Our February BWNA meeting focused on neighborhood transportation safety issues. Due to a pedestrian fatality in December, the discussions understandably centered on Fremont Street traffic safety improvements. Prior to the meeting, the BWNA Transportation Committee had shared proposed recommendations with Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) representatives to facilitate discussions and action plans at the meeting. The proposals included verifying the presence of adequate street lighting and modifying as needed, improving lines of sight for both walkers and drivers, and reviewing the location of existing marked crosswalks. This length of Fremont Street poses unique difficulties due to the offset of north-south intersecting streets, resulting in many more potential “crosswalk paths.” It was proposed that PBOT reassess and identify the highest used paths and install pavement markers and other visible indicators. Fielding a half-hour’s worth of questions and comments from attending residents were PBOT representatives Carlos Hernandez, Clay Veka, and Scott Cohen. Here are some highlights:
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The PBOT representatives promised to initiate a lighting review/survey of Fremont Street and present their findings to BWNA. While the PBOT representatives were not strongly in support of stanchions (candle sticks) and street art to create “soft bump-outs” to control parking clearances at marked crosswalks, they did suggest the idea of using angled-curb bumpers. Discussions will continue with PBOT with the goal of prototyping a method to enhance and maintain lines of sight at marked crosswalks in the near future.
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PBOT and BWNA, along with the Beaumont Business Association, will work together to survey pedestrian traffic and locate an effective number of marked crosswalks along Fremont Street between 42nd and 51st avenues and consider how best to direct the majority of pedestrians to use these more visible paths.
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BWNA’s suggestion for a “gateway-raised sidewalk” near 51st to alert drivers to the congested commercial area ahead was not supported by the PBOT representatives due to the significant cost in removing recently installed ADA (disability) ramps.
Safety concerns along Fremont Street continued with discussions moving to the Fremont/Alameda intersection by the Tacovore restaurant. Residents living near that intersection reviewed a litany of accidents and close calls over the last few years with increased congestion caused by the success of the restaurant. Traffic calming ideas were discussed in conjunction with the Slow Streets Initiative proposal to replace temporary barrels and signage with permanent barriers to direct less traffic along Alameda and possibly even add restrictions on turning at this intersection. These potential restrictions prompted concerns by a number of residents who use this corner as a key pathway to go west on Fremont because left turns are not permitted at the stoplight adjacent to Beaumont Middle School. Though no specific resolution to the problem was determined at the meeting, BWNA will facilitate discussions with PBOT and neighbors regarding options to address concerns at this intersection.
Due to time constraints at the meeting, a number of B-W traffic safety issues were not discussed, and the ongoing dialog between BWNA and PBOT will include: utilizing the Greenways link for traffic calming on Skidmore and Shaver streets along Wilshire Park; Fremont/33rd corner back-ups and control-logic changes; a 33rd Avenue repaving plan; Slow Streets Program impact; and unmarked intersections. News on traffic safety mitigation decisions and actions affecting Beaumont-Wilshire will be reported in this newsletter and/or posted on the BWNA website blog (www.bwnapdx.org).