bike lanes while still complying with their maintenance requirements. SBV identified the funding opportunity, encouraged the City to apply, and wrote a letter of support.
Salem, Ore. — Salem Bike Vision applauds the City of Salem for successfully securing a grant of $225,000 to purchase a new battery electric compact street sweeper. This project has been made possible by Oregon Department of Environmental Quality’s Oregon Clean Fuels Program as part of Portland General Electric’s Drive Change Fund, established in 2019. The City of Salem expects the new street sweeper to be in service beginning in the spring of 2024.
Salem Bike Vision (SBV) was crucial in helping secure this funding. Without a street sweeper small enough to navigate protected bike lanes and multi-use paths, plans for physical barriers between vehicles and riders of all ages and abilities would remain out of reach to Salem’s residents. Recognizing this need, the SBV team set out to find a source of funds that could help the City provide protected bike lanes while still complying with their maintenance requirements. SBV identified the funding opportunity, encouraged the City to apply, and wrote a letter of support.
SBV is a volunteer project dedicated to making Salem’s streets safer for those who bike, walk, and roll and is co-founded by leaders on City Council, the Cherriots Board of Directors, and the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. Since launching in March 2022, SBV has focused on removing barriers to developing safe and cost-effective infrastructure in Salem and identified the lack of appropriate maintenance equipment as a key obstacle to our vision of a city-wide network of physically protected bike lanes. This has included hosting public events and a successful effort to include $20 million for bike-related projects in the Community Infrastructure Bond.
“We knew this was among the largest obstacles to achieving our vision so we found this grant opportunity and encouraged the City to apply,” said Ian Davidson, co-founder of Salem Bike Vision and Vice President of the Cherriots Board of Directors. “Once the City indicated that they would apply for the funds, we were more than happy to submit a letter indicating our support.”
“A compact electric street sweeper is instrumental in Salem becoming a city where its residents can safely travel no matter which mode of transportation they choose,” said Dylan McDowell, co-founder of Salem Bike Vision and Chair of the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board. “This sweeper will make a significant difference in hard to reach areas like bike lanes and park pathways.”
“With this compact battery electric street sweeper, the City can build more physically protected bike lanes to be used by riders thereby reducing Salem’s carbon footprint. In addition to all the climate benefits from more people riding bikes, this electric sweeper will produce two tons less carbon dioxide per year than a diesel equivalent,” said Virginia Stapleton, co-founder of Salem Bike Vision and Salem City Council President.
To learn more, go to SalemBikeVision.org