Al Ellis, president of the Beaumont-Wilshire Neighborhood Association, has long expressed concerns over pedestrian safety along Northeast Fremont Street in Portland.
With issues like low visibility, particularly at night and during rain, combined with speeding vehicles, the area has been deemed unsafe for pedestrians.
Ellis warned, “It’s a fatality waiting to happen.”
However, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) has prioritized other streets that are considered more dangerous, leaving community members to fend for themselves.
In response, Ellis and local residents have implemented a grassroots initiative to enhance safety on Fremont Street.
Using funds and supplies donated by a local hardware store, they installed cans filled with neon orange flags at various crosswalks.
Pedestrians can wave these flags while crossing, with the hope of increasing visibility to passing motorists, although Ellis acknowledges that acceleration continues to be a problem.
The sight of the bright orange flags has proven helpful, according to Ellis, who stated, “You see these canisters with flags — and they’re bright orange flags — and so at least there’s some indication that there’s a crosswalk there, and I think that really helps.”
Research indicates that pedestrian flag programs can moderately encourage drivers to yield, but evidence remains limited and largely anecdotal.
Inspired by successful initiatives from other cities, such as Kirkland, Washington, the Beaumont-Wilshire Neighborhood Association decided to take the reins of this program in Portland.
While Kirkland’s program is city-managed, Portland’s effort relies solely on community engagement.
PBOT Communications Director Hannah Schafer noted that the agency could not fund the BWNA’s flag program.
However, she emphasized the city did not explicitly reject their initiative.
Due to budgetary constraints, PBOT is compelled to focus on areas with higher traffic fatalities, citing that Fremont Street has experienced fewer severe crashes compared to streets like Northeast Marine Drive or Southeast Powell Boulevard.
“Our funding is limited, and we have to prioritize our resources into the highest needs and kind of the biggest spaces,” Schafer explained.
Schafer acknowledged that while the flags can serve as a temporary measure, more substantial safety improvements like streetlights or speed bumps would significantly enhance pedestrian safety.
Both Ellis and Schafer recognize the transitory nature of the flags, which may often go missing and could pose greater risks than more permanent solutions.
Despite their frustrations, Ellis affirmed that the BWNA maintains a collaborative relationship with PBOT.
“We don’t have an adversarial relationship with PBOT,” he said.
“Our understanding of each other’s situations is quite clear.”
Ellis hopes to promote a stronger public messaging campaign encouraging drivers to be more vigilant around pedestrians.
Schafer echoed the need for both drivers and pedestrians to take responsibility for safety, reminding that “Every intersection is a crosswalk according to Oregon law.”
Pedestrians, she noted, must ensure they are visible and that drivers are indeed stopping for them.
image source from：opb
