It has been reported that in a span of 48 hours over last weekend, two people were struck — one fatally — by MAX trains in Portland. There is concern that there will be more if information is not gathered. Phillip Ellis Allen, 43, was one of the victims. He died about 10:30 p.m. last Friday near East Burnside Street and Northeast 160th Avenue after being hit by a westbound MAX train.
Two days later after Allen’s death, which was the first MAX train-pedestrian fatality this year, a MAX train hit another pedestrian. This one happened at Northeast Jonesmore Street and 82nd Avenue about 9:30 p.m. Sunday before last. That person remained in critical condition last Monday at a hospital, Portland police said. They did not release the person’s name or the extent of the injuries.
There was no indication of foul play according to Police investigators. TriMet stated in an email that preliminary information in both cases shows the pedestrians were standing on the train tracks when they were hit.
Designs are created to eliminate or decrease fatalities. At East Burnside and Northeast 160th Avenue, a zigzag, weaving pedestrian crossing is designed to stop people from riding bikes or running directly through the crossing. It is also supposed to direct people’s attentions to the tracks if they are looking at phones or otherwise distracted, said TriMet public information officer Tyler Graf.
“Our thoughts are with the people struck in these collisions, their families, loved ones and our operators as well, who went through two incredibly traumatic incidents. These incidents have been especially difficult for all of our operators. Safety is always their number one priority, and avoiding collisions is something they think about every time they get behind the controls of a MAX train.” Graf said. TriMet is providing train operators with counseling and training after the collisions, he said.
Transit leaders do not want to go back to the fatality numbers of last year. In 2021 there was record-breaking numbers of traffic fatalities in Portland. Sixty-three people were killed on city streets, 27 of whom where pedestrians. This year, half of the traffic fatalities — 12 of 24 people — have been pedestrians.
