Pedestrian accidents continue to occur on a regular basis in Portland, leaving the victims involved in these incidents with serious and often life-threatening injuries. In an effort to prevent these accidents and to make the city more walker-friendly, Portland has prioritized a city wide pedestrian plan. In cooperation with city planning officials and law enforcement agencies, the Portland PedPDX program is actively recruiting residents willing to work towards the goal of making our area a safer and more walkable place.
Pedestrian Accidents in Portland
According to the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT), more than 1,000 pedestrian accidents occur annually, a number which has steadily increased over the years. With little to protect them in collisions involving motor vehicles, pedestrian injuries have the potential to be severe.
In Portland alone, an average of 12 people each year are killed as a result of pedestrian accidents, while dozens more suffer serious injuries. While these statistics still make Portland a relatively safe place for walking compared to other major cities, even one pedestrian traffic death is one too many. Through the city’s Vision Zero program, initiated in 2015 by the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT), traffic safety officials hope to eliminate these deaths completely by the year 2025. In prioritizing walking as a healthy, inexpensive, and environmentally friendly form of transportation, the Vision Zero program is taking a multi-pronged approach at addressing the underlying causes of pedestrian accidents and injuries:
- Improving sidewalk infrastructure;
- Increasing the number of crosswalks;
- Regulating traffic speeds ;
- Identifying high crash corridor areas for targeted public education and law enforcement efforts.
Portland PedPDX Program
As part of the effort to decrease the number of pedestrian accidents in Portland, the city is seeking help from the public in making some pertinent changes. Among these is updating the Portland Pedestrian Master Plan, which was originally drafted in 1998.
Over the course of 2018, the city worked on a new citywide pedestrian plan, known as PedPDX. The program is now actively recruiting citizens to provide input concerning what can be done to improve pedestrian safety and accessibility in Portland, along with those willing to share their experiences as pedestrians and any close calls they may have had.
Over the fall of 2018, participants worked to identify strategies, actions, and tools that could be used to improve walking conditions in pertinent areas throughout the city. Currently, they are working to identify performance measures that would indicate how well the new plan is working over a period of time. With input from the public, the group hopes to be able to present a draft of the plan, which would be approved and implemented by the city council in the spring of 2019.
Our Portland Pedestrian Accident Attorneys Are Here to Help
At the Johnston Law Firm, protecting the rights and safety of pedestrians in one of our top priorities. When pedestrian accidents do occur, we provide the trusted legal guidance you need. To find out how we can help you, contact our Portland pedestrian accident attorneys online or call (503) 546-3167 to request a consultation today.
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