Serious traffic crashes are more likely to occur on Portland-area arterial streets than on highways. That’s one conclusion of a two-year study of crash data released by the Metro regional government.
Michael Clapp / OPB
The "State of Safety" report found nearly 60 percent of serious injury crashes on roads like 82nd Avenue, or Tualatin Valley Highway. Metro Councilor Carlotta Collette chairs a regional transportation committee. She says the study suggests investing in road safety priorities that communities already want.
"What we've learned from this is to add lighting, and crosswalks, and pedestrian refuges – so it’s not at all inconsistent with what we’ve been pushing for, for a long time." says Collette.
Oregon City and unincorporated parts of Multnomah and Clackamas counties had the most injury crashes per capita in the study’s 2007-2009 time period.
The study says traffic-related injures cost the region more than 950 million dollars a year in lost wages, hospital stays and other expenses.
