Revised: December 2018
By Sarah Owens and Michael Livingston
Last January 2016, the Marion County Public Safety Coordinating Council contacted CANDO and requested a meeting to discuss its public safety concerns. To prepare for that meeting, CANDO created a short, unscientific Survey Monkey survey, and shared it through its mailing lists and Facebook page. We received more than 100 responses.
A majority of the respondents (97%) have lived in Salem at least a year, and 67% have lived here more than 10 years. Almost half (49%) live or work in downtown.
By far (70%), the greatest concern is pedestrian and bike safety, followed by safe/sanitary streets and parks (47%), followed by "quality of life" concerns (43%). Of less concern, but still in the top four, was "car clouts" (car break-ins) (27%). Survey results can also be viewed here, on the Survey Monkey site, at least for awhile.
We also asked respondents if they had any thoughts they'd like to share with CANDO or with the MCPSCC, not necessarily relating to public safety. Here's what they wrote:
"Right now, it's illegal to ride bikes on the sidewalks. Some streets are just too narrow for bikes to ride safely in them. They need to be able to ride on the sidewalks when necessary."
"Reduce the speed limit to 25 mph on all city streets."
"The presence of parking officers is incredible. Literally every time I'm downtown I see multiple parking officers walking along, writing down car information and giving tickets. Usually as soon as I pull into a space someone
writes my info down to make sure I don't go over. It seems almost predatory, as if their very livelihoods depend on making money off the people who spend money downtown, and it makes me want to shop, eat and play elsewhere." Scheppke's FBI Data Charts |
"The most dangerous thing in the downtown area is crossing the street. I am a frequent visitor to downtown, at all times of the day, and have never felt threatened or unsafe. The homeless are simply reminders of how ineffective our community is in providing housing and services. They have never bothered me."
"Just to explain my write-in answer to the safety question, I think it's unbalanced to talk about pedestrian and bike safety without acknowledging the risk they pose to driver safety -- all three groups, pedestrians, drivers and bicyclists, need to work together to safely share the streets/roads."
"I appreciate your efforts to improve the neighborhood."
"I've lived here about five months and I have no clue as to how to participate and learn about civic and community affairs that affect me and my neighborhood. I live near the Oregon State Hospital and I know Salem is home to several prisons. I would like to know if parolees are a big issue here, if they contribute to crime and if sex offenders here and if they are getting services they need. I see some mentally ill people in my neighborhood and don't know if they are getting any services. I see a lot of poverty and sickness downtown. I have no clue if Salem has enough services or if they are poorly funded or mismanaged, how the county and state government fit into funding and responsibility for these agencies. I've attended a few neighborhood association meetings but I'm the only member of the public who is there who not a member of the board. I have no clue if there is strong civic pride here in Salem. I don't know who to contact about littering and graffiti. I don't see any state agencies or community groups picking up trash. I think pedestrian safety is a big concern mainly due to the safety aspect but also due to the fact that it seems many people don't want to walk around. I am concerned that in my neighborhood the
neighborhood association wants to fix all the broken sidewalks but that could easily lead to a lot of trees being cut down. I am really afraid of that. I want the trees to stay and for sidewalk repairs to be done in such a way that the new sidewalks accommodate the trees, not the other way around. I get the impression that city officials, the mayor and staff members don't listen to average members of the public, and that there is not enough vehicles for public comment and public buy-in. This is a big change from where I moved from. There public comment was an automatic given, automatically built into every workshop and session on every single issue. Pedestrian safety is raised a lot but I don't see what's being done about it. Why don't the police go out and issue tickets for drivers blowing through crosswalks when there is a pedestrian in them? Why aren't more speeding tickets issued? Why doesn't the city put up traffic calming devices on main streets like 17th and Market and Center."
"Basic tenet: we need to take care of each other and the place we live in. We have a way to go on both of those items. Salem needs a minimum living wage ordinance to start. We should stop relying on corrections inmates to do public works jobs -- we need permanent living wage jobs with benefits instead."
"Great job by the downtown police team."
4/20/16 Update: The results of the survey were discussed at CANDO's Annual Meeting on April 19th. All the comments concerned bike and pedestrian safety. Here's some of what people said:
Rosa Leonardi: the speed limit downtown is 20 mph (it's often exceeded).
Diana Dettwyler: almost struck twice downtown at midday.
Rebekah Engle: it's not just the core that's dangerous. Streets feeding the core bring in traffic moving at higher speeds (that doesn't slow to 20 mph when it reaches the core).
Woody Dukes: there are a lot of "almost hits" that of course aren't tracked.
Chief Moore: (noted all 2015 pedestrian deaths occurred during the hours of darkness, included many variables, SPD will be starting an education campaign)
Bruce Hoffman: feels safer on his motorcycle/scooter than on foot, is concerned about the speeds on Liberty at Leslie, and thinks a flashing crosswalk is needed there.
Chief Moore: (agreed the 3 flashing crosswalks work, but concerned they might work less well if there were many more of them)
Michael Livingston: at some point, Public Works/the City Council need to look at street design, the platoon effect of four-lane roads, etc. (as a way to address safety issues)
Simon Sandusky: a UGM resident is hit every couple of months by traffic coming off the Center Street bridge at high speeds. Moving downhill contributes to speed and there are no warnings to slow on the bridge.
Jan Kailuweit: in Europe, speed is limited by traffic lights, which default to red and turn green only if approached at the limited speed (could that not be attempted here?).
Chief Moore: (as many will complain about slow speeds as are here tonight concerned about high speeds)
Rebekah Engle: CANDO/Salem has been talking for years about traffic calming measures (and she is ready to have the City do something).
Neal Kern: lived in Salem a couple of years now, has found the grid very challenging to navigate. For instance, there are sidewalks, but not infrequently, a sidewalk will be closed on the opposite corner.
Jon Christianson: you are taking your life into your hands to cross Liberty near the library.
Bill Holmstrom: (explained standard traffic calming measures, such as lane narrowing, two-way streets, etc.)
Rosa Leonardi: (pointed out some downtown streets are state highways and not subject to such abatements by the City)
Cara Kaser: (referred everyone to the Central Mobility Study for abatements the City has planned for, such as two-way streets, etc.)
Don Frederickson: (would see that the MCPSCC received CANDO's comments)
Chief Moore: (would see that the City Council received the comments as well)
4/20/16 Update: The results of the survey were discussed at CANDO's Annual Meeting on April 19th. All the comments concerned bike and pedestrian safety. Here's some of what people said:
Rosa Leonardi: the speed limit downtown is 20 mph (it's often exceeded).
Diana Dettwyler: almost struck twice downtown at midday.
Rebekah Engle: it's not just the core that's dangerous. Streets feeding the core bring in traffic moving at higher speeds (that doesn't slow to 20 mph when it reaches the core).
Woody Dukes: there are a lot of "almost hits" that of course aren't tracked.
Chief Moore: (noted all 2015 pedestrian deaths occurred during the hours of darkness, included many variables, SPD will be starting an education campaign)
Bruce Hoffman: feels safer on his motorcycle/scooter than on foot, is concerned about the speeds on Liberty at Leslie, and thinks a flashing crosswalk is needed there.
Chief Moore: (agreed the 3 flashing crosswalks work, but concerned they might work less well if there were many more of them)
Michael Livingston: at some point, Public Works/the City Council need to look at street design, the platoon effect of four-lane roads, etc. (as a way to address safety issues)
Simon Sandusky: a UGM resident is hit every couple of months by traffic coming off the Center Street bridge at high speeds. Moving downhill contributes to speed and there are no warnings to slow on the bridge.
Jan Kailuweit: in Europe, speed is limited by traffic lights, which default to red and turn green only if approached at the limited speed (could that not be attempted here?).
Chief Moore: (as many will complain about slow speeds as are here tonight concerned about high speeds)
Rebekah Engle: CANDO/Salem has been talking for years about traffic calming measures (and she is ready to have the City do something).
Neal Kern: lived in Salem a couple of years now, has found the grid very challenging to navigate. For instance, there are sidewalks, but not infrequently, a sidewalk will be closed on the opposite corner.
Jon Christianson: you are taking your life into your hands to cross Liberty near the library.
Bill Holmstrom: (explained standard traffic calming measures, such as lane narrowing, two-way streets, etc.)
Rosa Leonardi: (pointed out some downtown streets are state highways and not subject to such abatements by the City)
Cara Kaser: (referred everyone to the Central Mobility Study for abatements the City has planned for, such as two-way streets, etc.)
Don Frederickson: (would see that the MCPSCC received CANDO's comments)
Chief Moore: (would see that the City Council received the comments as well)
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