Teens hit by cars spark renewed cry for safer streets

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — Representatives from Oregon Walks, Oregon and SW Washington Families for Safe Streets, and the Street Trust, along with the Portland Bureau of Transportation, Commissioner Steve Novick and concerned residents gathered Thursday at the North Park Blocks for the Rally to End Unsafe Streets.

The rally focused on a string of recent road fatalities and injuries, along with calling for a renewed focus on developing Portland’s Vision Zero plan, which aims to eliminate road fatalities in the city.

“We want it to stop and we want it to stop now,” said Street Trust Executive Director Rob Sadowsky. “We need everybody’s help.”

Commissioner Novick said the city was already taking aggressive steps to protect pedestrians and bicyclists. Portland is introducing unmanned speed cameras, reducing speed limits, and also looking to alter some four-lane roads to two lanes and a turn lane. Commissioner Novick said all of those techniques protect people.

The city has petitioned the state of Oregon to alter the way the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) looks at proposals to change speed limits. According to Commissioner Novick, right now ODOT does not take the impact on pedestrians and bicyclists into consideration.

“To reach Vision, it has to be long term,” said Oregon Walks Executive Director Noel Mickelberry. “It has to be comprehensive and we have to have everybody on board.”

Drawing focus at the rally was Tuesday morning’s accident in north Portland, where a 15-year-old student was hit by a car while crossing Columbia Boulevard.

“We have to redesign our roads,” Mickelberry said. “Roads like that are not meant for people.”