5:09 PM: Thanks to Kyle for the tip – City Light is currently repairing a utility pole on 45th at Oregon in The Junction. We went over to find out more; police tell us a driver had brake trouble and hit the pole, knocking it sideways. With SPD directing traffic, vehicles are getting through the area, but we’d advise avoiding it for a while.
6:25 PM: Just went back to check; scene’s clear now.
In my opinion this intersection is unsafe. Especially for pedestrians crossing the street. Was it about a year ago when a car hit the building there? I think this should be a 4-way stop.
CW, I use that intersection every day. It’s a really special place indeed. Drivers and pedestrians who are familiar with the spot are easy to detect by their wary looks. Anyone looking intent on getting somewhere is to be feared and given a wide berth. No doubt a move to put stop signs on Glenn Way SW would be met with a hue and cry from the drivers who are accustomed to making everyone else watch out for them.
OK no, this was no brake trouble, I was standing right there when it happened and saw the whole thing. A blue van peeled out from the stop sign at 45th and Glenn Way, failed to navigate the turn, and slammed into the pole head-on. The driver then backed up and sped away, in a clear hit-and-run. It sounded like a bomb had gone off, the driver hit the pole at what I would estimate as 40 mph which is impressive from a dead stop across the intersection. The impact broke clear through the utility pole, leaving the street light dangling from the broken pole, which was also moved several inches back at the base.
We didn’t hear about this until Kyle sent a photo of the leaning pole, at which point Patrick headed out to find out what was going on. Didn’t even know it was the result of a car crash until we got there. 911 is the only really important phone number to call but please think of us once you’ve done that … speaking of which, someone has just texted about a crash at 16th and Roxbury and I’m off to check it out…
Sorry Tracy I totally should have texted you, I was just in a bit of shock watching this happen right in front of me!
No sorry necessary, we just throw in the reminder/request. We also watch the online 911 log but when there’s no medic call b/c no injury as in this case and in the weekend Junction gunfire incident, nothing shows up there. This was logged as “motor vehicle collision” at Oregon/Glenn on Tweets by Beat, incident 2016-143080 … I’ll ask tomorrow to see if they did catch up with the driver.
Meantime, re: my mention of 16th/Roxbury, on the county side, no medics, one car off to the side on northbound 16th, traffic getting through all ways so no news there but thanks to the texter. Hoping for a quiet night from here! – TR
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