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News media contact:
Dylan Rivera
Portland Bureau of Transportation
503-577-7534
dylan.rivera@portlandoregon.gov
@pbotinfo

Clarification: The city limits on NE Marine Drive is located at NE 185th Drive. A headline on an earlier version of this advisory listed the wrong cross street. 

News Release:

PBOT to reduce speed limit on NE Marine Drive high crash corridor, between NE 33rd Drive and the city limits at NE 185^th Drive

Westbound safety cameras near NE 138^th Avenue to issue warnings for two weeks

(May 29, 2019) -- The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) will reduce the speed limit on an 8.5-mile stretch of Northeast Marine Drive, between NE 33^rd Drive to NE 185^th Drive, at the city limits, starting Thursday morning, May 30, from 45 mph to 40 mph.

PBOT won state approval for the change, as part of the City's Vision Zero effort to eliminate traffic fatalities and serious injuries, on May 15.

There were 189 total crashes, including 4 fatalities and 144 injuries, on this segment of Marine Drive, where the speed limit will be reduced, from 2012 to 2016, the most recent five-year period for which data are available. Since January 2017, six more fatalities have occurred along this segment. The Speed Safety Camera on westbound NE Marine Drive, which was installed in February 2018, will issue warnings starting Thursday morning for two weeks. Citations will resume June 13. The goal of the Speed Safety Camera program is to reduce speeding and save lives. Marine Drive is one of 30 streets that comprise Portland's High Crash Network. The roads in this network make up just 8 percent of Portland streets, but account for 57 percent of fatal crashes citywide. The fixed speed safety cameras are located in two locations on the corridor – westbound near NE 138th Avenue and eastbound near NE 33rd Avenue. The speed limit is not changing near the NE 33rd Avenue cameras, so enforcement there will not be affected. The change east of NE 33rd Drive comes after PBOT reduced the speed limit west of NE 33rd Drive in September 2018 from 40 mph to 35 mph.

In addition to the new speed limit, PBOT is delivering a variety of safety projects on Marine Drive including several in East Portland. Slated for construction starting summer 2019 on Marine Drive:

• New traffic signal at NE 122^nd
• Gaps filled in multiuse path (NE 112th to NE 185th)
• Rapid flashing beacons (NE 112th and NE 138th)
• Buffered bike lanes (NE 112th to NE 122nd)

Shoulder and centerline rumble strips (NE 33rd to NE 185th) are also planned. On Marine Drive, 19 percent of crashes are lane departure crashes where a person drives out of their travel lane. On average, centerline rumble strips reduce all crash types by 9 percent and head-on or sideswipe crashes (which are often serious) by 44 percent. On average, shoulder rumble strips reduce crashes by 36 percent.

The City of Portland has joined cities around the country in embracing Vision Zero – the notion that the death of even one person on our roads is one too many. Vision Zero prevents traffic deaths through smart policy and system design. Learn more about Vision Zero and Speed Safety Cameras by visiting www.visionzeroportland.com.

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The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) is the steward of the City’s transportation system, and a community partner in shaping a livable city. We plan, build, manage and maintain an effective and safe transportation system that provides access and mobility. Learn more at www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation.

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