News Advisory: Crosswalk and midblock education and enforcement action planned for SE 82nd Avenue Feb. 17

(Feb 11, 2016) – The Portland Bureau of Transportation and Portland Police Bureau will conduct an intersection crosswalk and midblock crossing safety education and enforcement action on Wednesday, Feb. 17 at the marked crosswalk on SE 82^nd Avenue at SE Division Street and on SE 82^nd Avenue between SE Division and SE Harrison streets from 11:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. to raise awareness of pedestrian safety and Oregon traffic laws.

Southeast 82^nd Avenue and SE Division Street are designated High Crash Corridors because they have a high number of fatalities and injuries. From 2004 through 2015, there were 24 pedestrian crashes at or near SE 82 Avenue and SE Division Street and 2 pedestrian fatalities.

Education and enforcement actions such as the Feb. 17 event are a key part of the City of Portland’s citywide effort to reach its Vision Zero goal of eliminating traffic fatalities and serious injuries.

During the education and enforcement action, police officers will remind drivers to stop appropriately for the pedestrian in the crossing, encourage people walking to cross at the corner, and enforce Oregon traffic laws. Portland Community College (PCC) Southeast students and PBOT staff will hand out brochures to people who are crossing midblock, to encourage them to cross at the intersection.

Many people on foot and in vehicles cross this section of the roadway every day going to and from bus stops, restaurants and coffees shops, PCC Southeast Campus, businesses and other retail outlets.  Approximately 26,100 vehicles travel on SE 82^nd Avenue between SE Division and SE Harrison each day.  Most people walking use the marked crosswalk at SE 82^nd Avenue and SE Division Street. However, some people choose to cross SE 82^nd Avenue midblock between SE Division and SE Harrison instead.

Crossing midblock at locations without enhanced crossing features can put people on foot and behind the wheel at risk of a crash, especially if the roadway has multiple travel lanes, high traffic volumes and high vehicle speeds.

Crossing at the corner is safer for people who walk because:

• Drivers are expecting pedestrian to cross at the corner.
• The view of a person crossing midblock is often blocked by other vehicles -- a secondary threat exists when one driver stops for the pedestrian but the next driver may or may not see the person walking and does not stop or cannot stop in time to allow for safe crossing.
• The traffic signal at SE 82^nd Avenue and SE Division Street will control the flow of traffic and provide a specific time for pedestrians to cross.
• The intersection is illuminated to provide optimal visibility.

PBOT encourages everyone who uses 82^nd Avenue and SE Division Street to exercise care and caution when walking, biking and driving. Both people that drive and people that walk should remain alert and watch for people in the crossing and drivers that may be turning onto or from 82^nd Avenue.  When vehicle drivers make a turn at an intersection with a signal, they must stop and stay stopped for pedestrians when they are less than 6 feet from the lane into which the driver’s vehicle is turning (ORS 814.010).

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 throughout the year 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 walking safely across a street. View the results of previous actions. Find out more about PBOT’s safety work and Vision Zero, PBOT’s goal of making our transportation system the safest possible and moving towards zero traffic-related fatalities and serious injuries by 2025. www.visionzeroportland.com.