Updated April 18, 2019

Environmental Services continues construction of the Montavilla North Sewer Repair Project in the Montavilla Neighborhood (north of Stark Street). The project includes replacing or repairing more than three miles of deteriorating 100-year-old public sewer pipes, 87 manholes, and public sewer connections for 221 properties. These improvements will help protect the public and our environment by reducing the possibility of sewage releases to homes, businesses, and streets.

Location

The map below indicates pipe work locations and provides a construction update for the project.

General Schedule

Construction is expected to continue through December 2019.

In general, work hours are from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday through Friday, and Saturdays as needed.

To reduce traffic impacts, the Portland Noise Office granted Environmental Services a noise variance to work at night in NE Halsey Street at NE 71st Avenue. This location will include one or two nights of work, moved up to April 18.

Look-Ahead Schedule

Between this week and May 3, the contractor is scheduled to work at several locations. The schedule may change due to a variety of factors, including weather, conditions underground, availability of materials and labor, and other factors.

Several streets where crews had to dig into the street to repair public sewer pipes now have temporary asphalt patches.The contractor is completing final pavement restoration as weather permits. Paving is scheduled at the following locations:

• Various locations – Concrete restoration of sidewalks, driveways, and curbs April 23
• NE 73rd Ave north of NE Glisan St – Asphalt paving May 2
• NE 73rd Ave south of NE Oregon St – Asphalt paving May 2

The concrete pours originally scheduled for April 16 at the locations below have been postponed due to weather. When crews see an opening in the forecast, they will pour the concrete, let it cure, and then return to add a four-inch layer of asphalt on top of the concrete and level it off. That will complete the pavement restoration:

• E Burnside St west of NE 69th Ave – Concrete pour and asphalt paving TBD
• SE 70th Ave north of SE Thorburn St – Concrete pour and asphalt paving TBD
• NE 69th Ave north of NE Davis St – Concrete pour and asphalt paving TBD

Open trench excavation and one pipe bursting to repair public sewer pipes and service laterals to adjacent properties are scheduled to occur at the following locations:

• NE 71st Ave north of NE Halsey St – Night work moved to April 18, spot repair April 22
• NE 84th Ave south of NE Glisan St – Mainline pipe week of April 15, laterals April 25
• NE 84th Ave north of NE Davis St – Mainline pipe week of April 22, laterals May 2
• SE 75th Ave north of SE Ash St – Spot repairs and laterals week of April 17-22
• SE 75th Ave south of SE Pine St – Spot repair April 22
• SE 84th Ave north of SE Stark St – Spot repair and laterals week of April 22
• NE 69th Ave between NE Flanders & NE Glisan St – Pipe bursting and laterals week of April 29
• NE 87th Ave north of NE Couch St – Spot repair and laterals week of April 29

Cured-in-place-pipe lining (CIPP) to repair mainline public sewer pipes begins the week of April 17:

• SE Stark St east of SE 73rd Ave – Install liner April 18
• NE Holladay St west of NE 84th Ave – Install liner April 22 (segment east of NE 84th Ave TBD)
• NE 75th Ave north of E Burnside St – Install liner April 23
• NE 69th Ave north of NE Davis St – Install liner April 24
• NE 69th Ave south of NE Hassalo St – Install liner April 25
• SE 70th Ave north of SE Thorburn St – Install liner April 29

For all CIPP locations, see the construction methods map (click here). The work is weather-dependent. Because these pipes carry both sewage and stormwater, crews must complete the lining when there is no stormwater runoff flowing through the pipes.  

Pre-construction activities may occur throughout the project area to prepare locations for construction at a future date. These activities may include inspecting and cleaning sewer pipes, marking underground utilities, tree trimming, installing tree protection, installing erosion control measures, staging equipment and materials, and setting up traffic controls. Click here for more information about pre-construction activities.  

Construction Methods

The contractor will use a variety of construction methods to replace and repair public sewer pipes in this project. Methods include open trench excavation, cured-in-place-pipe lining, and pipe bursting. For details and photos about each method, click here.

For a project map illustrating the pipe work locations in this project and the primary construction method for each location, click here.

Sewer construction disrupts normal neighborhood activity. For details about what to expect during construction, click here.

What We've Heard From You – Tree Trimming

Residents have inquired about the orange fencing around the trees on their street. This is tree protection fencing put in place before tree trimming and construction activities occur on the street. Its purpose is to protect the tree from damage due to large construction equipment on the street and construction activities in the planting strip, at the curb, and in the street. This fencing may remain in place for a few to several weeks, depending on many factors, including tree trimming subcontractor schedules, certified arborist schedules, construction schedules, and seasonal restrictions for when certain types of trees should be trimmed.

To make room for large equipment, reduce the possibility of damage to trees, and help ensure public safety, crews will trim street trees within the project area. Arborists may also trim low lying limbs on privately owned trees if they are encroaching into the public right-of-way. To accommodate the construction equipment required to perform trench excavation, trees are generally trimmed to 15 feet at each curbside and 20 feet in the center of the street.

The city only removes limbs that could be damaged or cause unsafe working conditions in construction areas. If it is necessary to remove a limb on the street side of a tree, the arborist may also direct the removal of an adjacent limb on the sidewalk side of the tree to maintain balance in the tree canopy and protect the health of the tree.

For More Information

If you would like more information about the project or have questions and concerns you’d like to discuss, please call or email:

Cheryl Kuck
Community Outreach
Phone: 503-823-7898
Email: Cheryl.Kuck@portlandoregon.gov

If you have a concern or question about a pipe repair near you, please be sure to include your name, property address and project name (Montavilla North) in your voicemail and email so we can provide you more details about what to expect in front of your property. Also, please write "Montavilla North" in the subject line of your email. Click SIGN UP to sign up for periodic email updates about the schedule, construction activities, possible traffic detours and delays, parking restrictions, and other impacts.

Another project in the Montavilla Neighborhood – Montavilla South Sewer Repair, south of Stark Street – completed construction in March 2019.