(Photo: M.Andersen/BikePortland)
A one-day enforcement of traffic laws on Clinton Street Tuesday handed out 35 citations and 25 warnings to people driving and biking on the major neighborhood greenway.
It’s the first time the Portland Police Bureau has engaged in an action described as being related to Vision Zero, the city’s policy that the public bears partial responsibility for every traffic death or serious injury.
Here’s the tally of offenses recorded by police during the two shifts, one in the morning (from 9 a.m. to 10:30 a.m.) and one in the afternoon and evening (from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m.).
26 Fail to Obey Traffic Control Device
17 Equipment Violations
6 Driving Uninsured / Fail to Carry Proof of Insurance
6 Turning and Lane Violations
2 Driving While Suspended
1 Felony Warrant Arrest
1 Hit and Run investigated (west end of mission area – 12th and Main)
1 Speeding
2 No Seatbelt
1 Illegal U-turn
1 No License
A news release from the Portland Bureau of Transportation said that 45 of the stops were of people in cars, and 15 were of people on bikes. It didn’t break down the violations further.
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There was also one citation or warning as part of investigating a hit and run that was reported at 12th and Main, near the west end of the targeted area.
Everyone stopped by police also received a “Vision Zero pamphlets with information about safe travel.”
This is a component of the city’s Clinton Neighborhood Greenway Enhancement Project, which is looking to improve safety and comfort on the important bikeway by adding speed bumps east of Chavez, two experimental traffic diverters west of Chavez and several other measures such as a recently installed set of signs.
“PBOT has also scheduled the installation of two traffic diverters on SE Clinton Street at SE 17th Avenue and 32nd Avenue,” the Portland Bureau of Transportation said in its news release about the enforcement. “Weather permitting, the diverters will be installed during the first week of January 2016.”
— Michael Andersen, (503) 333-7824 – michael@bikeportland.org