(April 27, 2017) – Environmental Services advises the traveling public that a downtown Portland sewer repair project along the Yamhill-Morrison light rail corridor will involve rolling temporary two-block street closures from April 30 to May 20. 

The rolling two-block closures along Yamhill and Morrison streets will last approximately three days each and take place as crews move from manhole to manhole along the corridor to make needed sewer repairs. Crews are inserting new linings into the sewer pipes to extend their lifespans and ensure reliable service in the downtown core.                       

Environmental Services is in the middle of a nine-week project to repair century-old sewer pipes underneath the light rail lines. The bureau is scheduling the most challenging work – lining of sewer pipes - during TriMet’s MAX improvement project when trains are not in service.

To condense several months of work within several weeks, Environmental Services crews and contractors are working 24/7 and will complete as much of the repairs as possible before TriMet’s reopening of light rail service.

 The traveling public is asked to observe all street closures and directions by reader boards, signs and flaggers and to use alternate routes when possible.

Local access to properties, including parking garages, along the route will be maintained.  

People traveling by bicycle may choose to dismount and use the sidewalks to navigate around the street closures.

Sidewalk access will be maintained throughout the project.  Pedestrians and people using wheelchairs can expect to navigate around a number of orange “barrels” along the corridors that cover access points for work crews. Crews will also periodically put out hoses along sidewalks and streets that will be covered with ramps for easier passage. At each intersection, crews will maintain at least one east-west and one north-south crossing.  

In addition, temporary closures on adjacent cross streets will occur with local access provided by flaggers. Those closures will allow crews to operate bypass pumping to maintain sewer service during construction. 

On-street parking will be restricted in and near the work zones to create a safe work environment and to stage equipment and materials.

The exact work schedule within the April 30-May 20 timeframe will be dynamic as crews navigate challenging conditions underground as well as weather.

For videos of the deteriorated sewers with ruptures and tree roots, see: https://www.portlandoregon.gov/bes/article/632459

For additional information, please visit Environmental Services’ Yamhill-Morrison project  www.portlandoregon.gov/bes/downtown and TriMet’s Morrison-Yamhill MAX Improvements project at www.trimet.org/morrisonyamhill.

To find out about other Central City construction projects and how area agencies are coordinating projects to reduce their traffic impacts,  visit Get Portland Moving at www.MovePDX.net.

The Bureau of Environmental Services works with Portland residents and businesses to protect water quality, public health, and the environment through wastewater collection and treatment, sewer construction and maintenance, stormwater management, and stream and watershed restoration. www.portlandoregon.gov/bes. Follow on Twitter @besportland

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Media Contact Diane Dulken, 503-823-5328, diane.dulken@portlandoregon.gov