Gettin' a Crosswalk on NE Ainsworth

In case you weren't following the recent thread over on the uM schools forum about the quest for a crosswalk near Faubion Elementary School, it has fascinating tidbits, odd logic (IMHO), & inspiring examples of grassroots activism in action.  All in addition to excellent insight into that school's community for prospective parents.

Tidbit: If you request a crosswalk, it takes 16 weeks for the Portland Department of Transportation (P-DOT) to complete a study. I'm no transportation planner, but that's a lot of studying, or there's a ton of people requesting new crosswalks out there.

Odd logic: PDOT doesn't like to add a new crosswalk where there are no others because the pedestrians using it are more likely to be injured by a car whose driver ignores the crosswalk because it's, you got it, the lone, unexpected crosswalk.  So if you let a moose request one crosswalk...

Inspiring example of grassroots activism: There's partnering galore going on around this crosswalk thanks to uber-KMat, and they just might get this thing.  KMat has been b-u-s-y on this one and is asking readers to jump on the bandwagon and e-mail City Commissioner Sam Adams' office to support this new crosswalk.  Here's how: shoot an e-mail to Adams' staff person Cevero Gonzalez and the PDOT liaison Roland Chlapowski.

So hop on it, mamas.  Let's make Faubion Elementary a safer place for kids and parents to walk to school.  As KMat said, we can't stress enough the power of numbers - that's where YOU come in.  Mamas helping mamas.  Oh yeah.  And even better, a lotta mamas helping mamas. 

And in the always-learning-something-new cateogry, check out the Willamette Pedestrian Coalition.  Thye're sole reason for being is to promote a better pedestrian environment.  More partnering!

Comments

[KMat]

Thanks for putting this out there!

When our family moved here last July, we made the decision to sell our two cars and go back to using public transportation, like DH and I did in our pre-child lives.

It seemed an easy decision--between being in walking distance to a grocery store, the elementary school, the playgroup, several playgrounds and several bus lines, we saw no reason to continue our dependence on a car.

So, at least 2x/day (well, at least M-F), Eli (age 5), Gideon (age 3), and I (8 1/2 months preggo), attempt to cross Ainsworth and 30th.

Now, it's not like crossing a six-lane super highway or something like that, but still...You would think SOMEONE might stop to let a mom take her kids to school. (Shout out to the older guy in the beat-up brown pickup who always stops for us...Thank you!) But for the most part, it's us, standing in the middle of the road, waiting to cross the rest of the street.

Except it's not just us. Concordia University is putting in a new bookstore on this corner. When it's done, approximately 1,600 students will be crossing Ainsworth to buy their textbooks.

There is a new ESL classroom on the corner...at least 2-3x/day, about 30 students are crossing to learn English. (Maybe they should learn, "Hey, slow down!" first.)

There are also several small business (Momizza Pizza, Ainsworth Market, Refried Jeans and a massage parlor), as well as the Ainsworth United Church and Day Center on this corner. All of these places receive a certain amount of foot traffic on a daily basis.

Not to mention all the other pedestrians walking down to Killingsworth or Alberta.

So, I just started firing off emails, seeing what would stick, so to speak. The Concordia Neighborhood Association has been a great asset in getting Concordia U. (and hopefully Ainsworth United) involved in the effort. I was also very impressed by the staff in Sam Adams' office--I got responses to my emails in the same afternoon I sent them out. I guess I kinda expected to get lost in the shuffle.

As Activistas mentioned, Sam's office needs to do a 16 week feasibility study to determine if a crosswalk is needed. This study will conclude around May 16th.

Please, email Sam's office requesting a crosswalk at this intersection. This is one small step we can take towards making NE Portland a more pedestrian-friendly area!

Thanks again for your help and support!

[Tony at Milagros]

Hello Activistas!

This particular issue is near and dear to my heart so here is some info you may want to include in any emails/letters:

1) At the March 11 Board Meeting the Concordia Neighborhood Association formally adopted a resolution supporting the installation of a crosswalk at NE Ainsworth and NE 30th.

2) The logic regarding the non-installation of crosswalks because of potential INCREASE in injury is not well founded for a two lane street like Ainsworth.

On the contrary, information from the City's Zegeer report as well as similar criteria outlined in the Federal Highway Admistration's May 2002 report "Safety Effects of Marked vs. Unmarked Crosswalks at Uncontrolled Locations" (FHWA-RD-01-075) indicate that crosswalk improvements on a two-lane street with Ainsworth's profile will enhance pedestrian visibility to drivers and overall safety.

3) The recent installation of a crosswalk at NE 30th and Killingsworth reflects a very positive experience with how much a simple crosswalk with appropriate singnage can do to greatly enhance pedestrian visibility to drivers.

All the best,

Tony Fuentes, Co-Chair Concordia Neighborhood Association