(Sept. 3, 2014) – The Portland Bureau of Transportation and Portland Police Bureau advise the traveling public that a crosswalk enforcement action is scheduled for Friday, Sept. 5, from 7:30 to 9:00 a.m. to raise awareness of pedestrian safety and Oregon traffic laws.

Transportation Director Leah Treat will serve as the designated pedestrian crossing the street during the second half of the action and Sharon White, Portland Bureau of Transportation staff member, will serve as the designated pedestrian during the first half of the action.

Near the front entrance to Vernon Elementary School, the site of Friday’s enforcement action is heavily used by families walking or biking to school and to Alberta Park.

“With the start of school, it’s more important than ever for everyone to look out for children crossing our streets,” Treat said. “As a mother of four, I know how important it is for people to slow down when driving near schools. As transportation director, I’m proud of our partnership with police, schools and neighborhoods to spread the word about traffic safety.”

To ensure student safety and increase awareness of the start of the school year, the Portland Police Bureau is conducting high visibility patrols around all Portland schools as part of a "Back to School" safety campaign.

As part of this campaign, the Portland Police Bureau has released this short video with a friendly reminder that "20 is Plenty" in school zones: http://youtu.be/_llfG13Yo0I

The Portland Police Bureau Youth Services Division, Traffic Division, Transit Police Division, Central Precinct, North Precinct, East Precinct and Gang Enforcement Team personnel will be providing a highly visible police presence in and around schools in the Parkrose, Reynolds, Riverdale, David Douglas, Centennial, and Portland Public School Districts.

In addition, the bureaus offer these safety tips:

• If you're driving, obey the 20 mph speed limit in school zones

• Be vigilant and courteous to children crossing the street.

• If you're a parent, consider walking or biking to school with your students where possible to reduce congestion, improve safety and provide young people with needed physical activity.

For more information on the Portland Safe Routes to School program visit http://www.saferoutesportland.org

Each crosswalk enforcement action involves a designated pedestrian crossing at a marked or unmarked crosswalk while police monitor how motorists, bicyclists and pedestrians 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.

The NE Killingsworth at NE 22nd Avenue crossing has a marked school crossing across Killingsworth, along with signage to alert drivers to the possible presence of pedestrians in the crossing.

Crosswalk enforcement actions are an effective way to communicate pedestrian right of way laws to both drivers and pedestrians. The transportation and police bureaus do enforcement actions about once each month 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 the Transportation Bureau’s safety work at http://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/40390 and pedestrian rights and responsibilities at http://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/435879

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After holding a news conference on SE Stark Street and 113th Avenue, U.S. Rep Earl Blumenauer crosses at the new pedestrian safety beacon along with Leah Treat, director of the Portland Bureau of Transportation, City Commissioner Steve Novick and ODOT Region 1 Interim Manager Rian Windsheimer.  At the same time, Portland Police held a crosswalk enforcement action at the crossing to highlight back to school safety. Photo credit: Felicity J. Mackay, Portland Bureau of Transportation

(September 2, 2014) - As efforts continue to increase funding for longstanding transportation safety and maintenance needs throughout Portland, U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer joined local and state officials and community partners today to celebrate the installation of new pedestrian flashing beacons at five busy East Portland intersections.

The five new beacons, which flash yellow when a pedestrian pushes a button, give a needed safety boost to the intersections, all of which cross multi-lane busy streets in East Portland. These pedestrian safety improvements, part of a package of 18 new beacons, were made possible by state funding secured last spring by East Portland Legislators.

“These safety improvements are effective and affordable solutions,” said Congressman Earl  Blumenauer. “I commend the hard work of officials at both the City of Portland and the State of Oregon for working together for the common goal of transportation safety.”

“Standing here at SE 113^th and Stark, it’s clear that this busy, multilane street will now be safer and easier to cross for everyone, especially kids going to and from Ventura Park Elementary School and to Ventura Park,” said City Commissioner Steve Novick as he gathered with Congressman Blumenauer, State Rep. Vega Pederson and other officials and community members.

Community members have long identified these intersections as needing improvements. The Portland Bureau of Transportation committed to installing the first five by the start of the school year.In addition to SE 113^th Ave. and Stark Street, the four other beacons activated at busy intersections are at: SE 120^th Ave. and Foster Road, NE 141^st Ave. and Glisan Street, SE 122^nd Ave. and Stephens Street and SE 122^nd Ave. and Oregon Street.  The State of Oregon has also installed a beacon on US Route 26 at SE Powell Boulevard and 168^th Avenue. The others will be installed over the next few months.

“These improvements are significant. A motorist is five times more likely to stop for a pedestrian at crossings with beacons than one without,” Novick added. “That can be a matter of life and death on a busy, wide street. I appreciate the collaborative effort with the state and federal government to make these needed infrastructure improvements throughout the city.” 

"It's a strong step forward for East Portland to have more ways for kids to travel safely to school,” said Oregon State Rep. Jessica Vega Pederson. “There's more work to be done, but this is a great example of a partnership that should and must continue. The entire East Portland delegation and I will continue to advocate for safety improvements in East Portland."

Novick and Leah Treat, director of the Portland Bureau of Transportation, also pointed to a map of Portland showing the new beacon locations as well as many more intersections in need of safety improvements. 

“As a mother of four kids, I care deeply about safe crossings and want to make sure all kids can walk and bike to school safely,” Treat said. “These safety beacons are an important tool and support our philosophy that any road fatality is one too many.”

“The beacon you see today, along with 17 others throughout the city that have been or will be installed were paid for with $1.9 million in ODOT transportation funds,” said ODOT Region 1 Interim Manager Rian Windsheimer. “I want to thank our East Portland legislators and Commissioner Novick for their leadership and commitment to transportation safety. It will take all of us, working together, to improve safety for all modes.”

As officials dedicate the new rapid flash beacons, Portland Police and the Portland Bureau of Transportation held a crosswalk enforcement action to highlight pedestrian safety at the crossing.   Portland Police and PBOT will hold another crosswalk enforcement action on Friday morning at NE 22^nd Avenue and Killingsworth Street in which Treat will be the designated pedestrian.

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Police, PBOT to hold crosswalk enforcement action at same time to highlight back-to-school safety awareness

(August 29, 2014) - As efforts continue to increase funding for longstanding transportation safety and maintenance needs throughout Portland, officials are holding a news conference showcasing new pedestrian flashing beacons in East Portland. The safety beacons were made possible by state funding secured last spring and are being activated, as promised, by the start of the school year. An additional 12 will be installed over the next few months.

As officials dedicate the new rapid flash beacons, Portland Police and the Portland Bureau of Transportation will also hold a crosswalk enforcement action to highlight pedestrian safety as children get ready to return to school.

WHERE:  SE Stark Street and 113^th Avenue, near Ventura Park Elementary School

WHEN:  1:30 p.m. news conference with 1:15 p.m. to 2:15 p.m. crosswalk enforcement action by Portland Police and PBOT 

WHO:

• U.S. Rep. Earl Blumenauer
• Portland City Commissioner Steve Novick
• State Rep. Jessica Vega Pederson
• Portland Bureau of Transportation Director Leah Treat
• Oregon Department of Transportation Interim Region 1 Manager Rian Windsheimer
• Ventura Park Elementary School Principal Jakob Curtis
• Safe Routes to School volunteer Kathleen McDade

(September 3, 2014) - The Going Street Neighborhood Greenway, one of the most popular bike routes in the city, will get a fresh coat of sealant this month to improve the roadway and extend the life of the pavement for years to come.

Beginning Sept. 8 and continuing for up approximately 5 days, N & NE Going Street will be closed in three to four block sections so crews can fog seal the street from N Vancouver to Cesar Chavez Blvd.  Please note:

• Each section will be closed for only one day. 
• Follow the signed detour (see map below) and stay off the pavement while crews work and the fog sealant dries
• Fog sealing is extremely sticky when applied. It will remain wet and sticky for up to eight hours after application. That’s why is it so important to protect yourself and ensure an effective treatment by keeping cars, truck, bicycles, children, pets, and your shoes off the pavement until all barricades and traffic control have been removed.
• Bicycles may use the sidewalk but should use extreme caution as Going is a busy pedestrian thoroughfare. People choosing to ride on the sidewalk must proceed slowly and cautiously.

Fog seal is a coating of asphalt, recycled tire rubber, and grit blended locally in Portland. It is a cost-effective technique to maintain low-traffic streets, extending the life of the pavement and preventing more  costly and lengthy repairs later.

This preventive maintenance project is part of Mayor Charlie Hales’ and Commissioner Steve Novick’s  Back to Basics initiative to repair and improve at least 100 miles of streets during this fiscal year. The Back to Basics initiative prioritizes maintenance of the city's Neighborhood Greenway network of streets, like Going, that are optimized for bicycling and walking. 

Please help us improve Going Street for you and other travelers by staying off the pavement while it’s being sealed.

For more information about the Going project or other PBOT maintenance concerns, call the 24-hour hotline at 503-823-1700.

(August 21, 2014) – The City of Portland Bureau of Transportation advises the traveling public that lane restriping to create safety improvements will require lane closures and temporary parking removal on NW Everett Street on Saturday, Aug. 23 and Sunday, Aug. 24, 6 a.m. through 7 p.m. each day.  The work zone will extend from NW Westover Road to NW 14^th Avenue.

The parking removal and lane closures are necessary to allow crews to implement new lane striping configurations. One travel lane will remain open at all times. Parking will be restored when restriping is complete.

When finished, NW Everett Street will have these new features:

• The existing bicycle lane will be relocated to the left side of the street from NW 19^th to 15^th avenues.
• From NW 19^th to 23^rd avenues, there will be one standard travel lane and a new seven-foot wide bike lane with a three-foot buffer.
• A new left turn lane will be installed at NW 18^th Avenue.
• The intersection at NW 16^th Avenue at the entrance to I-405 will be improved by removing the bike turn box and allowing motor vehicles to turn right on the red traffic signal.
• On the I-405 overpass, a green shared zone will make room for bicycles and motor vehicles turning left.

The left-side bike lane and removal of the bike box improve safety by eliminating the conflict that had existed between bikes going straight and vehicles turning right onto the freeway.   The expanded bike lane serves a growing demand for safe bicycle options and improves connectivity for people bicycling from Northwest Portland over the I-405 overpass.

The changes are expected to have minimal impact on motor vehicle traffic times, while improving motor vehicle travel and safety at the NW 18^th and 16^th Avenue intersections. PBOT staff are monitoring vehicle traffic travel times through the area and will make adjustments as needed after the improvements are installed.

The improvements also will make it easier and safer for pedestrians to cross NW Everett Street.

To prepare for restriping, parking restriction barricades will be in place one or two workdays prior to the start of work.  Parking restrictions on NW Everett Street will be in place from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. each day.  Any vehicles that are not in compliance with this restriction will be subject to tow.

This work is being done on a weekend to minimize traffic disruptions.  The public still is advised to expect delays while striping improvements are being made.  We ask the public to travel cautiously, observe all lane closures and directions by flaggers, and use alternate routes if possible.

This work is weather dependent and the schedule may change.

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