(PORTLAND, Maine) February 1, 2022 – A driver hit and killed a man walking on Riverside Street in Portland early Tuesday morning.
The crash occurred around 3 a.m. near 557 Riverside Street, which is a half-mile south of the intersection with Forest Avenue, near the border of Westbrook.
“Our streets are becoming increasingly dangerous places to walk,” said Bicycle Coalition of Maine Executive Director Jean Sideris. “We are pleading with motorists to drive slowly and use extra caution—especially at night—and urge pedestrians to be vigilant when walking.”
The victim has not yet been publicly identified. The driver, who has also not been identified, is a 24-year-old Portland resident.
Witnesses are advised to call Portland police at (207) 874-8532 or (207) 874-8575.
The BCM encourages law enforcement to carefully investigate and examine the roadway conditions, pedestrian facilities, history of crashes at this location, driver behavior, and any additional circumstances that may have been contributing factors.
This is already the third pedestrian fatality in Maine this year, following a record 20 deaths in 2021. An 80-year old man was killed in Belfast on Jan. 15, and a 59-year-old woman was killed in Canaan on Jan. 28.
It also marks the third person hit by a driver in Portland in the last two weeks, with previous crashes on Jan. 18 near the University of Southern Maine library and Jan. 22 on outer Congress Street.
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The Bicycle Coalition of Maine is the statewide voice of cyclists and pedestrians. Since 1992, the BCM has led the effort to make Maine better for bicycling and walking by protecting the rights and safety of cyclists and pedestrians through education, advocacy, legislation, and encouragement. We support biking and walking for health, transportation, and recreation. For more information, visit bikemaine.org.