Crews recently prepared concrete forms in the center turn lane of SE Division Street at SE 64th Avenue. This work replaces a temporary pedestrian island installed in 2024 at a high-visibility enhanced crosswalk that connects to a Portland Parks & Recreation (PP&R) created paved bike path and pedestrian access way leading to Mt. Tabor Park. Cement masons will next pour concrete to create the raised protective infrastructure and construct a level pedestrian holding area at street level.

Pedestrian Refuge Islands are a nationally recognized tool for transportation engineers looking to assist people crossing a multilane road. It allows a pedestrian or cyclist to focus on one direction of cross traffic at a time and puts a person in a more visible space for drivers who may not notice someone waiting at the far left edge of their field of view. The in-street safety infrastructure also helps slow traffic making turns and causes passing motorists to reduce travel speed as the street narrows. Over the last few years, crews working with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) have installed similar pedestrian islands at many locations on this street and 82nd Avenue.

At the time of the PP&R path opening in April 2024, PBOT installed a temporary pedestrian island at SE 64th Avenue and Division Street, created from plastic delineator wands serving as a visual indicator to motorists of frequent pedestrian activity. Still, it did not provide curb-height infrastructure to further deter vehicles from driving through the space. Funding for this project comes from the Fixing Our Streets program, which allocates funds to replace temporary safety materials with permanent street elements through the Community Street Services category. This is an example of a case where temporary street safety infrastructure serves to prove a concept design and later to secure funds for a more significant investment.

People should anticipate ongoing construction in the area, which may cause brief delays. The pedestrian crosswalk is currently closed during the construction phase. Previous project work in this area reconstructed two curb ramps at the southeast corner of SE 64th Avenue and Division Street to the current Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) standards. The median island work began on July 13th and will continue for another couple of weeks. People using the street should use caution and follow crew instructions.
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