City Removes Barriers on Portland Avenue

Keeping streets clear is a critical part of the City's responsibility to protect lives, property, and first responders during emergencies. Blocking streets is a serious concern for fire and emergency medical response because it can delay response times and restrict access for emergency vehicles.

To ensure emergency access, the City removed the barriers blocking streets in the area of Wednesday's shooting at East 34^th Street and Portland Avenue. An estimated 15 tons of debris were removed, including metal and tires. This work helps provide emergency response access and reduce the risk of injuries or property damage.

"Safety has to come first-every second matters when lives are on the line," said Interim Fire Chief Rucker. "Just up the street from this location, our crews were actively fighting a three-alarm fire on Monday night. When streets are blocked, it slows our response, limits access to critical resources, and puts both residents and firefighters at risk."

Residents in the immediate area have raised concerns about neighborhood access, and 311 has received numerous calls requesting the removal of the barriers.

The City will not remove the memorial created and maintained by community members. We will continue to keep the area around these memorials clear and clean for the benefit of all.

As our community mourns the loss of a neighbor, it's important to preserve space for public memorials. We encourage anyone who wishes to come together in remembrance to do so peacefully. But public streets must remain open and accessible so emergency responders can meet urgent safety needs as quickly as possible.

The City is grateful for the community's support in keeping everyone safe as we come together.