During the construction of 238th, we received several concerns regarding speeding and pedestrian safety along Arata Road and Wood Village Boulevard. The long closure of 238th led to an increase in traffic along both roadways. Now with 238th back open, we wanted to see if that pattern continued. The City partnered with the City of Troutdale Public Works to perform a speed and traffic analysis for Wood Village Blvd and Arata Road. A device called a StatTrack recorded all traffic movements and speed for a one-week period. While there are speeders, and some people going way too fast, that seems to be the exception and not the norm. As you can see below, average speeds for both roadways is 30 miles per hour. In addition, only about 12-15% of all traffic exceeded the speed limit.
- Wood Village Blvd January 31 to February 7 4,700 vehicles per day Average Speed 30.41
- Arata Rd January 17 to January 23 2,600 vehicles per day Average Speed 29.25
In addition to the speed study, we partnered with the Multnomah County Sheriff’s Office to conduct a pedestrian crosswalk safety mission on Wood Village Blvd in late January. There were 21 traffic stops during the one-hour mission. This clearly shows that there is more work to do in terms of active education and enforcement along our crosswalks. Not only were the deputies in a well-marked crosswalk, but they also had bright safety vests, and warning signs. We are working with the MCSO to hold more safety missions in the coming months. We’ve also partnered with the MCSO to monitor the four-way stop at Wood Village Blvd. and Arata as too many vehicles go through the intersection without stopping. Along with more active enforcement, County Roads will be placing rumble strips prior to the stop signs to help alert drivers.
Lastly, we are one step closer to the construction of the four solar rapid flash crosswalks on Halsey between NE Wood Village Boulevard and NE 244th. Funding for the project has come from the ODOT Small City Allotment Grant Program, the City’s Urban Renewal Agency, and the City’s Street Fund. We anticipate construction to take place Summer 2022. Once these are completed, we will work to install some on Wood Village Blvd as well.
Whether you’re driving a car, riding a bike, or walking, please be mindful, safe, and share the road.