Pedestrian Safety Mission Scheduled For Saturday

GRESHAM, OR — Officers with the Gresham Police Department will conduct a 4-hour pedestrian safety operation this weekend at an intersection near Southwest Park. The operation, funded by a grant from Oregon Impact and the Oregon Department of Transportation, is one of many the department will conduct before school resumes in September.

The operation is scheduled for July 13 from 3 to 7 p.m. at the intersection of West Powell Boulevard and West Powell Loop. According to police, warning signs will be posted to prepare drivers entering the safety operation zone.

Less than one month ago, a similar operation at the intersection of East Powell Boulevard and Northeast Liberty Avenue saw officers issue 18 tickets and make two arrests.

The operations being conducted throughout the summer are part of a two-pronged approach the Gresham Police Department is taking to raise awareness for drivers and pedestrians regarding pedestrian right-of-way laws.

"Pedestrian safety education is vital to keeping our roads safe," Gresham Officer Scott McFarland said in a statement. "Motorists must stop and yield to pedestrians who are waiting to cross, or who are already crossing the roadway. Motorists are also required to stop at all crosswalks when there is a vehicle already stopped in a lane next to the lane they are traveling in."

For more information on pedestrian safety laws in Oregon, McFarland suggests reading up on Oregon Revised Statute (ORS) 811.028 and ORS Chapter 814.

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