Sidewalk Safety Sting In SE PDX Today
Portland, Oregon – Are you stopping for people trying to walk across the street at crosswalks? Portland Police will be out today making sure you do! The goal of the crosswalk education and enforcement on Southeast Powell is to raise awareness of pedestrian safety and Oregon traffic laws. Every intersection in Oregon is a legal crosswalk whether it’s marked or not. There have been three deadly crashes on southeast Powell since January 2017.
Read more from PBOT:
PBOT News Advisory:
Crosswalk education and enforcement action planned for SE Powell Blvd. at SE 54th Ave. on Wednesday, March 27
Raising awareness of pedestrian safety and Oregon traffic laws
(March 25, 2019) – The Portland Bureau of Transportation and Portland Police Bureau will conduct a crosswalksafety education and enforcement action on Wednesday, March 27, at the marked crossing on Southeast PowellBoulevard at Southeast 54th Avenue from noon to 1:30 p.m. to raise awareness of pedestrian safety and Oregon traffic laws. PBOT also reminds Portlanders to watch for people walking at all hours of the day or night. Under Oregon law, EVERY intersection is a legal crosswalk, whether it is marked or unmarked. People driving must stop and stay stopped for people walking when the pedestrian is in the travel lane or the adjacent lane. The crossing on Southeast Powell Boulevard at Southeast 54th Avenue has a marked crosswalk, median island and signage. A number of destinations nearby generate pedestrian traffic, including Franklin High School, St. Mark’s Lutheran Church and various local businesses. |
Southeast Powell Boulevard, a Vision Zero designated high crash network street, had a total of 122 fatal and serious injury crashes in 2007-16, the most recent 10-year period for which data are available. The intersection of Southeast 54th Avenue at Southeast Powell Boulevard had a total of 18 crashes including no fatal or serious injury crashes, during this same time period.
Southeast Powell Boulevard has also had three fatal crashes since January 2017.
People walking legally in Portland and hit by a person driving who fails to stop for them, is the number one cause of pedestrian crashes resulting in death and serious injury. People driving can do their part by having more patience, driving at or below the posted speed, continuously scanning the environment looking for people walking and bicycling, and being ready to stop as needed.
Education and enforcement actions such as the March 27 event are a key part of the City of Portland’s citywide effort to achieve, Vision Zero, the goal of eliminating all traffic fatalities and serious injuries.
Each crosswalk education and enforcement action involves a designated pedestrian crossing at a marked or unmarked crosswalk while police monitor how people driving, bicycling and walking adhere to traffic safety laws. Drivers who fail to stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk and pedestrians who fail to follow Oregon traffic laws may be issued a warning or citation. A Portland Bureau of Transportation staff member will serve as the designated pedestrian crossing the street during Wednesday’s action.
Crosswalk education and enforcement actions are an effective way to communicate traffic laws to people driving and walking. The transportation and police bureaus do education and enforcement actions in response to requests by community members, city traffic safety engineers, and Portland Police to educate the general public on the rules at marked and unmarked crossings.
Learn more about rights and responsibilities for crossing streets in Oregon (in English; Español); and view the results of previous actions.
Portland is committed to ending traffic violence in our communities. Through the Vision Zero program, the City of Portland and our partners are working to eliminate deaths and serious injuries on our streets.
To request a Vision Zero community briefing or enforcement action in your area, call the 823-SAFE Traffic Safety Hot Line at (503) 823-7233, or submit a Traffic Safety Hot Line request at https://www.portlandoregon.
