Tag: 82nd Ave

Community, Infrastructure

Lighting Montavilla Park for Safety and Flair

In January, the Public Environment Management Office (PEMO) installed decorative lighting around the Montavilla Park and Community Center at 8219 NE Glisan Street. This work is an extension of the lighting project led by PEMO that illuminated trees on NE Glisan Street and the Jade District last year. The ongoing project intends to improve pedestrian lighting on sidewalks, storefronts, and other public spaces across the city.

Portland lacks sufficient pedestrian-scale lighting across the city, particularly east of the Central City. Most lights along streets focus illumination on the road surface, aiding drivers and leaving pedestrians in the shadows. Street trees that block the sun on summer days can also block city lights at night. The cost to install lamp posts designed for sidewalks everywhere they are needed would exceed the Portland Bureau of Transportation’s entire annual budget. Lights from local businesses help brighten the pedestrian realm, but stores tend to sit back from the street the further east one travels in the city.

Mayor Wheeler established PEMO through an emergency declaration in May 2022 to address cleaning needs and activating public spaces around Portland. Identifying the lack of light as an inhibitor to Portlanders’ willingness to walk the streets at night, the PEMO staff launched the decorative lighting effort ahead of the 2022 holiday season. “This lighting helps boost not only safety but also adds a welcomeness and artistic flair to the surrounding area,” explained John Roble with the Mayor’s Office. In 2023, the program gained a dedicated staff person and added tree lights to NE Glisan Street and the Jade District in Montavilla.

Recently, PEMO expanded its lighting initiatives to St. Johns and Gateway. Additionally, crews have illuminated pedestrian decorative lighting at Dawson Park, Holladay Park, Dishman Community Center, and now Montavilla Park & Community Center. PEMO selected sites through the Problem Solver Network, which works with local business districts, neighborhood associations, and other stakeholders. Montavilla Park is dark at night, and the lack of consistent lighting can make it uninviting. Working with Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) Urban Forestry, PEMO chose to install holiday-style lights around park trees and hang LED Fireworks lamps from the branches. Installers clustered the outdoor lights around the Community Center building and playground.

PEMO’s decorative lighting is an ongoing program that includes funds for installation and ongoing maintenance. Installing this type of lighting is less expensive than permeant lamp post construction and can occur quickly in response to a community’s needs. The lights are on now and visible to everyone passing NE 82nd Avenue and NE Glisan Street. The subtle flicker of the spherical Fireworks lights is best when experienced at night, but people can also appreciate the new decorations in the daytime.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Disclosure: The author of this article is part of the Problem Solver Network and participated in tree lighting efforts on NE Glisan

Construction, Infrastructure

Lane Closures on SE 82nd and Ash

Crews working for NW Natural Gas closed SE Ash Street at 82nd Avenue this week as they service underground utilities. During this project, traffic cones and flaggers also reduced travel lanes on SE 82nd Avenue as crews operated in the active roadway. The open-trench work comes ahead of more substantial improvements to the protected pedestrian crossing at this intersection.

The 82nd Avenue crossing at SE Ash Street currently has a single pedestrian refuge island at the south crossing. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will replace that older infrastructure with a larger raised median that contains space for street trees or other plantings. This mid-street structure will have cutouts for at-grade pedestrian crossings from both corners of SE Ash Street, but it will prevent automotive through traffic and left turns.

PBOT provided design document

Because this project will impact future underground access and require reconstruction of the sidewalk corners, all subterranean service work needs to occur before paving crews complete the above-ground work. Expect continued construction in this area as various crews come through this intersection to work on their part of the larger project.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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Construction, Infrastructure

SE Alder Segment Repaved

Road crews repaved 107 feet of SE Alder Street east of SE 82nd Avenue this week, addressing severe pothole issues. Southbound drivers often use this street to turn left and then circle around to SE Washington Street as traffic separators prohibit left turns onto Washington from 82nd Avenue. This low-cost repair improves drivability on SE Alder but does not address sidewalk and pavement deficiencies on this road.

With the exception of one property’s frontage, SE Alder Street, between 82nd and 84th Avenues, has no curbs or sidewalks. It also features gravel parking lanes in some areas. This street’s pavement is in poor condition between the patched area and SE 86th Avenue, with asphalt only placed at the center of the road’s surface. Gravel fills the remaining distance to the curb, where one exists.

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) identified this 36-foot-wide segment of SE Alder Street for repair due to its heavy use and deteriorating condition. In addition to commuters and residents using this street, two used car lots have driveway access from the under-improved road. “SE Alder Street between 82nd and 83rd avenues is an area where we have seen repeated potholes, so we are fixing it with a larger, more durable repair. This will include some replacement of the pavement surface. It will also include some work to repair or replace the base layer underneath the pavement surface, as needed, to make the new surface more durable,” explained PBOT representative Dylan Rivera.

PBOT crews used 100 tons of new asphalt in this project, focusing on the most damaged area and keeping the total cost under $20,000. Rebuilding the road would have cost substantially more. “Adding curbs or sidewalks would require significant planning, engineering design, and construction cost. A capital project like that is orders of magnitude more expensive, often costing millions of dollars for projects that cover multiple blocks at a time,” remarked Rivera. Funding for that scale of work needs to come from new sources, as PBOT has a maintenance backlog that would cost billions to complete.

On this year’s ballot, voters will have the choice to renew a third round of the Fixing Our Streets Program, extending the city’s 10-cent gas tax for another four years. Since 2016, this program has generated funding for basic transportation safety and maintenance services that improved streets and sidewalks across the city. Montavilla has seen recent benefits from the 70s Neighborhood Greenway capital improvement project, which is currently wrapping up construction. PBOT is facing a $32 million budget shortfall this year. If not addressed by the City Council before the fiscal year starts July 1st, bureau administrators will need to cut some maintenance and capital projects.

Drivers can already make use of the newly repaired pavement. PBOT has plans to repave more of SE Alder Street, but that work is for one block west of SE 82nd Avenue, and they have not determined a start date for that project. More improvements to this area could come via funding for the Building a Better 82nd initiative that will address safety and maintenance concerns along Portland’s seven-mile stretch of the road.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Disclosure: The author of this article serves on the Building a Better 82nd Community Advisory Group

Montavilla News does not endorse candidates or ballot measures.

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay for a full year directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Food and Drink

Mia And More on 82nd Becomes Mia 102

On Friday, December 15th, Mía and More will celebrate their first year in Portland with a one-day discount and a new name. Over the next few months, the location at 326 SE 82nd Avenue will transition to Mía 102. This change allows the owner to expand operations beyond the limits of the franchise structure to meet customer demand for a more diverse menu selection.

One year ago, Mía and More opened along SE 82nd Avenue across from Hong Phat Food Center. The shop’s menu features fresh-pressed sugarcane juice, milk tea, fruit smoothies, and Vietnamese street food. Owner Michelle Tran explained that over the last 12 months, they have received requests to expand their offerings. “So far, we can only sell what is on Mía and More’s original menu and can’t add anything else. We’ve been wanting to offer more tasty drinks and food that are more suitable for our local customers.”

The transition from a franchise location required a new name, and Tran wanted a clever way to signal their difference. “102, when sounded out in Vietnamese (Một không hai), means unique,” said Tran. Mía is Vietnamese for sugarcane, so Mía 102 expresses that this is a one-of-a-kind sugarcane juice destination. The Mía 102 Team invites everyone to stop in Friday, December 15th, from 10:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. for a 20% discount on all in-store orders.

Article and Photo by

Jacob Loeb

Community, Government, Infrastructure

County to Vote on SE 82nd Ave Shelter

On December 7th, the Multnomah County Board of County Commissioners will hear from Joint Office of Homeless Services (JOHS) staff regarding the alternative shelter planned for 333 SE 82nd Avenue. The presenters are seeking approval to begin building a 29-Pod micro-home facility to shelter up to 40 people experiencing houselessness. Individuals can provide testimony about the project in person, virtually, and in writing before County Commissioners vote. People interested in sharing their perspectives must register by 4 p.m. on Wednesday the 6th.

Montavilla News first reported on Multnomah County’s shelter plans for the former RV sales lot in December 2022. Within the following year, JOHS and the site’s services provider, Straightway Services, adjusted the shelter’s format from a vehicle-based housing arrangement to now include Pallet shelters and onsite parking. Titled Montavilla Community Village, the site will use 29 micro-home buildings with eight units configured with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) access. The site’s Kitchen, laundry, offices, and hygiene facilities will reside within six 8-by-20-foot shipping-container-style buildings. All of those structures will be ADA accessible, with the majority of them placed along SE 82nd Avenue, creating a safety buffer for residents.

Site rendering courtesy Multnomah County

County contractors will install privacy slats in the existing 6-foot-high chainlink fence around the site and build a new 8-foot tall wood fence on the western edge of the property between the other residences on the block. The site will feature two covered outdoor seating areas and a green space for pet relief. The existing auto-sales-office structure on the property is in poor condition, and demolition crews will remove it ahead of site redevelopment.

Site plan courtesy Multnomah County

The JOHS proposal includes several community engagement recommendations, including forming a Good Neighbor Agreement with community stakeholders and hosting a public meeting. It also encourages the JOHS to assign a staff person to be the face of community engagement. It recommends many ways for project planners to become more communicative and transparent in the development process through mailings and website communications. County staff need $2,273,611 to redevelop this site as a Community Village shelter and will seek authorization for those funds at this meeting.

The Multnomah County Board of County Commissioners meets at 9:30 a.m. this Thursday and will hear this agenda item after general community comments. Board meetings occur in the Multnomah Building at 501 SE Hawthorne Boulevard in Boardroom 100. People who register for virtual testimony will receive a link or phone number to participate remotely. Anyone interested in watching can view the live stream via the MultCoBoard YouTube channel.

Update December 5th, 5 p.m.: Multnomah County Commissioner for District 3, Julia Brim-Edwards, submitted questions to the JOHS in regards to the presentation materials and posted those questions online for public review.

Update December 6th, 1 p.m.: When filling out comment requests, participants need to indicate they want to speak about Agenda Item R.1

Update December 6th, 7 p.m.: The JOHS asked to postpone this agenda item to anther date after more community engagement.

Update December 7th, 10 a.m.: The Multnomah County Board of County Commissioners unanimously voted to postpone the two agenda items related to this project. Chair Jessica Vega Pederson said “The Joint Office (JOHS) has asked to postpone the item on the Montavilla Community Village shelter to allow the current work around community engagement to continue to move forward and take shape. So this request impacts both R1 and R2 on today’s agenda. While this may affect the overall timeline of the project, the commitment to this much needed shelter space is going to continue and I really appreciate the additional time for needed community engagement. The shelter also remains an essential part of the work, serving vulnerable residents in Montavilla and Southeast Portland, so this item will return to the agenda for a vote at a later date before moving forward. I support the request and I ask for a motion for an indefinite postponement.”

County Commissioners Julia Brim-Edwards and Sharon Meieran provided additional comment endorsing the delay to allow for more community engagement. Commissioner Meieran referenced many frustrations with the JOHS communications around this project and looked forward to correcting that ahead of a future vote on the project.

Article and photo by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account or you can pay directly online. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Construction, Infrastructure

Reconstruction of SE 82nd and Ash

On November 13th, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) began constructing six enhanced pedestrian crossings along 82nd Avenue. During this work, crews will reconstruct the intersection at SE 82nd Avenue and Ash Street with a traffic-diverting raised median and pedestrian crossing signal lights. This Montavilla-based portion of the project will also improve stormwater management and add additional street lighting.

Demolition crews will remove an existing pedestrian refuge island installed on this intersection’s south crossing seven years ago. A 250-foot raised median along SE 82nd Avenue will replace it, creating a safe midway space for pedestrians using the north and south crosswalks. The center median will prohibit vehicles from turning left at the intersection and prevent through traffic on SE Ash Street. PBOT will install a signal mast on the southwest corner to hang Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) over the southern crosswalk.

Existing pedestrian refuge island (photo by Jacob Loeb)

Intersection design documents show space for five median-planted street trees or other foliage and space for additional street lights. Several high-capacity curb inlet storm drains will accompany new in-street catch basins, mitigating the flooding problems that often occur in the roadway. This work has several minor expansions of the public Right of Way into the adjacent properties, allowing sufficient pedestrian space at the reconstructed sidewalk corners, each featuring new Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliant curb ramps. The north and south crossings will receive high-visibility crosswalk markings, calling driver attention to the higher likelihood of pedestrian use.

PBOT provided design document

Business access will remain mostly unchanged except when traveling on SE Ash Street. However, crossing five lanes of traffic on Ash often required long waits or risky maneuvers. PBOT will remove around two parking spaces SE Ash at the northeast and southwest corners. This curbside parking reduction provides additional space for vehicles turning into and off SE Ash while improving visibility.

As part of this 18-month-long project, PBOT is also updating crosswalks on 82nd Avenue at NE Beech, NE Klickitat, NE Schuyler, SE Clinton, and SE Schiller streets. Many of these pedestrian safety enhancements are part of the 82nd Avenue Critical Fixes funded during the jurisdictional transfer of 82nd Avenue from the Oregon Department of Transportation to PBOT. Work on these intersections will occur at different times over several months. TriMet 72 bus line riders should check for service alerts as construction will temporarily affect some stops. Drivers should anticipate lane closures while crews work in the roadway or along the edge of the street.

By

Jacob Loeb

Main article image courtesy PBOT

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Community, Infrastructure

PBOT Seeks Public Input on Two NE 82nd Ave Intersection Projects

The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is planning updates to 82nd Avenue crossings at NE Glisan and Davis Streets that will include some turn control through raised medians. Other enhancements include traffic signal reconstruction, sidewalk corner reconstruction, and an expanded tree canopy through street trees planted in the median. People have until the end of November to complete a NE 82nd Avenue improvement survey. The Montavilla community will also have the option of attending a public meeting on November 6th to hear about this project from PBOT officials.

In 2022, State and City leaders agreed to transfer ownership of Portland’s section of 82nd Avenue from the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) to PBOT. A key requirement of that exchange was a $150 million commitment from the State of Oregon and a $35 million commitment from the City of Portland towards deferred maintenance and critical safety improvements along the seven-mile stretch. Those resources will fund these two proposed projects, protecting a crucial school crossing at NE Davis Street and a deadly intersection at NE 82nd Avenue and Glisan Street.

Images from PBOT survey

PBOT’s plans for the NE Glisan crossing feature a raised median running south from the middle of Montavilla Park’s parking lot to the intersection. Southbound drivers turning left from NE 82nd Avenue onto eastbound NE Glisan Street have a curbed center turn lane. That design keeps left turn access for southbound traffic but reduces conflict from northbound drivers trying to make a left turn into a business. Vehicles wanting to turn left into the Jacksons Food Store and gas station can still use the northmost curb cut. South of the intersection, a similar design allows for northbound drivers to turn left from NE 82nd Avenue onto westbound NE Glisan Street. A raised median extends south until midway past the Wendy’s Restaurant property. This lane separator will prevent left turns into Burgerville, Sweet Dream Spa, and Vu Han – State Farm Insurance. Washman Car Wash will retain its left turn access through a break in the left turn lane curb at its recently consolidated 82nd Avenue entrance. PBOT would create space for median-planted trees or other vegetation as part of this work.

PBOT proposes two options for the T-intersection of NE Davis Street and 82nd Avenue. Option A features a continuous raised median with cutouts for two high-visibility crosswalks predominately used by families going to Vestal School. This version would add space for more median-planted street trees or other vegetation and prevent all left turns at the intersection. Option B offers a similar median south of the crossing but with a curbed center turn lane for southbound drivers turning left from NE 82nd Avenue onto NE Davis Street. Cars driving west on NE Davis Street would retain the signalized left turn option. This design has less space than the other option for median plantings. Option A would restrict some access for The Yard at Montavilla food cart pod and area residents. That restriction would make a safer crossing point and reduce neighborhood cut-through traffic. It would also require southbound 82nd Avenue drivers trying to access NE 83rd Avenue to use NE Glisan or E Burnside Streets.

Images from PBOT survey

PBOT is asking for public input as they try to strike a balance between vehicle access and reducing severe crashes. For decades, traffic analysis has shown that over half of all crossing-path crashes occur during left turns. When your only goal is safety, that is a large percentage of crashes prevented by eliminating left turns. However, businesses can suffer a drop in customers when medians reduce convenient vehicle access. Some establishments on SE Division Street reported a significant decrease in visitors when PBOT completed a center median project on that street. The survey and community meeting are the transportation bureau’s effort to better respond to community interests and find a compromised solution that increases safety but retains critical access.

PBOT staff will attend the joint Montavilla Neighborhood Association and Montavilla/East Tabor Business Association’s Land Use and Transportation meeting on November 6th. This event is held next to the Gigantic Brewing Robot Room inside the Rocket Empire Machine building at 6935 NE Glisan Street. People wanting to attend the 7 p.m. presentation should take the survey after the meeting to have their questions answered before providing comments. Otherwise, anyone can complete the online questionnaire by the November 30th deadline.

Update: This article previously reported the number of median plantings based on survey illustrations. The displayed green dots are not representative of specific planting areas. PBOT is early in the design process and unable to quantify the number of trees or other vegetation associated with each design.

Disclosure: The author of this article serves on the 82nd Avenue Business Association Board, Montavilla/East Tabor Business Association Board, Montavilla Neighborhood Association Board, and the Building a Better 82nd Community Advisory Group.

By

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Crime

Fatal Crash on 82nd at E Burnside

On October 21st, Portland’s 53rd traffic-related fatality of this year occurred at E Burnside Street at NE 82nd Avenue. At 11:37 p.m., a minivan traveling north on SE 82nd Avenue left the roadway, killing a pedestrian and colliding with traffic signal equipment. The vehicle suffered heavy damage after striking a utility pole, and an AMR ambulance transported the driver to an area hospital with life-threatening injuries. Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) crews working to restore signal function to the intersection have reduced through traffic to a single lane in each direction.

PBOT crews replacing signal control box to the right, dents on pole seen at the left

The northbound minivan traveling on SE 82nd Avenue crossed over the center turn lane and two opposing traffic lanes, colliding with a traffic light control cabinet and a heavy steel signal pole on the southwest corner, spinning around and shearing off a metal signpost. The Portland Police Traffic Division’s Major Crash Team has not yet indicated where the pedestrian was located when struck by the vehicle. The complete destruction of the signal cabinet and denting of the pole suggests the minivan was likely traveling at speeds above the posted limit of 30 miles per hour.

Traffic sign seen bent and sheared-off

Pedestrian death along 82nd Avenue has become increasingly common in Montavilla. A man in a wheelchair died following a hit-and-run crash in April at NE 82nd Avenue and NE Glisan Street. PBOT is currently working on safety improvements to 82nd Avenue, and they will be installing speed safety cameras at this intersection next year.

Article and phots by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

History, Property Sale

Historic Drive-in Lot for Sale

The owners of a used auto sales lot along SE 82nd Avenue listed the property for sale. Although unrecognizable from its original use, the site once housed a renowned restaurant that played a role in Portland’s hot-rod culture. In the 1950s, the 30,980 Square foot parcel was home to Rutherford’s Triple XXX Drive-In, serving as a frequent destination for families and car enthusiasts.

Charlie Rutherford operated the two Portland-based Triple XXX Drive-In locations situated relatively close to one another. The Montavilla drive-in sat on the corner lot at 1164 SE 82nd Avenue, and the other location at 6120 NE Sandy Boulevard occupies an entire triangle-shaped block. That building still hosts a restaurant but reflects the indoor seating design added to the Triple XXX eateries in the late 1950s.

The Rutherfords Triple XXX Drive-In chain began in Renton, Washington. It opened in 1930 and was the first drive-in restaurant in the Pacific Northwest. Archie H. Rutherford started the business with his sons Joel and Jerry. The family grew the drive-in chain serving burgers and Triple XXX Root Beer to many locations nationwide, including Portland. Two unaffiliated restaurants are in operation today. One is in Issaquah, Washington, and the other is in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Albert Drake captured the importance of these drive-ins to Portland’s hot-rod culture in his Fifties Flashback: A Nostalgia Trip! collection of articles:

“…Most Saturday nights were balmy, at least in the tricky circuitry of memory, and after we’d finished, I started the engine, turned on the lights, and waited for the carhop. Then I pulled out slowly, being cool, hoping the clutch wouldn’t chatter, rapping the pipes as we headed down the road. Many nights, we made the rounds of other drive-ins. On 82nd, I could hit Merhar’s, where many of the cycle guys hung out, then cruise through Rutherford’s Triple XXX and back through Flanagan’s again, just in case someone hadn’t seen me. On Sandy, there was Jim Dandy’s, a real hot-rod hangout, another Rutherford’s Triple XXX, then Yaw’s, a place where the rich kids from Grant hung out, then on up to the Tik-Tok, a favorite gathering place for rodders since the ‘Thirties.”

Nothing remains of the Triple XXX Drive-In on the SE Taylor Court and 82nd Avenue property. Past owners transformed the 3,678-square-foot structure into a traditional office building, and future owners may redevelop the land for a new use altogether. However, the site’s history built the car culture that took over the country, and its next use can indicate the further trend for American cities.

Update November 30th, 2023: According to the Seattle Times, the Issaquah Triple XXX Rootbeer Drive-in closed permanently on November 29th, leaving only one remaining location in West Lafayette, Indiana.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Help keep independent news accessible to the community. Montavilla News has a Patreon account. We invite those who can contribute to this local news source to consider becoming paid subscribers or sponsors. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.

Community, Construction, Crime, Infrastructure

Traffic Citation Cameras Coming to Montavilla

On October 5th, the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) announced plans to install at least eight additional traffic cameras by the end of 2023. Program planners expect to add up to 12 more cameras next year that are currently in the design phase. Three of those possible 2024 additions are located in Montavilla along 82nd Avenue.

PBOT already has 20 cameras in Portland issuing citations or warnings in an effort to curb high traffic injuries and reckless vehicle operation. Contractors are mounting speed safety cameras to poles, targeting motorists traveling in a specific direction. These types of systems encourage safe driving, similar to the speed warning signs installed in the area at the beginning of the year, but with a hefty fine sent to those who do not adjust their behavior. These crews will also install intersection safety cameras to enforce both speed limits and red-light compliance. Those are the types of citation infrastructure planned for Montavilla.

Next year, road users could see new cameras watching two intersections in the neighborhood. Plans are underway to monitor southbound traffic at E Burnside Street and SE 82nd Avenue for vehicles running red lights and speeding. PBOT plans to install similar devices at NE Glisan Street and 82nd Avenue. Those would focus on traffic traveling northbound and westbound. PBOT intends to add several more camera locations north of Montavilla along 82nd Avenue and east on SE Stark Street. A complete list of cameras is available on the city’s Vision-Zero website with other project details.

Illustration courtesy PBOT

This expanded program is part of PBOT’s commitment to using the various tools available to reduce traffic fatalities. Although fines generate revenue, PBOT explained that Oregon law directs about 70% of the net income from automated citations to the State, funding the Criminal Fine Account. The speed camera enforcement program has not generated revenue for PBOT since it began seven years ago. Portland retained fines currently paid for installing and operating the cameras. The city is required to spend any future earnings from this automated citation system on traffic safety programs or improvements and will not help with PBOT’s $32 million budget shortfall.

Camera citations are not the only solution needed for safer streets. However, a majority of surveyed Portland residents support the expanded use of traffic cameras. Not only can they incentivize better driving in certain areas, but they can also reduce the need for traffic stops by the Police, which can be dangerous for both the officer and driver. Expect to see this program expand over the next few years and look for signage ahead of all speed safety cameras. At first, drivers will receive warnings from the new cameras, but soon after, the Portland Police Bureau will issue citations from $170 to $440 for speeding and a $265 fine when running a red light.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

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