(August 6, 2014) – The Portland Bureau of Transportation and Portland Police Bureau advise the traveling public that a crosswalk enforcement action is scheduled for Monday, August 11^th at the unmarked crosswalk of NE 82^nd Avenue and NE Pacific Street from 9 am. to 1 p.m. to raise awareness of pedestrian safety and Oregon traffic laws.

Under Oregon law, every intersection is a legal crosswalk whether it is marked or unmarked.  Drivers must stop for pedestrians in the crosswalk.

The NE 82^nd Avenue and NE Pacific Street crossing has no paint lines at the crosswalk. It does have a pedestrian median island and signage to alert drivers to the possible presence of pedestrians in the crossing.  

SE 82^nd Avenue is one of 10 High Crash Corridors that the transportation bureau has identified and targeted as a priority for safety improvements and education. 

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.

Portland Bureau of Transportation’s Sharon White will serve as the designated pedestrian crossing the street during the first half of the action and a Portland police officer will serve that role during the second half.

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.                                       

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