The future of the light is in question – is there a better solution?
UPDATE – PBOT indicates that the temporary stop signs will remain for 90 days to evaluate their effectiveness; PBOT will then make a decision on fixing the signal or making the stop signs permanent.
As you’ve no doubt noticed, the traffic light at SW Hoffman Ave and SW Broadway Dr failed sometime around the end of February. Stop signs were temporarily added while PBOT considers its options.
The light was apparently installed around 1954 (no clear records in City Archives however) and was designed to prioritize traffic on SW Broadway Dr… except in rare instances, you would never see a red light as a Broadway driver. A complicated scheme of pressure sensors in the roadway and a timer in that box visible next to the stop sign decided whether to trigger the light – in essence, if there was a gap in Broadway traffic:
This scheme may have worked well during low traffic volumes and low speeds, but it has become difficult for Hoffman drivers to safely exit more often than not; a study by SWHRL in 2019 showed Hoffman drivers often had as little as six seconds to notice the light change, turn, and clear the intersection. And wait time for a signal could be almost 4 minutes, resulting in many drivers simply running the red and proceeding into potential oncoming traffic. PBOT’s 2019 traffic/speed count here shows how reckless that can be, as more than 3/4 of SW Broadway drivers were speeding. Of course, if you are a cyclist or pedestrian, the situation is the same.
So what will happen here? PBOT is unsure if the existing device can be fixed and is studying the options, a process that will take several weeks. SWHRL and local residents have advocated for solutions that include ALL users of this intersection, not just SW Broadway drivers.
These are sample letters to PBOT, should you wish to read them.
In short, we think making the stop signs permanent solves many safety issues along this stretch of road.
While we know some staff at PBOT agree the intersection is dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists, they will not be the only voices in the conversation. Frankly, our concern is that traffic flow will take priority, as it often does. This is a serious issue in SW Portland, where many of us are forced to use the roadway or the shoulder as our ‘sidewalk;’ past practices of ignoring users other than cars will continue to erode our ability to safely walk in our neighborhoods if left unchallenged.
On a positive note, the Pedestrian Design Guide update mentioned above will be voted on soon, and will hopefully become official PBOT policy going forward; outgoing Pedestrian Coordinator Michelle Marx and her staff worked hard to craft rules that all bureaus of Portland should follow when doing work where pedestrian traffic is concerned. It may well be the most important document for pedestrians in areas like ours in some time.
” This document is meant to effectively balance the many components of the public right-of-way so pedestrians of any age in all neighborhoods can safely get where they need to go as we prepare our City for a new climate reality” -PDG