2 • The Southwest Portland Post
January 2011
EdItoRIal
Candlelight vigil honors New Yorker killed on Barbur Boulevard
FROM THE EDITOR’S DESK
By Don Snedecor
The Southwest Portland Post
On Wednesday, December 15,
at about 10:47 p.m. Angela Burke,
a 26-year-old woman from New
York, was struck and killed by a
motorist while walking her bicycle
across Southwest Barbur Blvd just
south of Hamilton Street. She had
lived in Portland just four months.
Caleb Pruitt, who was driving his
2008 Subaru Impreza at a high rate
of speed when he allegedly struck
and killed Burke, was arrested on
allegations of negligent homicide
and driving under the influence of
intoxicants.
A passenger riding with Pruitt
was taken to a nearby hospital with
non-life threatening injuries. Pruitt
has since been released on bail.
On Monday, December 20 at
about 5:30 p.m., some 50 people
showed up for a candlelight vigil at
the place where Burke was killed.
Maybe you know the place, the
turnout south of Hamilton Street
where they often sell Christmas
trees at this time of year.
Some came on foot, some by car,
but many came by bicycle, wearing
reflective gear, and holding signs,
and flashlights and candles in this
woman’s memory. A number of
transportation advocates were in
attendance at the vigil.
I saw Don Baack, chair of SW
Trails there. So was Marianne
Fitzgerald, chair of the Southwest
Transportation Committee. Maria
Cahill, secretary of the Multnomah
Neighborhood Association, rode
her bike. So did her husband.
“SW Trails, the SWNI Trans-
portation Committee and others
have been working to improve
safety along the length of Barbur
Boulevard, but little has been
done,” said Baack. “Especially on
the Barbur bridges, the narrowest
and most uncomfortable sections
of Southwest Barbur Boulevard for
bicyclists and pedestrians.”
I spoke to Mark Lear of the Port-
land Bureau of Transportation who
attended the candlelight vigil. He
introduced me to a woman he
was speaking to from the Oregon
Department of Transportation, the
agency in charge Highway 99W/
Barbur Boulevard.
I asked Lear why couldn’t they
install a traffic signal somewhere
near where Burke was killed?
Lear said while he thought a sig-
nal was a good idea, he thought it
should be closer to the Rasmussen
Apartments, approximately .75
miles south of the Hamilton signal.
That’s where the TriMet bus stop
is located. According to Google
Maps, the next traffic signal south
is 1.6 miles away, at Miles Street.
So for now, between Hamilton
and Miles Street, you’re literally
taking your life in your hands if
you need to cross the five lanes of
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Steph Routh, director of the
Willamette Pedestrian Coalition,
said, “Ms. Burke’s death was as
senseless as it was preventable. In
our community and in our region,
everyone should feel safe while
walking or biking on our roads.
There is no higher priority than
preserving life. This tragedy is
a mournful reminder of how far
we have to go in terms of traffic
safety.”
I stand with all these transporta-
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tion advocates in the candlelight
wondering why this had to hap-
pen. With some thoughtful plan-
ning, perhaps future tragedies
could be prevented?
We mourn the loss of Angela
Burke and extend our sincere con-
dolences to her friends and family.
We cannot imagine their loss.
Police are continuing to inves-
tigate this incident. Anyone with
additional information is urged
to call Traffic Officer Barry Busse
of the Portland Police Bureau at
503-823-2216.
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Phone: (503) 244-6933; Fax: (866) 727-5336
general email: news@multnomahpost.com
web address: www.multnomahpost.com
Editor & Publisher: Don Snedecor
Reporters/Writers: Polina Olsen, Lee Perlman and
Dana Shultz
Retail Advertising Manager: Harry Blythe
Graphic Design: Leslie Baird Design
Printing: Oregon Lithoprint
© 2011 by The Southwest Portland Post. All rights reserved. The opinions of the artists
and authors contained herein are not necessarily shared by the publisher.
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