Starting at 8 p.m. on March 28th, crews will close East Burnside Street from 94th Avenue to 99th Avenue for weekend roadwork. The Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) advises drivers to detour around this section of East Burnside on Friday night through 5 a.m. on Monday, March 31st. The closures will prevent drivers from using the Interstate-205 overpass, requiring motorists to cross the freeway at NE Glisan Street or via the SE Stark Washing Street couplet. Pedestrians and cyclists are permitted to travel through the worksite but will need to follow marked signage and worker instructions to find safe pathways through the construction zone. Continuing evening work will close this section of East Burnside Street for three nights from 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. April 2nd through the 4th.
The overnight work schedule includes completing traffic signal upgrades and other improvements to TriMet MAX equipment. Crews working with PBOT will use these closures to fully repave the 97th Avenue’s crossing of East Burnside Street as part of the NE 97th Avenue Phase II and Couch/Davis Street Local Improvement District (LID). That project uses City and property owner funds to add sidewalks and create new road segments, restoring the city street grid in an area with long uninterrupted blocks and little pedestrian infrastructure. Project planners say this work will improve streets and sidewalks for existing residents while facilitating future housing growth in the Gateway area.
Closures will disrupt bus line 20 service. From the start of the closure until 8:00 a.m. Sunday, March 30th, TriMet will close eastbound bus stops on E Burnside at SE 94th (Stop ID 822) and SE 99th (Stop ID 12934). Westbound line 20 buses will similarly bypass stops on E Burnside at NE 97th (Stop ID 8745) and NE 94th (Stop ID 823). Riders should consult TriMet’s website for further alerts and to plan trips around the construction. I-205 Multiuse Path users can travel through this worksite. However, they should use caution and follow detour instructions as crews work to enhance the walking and rolling corridor.
PBOT will work to maintain local access to residences and businesses during the project. People should anticipate delays and obey instructions on signs or from the crew on site. When completed, all users of the streets in the LID project area will have access to modern roads built with nine inches of asphalt over an eight-inch aggregate base and wide sidewalks with street trees. Work in this area will continue past these closures, concluding later this year, and people are encouraged to keep aware of work in the roadway and changing traffic patterns.
