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One of my favorite aspects of Portland is the ease of transportation that has been stitched into the fabric of our city. Bikes, buses, Max trains and streetcars abound. In cities like Chicago, cabbies and Camry’s are king 鈥� but in downtown Portland, equal emphasis is given to pedestrians, drivers, cyclists, and streetcar operators. The mix of use is not only practical; it provides an energetic, vibrant streetscape. Personally, I commute by riding my bike and love doing it鈥�most of the time.

This summer I encountered a problem. To get home, I ride east down SW Stark, across Naito to get to Waterfront Park, then I ride down the river walk, over the Steel Bridge, and continue to my house on the Northeast side. The Waterfront Park trail is great- there’s always a buzz of people running, strolling, and biking. One of the reasons why our riverfront is so successful is the litany of events that are hosted on its lawns. Unfortunately, an event like the Oregon Brewers Festival can wreak havoc on the turf. After such an event, the city assembles tall chain-link fences around the trampled grounds, tills the ground, plants seed, and waters until the grounds are green and stored.聽 The fences that are intended to protect the grounds unintentionally create an unfortunate byproduct: an environment ripe to take advantage of someone such as a muggings and theft.

In college, I took three environmental science courses that dealt with cultural and social issues in architecture. We conducted in-depth studies of how architecture (in this case, building elements like fences) enables crime. This particular scenario raises three red flags. First of all, pedestrians are travelling down a long corridor that is blocked on one side by a seven-foot fence and on the other by a twenty-foot drop down to the Willamette River. This is what is referred to as an 鈥渆ntrapment zone.鈥� If confronted, these barriers prevent a person from running away from an assailant; especially since there are limited avenues which provide an alternative route to Naito Parkway. And, even along these routes, the fences follow you all the way to the street.聽 An attacker could easily block off an escape exit without too much difficulty.

This scenario could also be labeled a 鈥渕ovement predictor.鈥� The linear nature of the trail allows would-be attackers the ability to predict your path of travel and thereby surprise victims. Furthermore, at night or dusk, the trail is far enough removed from Naito Parkway that a confrontation would be less likely to be noticed by others. This scenario is akin to an architect designing a major circulation route such as an alley with no exits and no windows to keep 鈥渆yes on the street,鈥� where people can witness the action below. It’s asking for trouble.

I understand why the city puts up the fences; it wants the grounds to recover as fast as possible. And if the city put up three to four-foot fences with caution tape instead, it’s likely that some people would disregard it, hop the fence, and take the most direct path across the grass. But what’s more important鈥斅� protecting the grass, or protecting pedestrians and cyclists from a danger zone?

I actually encountered the same scenario in college. Chain link fencing was constructed on either side of a major thoroughfare (affectionately nicknamed 鈥淭he Cow Path鈥�) as a result of a building construction project. It effectively hemmed pedestrians in like cattle in chutes off to the slaughterhouse. Students were mugged and assaulted. One of my friends actually had to fight off two assailants to keep his wallet. Fortunately for my friend, he was built like a linebacker and knocked one of the attackers cold before the other attacker ran away.聽 In a city where the average Portlander is more likely to wear skinny jeans than to be shaped like a linebacker, I worry for our community and their safety. In a city that has thought transportation out so well, this is a gross oversight.

by via Flickr