Residents of Sauvie Island requested the reduced speed limit due to high vehicle speeds on this road which forms a popular loop route on the island. Multnomah County Transportation requested that the Oregon Department of Transportation (ODOT) conduct a traffic speed study, which is a requirement before ODOT could approve a reduced speed limit. The speed study results convinced an ODOT safety committee that reducing the speed limit by 10 miles per hour was warranted. The new speed limit signs include temporary orange flags to alert road users to the new speed limit. The reduced speed limit also led to changes for several curve ahead warning signs on the road.
Multnomah County maintains NW Gillihan Road and 269 miles of roads in unincorporated areas like Sauvie Island and in the smaller cities in east county. For information, visit multco.us/roads.