On March 5th, road crews and officials from the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) came to Montavilla to begin a concentrated pothole repair initiative, patching the many streets damaged during the winter storms. Media representatives joined PBOT’s Director at SE 84th Avenue between Clay and Hawthorne Streets to watch workers mill and repave a 600-by-14-foot-wide section of the street. Then, members of PBOT’s pothole repair team patched many large asphalt holes on SE Clay Street.

PBOT addresses minor road repairs throughout the year, attempting to fill potholes within 30 days of receiving reports. This roadwork increased momentum after the winter storm, with crews filling almost 3,000 potholes across the city between January 24th and February 26th. Over the next two weeks, PBOT will increase the number of people patching the street, with seven teams working full days filling potholes and repaving sections of the street where needed. PBOT will concentrate on roads east of 82nd Avenue during this repair initiative. “We focused there because we recognize that there are a number of locations where folks have seen problems but have not previously received services. We also recognize that many of the people who live in this part of town don’t report issues,” explained PBOT’s Director Millicent Williams.

Director Williams recognizes the urgent need for pothole maintenance but stresses the inefficiencies of this type of repair. Potholes cost around $300 per square foot to repair, while preventative pavement maintenance in the same area costs between $0.55 and 2.25. “We’ve under-invested in maintenance, in this case, for decades, and so we see a failure of the subsurface of the street that helps to create the environment for potholes to appear. Hopefully, we can address it through funding,” said Williams. PBOT faces a $4.5 Billion maintenance backlog and demising sources for funding. Director Williams is actively looking to secure new funding sources to support system repairs. “I think we’re at a moment, as we look to the future of the city, that creativity is going to rule the day,” explained Williams.

As Portlanders look around the city, they see PBOT crews building new roads and other safety improvements, often asking why Portland prioritizes those projects but not general maintenance. Many large infrastructure projects receive dedicated funds from Federal or State agencies. That money can only address specific project goals, with PBOT unable to redirect it toward general repair. Nearly 75% of PBOT’s funding comes from sources that prescribe its use, and only 2% comes from the city’s General Fund. Real estate developers contribute to PBOT’s funding through substantial System Development Charges (SDC) and Local Transportation Infrastructure Charges (LTIC). Director Williams noted that those funds are decreasing due to a slowing in construction. That shortfall, along with the lost gas tax revenue from electric vehicles and reduced parking fees from downtown, stresses the Bureau’s maintenance budget.

For the short term, PBOT will work deliberately to address the dangerous potholes that make Portland roads challenging to use. However, Director Williams is determined to find solutions to road infrastructure maintenance that will reduce the need for frequent patchwork and bring the city’s network of streets back to good standing. Expect to see more crews working on the streets over the next few weeks and keep roads clear of items when PBOT posts signs about planned work in the area.

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