Just after 10:00 am this morning someone riding an electric scooter died following a collision with an Amtrak train. According to photos from witnesses at the scene shared with BikePortland, it happened at the sidewalk crossing of the rail tracks where they intersection with SE 11th/SE Milwaukie Avenue.
The deceased person’s body came to rest on the sidewalk located just north of the northernmost track, just beyond the Ford Building parking lot. According to photos that show the e-scooter and other investigative markings, it appears the collision might have originated at the eastern end of the crossing. Also clear in the photos is that the person was riding a Lime e-scooter that’s part of the City of Portland’s shared electric scooter system.
Police haven’t released any further details.
This is the second fatal collision at these tracks this year. Back in June, a man riding a bicycle was attempting to cross SE 8th in the main roadway prior to being struck and killed by a MAX light rail train.
Since August of this year there have been four fatal crashes involving e-scooter riders. On August 17th a man died from his injuries after being involved in a collision with a tractor-trailer operator near NE Martin Luther King Jr Blvd and NE Holladay St. One day later, a man hit a pothole near SE 52nd and SE Mitchell while riding an e-scooter and later died from his injuries. And on October 22nd, a woman riding a Lime e-scooter collided with another vehicle operator at N Vancouver and N Weidler and died in the hospital one week later.
This is the 36th fatal crash on Portland streets so far this year.
Thanks for reading.
BikePortland has served this community with independent community journalism since 2005. We rely on subscriptions from readers like you to survive. Your financial support is vital in keeping this valuable resource alive and well.
Please subscribe today to strengthen and expand our work.
Will this death be the motivation (finally) to build a cycling / ped bridge over these tracks? It is the WEST COAST MAINLINE, and it runs through the heart of a major city.
Build the bike / ped bridge and people will use it.
There is one, about a block to the south.
There are multiple options in the area if one wants to avoid the conflict with trains completely: SE 14th overcrossing, Powell Underpass (generally sketchy), and the Rhine overcrossing. However, any overpass is going to take longer than an Amtrak train, so I doubt that the availability of an overcrossing at 11th/12th would prevent collisions like the one here. The vast majority of e-scooter and bike riders will opt for a clear level crossing, and it only takes a few seconds for one of these Amtrak trains to pass by, as they are generally doing 40+ mph here.
An important reminder that these multi-track crossing can be especially dangerous with a mix of slow freight trains and faster passenger trains. There is a desire to cross just after the freight train passes, but the train may be obscuring another train on the next track over. Wait for the lights to stop before crossing.
There’s a bridge 3 blocks away at SE 14th (and then the other one at Lafayette as well).
https://maps.app.goo.gl/iWf5tWNZiuM6Nw7r9
How many bridges over the tracks would you recommend?
Tragic. Condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.
Should we now declare war on trains?
You just couldn’t resist that last sentence huh Angus?