Updated October 17, 2019

Environmental Services – your sewer and stormwater utility – is designing a project on NW Flanders Street between NW 12th and 14th avenues to replace and upsize approximately 540 linear feet of sewer pipe that is 130-years-old and undersized for the area. The replacement of the older smaller pipe with a new larger pipe will increase sewer capacity, alleviate basement sewer backups and street flooding, and help protect public health and the environment.

Schedule

Soil Sampling is scheduled for November 18. Crews will remove some parking spaces along NW Flanders between NW 12th and 14th avenues to make room for the soil sampling equipment. This work will take a day to complete.

Construction is anticipated to start in March 2021 and be completed by August 2021.

What’s Happening Now?

You may have seen crews in the area gathering information to help engineers define repair locations, select construction methods, and determine how to minimize construction impacts on residents. Activities included surveying of public utilities and street elevations, conducting manhole inspections and video inspections of sewer pipes, and placing temporary paint markings on the pavement to mark locations of sewer pipes and other underground utilities. Details about what the utility locate colors mean are available online at www.portlandoregon.gov/bes/precon.

In the coming weeks, work crews will be in the project area taking soil samples at several locations. They will be drilling small holes in the pavement to help the design engineers understand conditions that construction crews may encounter. What the engineers learn from analysis of soil, rock and pavement samples will help them determine construction methods.

What to Expect During Soil Sampling

Here is what you could expect during soil sampling events:

• Temporary lane restrictions. Crews may need to work in or near traffic lanes.  This may lead to short lane restrictions.  Please drive with caution and comply with signs and flaggers. Barricades may be placed to reserve the parking for the drilling or equipment for a short time.
• Brief periods of noise, dust and mild vibration during drilling. Work at each location will last approximately two hours. The holes will be a few inches in diameter and will be filled immediately after the drilling is completed.  You may notice a small amount of noise and dust.

For More information

Environmental Services is committed to keeping residents and businesses informed. We encourage you to sign up now for email updates about the project, construction schedule, and what to expect as the project develops. If you have questions or comments, or if you would like more information, please contact Joe Tursi at 503-823-5753 or Joe.Tursi@porltandoregon.gov.

Thank you for your cooperation during this important sewer repair project.