Pedestrian Head Starts

Information
This photo shows people walking across a street when the pedestrian signal says walk and the traffic light is red for a few seconds before turning green. This is called a Pedestrian Head Start signal. Photo by Portland Bureau of Transportation.

Pedestrian Head Starts, also called Leading Pedestrian Intervals (LPIs), are a known and proven safety intervention used around the country. These give pedestrians the walk signal several seconds before drivers get a green light, so pedestrians can begin crossing the street before drivers start to turn. This makes the person driving more likely to see and stop for them.

Studies from other cities have found reductions in pedestrian crashes and near-misses as a result. Pedestrian Head Starts have been shown to reduce pedestrian-vehicle collisions as much as 60 percent at treated intersections, according to the Urban Street Design Guide by the National Association of City Transportation Officials.

View Portland's Pedestrian Head Starts signals with this map:

Remote Media URL

This is the landing page for the Pedestrian Head Starts map. It shows the locations of Pedestrian Head Starts in Portland. PBOT understands that this map is not screen reader accessible and is working toward a permanent solution. Due to the complexity of the information the map provides and the currently available map platforms at the city, we ask for your patience while we work on a technology-based solution. As we work toward providing that level of accessibility, please contact PBOT Vision Zero staff who can assist you to get the data you need from the map. You can also contact PBOT’s ADA Coordinator at Lisa.Strader@portlandoregon.gov or at 503-823-5703.