PORTLAND, Ore. — A lack of funding has caused major delays to a project that would bring safety upgrades to a dangerous intersection of Southeast Portland, according to the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT).
On Feb. 4 around 5:45 p.m., a man crossing Southeast Woodstock Boulevard around 97th Avenue was hit and killed by a vehicle, the Portland Police Bureau (PPB) said. Officers reported the driver of the vehicle remained on scene and cooperated with investigators.
This week, police identified the man who died as 71-year old Thomas Amato of Portland.
As first reported by Willamette Week, the area where Amato was hit and killed is up for up for safety improvements, from sidewalk upgrades to enhanced pedestrian crossings.
Sarah Iannarone, the executive director of the Street Trust, explained there's a lot going on in on these roads, from nearby Interstate 205 on and off-ramps and excessive speeding, to bus stops and foot traffic.
"What you have in this area is a pretty critical mix of uses that is a deadly recipe," Iannarone said. "You pair all of these areas uses with the lack of safe infrastructure for people, walking and biking, especially trying to cross these streets where traffic is moving at high speeds and unfortunately, fatalities like that are hugely predictable. As you know, the city for over six years has promised to make investments here to keep people safe and they haven't done it."
PBOT told KGW there's a reason for that and it all comes down to funding.
"This is what happens when you have a transportation department that is cutting it's budget year after year," said PBOT spokesperson Dylan Rivera.
The bureau acknowledged the delays for this particular project, but said they haven't abandoned it, citing 60% completion on design plans.
"We've been accomplishing a lot of work on this Woodstock project, given the limited funding, given changing federal requirements and rules, given the difficulty of a global pandemic, given the difficulty of inflation which has reduced the purchasing power of this project budget," Rivera said.
PBOT plans to begin construction sometime this year.