Infrastructure

SE Mill Closed for Repaving July 7 to 11

Over 200 feet of SE Mill Street east of SE 82nd Avenue will remain closed to cars during the work week starting Monday, July 7th, allowing road workers to begin street repaving. Earlier this year, crews working for the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) constructed new sidewalks on SE Mill Street in this area, which previously lacked curbs and a dedicated pedestrian walkway. This project added wide sidewalks on both sides of the street, featuring tree wells for future street tree planting, creating a safer segment for the bike greenway, and a safe route to school path that runs along this street. Drivers should detour to Harrison Street until SE Mill Street reopens on Friday, July 11th.

Construction zone on SE Mill Street featuring a green construction vehicle, traffic cones, and construction signage. The road is closed to cars with ongoing repaving work visible in the background.
Degraded asphalt between new sidewalks ready for grinding and repaving

Much of SE Mill Street east of this site, up to 89th Avenue, still lacks curbs and sidewalks but features mature trees lining the somewhat degraded asphalt road surface. A future extension of sidewalks along this street would require extensive stormwater engineering. It could also necessitate substantial land dedication from adjacent property owners to accommodate sidewalks on the building side of the tree line. Alternatively, engineers could narrow the street to fit sidewalks between the curb and trees, but that could create challenges for opposing traffic to pass while supporting safe passage for cyclists using this Neighborhood Greenway.

A tree-lined street with mature trees on both sides, featuring a degraded asphalt road surface and parked cars along the edges.
SE Mill St east of the worksite lacks curbs and sidewalks up to 89th Avenue

Paving of SE Mill east of 82nd Avenue requires a full road closure; however, pedestrians and people riding bicycles can use the new sidewalks during construction to pass through the worksite. This reworking of a relatively small section of roadway will significantly transform the street from its previous form and serve as an extension of community investments made during the SE 80th and Mill Local Improvement District. After this road reopens, paving work will continue in this area on SE 82nd Avenue between SE Mill and Harrison Streets, Starting July 14th.

A car dealership featuring several vehicles for sale lined up in front of a building, with a colorful inflatable figure waving and trees in the background under a clear blue sky.
Recently completed SE Mill Street’s north sidewalk open for pedestrians and cyclists during construction

Update July 7, 2025: As of Monday, crews have closed the sidewalks on both sides of SE Mill Street, in addition to the roadway. People should detour to Harrison Street, and the sidewalks may reopen to pedestrians and bicyclists later in the project timeline. The contractors working on the project have removed the old asphalt surface and are regrading the roadway with a new gravel base.

Article and photos by

Jacob Loeb

Promotion: Montavilla News is supported by contributions from businesses like Greg Beddor – SEO Specialist, an Oregon based digital marketing consultancy. The company markets customer’s websites and provide SEO services to grow their business. We thank them for their support.