(June 12, 2014) – The City of Portland Bureau of Transportation advises the traveling public that street improvements will require the closure of SW Arthur Street between SW Corbett Avenue and SW Water Avenue Monday, June 16 through Sunday, June 22, all hours, all days.  

Local access to residences and businesses will be provided.

SW Moody Avenue or SW Barbur Boulevard are recommended alternate routes. The public is advised to expect delays while repairs are being made. We ask the public to travel cautiously, observe all lane closures and directions by flaggers, and use alternate routes if possible. 

The street closure is necessary to allow crews to repair the failed road base and stabilize the foundation of the road. This will prevent potholes and other surface distresses

This work is weather-dependent and the schedule may change.

###

(June 11, 2014)  – The Portland City Council today unanimously approved a Portland Bureau of Transportation plan for Foster Road that will improve safety from SE Powell Boulevard to SE 90th Avenue as well as enhance the streetscape to make the corridor more attractive and accessible for businesses and residents.

“Today we have a shared, pressing responsibility to ensure that all Portlanders—regardless of their zip code—have the access to the basic transportation infrastructure that is the backbone of thriving, safe communities,” said Commissioner Steve Novick, who oversees the Portland Bureau of Transportation.

“Foster Road is one of our High Crash Corridors, meaning it is one of ten areas in Portland that has the highest need for safety improvements. We have an ambitious goal of providing the vibrant and distinctive neighborhoods along the Foster Road corridor with safe streets and walkable communities. Today we moved forward with implementing the fruit of this labor,” he said.

That Foster Road Transportation and Streetscape Plan will convert the four lane high-speed corridor into a three-lane street that includes a center lane for turning traffic, bicycle lanes, wider sidewalks and streetscape enhancements such as additional trees and lighting.

The new street configuration is designed to significantly reduce all crashes along the road, which has been the site of more than 1,200 crashes and eight fatalities in the last decade.  PBOT projects a 20 percent reduction in all crashes after the project is complete. Construction is scheduled for 2016.

The improvements also mean that Foster Road will become more of a Main Street destination than a throughway.  Through traffic is expected to be slowed by about three minutes at peak hours.

The plan was approved with significant public support during the 18-month planning process and at the Council hearing.  During planning, more than 450 people attended five open houses, which is a larger than usual turnout, and 80 percent of comments supported the plan’s recommendations.

Funding for the $5.25 million capital project has been secured from sources outside the transportation bureau:  $3 million are from federal funds, $2.25 million are urban renewal funds from the Portland Development Commission’s Lents Urban Renewal Area.

Find more information, including a two page fact sheet at http://www.portlandoregon.gov/transportation/57866

###

(June 11, 2014) - The Portland Bureau of Transportation advises the traveling public that SW Salmon Street including both sidewalks, will be closed to all traffic from SW First Avenue to SW Naito Parkway from June 11 through August 7, 2014 all hours, all days.

The closure is necessary for the World Trade Center to make repairs to its underground garage located underneath SW Salmon Street.  World Trade Center crews will remove most of the street and pavement, including sidewalk bricks for its repairs, and will then rebuild and repave the street and rebuild the sidewalk. This work needs to occur during dry weather.

A detour for all travelers will be in effect during those times.  Eastbound vehicle and bicycle traffic will be diverted at SW 1st Avenue with the left lane directed northbound and the center and right lanes directed southbound.   Northbound traffic will be directed to SW Naito Parkway via SW Yamhill Street.  Southbound traffic will be directed to SW Naito Parkway via SW Columbia Street.  Pedestrian traffic will be detoured one block to SW Taylor Street or SW Main Street.

The public is advised to travel cautiously in the work zone and to observe detours. Travelers are advised to use alternate routes if possible.

###

 (June 6, 2014)  – The City of Portland Bureau of Transportation advises the traveling public that street improvements will require lane closures on N Lombard Street from N Reno Avenue to N Trumbull Avenue Monday, June 9, through Friday, June 13, 7 a.m. through 5 p.m. each day.

Traffic will be detoured to N Ivanhoe Street when lanes are closed for paving. Local access to residences and businesses will be provided.

This closure is to allow crews to pave 1.22 lane miles.

The public is advised to expect delays while repairs are being made. We ask the public to travel cautiously, observe all lane closures and directions by flaggers, and use alternate routes if possible.

This work is weather-dependent and the schedule may change.

###

(June 5, 2014) – The City of Portland Bureau of Transportation advises the traveling public that street improvements will require lane closures on SE 122^nd Avenue between SE Stark and SE Market streets from Monday, June 9 through Friday, August 15.

 Lane closures will be intermittent between the hours of 7 a.m. and 3 p.m. on weekdays.   On-street parking will also be restricted during these times to facilitate the work.

The public is advised to expect delays, travel cautiously, observe all lane closures and directions by flaggers, and use alternate routes if possible to avoid congestion.

The lane closures are necessary to grind down the existing pavement, repave and restripe the travel lanes between SE Stark and SE Market streets. In addition, some portions of the travel lane will require full-depth reconstruction.

Local access to residences and businesses will be provided.

###