‘Most Dangerous Intersection’ claims three more vehicles

Some people wonder why the City of Portland is putting in ‘red-light cameras’. The photos in this Lents Neighborhood story tell the tale …

Three badly damaged cars and several shook up occupants sort out the details of this accident on SE Woodstock Blvd. at the I-205 northbound exit ramp.

Story and photos by David F. Ashton
First the good news: no one was seriously injured, at least enough to be transported to the hospital for treatment or evaluation. Everyone walked or limped away from this three-car pileup in Lents neighborhood, just east of the I-205 overpass on SE Woodstock Blvd. Some people call it SE Foster Road – but here where the lanes are split, Foster Road heads westbound only.

About 8:20 p.m., on January 26, one car didn’t observe the traffic signal – and plowed into two others. Officials didn’t say whether or not a citation was issued; because it wasn’t a “trauma injury” accident, this smash-up wasn’t investigated.

Although everyone walked away from this one – no one drove away. The cars looked pretty much totaled.

Officials say the two intersections just east of the I-205 overpass at SE Woodstock Blvd. (eastbound) and SE Foster Rd. (westbound) have the highest number of red-light violation crashes recorded in Outer East Portland.

Another ‘red light camera’ to come
Outer East Portland’s #1 crash spot – SE Foster Road/Woodstock Blvd at 96th Avenue – racked up 53 red light crashes in four years. PDOT officials said the project was in the “beginning the design phase” last spring.

“It’s true,” said a police officer on scene at this crash. “This intersection is well marked and well lit. There are good site lines. I really don’t know why people run the red lights here so often.”

Although we don’t know “the why” a driver went through a red light – but “the what” is obvious when one looks at the debris from this accident’s wreckage strewn around the intersection.

“No matter how much of a hurry you’re in,” the officer advised, “obey the traffic signals and maybe you’ll save your life.”

No matter whose fault it was, the result is the same – bruised up, angry people and wrecked cars.

© 2009 David F. Ashton ~ East Portland News

Comments are closed.

© 2005-2025 David F. Ashton East PDX News™. All Rights Reserved.