Background

Daylighting approaches to intersections and pedestrian crossings by setting back on-street parking is current best practice in cities across the country. In Oregon, state law allows cities to set their own regulations regarding intersection approaches. In the past, Portland has not required daylighting intersections. That’s changing.

Why the change?

In a word: safety. We’re updating our design guidelines to improve safety for all modes at street intersections and crossings. PBOT has updated our design guidelines to set back on-street parking at uncontrolled approaches (the legs of intersections that do not have stop signs or signals) to marked and unmarked crosswalks on pedestrian priority streets. Pedestrian priority streets include City Walkways, Neighborhood Greenways, federally classified arterial and collector streets in Pedestrian Districts, and the High Crash Network. (City Walkways and Pedestrian Districts can be viewed on this map. Federal street classifications can be viewed on this map.)

Will every intersection change?

No. New vision clearance guidelines will be implemented as new capital projects and PBOT-reviewed private development projects are constructed moving forward. PBOT will also continue to conduct engineering analysis to evaluate intersection visibility in response to public requests through the 823-SAFE hotline.

[Download printable PDF of this information]

2/14/2019