PedPDX Special update

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Portland Bureau of Transportation

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PedPDX Special Update

New vision clearance at intersections policy

PedPDX is excited to announce an early implementation from our toolkit

The issue of visibility at intersections is something we heard the need for over and over in our community engagement and we're considering this policy an early implementation of an item in our PedPDX "toolkit". Stay tuned. With your help, we'll be developing more policies, practices, and procedures for our toolkit to help make Portland a great walking city for everyone.


Collins dictionary

"Daylighting approaches" means bringing street intersections into fuller visibility for those who are approaching one -whether they're approaching in a car, as a pedestrian, or by any other mode.


"Setbacks" and "setting back on-street parking" means allowing parking along the curb to begin a little closer in on the block to preserve visibility around corners at intersections with crosswalks.

car

Background

Daylighting approaches to intersections and pedestrian crossings by setting back on-street parking is current best practice in cities across the country. In Oregon, state law allows cities to set their own regulations regarding intersection approaches. In the past, Portland has not required daylighting intersections. That’s about to change.

Setbacks
Illustration of 20' minimum setback on crosswalk approaches and impacted parking spaces

Why the change?

In a word: safety. We’re updating our design guidelines to improve safety for all modes at street intersections and crossings. PBOT has updated our design guidelines to set back on-street parking at uncontrolled approaches (the legs of intersections that do not have stop signs or signals) to marked and unmarked crosswalks on pedestrian priority streets. Pedestrian priority streets include City Walkways, Neighborhood Greenways, federally classified arterial and collector streets in Pedestrian Districts, and the High Crash Network. (City Walkways and Pedestrian Districts can be viewed on this map. Federal street classifications can be viewed on this map.)


Before and after setbacks
A before and after image illustrating parking setbacks from an intersection

Will every intersection change?

No. New vision clearance guidelines will be implemented as new capital projects and PBOT-reviewed private development projects are constructed moving forward. PBOT will also continue to conduct engineering analysis to evaluate intersection visibility in response to public requests through the 823-SAFE hotline.

[Download printable PDF of this information]


What is it like walking in Portland?

Hear from eight Portlanders here. Then join the conversation on social media: What's walking like for you in Portland? @PBOTinfo #PedPDX

PedPDX stories
Thumnail images of the eight different Pedestrian Stories videos

Questions? Contact Francesca at PedPDX@portlandoregon.gov 

Learn more. PedPDX.com 

More about Vision Zero and a map of fatalities and serious injuries here.