In the Neighborhoods - West Salem and Northeast Neighbors this Week

A couple of brief neighborhood association notes this week...

The West Salem Neighborhood Association meets tonight and a couple of items on the agenda are of interest:

• "Marine Dr. Development - Discussion and possible action"
• "Wallace Rd. Underpass Feasibility Study - More option than one"

The West Salem Neighborhood Association meeting is at 7pm at Roth’s West, Mezzanine level, at 1130 Wallace Rd NW, tonight, Monday the 15th.

Northeast Neighbors - Englewood

The median island prohibits a westbound left turn from 17th

At the last meeting there was a great deal of conversation about the possibility of permitting left turns from 17th onto Chemeketa where they are currently forbidden as part of the enhanced crosswalk. The notes of discussion are pretty compressed and may be only fully understood by those at the meeting:

This was the first of the island intersections. Since this one city has put in 3 more with no restricted left turns. One on Mill and Nebraska, One on 17th and Nebraska and One at 25th st. Resident has requested the removal of left turn restriction. Requesting neighborhood for permission. Sends wrong message if works in other locations but not here. ...

[City Traffic Engineer Kevin Hottmann]: Can take out [sign and forbidden turn]. Phone call away to put back. Nothing has happened at other intersections....The island is less likely to make people [those driving?] feel comfortable. At this point must move forward before making turn.

As I read the comments, they mainly come from a position of "we will seek to inconvenience those driving as little as possible" rather than "we will seek to make those walking as safe as possible." The conversation is still structured around pedestrian impedance and autoist priority. When I use this intersection on walks, I still feel too often like I have to Rambo my way into the crosswalk aggressively in order to prompt drivers to yield. Traffic calming and facilities for walking priority need to be making gestures that move in the other direction. Fortunately, it looks like no action at the intersection was yet planned. (Do you know otherwise or can flesh out more of the discussion?)

Tomorrow's agenda doesn't otherwise contain any transportation items.

NEN meets Tuesday the 16th, at 6:30pm in the Salem First Church of the Nazarene, 1550 Market Street NE.