The Bicycle Business League has issued a letter of support to the Portland Police Bureau. The entire letter has been published below:
To the Portland Police Bureau, Portland Public, and Portland press,
The Bicycle Business League would like to thank the Portland Police Bureau for undertaking innovative pedestrian safety measures in Portland’s Entertainment District.
Portland’s Entertainment district is a bustling nightlife scene in the Old Town/Chinatown Neighborhood. The success of this nightlife district has occurred rapidly and draws patrons from all over the Portland region and the Northwest. The customers of these clubs, restaurants, and bars enliven the sidewalks every weekend night. Unfortunately, many automobiles cruise this district, often at high speeds and often unaware of crosswalks. Customers of this district walking to and from clubs are often put in extreme danger by reckless vehicle cruising in the Entertainment District.
The Portland Police Bureau has recently implemented innovative measures to decrease vehicular cruising in the Entertainment District by closing Couch Street from 3rd Avenue to 4th Avenue to private vehicles. This is a intelligent approach to resolving aggressive cruising in a business district that relies on people actively walking from venue to venue. This approach also focuses on private vehicle cruising, while allowing professional vehicle drivers to safely deliver customers throughout the Entertainment District.
The Bicycle Business League would like to express appreciation to the Portland Police Bureau for implementing innovative pedestrian safety methods in the Entertainment District. As holiday parties and patrons arrive, we would like to thank Sgt. Pete Simpson and Com. Mike Reese for helping to create a safer experience for the thousands of weekly customers of Portland’s Entrainment District.
The Bicycle Business League advocates for safe, active transportation and commerce.