PORTLAND, Ore.-- The Portland Bureau of Transportation and Portland Police Bureau advise the traveling public today that a crosswalk enforcement action is scheduled for Thursday, May 16, to raise awareness of pedestrian safety and traffic law.

Mayor Charlie Hales will serve as the pedestrian decoy during the action, planned to take place from 7:30 to 9 a.m., at the marked crossing at East Burnside Streetand 16^th Avenue.

“Safety is the top priority of our transportation system,” Mayor Hales said. “I’m glad the police and transportation bureaus are joining forces to conduct safety actions like this.”

A crosswalk enforcement action includes a pedestrian decoy positioned at marked or unmarked crosswalks. These actions are designed to inform the public of longstandingOregoncrosswalk laws. Drivers who fail to stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk and pedestrians who jaywalk may be issued a warning or citation by the Portland Police Bureau.

The May 16 action is intended to raise awareness of a new pedestrian median island installed at the site earlier this year as part of the Safe Routes to School program. This crossing improvement provides enhanced bicycle and pedestrian access to BuckmanElementary Schooland improves the 16^th Avenue Neighborhood Greenway.Burnside   Street has been identified by the Transportation Bureau as one of 10 High Crash Corridors, areas with higher incidents of fatal and serious injury crashes. In a few months, the Transportation and Police bureaus intend to do another action focused on enforcement.

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 in response to community requests and to educate the general public on the rules at marked and unmarked crossings. They are conducted approximately once a month.

Learn more about the Transportation Bureau’s safety work at http://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/40390.

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