Commuters brave icy streets despite TriMet advisory
PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – After a second round of winter weather blanketed Portland and the surrounding region with ice, TriMet is urging commuters to delay travel if possible, the agency announced. Despite the advisory, some people in the metro area are still braving the slick streets.
While TriMet says above-freezing temperatures in the Portland metro area on Wednesday are an optimistic sign, pockets of thick ice and downed trees are still blocking some areas, officials said Wednesday afternoon.
As ice on some roads starts to melt, TriMet warns that roads remain slick and urges commuters to plan for extra travel time and delays. Commuters can also check TriMet’s website for information on delays.
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After light rail service was previously suspended, just after 4:30 p.m. Wednesday, TriMet restored MAX Blue Line service between the Hatfield Government Center in Hillsboro to Goose Hollow/SW Jefferson St. in southwest Portland. TriMet says shuttle buses are serving the rest of the Blue Line from Goose Hollow to Gresham.
As crews work to restore MAX lines, TriMet warns commuters about slick sidewalks, MAX platforms and roads — noting some MAX tracks are iced over. This includes MAX tracks crossing the Steel Bridge, officials said.
Additionally, buses are unable to travel on Tilikum Crossing because of hazardous conditions, TriMet announced. TriMet riders can instead take the MAX Orange Line shuttle on either side of the bridge and cross the Ross Island Bridge.
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TriMet shuttle buses are serving MAX lines, although some may be detoured due to weather conditions or blocked areas. TriMet adds that most buses are running with chains which limits their speed to 25 miles per hour. As road conditions improve, TriMet needs to remove the chains which they say may cause some delays.
With some emergency shelters staying open into late Wednesday afternoon, TriMet says it will not turn away anyone unable to pay the fare if they are heading to or from a warming shelter through 6 p.m. Wednesday.
LIFT paratransit is offering medically necessary trips only, officials said.
Pedestrians brave slick sidewalks, take falls
Despite TriMet’s advisory, KOIN 6 News observed a few people still trying to make their way around on foot and taking some nasty falls in the process.
Antonio Silva told KOIN 6 News he decided to brave the icy conditions despite the surfaces outside a Gresham Safeway being like an “ice skating rink.”
“I couldn’t drive so I had to walk because it’s pretty bad out here,” he said.
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Jaren Stinger was one of the people who unfortunately took a spill but he was alright and able to walk home safely afterward.
“We live in the northwest, it snows here all the time. We need to be better, a little bit better prepared,” Stinger said. “At least for us trying to get to the grocery store.”
The Gresham Fire Department said they’ve been responding to a lot of calls about falls Wednesday, in particular outside the same Safeway where pedestrians continued to struggle to keep their balance.
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Nikki White, a Gresham Fire paramedic, said they’ve been responding to “a lot of falls” in addition to many “water-related calls” such as for burst pipes.
“We haven’t been at the station more than 30 minutes at a time today. It’s literally been back to back. Our engine alone has ran almost 20 calls,” White said.
Along the same lines as TriMet, the Gresham Fire Department is also urging people to stay off the roads if possible to make room for emergency vehicles.
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