Road crews returned to SE Stark Street this week, reducing travel lanes in half and closing through traffic at 80th Avenue. Monday’s work focussed on grinding down the top layer of asphalt while patching the road’s base, where previous work required open trenches. Later this week, workers will repave 150 feet of Stark Street adjacent to where cement masons recently created new expanded sidewalk corners.
Construction at this intersection is part of the 70s Greenway Project that will create a safer north-south connector for people walking or riding to their destination. This portion of the infrastructure improvement project added new curb ramps, improved stormwater handling, and road resurfacing. Later, crews will install Rectangular Rapid Flashing Beacons (RRFB) and crosswalk striping on the west side of this intersection. As part of this work, The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) removed a few parking spaces to accommodate expanded sidewalk corners, with the north side protruding into the parking lane further to the west than the extended corner across the street. The added pedestrian space makes the historically skinny sidewalks wider and shortens the distance for people crossing SE Stark Street.
During this project, crews installed new stormwater pipes and electrical conduits for the RRFB signals throughout the intersection, creating a grid of asphalt patches. PBOT anticipated the need to repave the roadway but postponed that work until after the 2023 Street Fair when it would have interrupted those festivities.
Traffic disruptions at this intersection will conclude after crews apply the crosswalk and lane striping on the new road surface. Until then, drivers and cyclists should plan for occasional detours and lane reductions. Pedestrians may need to find alternate crossing points and should look for loose gravel in the area. RRFB installation will likely occur later in the year, around the same time as the SE Washington Street work at 80th Avenue concludes.
Promotion: Montavilla News could use your support through Patreon. We invite those who can financially support this local news source to please consider becoming a paid subscriber or sponsor. We will always remain free to read regardless of subscription.