Sadly, our region witnessed two pedestrian traffic fatalities over the weekend.
This past weekend, the City of Portland witnessed the latest tragedies in an ongoing epidemic of unacceptable traffic violence on our streets. Yan Huang, 78, was walking across SE Division with her husband on Valentine’s Day when she was struck and killed by an automobile. The next day, a hit-and-run killed another person walking across SE Powell.
These pedestrian fatalities are, respectively, the second and third of the year; there have been six fatalities in East Portland in the past three months. Ten of the last eleven pedestrians struck and killed by automobiles in Portland were walking on streets east of 82nd Avenue, in neighborhoods with disproportionately large low-income communities, elderly communities, youth populations and communities of color.
Oregon Walks is launching a petition encouraging the city of Portland to adopt a policy of “Vision Zero,” which prioritizes building a safe transportation system that strives to eliminate any traffic injuries or fatalities. More information on “Vision Zero” is here:
Pacific Northwest Regional Network 