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Click here to read OPB’s full report.

Dear Portlander,

Old Town has been a key Entertainment District in Portland for decades. As we emerge out from the pandemic, the crowds in Old Town have returned by the tens-of-thousands. The streets are jamming up—particularly on weekends—and people need more room to spread out.

Starting this Friday, in an effort to help create more space for pedestrians, we’re going to close select lanes and streets in the Old Town neighborhood to give people the elbow room they need to move around more freely and enjoy themselves.

This also has a public safety advantage.

Click here to view KATU’s full report.

The Portland Police Bureau will also dedicate a small group of officers to be present in the Entertainment District during these closures to patrol the area.

In addition to giving the Portland Police Bureau the authority to close select streets in the Old Town Entertainment District to vehicular traffic, this plan will provide physical safety enhancements such as improved lighting. Closed streets will allow the Portland Police Bureau and our public safety partners to better focus their resources in Old Town and respond more quickly to crime and violence as it occurs.

Residents and tourists alike deserve to enjoy a night out on the town in safety and I applaud Portland Police Bureau for taking the initiative to address a major problem with the resources at-hand. This effort will continue to build on the initiatives I began earlier this year, and I will continue to add additional measures to help address violence citywide

I am committed to ensuring the Old Town neighborhood thrives for generations to come and I invite folks to come down to visit the entertainment district to support local businesses.

Sincerely,

Ted