[Photo: Allan Classen]

Last Wednesday (5/10) City Commissioner Sam Adams held a special meeting in Northwest Portland to discuss pedestrian safety issues in Northwest Portland. Citizen transportation advocate Aaron Tarfman attended and had these thoughts:

“Sam Adams was there along with several top officials at PDOT, the local neighborhood association and the business association. My reason for attending was that I assumed this would be the same tired rhetoric about businesses clamoring for more parking while residents clamor for more safety. I therefore wanted to add my voice to that of reason. I was pleasantly surprised to hear everyone speaking the same language. PDOT is working hard to put what little money they have to protect pedestrians, Sam mentioned both ped safety and bike safety, the neighborhoods talked of pedestrian visibility, and businesses DIDN’T mention parking needs.

In many ways I found this to be a positive meeting. All parties showed a willingness to support and take initiative in keeping pedestrians safe.”

With one recent fatality on NW 23rd Street and the recent outcry over re-paving of streets near Pacific NW College of Art, pedestrian safety is a hot topic in Northwest Portland.