SE 103rd
From Harold to Foster
Focus Area:
It can be difficult for pedestrians to cross 103rd safely. While there are not many homes to the East of 103rd in this pocket of Lents, the current residents, including the soon-to-be 120 Safe Rest Village residents, and trucks that use the street frequently, would benefit from simple short-term improvements and more significant long-term upgrades.
-
Drivers moving at excessive speeds
Drivers not stopping or slowing for pedestrians
-
Lack of sidewalks and excess trash make the street feel uncared for and unimportant
Lack of general traffic safety measures in the neighborhood make people feel like they can get away with anything
We need bioswales and sidewalks on the east side of 103rd.
Below are some photos taken in the fall of 2024 documenting the conditions our neighbors are dealing with when walking or cycling down 103rd:
West side of 103rd, looking south near Reedway
West side of 103rd, looking north near Knight st.
East side of the street, looking South near Knight St.
East side of the street, looking south toward Ramona St.
This is the norm during the rainy season, especially on the west side of 103rd.
Large trees on the east side of 103rd near Foster may be impacted by sidewalks and bioswales. To preserve these trees, should sidewalks end at Martins or could the street be modified to keep these trees?
As of Fall 2022, there are two stop signs on 103rd between Harold and Foster (up from zero)! Thank you to the City of Portland and PBOT for taking steps to protect our neighbors.
Sadly, these intersections are still very unsafe for most people to cross, so in partnership with Strong Towns PDX, we painted a crosswalk at Reedway and 103rd in the summer of 2024. Thanks to all of our neighbors who came out to help and say hi!
Heading south on 103rd, approaching Ellis St.
Heading south on 103rd, approaching Ramona St.
What Neighbors Have to Say
“I walk and run in this neighborhood several times every week. I know I need to be aware of my surroundings, because I constantly see people driving dangerously fast, particularly on 103rd. I worry about the children and pets of the neighborhood when I see cars barreling down the road. This is a residential area, and I'm glad to join in with my neighbors to help make it safer for everyone.”
—Alison, 104th
“Around midnight one night in Fall of 2021, I looked out my kitchen window onto Ellis and 103rd and saw a smashed up car and a truck. Three people got out of the truck and ran away leaving the doors opened. The next morning, I went for a walk, heard another loud crash and saw the car that had smashed into the house on 104th. Two men running away from that as well.
I take my toddler for walks on both of those streets. It’s terrifying to think that a car could be driving too fast, lose control, smash into the sidewalk and kill my toddler. Sadly, based on the past events of two separate incidents in a twenty four hour period, this is not a far-fetched fear. I have seen many people driving on 103rd exceeding the speed limit and ignoring stop signs.”
—Megan, 103rd
Solutions
Below are two images of SE Harrison St. and SE 30th Ave. between Hawthorne and Division. These areas fall under the same traffic and street design designations as SE 103rd and show an ideal version of what we hope our street could become.
We need the following improvements now:
Painted crosswalks at one or two intersections
Sidewalks
Additional priorities for 103rd that we’d love to see as soon as possible:
Speed cushions
Stormwater management (bioswales) that have the added bonus of reducing flood risk in the neighborhood
Green Infrastructure at SE Harrison near 26th
Crosswalk on SE 30th at Market St.
PBOT Plans
SE 103rd from Harold to Foster is on PBOT’s radar! What can we do to help show that this project should be prioritized now?
We recognize that some of the major improvements we want are costly and take many years to get on a schedule. At minimum, we need painted lines on 103rd now and we respectfully request that you prioritize the Powellhurst/Gilbert Pedestrian Improvements project and our street.
TSP Project Info
Powellhurst/Gilbert Pedestrian Improvements (80016): Construct sidewalks, curbs, and drainage, as well as crossing improvements to enhance pedestrian travel and access to transit and schools.
Timeframe: Unknown.