Contractors working with the Portland Bureau of Transportation (PBOT) began intermittent night painting on NE Halsey Street between NE Jonesmore Street and NE 92nd Avenue the week of July 13th. Crews will use a blowtorch to adhere the green and white bike lane markings needed to activate the new raised concrete protected cycling path. PBOT says drivers should not encounter changes to travel patterns or restricted driveway access during the work, and that the work will not extend through the entire night.
This activity is part of the NE Halsey Street (80th to 92nd Avenues) – Safety and Access to Transit Project, which aims to improve safety for those traveling outside of cars along this busy High Crash street. Work follows the recent eastbound nighttime closure of NE Halsey Street over Interstate 84 and NE 82nd Avenue on July 8th and 9th. This week’s work will involve painting the two-way bicycle lanes on the south side of NE Halsey. Some crew activities will create noise; however, PBOT explained in its work notice that the night schedule is necessary due to daytime heat, which can warm the asphalt to a point where the paint cannot properly adhere.
The new two‑way protected bike infrastructure on NE Halsey provides a continuous connection from the new mini-roundabout at NE 81st Avenue to NE 92nd Avenue. This upgrade links cyclists directly to existing bike infrastructure and creates new sidewalks for people walking to the NE 82nd Avenue MAX station from the business corridor and nearby residential neighborhoods.
People can expect this round of overnight work to conclude on July 17th. Pedestrians and cyclists traveling through the area have access to much of the new infrastructure, even as crews install markings to help drivers identify potential conflict points with other street users. Until this project is completed later this year, travelers should use heightened caution on this section of NE Halsey Street, looking for collision points and obeying construction signs or barricades.
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