By Sarah Taylor, Lna Chair
One of the priorities Linnton neighbors identified as part of our vision exercise this summer, was to advocate for safer pedestrian crossings and bike lanes in Linnton. At our November 1 neighborhood meeting we will dig into this issue to hear your ideas about what you would be willing to fight for to make St. Helens Rd. safer for pedestrians
and bicyclists.
There have been numerous wins the Linnton Neighborhood Association has organized and secured over the past 25 years that have contributed to traffic calming and pedestrian safety. While the needs are great to do more, they are evidence that change is possible.
Most recently, in 2017, we succeeded in convincing PBOT to limit access to one-way at Harbor Blvd. at Germantown Rd. to discourage rush hour cut-through traffic on the windy and narrow Glen Harbor hill roadway.
It was also the Linnton Neighborhood Association that raised the funds to install speed bumps on Germantown Rd. This was probably a 15+ year campaign.
The median street trees and Trimet bus shelters along St. Helens Rd. were also the result of neighborhood association leaders securing a Federal Department of Transportation grant for their installation.
We can thank a neighborhood artist for the “Linnton” signage and sidewalk benches along our business district. Other neighbors organized to get permits to install the garbage cans and secure regular City funded trash pickup service.
Many will point to the tragic death of Ryan Calvert, an eigth-grade middle school student who was killed on November 29, 2001, as he crossed the highway after getting off his school bus, as the impetus for many of these changes.
His death ultimately led ODOT to follow through on numerous recommendations adopted in a report neighborhood association leaders had advocated for in the 1990’s. These included lowering the speed limit from 45 to 35 through the business district. New streetlights and pedestrian controls were subsequently installed at NW 107th Ave.
What’s our next priority?
Join us at our November 1st meeting to consider what our next priorities are. Is it to advocate for new streetlights and pedestrian crossings at Saltzman Dr.? Hoge? NW 112th? Springville Rd. on Bridge Ave.?
An active Transportation Committee effort in 2017 proposed to work with Parks and Recreation to create new signage raising awareness of the numerous Forest Park trail entry points as a traffic calming measure.
They also gathered data on drivers’ speed patterns through the business district, researched options for Safe Routes to Schools for Skyline School and pushed for a Transportation Demand Management (TDM) study examining commuter traffic patterns over the West Hills.
Change only happens if people step forward to research, organize and advocate for the goals they seek.
If you have ideas or want to help on transportation issues – contact Sarah Taylor, at sarahsojourner@mac.com.