I'm not yet convinced that the new pattern is safer. Having lived off of south Willamette for over 30 years, I never experienced a near accident on Willamette Street -- until yesterday. I was proceeding in my car through a green light, going north, at 29th & Willamette. All of a sudden, a driver going south at that intersection did a quick (left) turn in front of me! This is the new consequence of the flashing yellow arrow. As that car was turning, another vehicle going west on 29th turned right. That left me stopped in a traffic lane that was changing from green to yellow and soon red. Fortunately, the light traffic allowed me to back up and get out of the intersection.  This is not good! 

And while on this trip, I saw no bicyclists: none! The other day, as I was walking on the Willamette sidewalk, a bicyclist was coming toward me. I pointed to the bike path and said "There's the bike path, use it!" The cyclists followed my instructions, or maybe I was just in his way.