Woman riding bike struck by MAX train in Gresham

Gah! Poor girl! Glad she’s OK for the most part and nothing life-threatening. Hope she gets back in the saddle soon and doesn’t let this get her down.

“split station” In the picture, I don’t see crossing arms that would come down over 181st to block road traffic from proceeding across the tracks when trains approach the station. What signaling is there to halt traffic? If whatever signaling is there was working properly, what accounts for this collision?

wsbob – There are no guards at these intersections. SE 181st is five lanes and a pretty busy street, I used to go through this intersection quite often.

If the signals were working correctly, the woman on the bike would have been crossing against the light… cross traffic on Burnside would have a green light, and the crosswalk would have a stop signal.

Luckily for her, the eastbound train would have been slowing down to enter the station on the opposite side of 181st. I hope she has a speedy recovery and the train driver (whose view would have been blocked by the westbound train) is OK and back to work soon.

This intersection is one I have ridden through hundreds of times on my commute. The traffic signals control the traffic flow to coordinate with MAX trains. Similar to downtown. I doubt the woman had a “green” if two trains were coming. So sad to hear of the collision and I hope the lady is OK.

The signals in that intersection feature regular automotive signals (green/yellow/red) and pedestrian (walk/don’t walk) signals. Additionally, a flashing indicator icon of a train flashes whenever a train is approaching the intersection from either direction.

Pedestrians (and cyclists using the crosswalk) should honor the pedestrian signals even when in the median platform area.

Looking at a Google Street View photo (which may be out of date), it seems that one element missing here which is present at newer max stations is a large “Look both Ways” sign in the trackway.

Sounds to me like she ran a red light.

Please tell me we’re not gonna crucify Tri-met for this one?

Hope she is okay.

Look BOTH ways around tracks.

Trains stop on either side of that Intersection means that the train had to have been stopped shortly before entering, lower speeds means she is dang lucky.

First, this accident happened in Gresham, not East Portland. Second, very few MAX crossings along the blue line to Gresham have crossing arms. Most just have ordinary traffic signals.

Let’s also remember that there is a LOUD Max train signal, that goes clang clang clang when trains are MOVING. I guess it’s always better to be alive wrong, than dead right. Best wishes to her.

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People who are giving this woman grief,

Let the person without sin cast the first stone.

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Hello everyone. I noticed there are a lot of people here with many options about what happened to cause this accident. Maybe I can help answer some questions. I was the cyclist that was hit that day. There was no arm that goes down on the crossing. I was not drinking. I was not attempting to beat the oncoming train. Yes there is a loud signal, which was already sounding due to the train I had just gotten off of. This was a simple accident caused by a blind spot where one train was block while rounding the corner at just the wrong moment when the train going the opposite direction prevented me from seeing it. I was in a coma for 6 days. In the hospital and rehab for almost a year. Broke 4 ribs, 6 vertebrae and have had 2 knee surgeries since. I am doing well, although still in rehab for the spinal injury. But I was lucky to be able to walk after the extent of injury to my spine. I hope this clears up any confusion.