Many problematic and dangerous intersections exist on E 82nd.As many know, my top priority as Transportation Commissioner is addressing traffic safety in Portland, particularly at high crash corridors and intersections. Often times, there are multiple dangerous intersections on the same street, and this is exactly the case on a popular stretch of asphalt known as 82nd Avenue. Together with E 122nd, and West Burnside, it tops the list of the most dangerous streets in the City.
About 60-70% of our entire City's vehicle-related injuries and fatalities occur on less than 5% of the intersections in the city. A disproportionate share of these intersections lie on E 82nd Avenue. To give you an idea as to the magnitude of the problem on 82nd, in 2005 this stretch of road experienced a combined total of 4,862 crashes for all modes of transportation--including 16 crash fatalities.
One of my responsibilites as Transportation Commissioner is to partner up and collaborate with ODOT (Oregon Department of Transportation) on worthy efforts, even if they are projects that occur on state-owned and run facilities. SE 82nd falls into this category. To ensure the project is as successful as possible in achieving its goals of reducing traffic-related injuries and fatalities, the city has put in over $1 million in safety improvements on that stretch of road. ODOT has put in an additional $2 million, helping us move forward with dozens of safety improvements on the corridor. PDOT might not own every street, but I believe we should still advocate for better safety across the whole transportation system.
Safety improvements along the 82nd Avenue of Roses will be implemented primarily through the use of engineering fixes and increased traffic enforcement. The project also includes a partnership between the 82nd Avenue of Roses Business Association, Portland Office of Neighborhood Involvement (a community based crime prevention outfit), the Portland Police Bureau, TriMet, Portland Development Commission, and the 82nd Avenue of Roses Neighborhood Associations.
But, as we begin to focus on making 82nd Ave. a truly safer street, I want -and need- your input. While PDOT's traffic engineers are incredibly knowledgeable and have huge amounts of crash data that can help us in identifying and adressing the issues at the most problematic intersections, I am a firm believer in the fact that neighbors are the true experts when it comes to neighborhood transportation safety issues.
So please, leave me some feedback.
What are the biggest problems you see on SE 82nd?
Where are the worst intersections?
Do you have any good ideas as to how PDOT should prioritize the funds that we were able to secure for safety improvements on this street?
Feel free to post your thoughts and suggestions below, or email me at commissionersam@ci.portland.or.us [0]. For more information on this project and E 82nd, contact Kirsty Hall at 503-823-6981 or Kirsty.Hall@trans.ci.portland.or.us [1]
To learn more about this and other safety initiatives on 82nd, visit I Share The Road [2].