The Worst Intersections in Portland

Your GPS and cell phone signals are providing traffic data for the Oregon Department of Transportation.

Through a Washington company called INRIX, half the vehicles on the road in Portland are providing traffic data
everywhere they go. Now, traffic engineers can easily identify the most congested spots in Portland.

These trouble spots were identified in “Traffic – Where NOT to Drive”, a recent piece in the Portland Tribune.  They are
all over the city, so the odds are good that many Portland commuters encounter at least one of these intersections daily.

• Cesar Chavez Boulevard at NE Sandy Boulevard:  this 3-lane intersection near the entrance to I-84 is notoriously congested due to the convergence of several main thoroughfares.
• SW Naito Parkway at Market Street:  the nearby entrance to I-5 is the cause of daily commuter delays.
• SW Macadam Avenue at Sellwood Bridge: the shortest route from Clackamas County into SE Portland,
  the entrance to the crumbling Sellwood Bridge is a daily chokepoint for many drivers.

Some of the most congested intersections are also the most dangerous for pedestrians and cyclists.

• SE 82nd Avenue at Powell Boulevard: a pedestrian was struck and killed there in June.
• Multiple intersections on West Burnside Street through downtown: a high-traffic area known for beer, nightlife and a lot of foot traffic, there have been several pedestrians seriously injured on Burnside this year.
• SE McLoughlin at 17th Avenue: the convergence of two busy roadways in the Milwaukie area has been
  the scene of several deadly pedestrian accidents.
• NE Sandy Boulevard at I-205 interchange: this 7-lane artery was the scene of a pedestrian hit-and-run last year.

These intersections are in designated “High Crash Corridors”. This means there is a high concentration of motor vehicle accidents with serious injuries or fatalities – and that the city of Portland is taking steps to improve the safety of these areas.

• SE Foster at I-205 Interchange

• SW Barbur Boulevard at
Terwilliger

• SE Powell Boulevard at
Milwaukie Avenue

About the Author

Tom D'Amore is the founder of D'Amore Law Group and a trial attorney with over 30 years of experience representing injured people and their families across the West Coast, securing more than $325 million in recoveries. He handles cases involving car accidents, trucking accidents, construction injuries, medical malpractice, and sexual abuse. Licensed in Oregon, Washington, and California, Tom is the only NBTA board-certified truck accident attorney in Oregon. He is a national Board of Governors member, past Executive Committee member, and past Budget and Audit Chair of the American Association for Justice, as well as past President of the Oregon Trial Lawyers Association and an Eagle member of the Washington State Association for Justice.