PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – It’s been two weeks since Portland Mayor Ted Wheeler made an emergency declaration prohibiting camping along high crash corridors across the city. However, many of the camps look pretty much the same along Powell.
Powell is one of the high crash corridors where camping is prohibited under that emergency declaration.
KOIN 6 checked back on Friday to see if anything along this street has changed in two weeks and it doesn’t seem to be much different.
KOIN 6 noticed a RV and a tent removed from one area, but another one of the camps seems to have gotten worse since the emergency declaration.
The declaration came after a report showed 70% of pedestrian traffic deaths in 2021 were homeless people.
“We’re seeing conditions getting worse out here, we’re seeing more people camping along the freeways, we’re seeing more injuries, we’re seeing fatalities periodically out on the roads in here too. This has always been a dangerous situation, it’s getting worse as we’re seeing the number of camps increase along the freeways, along the Portland area,” Don Hamilton of ODOT said.
The mayor’s office told KOIN 6 the declaration was extended Friday for another two weeks and that campsite removals along high crash corridors are underway.
They said areas along highways deemed most dangerous are being addressed first.
So far, city workers have removed two unsanctioned camps along Interstate 5 at Lombard and at North Rosa Parks, the mayor’s office said.
KOIN 6 is waiting to hear back after asking when camps along Powell would be posted.