News Media Contacts:

Linc Mann, Bureau of Environmental Services, 503-823-5328
Mary Fetsch, TriMet, 503-962-6403
Dylan Rivera, Portland Bureau of Transportation, 503-823-3723
 

Public agencies coordinate to ensure street closures won’t overlap

Several public agencies are building large-scale public improvements in Southeast Portland that will require the public to plan ahead to avoid traffic delays on major thoroughfareS.

TriMet, Bureau of Environmental Services and the Portland Bureau of Transportation are working together to expand public transit access and create cleaner air and water. But first, the agencies have coordinated their construction schedules to try to ensure that major road closures on north-south corridors don’t overlap.

"We’re coordinating these efforts to reduce the traffic disruption and limit the impact on local businesses,” Portland City Commissioner Steve Novick said. “And when it’s over, we’ll have sewer pipes that aren’t in danger of breaking, smoother streets and safer options for public transit, biking and walking."

Some of the largest transportation corridors in Southeast Portlandwill be closed around the clock for weeks at a time:

• Southeast Cesar Chavez will close first, for a sewer replacement project
• Then, construction related to the Portland-Milwaukie Light Rail Transit Project will close Southeast 8th through 12th avenues
• Subsequently,Southeast Division Street will be closed for three weeks

View a map and overview of all the projects and road closures.

Representatives of several agencies gathered Thursday to preview significant construction, street closures and detours coming up this summer.

TriMet General Manager Neil McFarlane said, “We appreciate the public’s patience during construction, but it will bring a lot of benefits. The light rail project will improve transit service, create safer crossings, and improve bike and pedestrian access. It also sets the stage for a future Quiet Zone where train horns will only sound if there is an immediate safety issue.”

Environmental Services Director Dean Marriott said, “Portlandhas an aging sewer system and our work inCesar Chavez Boulevardwill replace a sewer that is 120 years old. These kind of improvements make our sewer system more reliable and help prevent sewer backups in basements and sewage releases to the environment.”

The Portland Police Bureau plans to provide targeted enforcement of traffic laws in the area of the construction projects to ensure motorists follow detour and construction signs and to prevent speeding on residential streets.

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