On Saturday September 5th around 8 p.m, 25-year-old Simon Williamson was struck and killed by an automobile near 36th Avenue and Belmont. Social media posts suggest that Simon was new to Portland, was a non-driver, and moved to Sunnyside to be within walking distance of friends. He stepped out of his apartment less than a block away to get groceries at the time of the incident, according to his sister.
I am also somewhat new to Portland, a non-driver, and live close to Belmont. I urge our neighborhood to come together and push the city to transform Belmont into a safer, more pedestrian-friendly corridor.
I am also expecting a newborn child in the coming months, and it disturbs me that this fatality occurred just steps away from our very own Sunnyside Environmental School. The extra-wide street, worn and faded crosswalks, dim overhead lighting, and fast drivers mean that pedestrians—many of us Sunnysiders—must literally gamble with their lives to cross the street.
Many Sunnysiders, such as Carlos Nuñez, have already taken action by submitting a request on PBOT’s website (portland.gov/transportation/823-safe) to add flashers at 36th and 37th on Belmont. Please join in this action—the more neighbors who report this traffic safety concern, the better. The SNA Land Use & Transportation Committee is working on a letter to the city demanding safer conditions on Belmont. If you’d like to get involved, please email [email protected].