Police investigating fatal collision at SE 148th and Mill – Updated

The Portland Police Bureau just reported a fatal collision involving a man riding a bicycle and someone driving a car.

The collision occurred at SE 148th and Mill in the Centennial Neighborhood around 9:00 pm tonight (9/30). The intersection is slated for a traffic signal as per plans by the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) to create a neighborhood greenway on SE Mill. Currently it’s slated for completion in 2015.

No additional details are available right now; but the PPB has launched an investigation and I’ll update this post as I learn more. If you saw anything or have information to share, please call the Portland Police non-emergency line at (503) 823-3333.

UPDATE: KATU News has posted a photo from the scene (not graphic).

UPDATE, 11:30 am 10/2: The PPB still hasn’t released many more details. Below is what I have just heard from Traffic Division Capt. David Hendrie:

“We had five major crash team callouts in 48 hours over the weekend so it has been hectic… the rider was riding on the sidewalk and rode in front of the car that was turning left onto Mill. The investigator is still reviewing the evidence from the crash. The driver of the vehicle was not impaired and there is no indication she could have avoided the collision. It will be some time before we know more.”

UPDATE, 1:45 pm, 10/2: I just posted a full update here.


Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Jonathan Maus (Publisher/Editor)

Founder of BikePortland (in 2005). Father of three. North Portlander. Basketball lover. Car owner and driver. If you have questions or feedback about this site or my work, feel free to contact me at @jonathan_maus on Twitter, via email at maus.jonathan@gmail.com, or phone/text at 503-706-8804. Also, if you read and appreciate this site, please become a supporter.

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Spiffy
11 years ago
peejay
peejay
11 years ago

Didn’t the City sign up for Vision Zero at some point? Did they believe they could wish the deaths away? Or are they actually committed to fixing our murderous street system? Sam? SAM?

Spiffy
11 years ago
Reply to  peejay

I thought it was Seattle that was going to try the Vision Zero thing…

Nick Falbo
Nick Falbo
11 years ago

This intersection is along one of the proposed east-west Neighborhood Greenways in east Portland. The project is funded (I think), and slated from completion in 2015 … maybe we can bump that schedule up a couple years?

Here’s a map of the proposed Neighbohood Greenway network of east Portland: http://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/article/337977

Gregg
11 years ago

Great idea Nick!

Joe
Joe
11 years ago

RIP

Alan 1.0
Alan 1.0
11 years ago

Streetviews shows both bike and HOV diamond markings in the bike lane on 148th. What’s up with that? Are motorcycles allowed in that lane?

John Lascurettes
11 years ago
Reply to  Alan 1.0

Diamonds might sometimes be put in bike lanes. The diamond simply means it’s a special use lane and that it is restricted to certain users instead of all users. In the case of a bike lane, bikes only; in the case of a HOV lane, motorcycles, buses and HOV-vehicles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diamond_lane

ScottB
ScottB
11 years ago
Reply to  Alan 1.0

The old standard for bike lanes required a diamond. The new standard prohibits them, but it costs money to remove those old diamonds.

Alan 1.0
Alan 1.0
11 years ago
Reply to  ScottB

Thanks, John and Scott. I don’t recall seeing bike lanes marked by diamonds in WA but maybe I just failed to notice. I’m surprised they have not worn away more than they have in those views; “bike lane” marks painted around my neighborhood are mostly gone after two years or so. I wonder when they were painted?

(Sorry ’bout the broken Streetviews link, it should be http://goo.gl/maps/g03tw.)

CaptainKarma
CaptainKarma
11 years ago

In my experience, bike lanes in outer SE are seen as “passing on the right” lanes of, by, and for motorists. Never see tickets issued.

lyle
lyle
11 years ago

I really feel for anybody that has to rely on biking to get back an forth out in the east part of the city. There are some insanely dangerous drivers out there, aside from the increased prevalence of people who are hateful and overtly violent towards anybody on a bike.

Combine this with having to get around amongst all this after the sun goes down, when visibility is lowered and the chances of DUII goes way up, and you got a bad bad recipe for bike riding.

RIP to whoever this was.

ScottB
ScottB
11 years ago

148th at Mill already has a signal.

ScottB
ScottB
11 years ago
Reply to  ScottB

And I don’t think any plans for the 4M project have been posted yet (Mill – Market – Millmain – Main; 87th to 174th).

rolinon
rolinon
11 years ago

This intersection is within a block of my house. I ride through it every day I go to work. It is way better now than what it used to be since they installed the countdown crosswalk signals a couple of years ago. But still I see people blast through without stopping for a red light – both motor vehicles and bikes. The light used to take forever + (another long time) + (an eon or an era) to change if you were on Mill, but now it works well for both streets. The major problem, from my observation, is speed. 35 mph on 148th and 25 on Mill, neither of which is normally observed and Mill is supposedly a “Bike Route”. There have been a number of accidents at this intersection over the years including multiple fatalities.
I nearly ran over a young kid on a bike at this intersection about two weeks ago as I was taking my dog to the vet in my pickup, when the light turned green I hesitated then started to move forward when this kid, about 8 or 9, flashed into my right periphery vision and across in front of my truck. He was riding on the sidewalk when he crossed in front of me. Luckily my foot was still on the brake and I stopped in the nick of time. It took a moment to process it all before I could go on. I still shudder when I think of it.

My heart goes out to the family of the deceased cyclist.

Kristi Finney-Dunn
Kristi Finney-Dunn
11 years ago

So… no further info on this? I can’t find anything anywhere. I feel for the people involved and am so glad the driver stayed at the scene.

Adams Carroll (News Intern)

Hi Kristi,

The PPB says they’ve been swamped with several major crashes in the past two days. Here’s what I just heard from them:

“We had five major crash team callouts in 48 hours over the weekend so it has been hectic… the rider was riding on the sidewalk and rode in front of the car that was turning left onto Mill. The investigator is still reviewing the evidence from the crash. The driver of the vehicle was not impaired and there is no indication she could have avoided the collision. It will be some time before we know more.”

El Biciclero
El Biciclero
11 years ago

“Swamped” with major crashes. Seems a sad indication of our collective inability to pay attention and cooperate on the roadways. Also of our lack of adequate enforcement resources.

Peter Michaelson
Peter Michaelson
11 years ago

I don’t understand the physical dynamics here? The bike rider was going straight. The auto driver was turning. There was nothing the auto driver could do.

(Other than auto driver looking where he was going?)

Adams Carroll (News Intern)

Just posted a more complete update in a separate post. Read it here.