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 The Oregon Department of Transportation has approved PBOT’s request to lower the speed limit from 35 mph to 25 mph on SW Capitol Highway between Taylors Ferry Road and Garden Home Road. PBOT has observed typical (85th percentile) speeds of 39 mph and has received numerous complaints of speeding on this nearly one-mile stretch of road that passes through a residential neighborhood. A two-car, alcohol-related crash in October 2017 near SW Capitol Highway and Freeman Street sent two people to the hospital – one with life-threatening but ultimately non-fatal injuries. SW Capitol Highway is on PBOT’s High Crash Network – 30 streets where more than half of Portland’s deadly crashes occur.
Speed is a factor in nearly half of deadly crashes that occur in Portland. Lower speeds result in fewer crashes. When crashes occur, lower speeds make it more likely that people will survive. Lowering speed limits is one tool out of many that PBOT uses to reduce crashes and support Vision Zero – the city’s goal to eliminate traffic crashes that result in serious injuries or deaths.
Lowering the speed limit on this part of SW Capitol Highway comes at a good time. We will begin constructing the SW Capitol Highway: Multnomah Village – West Portland project in about a year. This project will transform the street into an inviting place where people can walk, bike and wait for the bus on safe, comfortable, dedicated facilities. Safe travel speeds will be critical both during construction and after completion.
In Portland, changes to most speed limits must be approved by the Oregon Department of Transportation based on a traffic investigation report. Earlier this year, PBOT lowered speed limits on local residential streets to 20 mph using limited authority granted by the State Legislature in 2017.
We anticipate installing signs showing the 25 mph speed limit on SW Capitol Highway in the coming weeks.
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The City of Portland complies with all non‐discrimination, Civil Rights laws including Civil Rights Title VI and ADA Title II. To help ensure equal access to City programs, services and activities, the City of Portland will reasonably modify policies/procedures and provide auxiliary aids/services to persons with disabilities. Call 503-823-5185, TTY 503-823-6868 or Oregon Relay Service: 711 with such requests, or visit http://bit.ly/13EWaCg
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