STNA had a well-attended monthly meeting on March 20, 2025, to remember our neighbor Roger Lee. On March 9, Roger took the Line 9 home after a Blazers game and was struck and killed by a motorcycle as he tried to cross SE Powell from his bus stop at SE 67th Ave. He was a lifelong transit rider, diehard Blazers fan, avid stamp collector, brother, and friend.
Discussion then turned to questions about what’s happening now to make Powell safer for walking, crossing, and accessing transit. We summarized what we’ve heard from our public agencies—
- TriMet is set to start construction on the Powell-Division Safety and Access to Transit Project, a series of enhanced crossings, by early to mid-April. Work will begin at SE 79th followed by 61st, 47th, and finally 57th — on track to finish summer 2025. Regrettably, this is six years behind schedule.
- ODOT said it was investigating the crash before determining what can be done to increase safety at this location.
- PBOT was reviewing information from PPB and would develop recommendations and collaborate with ODOT on design treatments. The bureau said it was also working with ODOT to post a message on the permanent variable message sign (Powell and 77th), recognizing recent traffic deaths and encouraging drivers to slow down. And it will install a pair of speed safety cameras on Powell in the 60s and 70s by early winter.
- Portland Police Bureau said it would increase patrols between SE 50 and 90th.
Talk turned to what we can do individually and together to create a safer Powell. Ideas included—
- Close bus pullouts to reduce crossing widths and regulate traffic flow
- Restripe for narrower and/or fewer lanes, like on Division and Foster
- Reduce speed limit
- Rose or BAT lanes (bus priority), with or without bus rapid transit
- Speed cameras, patrols, cameras on buses
- Time traffic signals to reward drivers who go the speed limit
- More marked crosswalks, raised crosswalks, flashing beacons at crossings
- Better lighting overall, especially illuminating pedestrians
- Decorative lights in the linden trees during the winter
- Modal filtering
- More development up to the sidewalk
- More trees to shade pedestrians
- Build relationships with businesses on Powell via STNA business committee
- Individually: Take care to set the pace when driving on Powell. Dress brightly. Be careful when crossing.
Many of these ideas are band-aid solutions, but taken together could make a difference. Bigger changes will only come once the roadway has been transferred from the State to the City — a costly jurisdictional transfer of an “orphan highway” like what happened recently with SE 82nd Ave.
Here are some things STNA members have already done (thank you!):
- Reached out to Roger Lee’s family
- Reached out to the media for coverage on KGW and KPTV, on BikePortland, and in the Oregonian
- Commented at Joint Policy Advisory Committee on Transportation (JPACT) meeting, 3/20/25
- Contacted our City Council District 3 Reps: Novick, Morillo, and Koyama-Lane
- Contacted PBOT, ODOT, TriMet staff and invited them to upcoming STNA meeting
- Contacted State Sen. Khanh Pham and State Rep. Willy Chotzen and attended Chotzen’s open house, 3/22/25
- Submitted STNA’s written testimony and commented in-person at TriMet board meeting, 3/26/25
- Attended City Council Transportation and Infrastructure committee meeting
- Attended Foster-Powell Problem Solvers meetings
Of course, there’s more to do. If you’d like to get involved, some next steps include—
- Advocate at the State legislature for adequate funding of Great Streets program in 2025 transportation package. This is the program ODOT operates for orphan highways. Also Safe Routes to School, given the numerous schools along Powell.
- Deliver public comment at upcoming City Council meeting.
- Coordinate with other SE neighborhoods concerned about safety on Powell and jurisdictional transfer.
Let us know whether and how you’d like to help. We hope to make your involvement as focused and easy as possible. So stay tuned!
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